@ Good question. And I can give you 4003 answers, on that ship that jerk was going to let crash for no particular reason. Inaction can be a form of action.
@@robbob5302 yeah. So we agree that "killing" one person to save 4000 people is ethically valid? "Killing" because the weather machine doesn't even consider him the same person anymore.
Michael Gambon was such a great actor so I'm glad he got the chance to be a part of the Doctor Who Universe at least once and honestly think this is in my top 2 for my favourite Christmassy episodes
Love The Doctor channelling Sherlock to work out why Sardick didn't hit the boy - you'd think Stephen Moffat was involved in both shows or something! Lovely reaction, Jules - I feel so much better about getting teary knowing I'm not the only one who gets emotional at this one.
This is my favorite Christmas episode. It just makes me smile and I absolutely love the song she sings. Thankfully they have it on the soundtrack so you can listen to it on Spotify! Beautiful episode!
Andy Pryor, the casting director, did not believe Michael Gambon would be available, and was surprised when Gambon accepted the role. Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill were very honoured to work with him. Katherine Jenkins is a popular Welsh opera singer, this was her first time acting.
One of my favourite Christmas specials of the show and one of Matt Smith and Steven Moffat best Christmas specials and Michael did a great job in this. I am glad you’re enjoying Matt Smith as The Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy and Arthur as Rory. They are my favourite Doctor and companions. The fun really began here now.
I adore this episode. It reinvents the traditional Christmas Carol story and is filled with such magic, whimsy and heart. I cry every time I rewatch it!
Aaaww that was such a lovely story! I thought Michael Gambon was great as a Scrooge like character, and it being inspired by A Christmas Carol was a treat for me as that's a book I read every year at Xmas. I loved the idea of fog fish, and I really enjoy seeing strange stuff like that in Doctor Who. Little things like that really add to the worlds they visit and make them feel more alive. Definitely an episode with a lot of gladness and sadness. Hope season 6 brings you just as much joy as season 5 did. 💚
Katie 👋 honestly, I've been left feeling pleasantly surprised with how easily and quickly I've come to love the 11th Doctor. He fits the role so beautifully... he's so effortlessly playful, quirky and charming. Plus, he has these amazing mannerisms... the way he moves his hands in an eccentric way, the bow-legged walk. I've been nothing short of VERY impressed 💜
Abigail is played by the opera singer Katherine Jenkins and her voice is so amazing to listen to and this was her first acting role too. Michael Gambon is also very good in this episode going from a mean old scrooge to the nice scrooge at the end. This is wonderfully done version of the christmas carol book and to me its probably one of the best christmas episodes they ever did
That shark looks far to friend-shaped for me to think I would have good odds on surviving this episode. Also, I’m glad Amy and Rory are getting some recreational use out of the centurion outfit.
I'm not a big fan of the Christmas specials, but this one hits differently. I just love the 11th doctor, and Matt is soooo good with kids. I miss this DW era so much, at least I have found your channel to re-experience it all over again with a fresh set of eyes.
must be what the doctor feels.... seeing something, you already know, through the eyes of someone new and experiencing their joy to see it the first time.....
Possibly my favourite Christmas episode with it's emotion, and timey wimey time travel, and Christmas themes, and I love the song at the end, Abigail's Song (Silence Is All You Know), beautifully sung by Katherine Jenkins who also played Abigail.
This episode was a gem. I love how they combined the more earth-bound matters with the other out-of-this-world things. The pressing symbolism, like how the rich take advantage of the poor, how parents and loneliness leave a huge imprint on people, and most importantly, how time is the most valuable thing we have, and we still fail to conquer it. I have a soft spot for Doctor Who xmas specials, but i believe this one nailed it. And hearing Katherine Jenkins sing...absolutely magical. It was one of those "fairytale" episodes, where you wish you could run away from reality and go to such a place. Also, RIP Michael Gambon, such a great actor, such a great voice.
I'm so happy you liked this one so much! You even mentioned the fez! This might be one of my favourite episodes and is certainly my favourite Christmas special. It has my favourite line in all of Doctor Who too; "in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before." That just summarises the Doctor perfectly to me.
that's the thing with Doctor who..... even the beautiful episodes will make you cry. the psychic paper finally shorting out is classic. as for will the show give you a break from crying, Wellllllll.........
