Well this actually a bit of a milestone for my challenge! This is the first episode I have watched in my quest that was actually broadcast after the quest had started... If that makes sense. My Doctor Who marathon started on 23rd November 2011 and this episode was broadcast on 25th December 2011 so therefore during the challenge itself! Completely from memory I believe I was watching an episode of The Sensorites on that day, it was Christmas so it sort of sticks in my head. Saying that I have no memory of which episode I watched on Christmas Day 2012 or 2013 but I do remember watching The Sensorites in 2011. It's quite a scary thought actually that this challenge has been going on for the last three Christmas Days!
After the magnificent Christmas Special preceding this one, A Christmas Carol, then I'm afraid to say that this one is a monumental let down. That's not to say it's all bad, it does have some good qualities to it but I think it could possibly be my least favourite Doctor Who Christmas special...unless you count The Feast Of Steven as a first Doctor Christmas Special!
The funny thing I've just realised about the Chrismtas specials is that they very rarely feature a regular companion and this one is no exception as Amy and Rory don't appear until the very end of the story when the Doctor is persuaded to turn up at their house after two years to reveal he wasn't dead after all!
Instead of the normal companions we have Madge who the Doctor meets a couple of years before war breaks out. You know I'm not even sure if it's the first or Second World War...I was paying attention I promise. She helps him out and in return he comes back to visit her family a few years later when Madge has just learned that her husbands plane has been lost somewhere over the channel. She keeps this a secret from her two children and I love how she steadfastly refuses to let it spoil Christmas for them. She occasionally snaps at them and can't understand why until the Doctor brilliantly surmises that it's because seeing them happy only reminds her of how sad they will be later and it is breaking her heart.
Pretty much the story starts well and ends well. But in between there is a bit of a run around in a Forest and some acid rain and tree alien type things which are deathly dull! And a Bill Bailey. No offence to Bill Bailey (as if he reads this!) but it stinks of stunt casting! Luckily he is only in a few scenes. He's funny but he's not really a great actor.
Alexander Armstrong plays the father of the family. I wonder if it was confusing for the children as his voice is so recognisable as Mr Smith, Sarah Jane's computer. It's nice that he finally gets to appear in the series. And I suppose if John Leeson, the voice of K9, can appear in the series then I don't see a problem with it!
Not only is this a pretty dull story but I think I resent it a little. My mum and dad very rarely watch Doctor Who but I remember on Christmas Day 2011 they actually sat down to watch this with them and I was so upset. I wanted to scream "it's usually so much better than this!" But they probably went away judging the whole of Doctor Who from this piss poor Christmas special. I'm actually getting quite angy now. In fact this is the first time I have actually watched this story again since that day. And it's still shit. Not quite as shit as I remembered it being but still pretty poor.
Wow! This turned negative quickly. I must be in a bad mood today!
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