Doctor Who; Another Year, Another Special
No, it wasn’t the worst Christmas special ever — it’d be difficult to top the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special — but, this year’s special certainly wasn’t one of The Doctor’s best. It’s true, the episode had almost everything we’d expect from this post-Tennant era. Another space ship in distress, a bit of suspense, Matt Smith running around like a madman, and an Eco-friendly story about a mother’s love for her family. The episode was chock-full of references to C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, and The Doctor’s involvement throughout, though sporadic, is sufficient enough to win us over. But is that really enough?
For most fans, maybe — but not me. It may have been a bit more Christmas-y than some of the previous specials, but The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, lacked the sense of grandeur that I’ve come to associate each of them. Its pacing was a tad atrocious and, while it started with a bang, the first third of the episode felt rushed, only to drag in the middle. It picked up toward the end, with some really touching moments, but nothing I’d want to spoil for anyone. However, I will say that, if anything, the episode reaffirmed how much I’ll miss Amy and Rory when they make their eventual departure from the series next year.