Episodes like this bring a tear to my eye, not just for the episode itself, but also for the level of writing on the show that's been lost over the past several years, imo. 😢
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! This is my favourite Christmas special not gonna lie Love how they are cosplaying which is cute (also this is their honeymoon) Santa being an actual person that the Doctor met is so funny to me. The Doctor is married to Marilyn Monroe XD
This is my all-time favourite Christmas special and one of my favourite episodes in general! I rewatch it every Christmas morning morning before everyone else gets up and I think it's the epitome of Season Five's cosmic fairy tale theme. It's just so beautiful in every possible way and I can't help but gush over it. Let's not even get started on that song. ❤❤ The RTD Christmas specials were good, but Moffat really makes them magical. Of special significance to we Australians, this was the first episode to air here on the same day as the UK. It was released on ABC iView early Boxing Day, at the same time as its UK broadcast, then aired on the actual ABC that night. For the first few years of New Who we had to wait several months, then Season Five was a big deal because we were only two weeks behind, then finally as of this episode we'd be in synch going forward. Karen Sardick was played by the late, great Michael Gambon, who you'd know as Dumbledore from the 3rd to 8th Harry Potter movies. Meanwhile, Abigail was played by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins. Both were incredibly big guest stars for the show. Also, just to clarify, the Christmas specials are their own separate thing, broadcast between seasons on Christmas Day, usually without any major connections to the previous or following season. The isomorphic controls joke is a classic Who reference. The TARDIS was said to have isomorphic controls at one point, yet there are countless times when other people are seen working the controls. That's why the Doctor says there's no such thing, it's a bit of an in-joke. I'm so glad you liked this episode Jules, it really does hold a special place in my heart. I also love that you've already latched onto the fez as a running gag. Season 6 is my least-favourite of Eleven's seasons, but it's still got some great stuff and I'm looking forward to seeing what you think.
I absolutely love this episode so much. One of my favorite Christmas specials of all time by far. The back and forth from the footage of the young and old versions of the same man who is remembering what is also simultaneously forming in front of us. It's just so good. It's also extremely emotional as well. Thank you for your reactions as always.
I remember seeing this but it has been quite awhile and it was a Christmas Special take on A Christmas Carol and Scrooge. I always enjoy it when there is a lot of humor in the episodes and this has a very special episode. Have an marvelous week and take care my friend.🫡🇦🇺💓
This is why I love the rewatches, I forgot how GOOD this special is! Like probably the peak Christmas special (sans one.... maybe) out of all of them if I'm being honest. And it just cements Doctor Who perfectly; humor, heartbreak, heartfelt, all with a sci-fi twist. You can't beat it. Series 6, heads up, pay attention to EVERYTHING and leave no breadcrumbs. LOL
A lovely episode - and features Moffat reusing an earlier idea of his from “Continuity Errors”, a Seventh Doctor short story he wrote for the 1996 anthology Decalog 3: Consequences, published by Virgin Books and his first ever professional Doctor Who story. Also, I cried along with you, Jules, as I do every time I watch this episode!
Hello, Jules! 💜 What is more Christmas than Dickens and his redemptive “A Christmas Carol” ? I have not much to say here, as I found your reaction to be perfect, and your thoughts, as ever, to be very on point. 🤩 I always enjoy this episode - it is a beautiful Christmas treat, and so very well done, as you point out. The added “Doctor” things fit so seamlessly into the timeless tale, whilst showing that time, can indeed be re-written, as viewers are pulled through an emotional gamut, just wonderfully done. There are so many bits of marvelous humor in this one, and Matt Smith’s the perfect Doctor for the script. Rory and Amy, having a tad bit of Cosplay in the process. Just flat out funny, and fun. The Doctor and the chimney entrance always gets me , and it leads to my favorite lines here - “ … my whole brain just went ‘What the hell!’ … or, as I’ve always known him, Jeff.” and then “ … in 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important.” Matt Smith, going 0 - 60 in the blink of an eye, hilarious, to gravely serious., and back again. I also always enjoy his later “Marilyn! Get your coat!” And they make it to Australia! 😂 The back and forth, rewriting time, on the fly, is excellent and You, at 22:06, 🥲 the excellent encapsulation of the emotion this scene is so full of. The tension, the music, and the beautiful voice of Katherine Jenkins, just all work together so well here. Your reaction certainly invokes the feeling of “first time view”, but what is truly special, to me anyway, is that this moment doesn’t really ever lose its power - it remains a somewhat full on frontal assault on one’s senses … every time. 🥰 Excellent reaction. I have been waiting for this particular one, and I am very pleased that you were able to retain bits of the final song and its scene, safe from the blocking Scrooges, as I am very pleased to have seen this with you. Thank you for all your work making another great reaction. 😊 Have a wonderful day, Jules. 💜🤗💜 You may have to flip the AC switch, as winds blast the area with the promised, continuing heatwave… Yikes! 🥵 Be relaxed and safe. 😊
Tom 🤗💜 I love that you adored this one so much. It is SO lovely, and almost perfectly timed for Christmas! Not that you'd know it's Christmas time soon here due to that silly sun. NOT very nice! I think this might be my favourite Christmas episode so far. I kind of feel guilty that I have fallen for this Doctor as much as I have! I'm sure David won't mind. The 11th Doctor is just unbelievably special and Amy and Rory add SUCH a gorgeous extra element. I continue to be impressed by what I see 💜 Thank you for your very kind words, Dear Tom 🥰
It's too bad when your posts show up too close to when I have to go to work, and today is one of those days. The good news is that I get to enjoy it layer.
