The TARDIS truly embraced the Christmas spirit…

For me, Christmas day starts and ends with a quirky man in a blue box. The show is a Christmas tradition; an essential part of the Christmas cheer, and the only reason as to why I still have bags under my eyes on Christmas day – no, I am no longer lying in eager anticipation for Santa, I’m waiting for another, more alien, time-travelling genius.

The writer and executive producer of Doctor Who, Steven Moffat threw us, once again, into World War Two. However, this time there were no scary children in gas masks.

Instead the episode is set in lonely house where the evacuated family, the Arwells, are staying for the Christmas holidays. There is only one other guest in the house – the Caretaker (AKA The Doctor ‘in disguise’) This slightly odd guest wishes to make the family’s Christmas the best ever; he decorates their house, gives them presents and makes sure the last thing they think about is the outside world.

Well the children certainly weren’t thinking about the outside world when the Doctor presented them with one right underneath their Christmas tree. When Maurice, the youngest child, stumbles accidentally into this world and gets himself captured by the beautifully imagined wooden creatures, the Doctor and Lily Arwell (Maurice’s elder sister) rush to the rescue.

Some critics have criticised the episode for being too light and ‘too fairytale’. However, what they are forgetting is that this was a Christmas episode. Producers know that if their program is broadcast on Christmas day, it is bound to firstly, receive more viewers than usual and secondly, especially when aired at 7pm, will not be well received if it is dark, sinister or depressing.

This episode was aimed primarily at younger audiences. A far step away from Moffat’s previous darker episodes, this one featured no gruesome deaths, no intentionally evil characters and no sinister story twists. There was a heart-breaking moment when we almost witnessed the death of a beloved father, but his wife, Madge, came to the rescue.

In fact, in what seems to be a recurring theme in the Christmas episodes, the Doctor was not the real hero. This time Madge Arwell rose to the challenge to save her children and her husband, and she didn’t let anything stop her. She evens holds Bill Bailey at gunpoint, bravely declaring, “There’s a war on…and I am looking for my children”. Don’t worry Bill Bailey, we would have been afraid too.

Matt Smith, once again, portrayed a fantastic Doctor. His happy, crazy and caring portrayal of the last timelord has earned him a lot of respect over the two series – including a BAFTA nomination. This Christmas, he showed once again, the timelord’s childlike excitement for all things new and alien – and truly reflected the excitement and curiosity embedded in children during the Christmas holidays.

Arabella Weir was also phenomenal as Madge. Her father and husband have both previously been involved in Doctor Who, and she rightly felt it was her turn to shine. Weir portrayed Madge, initially, as a rather vulnerable character but becomes braver and braver as the episode continues. She shrugged off any preconceptions that she would be a mirror image of herself when starring in Outnumbered, and portrayed a truly amiable character who represented human beings at their best.

Bill Bailey’s appearance was brief but memorable. His character was extremely funny (well, what did you expect?) and yet was not just presented as the comic clown of the episode – just another example of Moffat’s brilliant writing.

It seems odd when you declare your favourite scene was the last one, but this was because I did miss the Ponds presence throughout the episode. The heartwarming scene between the Doctor and Amy was a perfect way to end the episode. It emphasised the importance of friends and family at Christmas and showed an even more human side to the Doctor, particularly when he turned to shut the door and experienced ‘human happy’ tears: something which had baffled him previously. I don’t think I’ll be the only one who is sulking at the fact we have to wait till 2013 for the next complete series.