If I am being honest, most television this Christmas was dull. Normally there is at least one show, newly released, that really provides fresh entertainment which is memorable and poignant. Doctor Who is one of those shows notoriously excellent over the Christmas period, providing laughs, chills and adventure unlike anything we have seen during the festive season. This year was no exception, as we saw the Doctor (or the Caretaker as he professes in this episode) attempting to provide Madge Arwell (Claire Skinner) and her two children Lily (Holly Earl) and Cyril (Maurice Cole) with the most memorable Christmas ever after being evacuated to Dorset during World War II. Following the death of her husband (Alexander Armstrong), Madge refrains from telling Lily and Cyril about his demise, fearing it will upset their Christmas and the future Christmas' to come.
Including forests inside of presents and living Christmas trees, the episode was completely aimed at a Christmas audience, one that is stuffed full of turkey hallucinating over all the alcohol and mince pies they have consumed. If this episode had been shown at any other time of the year I feel that it would not have been received well, however it was Christmas day, and therefore the gimmicks and humor were acceptable and in keeping with the festive cheer. It was not my favorite of the Christmas specials, as I still think that Steven Moffat will never be able to top last year’s sensational episode A Christmas Carol. Yet I loved the feel of The Doctor the Widow and the Wardrobe, as it dealt with what I feel is the most important aspect of Christmas, which is family, the happiness that you have together and the struggle to maintain that happiness through times of pain.
I will not spoil the end of the episode (although I gather most of you have seen it) as there was a brief surprise that really touched me, where the Doctor is aware of just how important he means to those who he knows and meets. Moffat really pulls at your heart strings when it comes to friendship in this episode, and how Christmas has the ability to bring family and friends together, and for you to realize how much you care about each other, and what you are willing to do to protect them. Overall I liked the episode and found it to deal with the themes of family and companionship brilliantly. Although it was not my favorite Christmas episode, I thought it was a touching episode that made me contemplate the importance of togetherness at Christmas, as well as family and friendship in general. I hope you all enjoyed it, however I feel that the long wait for season seven will be painful.
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