A few things. yes, that is Dumbledore's voice and actor playing Kazran/Sardick, and that is also the actress (Kathrine Jenkins) really singing. Secondly, we find out in an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures that the Doctor also drops them off on a honeymoon planet, "...which isn't what you think. it's not a planet for a honeymoon, it's a planet on a honeymoon. It married an asteroid." :D I just don't know if the events of this episode took place before or after the SJA episode, though it might be reasonable to assume after and it was the Doctor making up for the start of their honeymoon being a bit rubbish to start.
The Writers in the *Matt Smith series wrote a Master Piece. Equally Nuanced & Ambiguous, Every twist & turn so cleverly intwined & Untwined, right from beginning to end of Episode/Season/Series.
Here in the UK we have a TV show called "Only fools and horses". In one of the episodes Rodney and Cassandra decide to dress up to spice up their love life. He dresses as Russell Crown (Gladiator) and she dresses as Juliet Bravo (a police officer). I've always thought that scene may have inspired Moffat.
_Maybe_ my favourite Christmas special, it's up there anyway. Funny and sad and silly and beautiful - "Doctor Who" basically :). "Halfway out of the dark" really resonated with me, it captures something about the time of year and I think of it every Christmas (northern hemisphere version of course - it's the middle of summer down your way :).
The music was first presented in the form of the excellent Doctor Who Fan Orchestra, which you should be aware of on UA-cam. The channel features a suite of the music of this Christmas Special.
This was a nice episode but then you begin to question it. If he's showing young Kazran his older self, what happened to the Kazran that went on all those adventures with her? Isn't he erased or his experience tainted by his younger self seeing what the future held? Its a time paradox and no one thought to question it because of the emotional scenes. Its fair too, I didn't question it at all until I saw it through this reaction over 10 years later and said "wait a minute..." and I've seen this one twice in that time period!
The clouds in the opening title sequence was meant to be the time vortex though I never understood why it looks that way and the lightning bit. When I first watched this episode on the ABC back on boxing day 2010 I was very negative and critical towards it as I thought it was abit too "christmassy" and too "fairytale" and the lack of villains but in hindsight I got to appreciate it abit more and understand the story abit better though I found the flying sharks were abit ridiculous. R.I.P. Michael Gambon 😢.
I have to admit that this hasn't been one of my favorite Christmas-themed "Who" stories, mainly because of the obvious parallel to to overly-copied Dickens classic. I have seen so many rip-offs of "A Christmas Carol" over the decades that this one took a while for me to get to like. On the other hand, it was certainly chock-full of emotion, and a bit of temporal-paradox-building just to stay true to the core of "Who," that I can enjoy it anyway. Yes, Michael Gambon did a very good job in the role, no worse than any of the best Scrooges that came before him. And yes, Katherine Jenkins' appearance was about as touching a feminine presence as anyone's in the series. On the other hand, there were two serious weaknesses in the storyline that were either inadequately excused or not at all excused. First, the inadequate excuse. The Doctor said he could not use the TARDIS-the most advanced starship in the universe, capable of towing an entire planet (remember that?)-to yank the starliner free because it could not lock on. Okay, but the reason it couldn't would have to do with that weather manipulator generating those clouds. That was clearly humanoid technology; how could a Gallifreyan ship not be able to overcome that? Well, I suppose I can accept the fact that this was not a first-time occurrence; the TARDIS has had issues overriding other forms of technology in the past. Plus, I can remember Doctor #4 snubbing his own world's technology before: "You think this stuff is sophisticated?! There are worlds out there where this sort of equipment would be considered prehistoric junk!" So, yes, there is a precedent for what the Doctor said here...which, by the way, I had to pause several times last night to figure what he said, he said it so fast. After all these years, I only made out what he said last night. Now, the weakness that was never explained: What was Abigail's illness? And how could a society that has enough technological advancement to create a massive weather-mod network not be able to cure whatever ailed her? Well, yes, that is plausible...but then, what about the Doctor? A Type-40 TARDIS has medical facilities that can reverse/cure any illness in any life form with pico-biological scans. Why didn't he do that? What consequences to the future could there possibly have been by giving Abigail Pettigrew-Sardick a normal-span life? Likely no consequences. But, in the flavor of Russell Davies' way of explaining plot holes, that's the consequence of the Doctor carelessly deleting the sick bay in one of his many eccentric tinkerings with the TARDIS, and never getting around to rebooting the interior-redecoration circuit to put it back. 😄 It's the only plausible excuse I can think of-after all, aside from one offhand comment of where the sick bay was supposed to be (last season), we never see it, then, now, or later-and even then I still think it a tad lame.
