"Doctor Who" The Christmas Invasion (2005)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

James Hawes

Writer:

Russell T. Davies (written by)

TV Series:

"Doctor Who" (2005)

Original Air Date:

25 December 2005 (Season 2, Episode 0)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Plot:

It's Christmas Eve, but this is to be a far from silent night - the cruel Sycorax have come to Earth to enslave mankind and, as ever, only The Doctor can stop them. Unfortunately, he's lying in a coma in Jackie's home...

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Tardis | Political Satire | Fantasy Episode | Title Spoken By Character

Cast

David Tennant	...	The Doctor
Billie Piper	...	Rose Tyler
Camille Coduri	...	Jackie Tyler
Noel Clarke	...	Mickey Smith
Penelope Wilton	...	Harriet Jones
Daniel Evans	...	Danny Llewellyn
Adam Garcia	...	Alex
Sean Gilder	...	Sycorax Leader
Chu Omambala	...	Major Blake
Anita Briem	...	Sally
Sian McDowall	...	Sandra
Paul Anderson	...	Jason
Cathy Murphy	...	Mum
Sean Carlsen	...	Policeman
Jason Mohammed	...	Newsreader 1

Runtime:

60 min | 60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:PG | USA:TV-PG

Filming Locations:

Tredegar House, Newport, Wales, UK

Trivia:

This episode was watched by 9.4 million viewers on its original transmission.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the doctor gets his hand cut off, he stands with his back to the clear skies. Then as he addresses the leader, he is shown with his back to the ship. And, without the leader moving, the Doctor then keeps addressing him with his back to the open skies again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Doctor: Jackie, Mickey, blimey! No, no, no, no, hold on. Wait there! I've got something to say. I've got something I had to tell you. Something important, what was it? No, no, no, hold on. Tch tch tch tch... Oh, I know! Merry Christmas!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Doctor Who Confidential: Fear Factor (#2.2)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Merry Xmas Everybody

Christmas special 2005: An enjoyable special despite the inevitable weaknesses due to the "bridging" nature of it (minor spoilers)

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Fresh from a transformation, the Doctor and Rose return to Earth to spend Christmas with her family. However when trees and Santa's start playing up it is apparent that this is no ordinary Christmas and some sinister force is at work. Still in a weakened state, the Doctor loses consciousness and cannot be revived by Rose. Meanwhile a spaceship positions itself above London and uses some power to control a large section of the population and make them stand on high buildings, ready to jump. The Prime Minister is desperate but seems left with no option but to make a deal with the powerful Sycorax.

I watched this special again last week on UK Gold, away from the hype and worry that came with it the first time round. This was the bridge between the "first" "new" series and the second or, more importantly, the bridge between Eccleston being the Doctor and David Tennant taking over the reins. As such there was always going to be an element of making that leap and then also the emphasis on Tennant making the role his own so that the new series could just start with the majority of the fuss over and done with. The first half of the special keeps the Doctor tucked away and builds the plot while also using this as a way of emphasising his entrance when it comes. The story is a good one which does more or less manage to bring in all the elements that the family audience (and big audience at that time of the year) requires. Although it is obviously restricted by the child element of the audience, the tension is built well and the aliens have a genuine threat. The spinning trees etc were all a bit silly but I suppose that does seem to come with the territory now.

Of course the big thing in the special was Tennant and I have to say that this didn't win me over to him. As his seasons at the helm continue I have come to like him more but I suspect that has an element of me accepting him rather than him being brilliant. Here I felt he was too over-the-top and I wanted someone to tell him that just because it was Christmas it didn't mean he had to go over the top as if he was in panto at Blackpool. This is maybe a bit harsh but in the series he tends to get a mix of this and quieter stuff to work with to act as balance – for most of his short time here he does rather overplay it somewhat. Of course it works for the type of thing this special is aiming for but viewers who like their sci-fi to be a little darker will have been worried by his appearance in this manner – particularly coming after the slightly grittier turn from Eccleston. Piper continues to be as good as she was in her first season and it is to her credit that she does pick up well with her new co-star. Wilton Jones was good as the PM but Clarke's Mickey continues to grate somewhat.

Overall then an good special that does the two things it sets out to do (entertain the family and get the new Doctor in the door and settled before the new season starts) and does it in a reasonable good way even if no one part of it is done really well. Fits well with the tone of the season that followed it though.