“Doctor Who Christmas Special Review: A Festive Delight”

“Joy to the World” premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday, December 25th.

The 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” masterfully combines the series’ signature whimsy with heartfelt storytelling, delivering a cozy, deeply human story about the transformative power of friendship. The special is based on a lively but thoughtful time-bending adventure and features Nicola Coughlan’s charming role as guest companion Joy. It’s so serious about its festive cheesiness that it feels equal parts magical and moving.

Steven Moffat’s excellent script is central to the episode’s success. After his standout first season episode, “Boom,” former showrunner Moffat returns and demonstrates his mastery of dialogue, balancing sharp wit with poignant sincerity. The story begins at breakneck speed, plunging viewers straight into the high-octane chaos of the Time Hotel, a futuristic vacation destination that offers access to all of human history on Christmas Day. The concept is quintessentially Doctor Who: incredibly imaginative and fun, yet deeply connected to human curiosity. From its dazzling mix of futuristic opulence and festive warmth to its eccentric clientele, the Time Hotel feels like the perfect, whimsical setting, tailor-made for the series.

Additionally, it’s great to finally have a somewhat solo adventure with Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor. While Season 1 touched on the Doctor’s struggles with his vulnerability, “Joy to the World” fully exposes these levels and offers a rare glimpse into the Time Lord’s emotional complexity. Gatwa’s performance is once again outstanding, capturing the loneliness and self-reflection of a Time Lord who rarely slows down to process his emotions. It’s hard not to notice how emotional and tear-jerking “Gatwa’s Doctor” can be in even the strangest moments, but in this episode it feels entirely justified. One of my favorite moments is when he stops mid-adventure to berate himself, literally in the most timely way possible.

“Joy to the World” starts off in a hurry, but it’s the more personal moments between the Doctor and the supporting cast that really touched me. Each comforting scene gives the episode an intimacy that continually surpasses typical holiday fare. While I enjoyed the rebooted introductory season of Doctor Who on Disney+, it was consistently fast-paced and left little time to breathe or adjust. There were only nine episodes – two of which are Doctor-lite outings with minimal airtime for Gatwa – so it’s a joy to finally have some time to hang out with my favorite alien.

Doctor Who Joy to the World Gallery.