Or the writers forgot, just like they forgot they created a time paradox by having young Kazran see old Kazran, which would mess up EVERY single Christmas he went through with Abigail and cause an issue with the new Kazran having multiple timelines in his brain.
An excellent Christmas episode and great music. I have just two complaints: 1) I'm not keen on the cinematography. Unnatural yellow lighting and excessive cyan, plus heavy grading and tons of fog/smoke. Would have been so much better with more natural, clear, warm colours. 2) Abigail isn't saved, nor are the (hundreds?) of frozen people released. For a Christmas episode, it would have been more uplifting to have an "everybody lives" moment rather than the rather gloomy "everybody dies" line! I'm not keen on a romance where they don't live happily ever after. But nevertheless, an excellent episode. When The Doctor saw all the fish, he should have asked: "Has anyone got any custard?" "Custard?" "Never mind."
This is widely considered one of the best Christmas specials of them all. I personally consider this to be one of the five worst episodes of new Doctor Who... I hate this episode with a passion. Other than the acting, and maybe the sharks, this episode doesn't provide any rewatchability or enjoyment etc... it's a cartoon villain that undermines pretty much every villain in Doctor Who history, and then they add depth to the character that doesn't remotely match with his older personality. Sorry, I normally don't even watch reactors react to this, but I like you enough that I did, but I hate this episode so much. (I've seen every episode of New Who a minimum of three times, this is one of those episodes that reaches the minimum number)
Not just a great Dr Who episode, but a pretty good rendition of A Christmas Carol, to boot! Easily in the Top 10!
And such a great twist at the end. Showing his young self who he has become today.
The one jury that will actually matter.
with a touch of sherlock holmes
How ethical is it for The Doctor to completely change someone's life like that against their will?
@ Good question.
And I can give you 4003 answers, on that ship that jerk was going to let crash for no particular reason.
Inaction can be a form of action.
@@robbob5302 yeah. So we agree that "killing" one person to save 4000 people is ethically valid? "Killing" because the weather machine doesn't even consider him the same person anymore.
Kazran hugging his younger self and weeping that he's sorry will never cease to cause to me to tear up.
SO emotional but so well done 😢
Michael Gambon was such a great actor so I'm glad he got the chance to be a part of the Doctor Who Universe at least once and honestly think this is in my top 2 for my favourite Christmassy episodes
best xmas episode because no other show could wrap the time travel element back and forth so well into the story.
"Finally a LIE too big" best line of the episode imo
My absolute favourite DW Christmas special. It's so very beautiful!
It really is SO beautiful!!
Love The Doctor channelling Sherlock to work out why Sardick didn't hit the boy - you'd think Stephen Moffat was involved in both shows or something! Lovely reaction, Jules - I feel so much better about getting teary knowing I'm not the only one who gets emotional at this one.
@@littlecitygirl Yeah, although he already did it on his first appearance, when he noticed that Rory wasn't recording the invasion.
THE best ever ever Christmas tv episode of anything ever. Not only that, but the best demonstration of time travel, as well. Very emotional.
Amazing Episode, Rest in Peace, Michael Gambon, amazing acting as always.
Now there are many Doctor Who Christmas specials but this for me is THE Doctor Who Christmas episode I have to always watch in December
to me this is the best of the christmas specials, and i actually have been watching it on christmas for the last couple of years.
I think it might be my fave, too!
This is my favorite Christmas episode. It just makes me smile and I absolutely love the song she sings. Thankfully they have it on the soundtrack so you can listen to it on Spotify! Beautiful episode!
She has the voice of an angel 🥰
Best Christmas episode of dr who! 💙💙💙
I love how good the Eleventh Doctor is with kids.
He so is!!
Andy Pryor, the casting director, did not believe Michael Gambon would be available, and was surprised when Gambon accepted the role. Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill were very honoured to work with him. Katherine Jenkins is a popular Welsh opera singer, this was her first time acting.
Michael Gambon was a perfect choice for Scrooge - not so great for Dumbledore.
