Hold Tight And Pretend It’s A Plan -- An Overview Of The 2011 Doctor Who Christmas Special

I’ve made no secret of my unabashed love for The BBC’s “Doctor Who”. It’s a show that is on my ‘three shows I follow every year’ list and I’m willing to sit through a mediocre installment to watch the truly great episodes that inevitably follow. Even the mediocre tales of the last of the Time Lords still make great television viewing!

While this year’s special, The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe, was nowhere near as wonderful as last year’s A Christmas Tale, it had many redeeming qualities. What other show has the lead character saving the Earth during the opening three minute sequence? The Doctor destroys an invading alien space ship and plummets to Earth in true James Bond-like fashion!

Crash landing in Christmas 1938 England, The Doctor is helped by Madge Arwell, a kindly housewife. He is so impressed by her compassion that he promises to repay her generosity whenever she wishes. Three Christmases later (amongst the backdrop of the Second World War), the opportunity arises when Madge relocates her two children, Lily and Cyril upon news of her husband’s death over the English Channel.

Seeking shelter from the Nazi blitz, the three enter a house in the English countryside with a most unusual caretaker (The Doctor) to brighten their holiday. The Doctor creates a magical playground for the children, one that includes a package under the Christmas tree which is actually a portal to a snow covered fantasy world. From there the four save the inhabitants of Androzani and Madge’s will enables her husband to find his way back home for a holiday miracle!

Showrunner Steven Moffat did an admirable job reworking C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, but adapting a literature classic in 60 minutes left The Doctor as the only one with any character growth at the end. However, actor Matt Smith conveys an amazing sense of quirkiness, fun (especially acting with the children) and emotion as The Doctor. Where the previous actor in the role (David Tennant) portrayed him as a swashbuckling yet tragic hero, Smith infuses his Doctor with adept yet playful capability.

One must be an actual scrooge to not be moved by the special’s postscript. Amy uses a water pistol to ward off carolers in the present before the former companion realizes that she is squirting The Doctor, giving him the perfect cover to hide his tears of joy as Amy and husband Rory welcome the weary time traveler back into their lives for Christmas dinner.

As someone who encounters unfulfilled expectations and painful obligations at this time every year, it’s nice of have something dependable during the holidays. It just wouldn’t be Christmas (for me, anyway) without The Doctor!

Previous Doctor Who Entry

And kudos to you if you remember the first "Doctor Who" story that takes place in the Androzani system!  It's just the most popular "Doctor Who" story ever!

The Tough Girl Prototype

I may have based the look of my Gigi Gutierrez character as a cross between my friend Colleen and Rachel Welch, but the character's inspiration goes all the way back to the prototype.

Back to Emma Peel.

Portrayed by Dame Diana Rigg on “The Avengers” television series during 1965-68, talented amateur Mrs. Peel partnered with top professional spy John Steed to protect the British realm from enemy spies, diabolical masterminds, and aliens from outer space. Fashion (the catsuit), movies (Ripley, Sarah Conner, Lara Croft), television (Leela, Sarah Walker, Buffy),  and even comic books (Wonder Woman, Phoenix, and my very own Gigi) still feel her influence today!

Mrs. Peel turned the traditional damsel-in-distress motif on its ear, rescuing Steed just as often as he rescued her. Not only was she skilled in martial arts, but science, art and business as well. Successfully navigating Joseph Campbell’s Heroic Journey, Emma has in turn been rendered helpless, imperiled and nearly destroyed during her ordeals yet ultimately emerging to claim victory time and time again.

Sexy as she was in public, Emma was loyal to her men: first to Peter Peel, and second to Steed (when Mr. Peel was presumed dead). Beautiful, self-assured and witty, she was what most women aspired to be: Cool Brittania.

However, for my Pretty Vacant purposes, Mrs. Peel did have a dark side! Throughout her 51 episodes, she was bound, gagged, hypnotized, transformed into a robot, and (most memorably), forced to become a dominatrix:



Granted, it was in defense of Queen and Country, but the underlying kinkiness has always been part of her male, or m-appeal.

When I originally conceived of Pretty Vacant, I realized that the main character Gigi needed to be someone the readers could cheer on in the story. She would have to be admired for her ability, her determination, and yes… her looks!



Fans (of both sexes) have told me how they really like the strong woman character in Gigi -- the latest in a long line started by Mrs. Emma Peel.

Have Yourself A Pretty Vacant Christmas (2011)*

Mindy have a Pretty Vacant Christmas
Drugs have sapped your will
Just one coat of plastination
keeps you still

Mindy have a Pretty Vacant Christmas
Be it oh so nice
It’s much better when your
body’s packed in ice

Dressed in sequins your mannequin’s
profit margin’s up this year
And the friend who you dearly prize
we will plasticize right here

Someday Gigi will be frozen with you
When the times allow
you and she will be posed on the highest bough
So Mindy have a Pretty Vacant Christmas now!

*Sung to the melody of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. Art by Oscar, WoZ and me. Apologies all around!