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!

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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!