One of my favourite Christmas specials of the show and one of Matt Smith and Steven Moffat best Christmas specials and Michael did a great job in this. I am glad you’re enjoying Matt Smith as The Doctor and Karen Gillan as Amy and Arthur as Rory. They are my favourite Doctor and companions. The fun really began here now.
RIP Michael Gambon. What a wonderful and incredible actor. Glad Doctor Who managed to have him on board for an episode.
My absolute favourite of all the DW Christmas Specials and I don't care who knows it!
I think it's mine, too! It's just SO lovely 🥰
I adore this episode. It reinvents the traditional Christmas Carol story and is filled with such magic, whimsy and heart. I cry every time I rewatch it!
Aaaww that was such a lovely story! I thought Michael Gambon was great as a Scrooge like character, and it being inspired by A Christmas Carol was a treat for me as that's a book I read every year at Xmas.
I loved the idea of fog fish, and I really enjoy seeing strange stuff like that in Doctor Who. Little things like that really add to the worlds they visit and make them feel more alive.
Definitely an episode with a lot of gladness and sadness. Hope season 6 brings you just as much joy as season 5 did. 💚
Katie 👋 honestly, I've been left feeling pleasantly surprised with how easily and quickly I've come to love the 11th Doctor. He fits the role so beautifully... he's so effortlessly playful, quirky and charming. Plus, he has these amazing mannerisms... the way he moves his hands in an eccentric way, the bow-legged walk. I've been nothing short of VERY impressed 💜
22:05 "Silence is all you know" Silence Will Fall :)
Katherine Jenkins, real Opera Singer.
Ah yes, the Christmas when we all got Catherine Jenkins singing to a roaring shark. The roars always sounded odd coming from a fish shaped object.
Abigail is played by the opera singer Katherine Jenkins and her voice is so amazing to listen to and this was her first acting role too. Michael Gambon is also very good in this episode going from a mean old scrooge to the nice scrooge at the end. This is wonderfully done version of the christmas carol book and to me its probably one of the best christmas episodes they ever did
Thanx for reminding me what her name is. It's been a while, and I'm getting old, and it slipped my mind. LOL
Imagine how healing a sincere sorry and hug from your future self could be.
That shark looks far to friend-shaped for me to think I would have good odds on surviving this episode.
Also, I’m glad Amy and Rory are getting some recreational use out of the centurion outfit.
Their honeymoon went as well as expected 😅
I'm not a big fan of the Christmas specials, but this one hits differently. I just love the 11th doctor, and Matt is soooo good with kids. I miss this DW era so much, at least I have found your channel to re-experience it all over again with a fresh set of eyes.
must be what the doctor feels.... seeing something, you already know, through the eyes of someone new and experiencing their joy to see it the first time.....
i didnt even realize until a reactor said it that Sardak(dont know how its spelt, sorry) was Dumbledore.... he looks so different without a beard
This is one of the best-written episodes in the entire show. It's _so_ clever
Rule 1 of Doctor Who: The Doctor Lies.
Rule 2 of Doctor Who: Poor Jules will either cry with joy, or sorrow, or both. :)
Undoubtedly the best Doctor Who Christmas special
This my favorite Christmas episode of all of them.
It is SO good!!
Possibly my favourite Christmas episode with it's emotion, and timey wimey time travel, and Christmas themes, and I love the song at the end, Abigail's Song (Silence Is All You Know), beautifully sung by Katherine Jenkins who also played Abigail.
This episode was a gem. I love how they combined the more earth-bound matters with the other out-of-this-world things. The pressing symbolism, like how the rich take advantage of the poor, how parents and loneliness leave a huge imprint on people, and most importantly, how time is the most valuable thing we have, and we still fail to conquer it. I have a soft spot for Doctor Who xmas specials, but i believe this one nailed it. And hearing Katherine Jenkins sing...absolutely magical. It was one of those "fairytale" episodes, where you wish you could run away from reality and go to such a place. Also, RIP Michael Gambon, such a great actor, such a great voice.
Her voice is SO angelic!!!
I'm so happy you liked this one so much! You even mentioned the fez!
This might be one of my favourite episodes and is certainly my favourite Christmas special. It has my favourite line in all of Doctor Who too; "in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before." That just summarises the Doctor perfectly to me.
So happy we're into Series 6..my favorite episode is coming up.
Katherine Jenkins is a very famous welsh opera singer
Quite probably my favorite Christmas Special......
Seeing these Steven Moffat episodes again, I noticed how the cinematography is very similar to how he did it in Sherlock at the same time
Welcome to the best series of the 11th Doctor era! (in my opinion, obviously, and although it is an unpopular one, I'm ready to die on this hill)
I will die on that hill with you!
