![]() Peter Capaldi’s final episode is, again, dragged down by a ponderousness and self-consciousness that gets in the way of the story. ![]() Twice Upon A Time (2017) Image credit: BBCĪnd here’s a third regeneration episode in a row. Turns out, you really can have too much of a good thing.ġ0. Talking of disappointing final episodes, The End of Time - the two-parter that closed out David Tennant’s first time as the Doctor - is a hyper-active, over-stuffed mess of a story that suffers from trying to outdo all of the other apocalyptic, “everything but the kitchen sink” special episodes and finales Russell T. As much as we love the idea of a town called Christmas, there’s a reality where the screenplay for this special got a second draft that connected the dots a little bit better, and Smith’s finale was befitting of his time as the man with the box.ġ1. There are a bunch of interesting ideas in Matt Smith’s final episode as the Doctor, but not enough of a story to prevent the whole thing from feeling a little over-extended and disjointed. The Time of the Doctor (2013) Image credit: BBC Why couldn’t we have had more of these kinds of specials during Jodie Whittaker’s time as the Doctor?ġ2. (It’s almost as if that’s a lot of the appeal of the whole thing!) It’s also the one that’s funniest, and that helps a lot, as well. It’s no coincidence that the best 13th Doctor holiday special is also the one that most heavily features the holidays as a core component. Eve of the Daleks (2022) Image credit: BBC Rarely did the 12th Doctor feels so much like a half-hearted attempt to finish homework at the last minute ahead of school.ġ3. That said, this attempt to tell a superhero story with the Doctor is just kind of a dull mess that seems to avoid what audiences like about superheroes and forgets to come up with a worthwhile story to tell at the same time. I love Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, and I think Doctor Who is a very fun show when it takes on other genres of storytelling and sees how the Doctor can fit into them. ![]() The Return of Doctor Mysterio (2016) Image credit: BBC Also, the resolution - no pun intended - being simply “You thought I was taking you home but instead, I took you to your death” feels somewhat underwhelming, but still: it’s almost there!ġ4. ![]() The first 13th Doctor holiday special almost gets the formula right, but is let down by a ponderous subplot about Ryan’s absent father and some dreadfully handled pacing. Revolution of the Daleks (2021) Image credit: BBCĪlso not what we come to the holiday specials for is this ultimately downbeat story that features the Doctor committing a bunch of murders by trapping the Daleks in a TARDIS that’s about to disappear into nothingness. Sure, there’s a new Master to enjoy, but… this really isn’t what we come to the holiday specials for.ġ6. Worst of all is 2020’s Spyfall Part 1, which wasn’t even a stand-alone special, but the first episode of a season - and as such not even a complete story. There’s at least one external reason for this - for this Doctor’s era, the shows were New Year’s Day episodes, not Christmas episodes - but in general, they suffer from a self-seriousness and a lack of festivity that makes them significantly less fun to watch than the other Doctors’ specials. There’s no easy way to say this, but the 13th Doctor holiday specials are just. Of course, all such rankings are subjective and we’re sure that everyone will find something to disagree with in the list below, but, honestly, disagreeing with friends and family is kind of a tradition of the season as well, isn’t it…? (And “worst” doesn’t even mean “bad” per se- we’re not arguing that any of these are objectively bad… well, except for ‘Spyfall Part 1.’ That one is rubbish.)Īll of the episodes below are available via BBC iPlayer in the UK, and Max in the US.ġ7. With this in mind, we’ve decided to rank all of the holiday specials to date, from worst to best, to help you program your viewing over the next few days. (Almost) every year since 2005, the long-running sci-fi institution has marked the season with a special episode filled with goodwill to all beings and maybe a few monsters as well… but with 17 specials so far, it’s fair to say that not all of them have been winners. If it’s the holiday season, it’s time for a Doctor Who holiday special - well, except for last year, but there was a lot in the works at that point, as we've seen in the last few weeks.
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