The Doctor, The Widow & The Wardrobe - Your Thoughts

Well I have to say I really enjoyed this years Christmas Special, a charming family piece rather than an end of the world disaster which hit all the right notes for the time of year and finished with a touching ending.

Here is what you thought...

I loved the Christmas Special! It was Narnia-esque but original, a lovely heart-warming Christmas story superbly acted out. Matt gets better and better as the loveable and eccentric Doctor, and The Caretaker was a very fitting title for him I thought.

All the ingredients were there; snow, children, love, and hope against the odds, the very thing that keeps humans (and other animals maybe) going through those times of darkness and uncertainty.

I liked the notion of The Doctor spending an Earth Christmas with his two best friends, and the happy tear at the end was a lovely touch. The episode had me in tears and at the same time restored my faith in love a little, just what I needed on Christmas Day!.

Helen Shields

For another timeless example of Dr. Who paralleling another classic work of fiction or fantasy, The Doctor, The Widow & The Wardrobe certainly doesn't give fans the extravagance of last season's Christmas Carol. We can thank the traditional Who sci-fi twists once more, particularly Androzani Major. Matt Smith excels and his newest leading lady, Claire Skinner, is enjoyable. The humor is good and it would be nice to see Amy pop up and deliver her timeless quote: "Okay, kids...this is where it gets complicated" . The parallel to our environmental destruction is impressively reminiscent of the sci-fi realism the classic Dr. Who was appreciable for.

The best twist quite naturally is the miraculous climax followed by another beautiful moment of peace for the Doctor. And beautiful is the word for this new Who Christmas special. I wish everyone at DWAS a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Mike Basil

Another opportunity missed to make something really 'special'. No proper story to speak of, an ending which was so predictable from the moment you saw Alexander Armstrong in his bomber and yet again, the Doctor does nothing.

Had we got even a small amount of Narnia magic I would have been pleased, but no. Instead we had wasted performances from Bill Bailey and Arabella Weir (thanks for the Androzani Major reference - I'd rather have a story please Mr Moffatt!).

I expect other people will have loved last night's episode, but I want more than effects and token special guests.

Karen Davies

Enjoyed the special. It was nice, fun and touching. But when we got Amy and Rory at the end you knew what we had been missing. And can we have a new year's resolution... some stories where the Tardis arrives, the Doctor
returns to it at the end AND no time travel of any sort in between!

Clive Robert Bell

I actually enjoyed this special more than any other recent Who. The story was straightforward and easy to follow. It was a bit sentimental and weepy but this kind of fits in a Christmas special.

The Who team seem to have access to a never ending stream of child actors who are absolutely brilliant. So many examples in 21st century Who!

One problem before the special was avoiding spoilers, there was a bit too much detail in the trailers and I had to sit with my fingers in my ears during Matt Smith's TV interview. It was great to hear about his football, his mother etc, but once he said he'd explain about the Christmas special, it was definitely fingers in the ears time! Still the viewing figures seem to suggest the general public were not put off by hearing the details in advance!

Jane Evans

Thank you to all the above for getting in touch, keep them coming and don't forget to vote on the main page too.

Happy New Year all...

Grant