One of the best Doctor Who episodes, period, as far as I'm concerned.
that's the thing with Doctor who..... even the beautiful episodes will make you cry. the psychic paper finally shorting out is classic. as for will the show give you a break from crying, Wellllllll.........
Episodes like this bring a tear to my eye, not just for the episode itself, but also for the level of writing on the show that's been lost over the past several years, imo. 😢
Glad you enjoyed it. This is my favourite of the Christmas special episodes.
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!
This is my favourite Christmas special not gonna lie
Love how they are cosplaying which is cute (also this is their honeymoon)
Santa being an actual person that the Doctor met is so funny to me.
The Doctor is married to Marilyn Monroe
XD
This is my all-time favourite Christmas special and one of my favourite episodes in general! I rewatch it every Christmas morning morning before everyone else gets up and I think it's the epitome of Season Five's cosmic fairy tale theme. It's just so beautiful in every possible way and I can't help but gush over it. Let's not even get started on that song. ❤❤ The RTD Christmas specials were good, but Moffat really makes them magical.
Of special significance to we Australians, this was the first episode to air here on the same day as the UK. It was released on ABC iView early Boxing Day, at the same time as its UK broadcast, then aired on the actual ABC that night. For the first few years of New Who we had to wait several months, then Season Five was a big deal because we were only two weeks behind, then finally as of this episode we'd be in synch going forward.
Karen Sardick was played by the late, great Michael Gambon, who you'd know as Dumbledore from the 3rd to 8th Harry Potter movies. Meanwhile, Abigail was played by Welsh opera singer Katherine Jenkins. Both were incredibly big guest stars for the show.
Also, just to clarify, the Christmas specials are their own separate thing, broadcast between seasons on Christmas Day, usually without any major connections to the previous or following season.
The isomorphic controls joke is a classic Who reference. The TARDIS was said to have isomorphic controls at one point, yet there are countless times when other people are seen working the controls. That's why the Doctor says there's no such thing, it's a bit of an in-joke.
I'm so glad you liked this episode Jules, it really does hold a special place in my heart. I also love that you've already latched onto the fez as a running gag.
Season 6 is my least-favourite of Eleven's seasons, but it's still got some great stuff and I'm looking forward to seeing what you think.
I absolutely love this episode so much. One of my favorite Christmas specials of all time by far. The back and forth from the footage of the young and old versions of the same man who is remembering what is also simultaneously forming in front of us. It's just so good. It's also extremely emotional as well. Thank you for your reactions as always.
My pleasure 🥰
Every Thursday morning here in England, I look forward to the next episode and reaction from you. Brilliant editing as always.
I remember seeing this but it has been quite awhile and it was a
Christmas Special take on A Christmas Carol and Scrooge.
I always enjoy it when there is a lot of humor in the episodes
and this has a very special episode. Have an marvelous week
and take care my friend.🫡🇦🇺💓
This is why I love the rewatches, I forgot how GOOD this special is! Like probably the peak Christmas special (sans one.... maybe) out of all of them if I'm being honest. And it just cements Doctor Who perfectly; humor, heartbreak, heartfelt, all with a sci-fi twist. You can't beat it. Series 6, heads up, pay attention to EVERYTHING and leave no breadcrumbs. LOL
Michael Gambon makes me cry every time i watch this. So well written!
A lovely episode - and features Moffat reusing an earlier idea of his from “Continuity Errors”, a Seventh Doctor short story he wrote for the 1996 anthology Decalog 3: Consequences, published by Virgin Books and his first ever professional Doctor Who story. Also, I cried along with you, Jules, as I do every time I watch this episode!
Of the various Christmas specials, this is still probably the best one.
Hello, Jules! 💜
What is more Christmas than Dickens and his redemptive “A Christmas Carol” ?
I have not much to say here, as I found your reaction to be perfect, and your thoughts, as ever, to be very on point. 🤩
I always enjoy this episode - it is a beautiful Christmas treat, and so very well done, as you point out. The added “Doctor” things fit so seamlessly into the timeless tale, whilst showing that time, can indeed be re-written, as viewers are pulled through an emotional gamut, just wonderfully done.
There are so many bits of marvelous humor in this one, and Matt Smith’s the perfect Doctor for the script. Rory and Amy, having a tad bit of Cosplay in the process. Just flat out funny, and fun.
The Doctor and the chimney entrance always gets me , and it leads to my favorite lines here - “ … my whole brain just went ‘What the hell!’ … or, as I’ve always known him, Jeff.”
and then “ … in 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important.”
Matt Smith, going 0 - 60 in the blink of an eye, hilarious, to gravely serious., and back again.
