List_of_Doctor_Who_Christmas_specials

List of <i>Doctor Who</i> Christmas and New Year's specials

List of Doctor Who Christmas and New Year's specials

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Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The show has been a large influence in the media since its inception in 1963. Along with the regular series, special Christmas episodes were initially broadcast every year, beginning with "The Christmas Invasion" (2005) and ending with "Twice Upon a Time" (2017). Beginning with the Thirteenth Doctor, the traditional Christmas special episode was moved to the following New Year's Day timeslot, with episodes being produced for the holiday, beginning with "Resolution" (2019) and ending with "Eve of the Daleks" (2022). The Christmas specials returned with "The Church on Ruby Road" (2023).[1]

Episodes

Classic era

During the first run of the programme (1963–1989), special episodes were not a frequent occurrence. During the third season, the twelve-part serial The Daleks' Master Plan was broadcast weekly over the 1965–1966 Christmas period, with its seventh and eighth episodes scheduled for Christmas and New Year's Day respectively. The former, "The Feast of Steven", was scripted as a comic interlude in the style of a pantomime, in the middle of an otherwise epic adventure.[2] In its final scene, as the Doctor and his companions celebrate Christmas with a toast, the First Doctor (William Hartnell) turns to the camera and breaks the fourth wall by saying "Incidentally, a happy Christmas to all of you at home."[2] The following episode, "Volcano", returns to the main narrative of The Daleks' Master Plan, although its ending briefly features a contemporary New Year's Eve.[2][3]

The classic run had no subsequent holiday episodes.[3]

Revived era

More information No. story, Title ...

Home media release

The DVD cover art for Doctor Who – The 10 Christmas Specials

The Christmas specials between "The Christmas Invasion" (2005) and "Last Christmas" (2014), inclusive, were released as a DVD and Blu-ray boxset titled Doctor Who – The 10 Christmas Specials on 19 October 2015.[8]

Notes

  1. As shown in "Resolution".

References

  1. Freeman, Rob (22 August 2023). "New episodes of the BBC's Doctor Who are streaming globally from November". BBC Culture. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  2. Blair, Andrew (2 December 2020). "Doctor Who: The Weird Anomaly of the 1965 'Christmas Special'". Den of Geek. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  3. "Ratings Guide". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  4. Dee, Christel (14 November 2018). "Doctor Who festive special to air on New Year's Day". Doctor Who TV. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  5. Laford, Andrea (31 October 2023). "Ncuti Gatwa films Doctor Who in Cardiff". CultBox. Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  6. Laford, Andrea (7 December 2022). "Russell T Davies reveals series plans to Doctor Who Magazine". CultBox. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. "Doctor Who News: Doctor Who - The Ten Christmas Specials". Doctor Who News. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.

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