Doctor Who Christmas Special - A Christmas Carol (DVD)

Bloody Charles Dickens has a lot to answer for. Thanks to him, not only have the last 150 odd Christmases seen a billion and one versions of his work produced by everyone from Albert Finney to the Muppets, but even ongoing series like this one have resorted to the easiest trick in the Christmas book by stretching the format to accommodate some hackneyed Scrooge pastiche.

The Doctor has dabbled with Dickens before, Simon Callow playing the author in the Christmas-set The Unquiet Dead in the first series of the rebooted franchise. In fairness though, while perhaps not vintage Who, the 2010 Christmas Special penned by Steven Moffat does put a new spin on the tale. It sees Dumbledore himself, Michael Gambon, playing Scrooge or rather, not Scrooge, but a very Scrooge-like figure, the seemingly heartless Christmas-hating miser Kazran Sardick. Sardick’s foul personality becomes something of an issue as it becomes clear a space liner containing honeymooners Amy and Rory and 4,000 others is hurtling towards the planet and only Sardick has the power to save them. Except he doesn’t really want to.

The Doctor thus assumes the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past . Sort of. In fact, he is far more pro-active than the spirits in Dickens’ version. He not only shows Sardick his past life but actually intervenes in it, changing the old bugger’s history to include a major role for frozen singing siren Abigail (played by Katherine Jenkins in her acting debut).

A typical Christmas tale then involving frozen Welsh singers, crashing spaceships and, in a world where fish float around in the air, killer flying sharks. One year on, Matt Smith continues to do a fine job as the 11th Doctor, singer Jenkins makes a good debut in an un-taxing role and fans of Karen Gillan will be pleased to note she’s dressed as a policewoman in a short skirt throughout for barely any reason at all.

There’s a special episode of Doctor Who Confidential and some footage of the Doctor Who themed concert performed at the Proms in summer 2010. But, overall, while it could be because I watched it in mid-January, this seemed a less  stellar Christmas special than usual, too soppy and even with the shark, distinctly lacking in terrifying behind the sofa moments.

Overall Verdict: A festive saga of singing with sharks. Gambon does a great Scrooge impression even if the whole thing gets a bit drippy at times.

Special Features:
Doctor Who Confidential Special
Doctor Who At The Proms

Reviewer: Chris Hallam