I also always enjoy his later “Marilyn! Get your coat!” And they make it to Australia! 😂
The back and forth, rewriting time, on the fly, is excellent and You, at 22:06, 🥲 the excellent encapsulation of the emotion this scene is so full of. The tension, the music, and the beautiful voice of Katherine Jenkins, just all work together so well here.
Your reaction certainly invokes the feeling of “first time view”, but what is truly special, to me anyway, is that this moment doesn’t really ever lose its power - it remains a somewhat full on frontal assault on one’s senses … every time. 🥰
Excellent reaction. I have been waiting for this particular one, and I am very pleased that you were able to retain bits of the final song and its scene, safe from the blocking Scrooges, as I am very pleased to have seen this with you. Thank you for all your work making another great reaction. 😊
Have a wonderful day, Jules. 💜🤗💜 You may have to flip the AC switch, as winds blast the area with the promised, continuing heatwave… Yikes! 🥵
Be relaxed and safe. 😊
"I have not much to say here"
-Are you sure? LOL
Tom 🤗💜 I love that you adored this one so much. It is SO lovely, and almost perfectly timed for Christmas! Not that you'd know it's Christmas time soon here due to that silly sun. NOT very nice!
I think this might be my favourite Christmas episode so far. I kind of feel guilty that I have fallen for this Doctor as much as I have! I'm sure David won't mind. The 11th Doctor is just unbelievably special and Amy and Rory add SUCH a gorgeous extra element. I continue to be impressed by what I see 💜
Thank you for your very kind words, Dear Tom 🥰
An absolutely beautiful episode
It's too bad when your posts show up too close to when I have to go to work, and today is one of those days. The good news is that I get to enjoy it layer.
Rip michael gambon
In my opinion this is the best christmas episode
You’re videos mean everything to me
A few things. yes, that is Dumbledore's voice and actor playing Kazran/Sardick, and that is also the actress (Kathrine Jenkins) really singing. Secondly, we find out in an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures that the Doctor also drops them off on a honeymoon planet, "...which isn't what you think. it's not a planet for a honeymoon, it's a planet on a honeymoon. It married an asteroid." :D I just don't know if the events of this episode took place before or after the SJA episode, though it might be reasonable to assume after and it was the Doctor making up for the start of their honeymoon being a bit rubbish to start.
Love this, my 2nd favourite Christmas special
This episode. Yeah, this is the one that made me buy the soundtrack. You know why :)
I also cry every time too, eh,
Oh and Fezzes are cool, like bowties :)
Amazing episode, you made me tear up a bit!!! 😢😢
I think anyone with a heart would find this episode moving 😢
The Writers in the *Matt Smith series wrote a Master Piece. Equally Nuanced & Ambiguous, Every twist & turn so cleverly intwined & Untwined, right from beginning to end of Episode/Season/Series.
Katherine Jenkins the beautiful Welsh Mezzo Soprano such an angelic voice, makes me proud to be Welsh
my favourite ever Christmas Special and potentially my all time fave Matt Smith episode 💜💜
Here in the UK we have a TV show called "Only fools and horses". In one of the episodes Rodney and Cassandra decide to dress up to spice up their love life.
He dresses as Russell Crown (Gladiator) and she dresses as Juliet Bravo (a police officer).
I've always thought that scene may have inspired Moffat.
_Maybe_ my favourite Christmas special, it's up there anyway. Funny and sad and silly and beautiful - "Doctor Who" basically :). "Halfway out of the dark" really resonated with me, it captures something about the time of year and I think of it every Christmas (northern hemisphere version of course - it's the middle of summer down your way :).
Yes! It is currently VERY hot and not very "Christmassy" at all 🤣
It's a grumpy Dumbledore!
The music was first presented in the form of the excellent Doctor Who Fan Orchestra, which you should be aware of on UA-cam. The channel features a suite of the music of this Christmas Special.
Well timed for a nice happy, emotional episode.
This was a nice episode but then you begin to question it. If he's showing young Kazran his older self, what happened to the Kazran that went on all those adventures with her? Isn't he erased or his experience tainted by his younger self seeing what the future held?
Its a time paradox and no one thought to question it because of the emotional scenes.
Its fair too, I didn't question it at all until I saw it through this reaction over 10 years later and said "wait a minute..." and I've seen this one twice in that time period!
I tell my Grandkids don’t make me call Jeff. They know that’s Santa’s name.
The clouds in the opening title sequence was meant to be the time vortex though I never understood why it looks that way and the lightning bit.
When I first watched this episode on the ABC back on boxing day 2010 I was very negative and critical towards it as I thought it was abit too "christmassy" and too "fairytale" and the lack of villains but in hindsight I got to appreciate it abit more and understand the story abit better though I found the flying sharks were abit ridiculous.
