Voyage of the Damned (S03E14)

Doctor Who specials suffer more than is healthy from rather paradoxical problems. Either they are longer than normal episodes and are full of superfluous filler, so they would benefit from them being shorter. Or else they are too short and over-full of motifs and ideas and they would benefit from being longer. This one is the first case. What at the beginning looked playful (and aptly and humorously picking fun at itself), suddenly turns into a what we have been treated to several times over in regular episodes. And if that weren’t enough, although the main source of emotion should be Astrid’s fate, (again) somewhat paradoxically it is the ending of Mr. Copper’s Christmas story that is moving. (27.12.2013)

The most magnificent holiday adventure of the creative era of Russell T. Davies. The Doctor saves those who don't really deserve it, loses those we wish he could rescue, and delivers legendary monologues that make us want to take David Tennant home with us, and not just for Christmas. One of the easily repeatable journeys of the last Time Lord, which, thanks to a bit of stardust, leaves tiny sweetly painful scars on the soul. (24.12.2013)