For over a decade, Christmas specials were an annual event for the revived series of Doctor Who, throughout Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat’s time as showrunners. But after Chris Chibnall took over the show in 2018, he replaced the tradition with New Year’s specials: one of many controversial decisions during his tenure.
However, now that Davies is returning as showrunner starting in 2023, the Christmas specials will finally be coming back with him. As such, there’s no better time to look back on the Christmas specials of seasons past. This list will rank every Christmas special of the new series — not just by the quality of each episode, but by how Christmas-y they feel.
13 The Time of the Doctor
This special doubles at Matt Smith’s final adventure as the Eleventh Doctor, and it struggles to balance both duties effectively. As such, the holiday elements feel awkwardly shoehorned into what should be an epic climax to the Eleventh Doctor’s story arc. The extent of this tonal issue is so egregious that it could fill its own article, but it’s a dire enough problem to land this episode at the bottom of the list.
12 The Return of Doctor Mysterio
This episode is notable for serving as a brief foray into the superhero genre, as it sees Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor team up with Grant Gordon, aka the Ghost — a mild-mannered fellow who obtained superpowers from an alien artifact. Unfortunately, the story is bogged down by some of the worst clichés of the genre, particularly the romance subplot hampered by secret identity shenanigans. Justin Chatwin is suitably charming as the Ghost, but he and Capaldi aren’t enough to salvage a decidedly forgettable episode that hardly has any Christmas elements at all.
11 Last Christmas
Yet another episode filled with wasted potential, this episode sees Twelve and Clara encounter Santa Claus himself, played by Nick Frost. And while Frost is as likable as one would expect in the role, the bulk of the episode is a rather bland story that relies too heavily on dream-within-a-dream twists. Despite a few fun moments, this episode isn’t nearly as clever as Moffat seems to think.
10 The Husbands of River Song
Alex Kingston makes her final appearance (so far) as River Song in this special, which depicts her final adventure with the Doctor before her death. Sadly, said adventure is an unremarkable one with a generic antagonist — plus, the joke of River not realizing Twelve is the Doctor drags on for far too long. Surely a brilliant woman like River would be able to recognize her own husband more quickly. Still, even if there are no real Christmas elements to speak of, the chemistry between Kingston and Capaldi is worth the price of admission.
9 The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe
This episode starts strong with an homage to C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books, featuring Eleven in the role of Professor Kirke. However, things take a downward turn once the sci-fi plot gets going. Even so, the strength of the episode is its heart, as exemplified by the character of Madge — a single mother determined to protect her children. The story is a bit corny, but it’s got enough sincerity and Christmas spirit to earn a respectable spot on this list.
8 The Snowmen
This Victorian adventure sees a Scrooge-esque Eleventh Doctor regain his love of adventure while battling a legion of killer snowmen — a perfect premise for a Christmas special if there ever was one. Sadly, despite the brilliant casting of Richard E. Grant and Sir Ian McKellen, the episode’s villains go sorely underutilized. Still, the fun premise and the chemistry between Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman make this one an enjoyable romp regardless.
7 The Runaway Bride
The incomparable Catherine Tate makes her debut as fan-favorite companion Donna Noble in this special, which offers some much-needed levity after the tragic events of “Doomsday.” However, the jokes end with the episode’s shocking climax, which serves as a chilling reminder of just how ruthless the Tenth Doctor can be. It’s a solid episode, but it suffers a bit from a relative lack of Christmas themeing.
6 The End of Time
Likewise, there’s little holiday cheer to be found in David Tennant’s final adventure as the Tenth Doctor, which sees him facing off with the Master and stopping the return of the Time Lords. Part 1 is a bit uneven in quality, but the story ends strong with a heartbreaking farewell to Ten. It would be much higher on a list of regular episodes, but the Christmas setting adds very little to the story.
5 The Next Doctor
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Another Tennant special, this one features a battle with the Cybermen in 1851 London — plus a mysterious figure who claims to be the Doctor. The setting gives the episode a Dickensian charm, and David Morrisey shines as the so-called “Next Doctor.” Plus, it’s always good to see the Cybermen carrying their own episode.
4 Voyage of the Damned
A starship cruise liner visiting Earth for Christmas threatens to destroy the planet in a twisted reenactment of the Titanic, and Ten is determined to stop it. Not only does this episode feature killer robot angels, it also offers the humorous reveal that the people of London have started leaving town on Christmas after two alien invasions in a row. Plus, it’s one of the more thematically dense Christmas specials, featuring both critiques of capitalist greed and a tragic exploration of Ten’s continued failures to save everyone.
3 A Christmas Carol
Matt Smith’s first Christmas special retells the famous Charles Dickens tale with a timey-wimey twist. Michael Gambon guest stars as the Scroogelike Kazran Sardick, a wealthy old miser who has the power to save a crashing spaceship, but refuses to help. So, the Doctor decides to change Kazran’s heart by traveling back in time and teaching him the value of kindness. It’s not Moffat’s deepest story, but it’s a fun take on a Christmas classic.
2 The Christmas Invasion
The first Christmas special of the new series, "The Christmas Invasion" is still one of the best. There’s evil Santa robots and even a killer Christmas tree, but the biggest draw of the episode is the first proper adventure of Tennant’s Doctor, who establishes himself perfectly as an eccentric swashbuckler who harbors a darker side beneath his upbeat facade. But as bleak as things get, the episode still ends with the newly regenerated Doctor sharing a Christmas dinner with the Tyler family. This classic episode is a must-watch for any new fan.
1 Twice Upon a Time
Capaldi is the third Doctor in a row to regenerate in a Christmas special, but his final adventure balances the holiday elements much better than Tennant’s or Smith’s. Namely, it features a trip to the 1914 Christmas truce during World War I. And of course, the episode is also a worthy sendoff to the Twelfth Doctor that features an enjoyable appearance by David Bradley as the First Doctor. However, it’s the utilization of an actual historical Christmas event that earns this episode the top spot. It’s a truly moving scene that also serves to bolster the episode’s themes. It’s the most recent special on this list, but it’s quite possibly the best one yet.