R.I.P. Michael Gambon 😢.
The Centurion and police woman outfits would be great couples Halloween costumes.
YES!! hahaha!!
next episode you start the best series of doctor who
The clouds in the opening are just normal planetary ones, whereas the clouds in the theme are the Time Vortex.
OOH thank you!
Great reaction
This is my favorite Christmas special, well except for one, 🤫 shhh spoilers
🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲
I have to admit that this hasn't been one of my favorite Christmas-themed "Who" stories, mainly because of the obvious parallel to to overly-copied Dickens classic. I have seen so many rip-offs of "A Christmas Carol" over the decades that this one took a while for me to get to like.
On the other hand, it was certainly chock-full of emotion, and a bit of temporal-paradox-building just to stay true to the core of "Who," that I can enjoy it anyway. Yes, Michael Gambon did a very good job in the role, no worse than any of the best Scrooges that came before him. And yes, Katherine Jenkins' appearance was about as touching a feminine presence as anyone's in the series.
On the other hand, there were two serious weaknesses in the storyline that were either inadequately excused or not at all excused. First, the inadequate excuse. The Doctor said he could not use the TARDIS-the most advanced starship in the universe, capable of towing an entire planet (remember that?)-to yank the starliner free because it could not lock on. Okay, but the reason it couldn't would have to do with that weather manipulator generating those clouds. That was clearly humanoid technology; how could a Gallifreyan ship not be able to overcome that? Well, I suppose I can accept the fact that this was not a first-time occurrence; the TARDIS has had issues overriding other forms of technology in the past. Plus, I can remember Doctor #4 snubbing his own world's technology before: "You think this stuff is sophisticated?! There are worlds out there where this sort of equipment would be considered prehistoric junk!" So, yes, there is a precedent for what the Doctor said here...which, by the way, I had to pause several times last night to figure what he said, he said it so fast. After all these years, I only made out what he said last night.
Now, the weakness that was never explained: What was Abigail's illness? And how could a society that has enough technological advancement to create a massive weather-mod network not be able to cure whatever ailed her? Well, yes, that is plausible...but then, what about the Doctor? A Type-40 TARDIS has medical facilities that can reverse/cure any illness in any life form with pico-biological scans. Why didn't he do that? What consequences to the future could there possibly have been by giving Abigail Pettigrew-Sardick a normal-span life? Likely no consequences. But, in the flavor of Russell Davies' way of explaining plot holes, that's the consequence of the Doctor carelessly deleting the sick bay in one of his many eccentric tinkerings with the TARDIS, and never getting around to rebooting the interior-redecoration circuit to put it back. 😄 It's the only plausible excuse I can think of-after all, aside from one offhand comment of where the sick bay was supposed to be (last season), we never see it, then, now, or later-and even then I still think it a tad lame.
Or the writers forgot, just like they forgot they created a time paradox by having young Kazran see old Kazran, which would mess up EVERY single Christmas he went through with Abigail and cause an issue with the new Kazran having multiple timelines in his brain.
An excellent Christmas episode and great music. I have just two complaints:
1) I'm not keen on the cinematography. Unnatural yellow lighting and excessive cyan, plus heavy grading and tons of fog/smoke. Would have been so much better with more natural, clear, warm colours.
2) Abigail isn't saved, nor are the (hundreds?) of frozen people released. For a Christmas episode, it would have been more uplifting to have an "everybody lives" moment rather than the rather gloomy "everybody dies" line! I'm not keen on a romance where they don't live happily ever after.
But nevertheless, an excellent episode. When The Doctor saw all the fish, he should have asked:
"Has anyone got any custard?"
"Custard?"
"Never mind."
OOH! You are I differ on this one, I think! I adored the lighting and colours. I have been LOVING the colour grading used in series 5 and 6 💜
@@julesreacts It's only the colouring in this episode that bugs me. Love all the others in series 5 and 6!
Series 6 has the best Christmas episode. If you disagree you’re allowed to be wrong
I like your reactions to Dr Who. I am 63 and loved Dr Who until they castrated him. Thank you for you reactions.
This is widely considered one of the best Christmas specials of them all. I personally consider this to be one of the five worst episodes of new Doctor Who... I hate this episode with a passion. Other than the acting, and maybe the sharks, this episode doesn't provide any rewatchability or enjoyment etc... it's a cartoon villain that undermines pretty much every villain in Doctor Who history, and then they add depth to the character that doesn't remotely match with his older personality.
Sorry, I normally don't even watch reactors react to this, but I like you enough that I did, but I hate this episode so much. (I've seen every episode of New Who a minimum of three times, this is one of those episodes that reaches the minimum number)