Happy Christmas, Whovians! To celebrate the holiday and the debut of “Joy to the World,” we’ve re-ranked every Doctor Who Christmas special to figure out which are the best to rewatch when you want to get into the spirit.
Since the series rebooted in 2005, a yuletide special has meant big things for the Doctor and his companions, ranging from alien invasion to regeneration, tearful goodbyes, and raucous reunions. But what makes some better than others? In our research, we considered the following: How Christmas-y is this Christmas special? How satisfying is its story? What kind of emotional wallop does it pack?
Whether heartwarming or heart-wrenching, the best of the batch made us feel alive the way only a heroic Time Lord can! Here are the Doctor Who Christmas specials, ranked worst to best.
15. “The Christmas Invasion” (2005) Season 1: Episode 14
The first Christmas special of the rebooted series centered on Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) coming home for the holidays. Aside from reconnecting with her mom (Camille Coduri) and abandoned boyfriend Mickey (Noel Clarke), she’s also brought an uninvited guest — the newly regenerated Tenth Doctor (David Tennant). Beginning the episode comatose, he has to get back in the swing of things quickly, as robo-Santas (aka pilot fish Santa) and an unhinged Christmas tree rush to make a mess of the celebrations.
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