It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Doctor Who special, and a new one, “Joy to the World,” starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and guest starring Nicola Coughlan, is set to arrive on Disney+ on Christmas Day. How will it compare to the rest? We’ll have to wait and see. But when TV Insider spoke with showrunner Russell T Davies and former showrunner and this special’s writer Steven Moffat, we had to ask which of each other’s Christmas episodes is their favorite.
Moffat named “The Christmas Invasion,” which introduced David Tennant as the Doctor after the Ninth Doctor’s (Christopher Eccleston) regeneration in 2005, and for Davies, while he enjoyed “Joy to the World,” his pick was “A Christmas Carol,” Matt Smith‘s first holiday special as the Time Lord in 2010.
It’s not just that Moffat considers “The Christmas Invasion” to be “a wonderful episode,” he explains. “Also, it was I’d never seen a Doctor Who Christmas special done, no one had, not really. And here it was and it really worked. All the iconography of Christmas just worked—Christmas trees, Santa Claus, all those things being slightly sinister and yet crazy.”
He also points out that the show successfully changes its star with it. “We’d lost Chris and David was coming in. The show had been a huge hit, and immediately, it’s got this big problem. Will we get away with it again, right? This extraordinary trick. My kid’s incredibly grumpy about the fact that Chris wasn’t the Doctor anymore, debating whether they’d watch the Christmas invasion,” Moffat shares. “‘I don’t understand why he’s changed.’ ‘But he always changes.’ ‘Yes, but in that old show, I don’t watch that. I want Chris.’ So that brilliant plan that Russell had to keep him—by the time he turns up and says, ‘Miss me?’ and you’ve never really seen him before, it’s such a clever stroke. And I remember thinking, that’s it. It’s definitely back now because, above all else, the lead actor has done the most important thing you can do in Doctor Who and that’s lose your job security. He can be replaced.”
Related15 Best ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes, Ranked
As Davies tells Moffat, “You improved A Christmas Carol. It’s one of my favorite stories in the world. It’s one of the stories that invented science fiction practically. It invented parallel worlds, almost similar.” He also praises the casting of Michael Gambon (as the character who needs to become kinder) and the use of sharks. “It’s wonderful.”
As it turns out, Davies says, “We both liked each other’s first Christmas specials after that.” Adds Moffat, “and everything’s been crap since.” Both laugh. “We were just treading water after that,” Davies jokes.
What’s your favorite Doctor Who Christmas special? Let us know in the comments section below.
Doctor Who, Streaming now, Max and Disney+
More Headlines:
‘Doctor Who’: Russell T Davies & Steven Moffat Name Their Favorite Christmas Specials of Each Other’s‘Jeopardy!’ Drops Big ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’ News – See Why Fans are ‘Relieved’‘The Price Is Right’ Fans Blast Drew Carey After Tricky Game Baffles Player‘The Way Home’ Season 3 Premiere Gets Major Update — When Will It Air on Hallmark Channel?How Will ‘Virgin River’ Set Up Season 7? Stars Tease Major Cliffhangers
