DOCTOR WHO: The Night The Doctor Cried — Christmas Special 2011 Thoughts

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Doctor Who Christmas specials can be stand-alone affairs, but this year’s magical instalment did have a few strands of overarching continuity.

I’m not going to review the episode because, as I said, it was pretty much an open-shut adventure (albeit a heartfelt one about death, rebirth, empowerment, wonder, with a bit of environmentalism thrown in). But, I will touch on some of the smaller, yet ongoing story elements.

• I enjoyed the Doctor telling Madge that his friends “all think I’m dead,” which calls back to the end of series 6 where the Doctor escaped death but went underground and into the shadows to help sell the ruse that he actually died.

• The best bit came shortly afterwards when the Doctor paid a Christmas visit to Amy and Rory. Of course, Amy wasn’t that surprised to see him since River had told her that he was still alive (“The Wedding Of River Song“). But their embrace was really powerful, as you could see how much it meant to them both.

• The Doctor’s tear of joy was also a nice touch, reminding us of his earlier comment to Madge about humans crying when they’re happy. Something he now understands – how very human of our care-taker. This could be a valuable moment come the next series, particularly with the ‘heartbreaking‘ exit on the cards.

• Finally, whether intentional or not, I liked the framing of the last shot – the Doctor walking through the Ponds’ door, taking us back to earlier in the episode and his comment about people not being able to resist doors. Of course, the door (and the house) would be blue.

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Tagged as: doctor who, reviews, the doctor the widow and the wardrobe