The Finest Physician Who Christmas Particular, In accordance To IMDb

There’s numerous debate among the many “Physician Who” fandom over which showrunner is one of the best at Christmas specials: Russell T. Davies (who rans seasons 1-4, and returned as of season 14) or Steven Moffat (who ran seasons 5 by 10). The controversy is made less complicated by how showrunner Chris Chibnall (seasons 11-13) inexplicably determined to make New Yr’s Day specials as an alternative, so this debate solely comes right down to Davies v Moffat. They each have totally different approaches to the format of a Christmas episode, so numerous this comes right down to easy style.

Davies took a fairly darkish method. His first Christmas particular, “The Christmas Invasion,” revolved round aliens who tried to get one third of humanity to throw themselves off of buildings, and it ends on the surprisingly brutal be aware of the brand new Physician killing Harriet Jones’ political profession after she blows the fleeing aliens up. The Physician vs. Harriet dispute is a messy, bitter one with no clear solutions; there are zero heat fuzzy vacation vibes right here. Davies’ specials could technically happen in the course of the holidays, however they may all simply be reworked as an everyday episode with out a lot effort.

In the meantime, 2010’s “A Christmas Carol,” Steven Moffat’s first vacation particular, is Christmas-y to its very core. The entire thing is impressed by Charles Dickens’ novella of the identical title, with the Physician serving because the ghost of an previous grasping grouch’s previous, current, and future. The entire thing may be very sappy and candy, enjoying out like a whimsical fairytale. Most significantly, it ends on a contented be aware, with a lot of singing and hugging and snow. Is the episode as sturdy because the Muppets’ tackle the identical Dickens’ story? Not fairly, however we give it factors for making an attempt. 

It is no shock that “A Christmas Carol” is rated 8.5 on IMDb, and is now the highest-rated Christmas episode within the present’s historical past. (Effectively, there’s one exception — scroll down a bit for that.)

So, what makes “A Christmas Carol” so nice? Effectively, there’s the truth that the child actor enjoying younger Kazran, Laurence Belcher, is definitely good — a rarity for baby actors on “Physician Who.” However primarily it is due to how intelligent and ingenious it’s. Moffat’s timey-wimey spin on Dickens’ well-known story is impressed, particularly that last twist the place previous Kazran finds out that he is the Ghost of Christmas But to Come, being proven to his baby self for example of a future to keep away from. 

Admittedly, there’s the plot challenge that using time journey on this episode technically is mindless. It openly breaks numerous the principles the remainder of the present has lengthy established. However hey, it is Christmas, who cares?

This particular got here out at a time the place showrunner Steven Moffat appeared on high of the world, the place the cracks and repeated tropes in his writing hadn’t but began to point out. “A Christmas Carol” promised nice days to return, and relating to Christmas specials not less than, that promise largely got here true. 2012’s “The Snowmen” was the most effective companion introduction episodes the present’s ever given us, and 2015’s “Husbands of River Tune” was maybe probably the most romantic story of Moffat’s already romance-heavy period. 2011’s “The Physician, the Widow and the Wardrobe” was additionally an episode. 

Admittedly no Moffat Christmas particular ever fairly beat out “A Christmas Carol,” however I would argue that the majority of them had been higher (and extra holiday-appropriate) than the specials from Davies’ period. Then once more, there was one RTD-era Christmas episode that technically beat out Moffat’s finest Christmas episode, not less than so far as IMDb’s involved…

“The Finish of Time,” Elements 1 and a pair of had been each a part of the 2009 “Physician Who” Christmas particular, though neither truly aired on the vacation itself. “Half 1” aired on December twenty sixth and had an 8.2 score on IMDb, whereas “Half 2” aired on New Yr’s Day and obtained an 8.9 score. Because of this, in case you’re inclined to incorporate these episodes within the rating, then “Half 2” is the true highest-rated Christmas episode of the sequence. 

However date issues apart, I do not assume “The Finish of Time” deserves that honor. I consider the one motive it has that top of an IMDb score is as a result of IMDb generally tends to overrate finales, and “The Finish of Time” is mainly the finale to all the RTD period of the present. Like most of RTD’s finales, there are numerous half-assed plot resolutions and basic over-the-top cheesiness, stuff that might drag down an everyday episode’s scores if not for RTD tending to nail the emotional character beats. “The Finish of Time: Half 2” is a largely efficient, satisfying closing be aware for Tennant’s Physician to exit on, however that 8.9 score is inflated.

For proof of the over-inflated finale phenomenon, simply have a look at different widely-considered stinker finales within the present’s historical past. Season 3’s “Final of the Time Lords,” as an example, was extensively ridiculed on the time for its absurd anti-climax decision, and but it nonetheless has an 8.3 score. Season 6’s “The Marriage ceremony of River Tune” was additionally very divisive, referred to as the second the place Moffat totally misplaced the belief of numerous his followers, and but it nonetheless has an 8.4. If an everyday episode was this sloppy, you’d anticipate the score to be someplace within the low 7s, excessive 6s. You’ll be able to see this pattern on loads of different TV exhibits too, like how the abysmal season 5 finale of “Shameless” nonetheless has an 8.2 score, or how the famously-divisive “Misplaced” finale nonetheless has a 9.2. “The Finish of Time: Half 2” would possibly technically be the very best rated Christmas episode on IMDb, however outdoors of IMDb “A Christmas Carol” nonetheless reigns supreme.