Posted in: BBC, Disney+, Doctor Who, Review, TV | Tagged: bbc, christmas special, disney plus, doctor who, Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa, Review, russell t davies

Doctor Who Christmas Special Review: Fantastical Gatwa/Gibson Debut

Russell T. Davies's Doctor Who Christmas Special "The Church on Ruby Road" was a fun & fantastical debut for Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson.

Normally, my review route skews more towards "The Walking Dead" universe, Rick and Morty, American Horror Story, and other parts of the television/streaming landscape. But with director Mark Tonderai & showrunner/writer Russell T Davies offering us the first full adventure of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor and an introduction to Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday, I found the chance to do something that I've never done before – review an episode of Doctor Who. My love of the series started when I was a wee lad, and my sister introduced me to the Tom Baker episodes that our local PBS station in Philly used to show on Saturday afternoons – with each pledge campaign bringing more seasons & more Doctors. And there was no looking back. On that very personal level, I'm glad that I waited (intentional or otherwise) because, for me, "The Church on Ruby Road" was just as much (if not more) of a reaffirmation of what makes the show so special as the trio of anniversary episodes – and why Davies is exactly the right "ringmaster" to lead the "Whoniverse" into its next 60 years.

Right from the start, "Ruby Road" made my life a whole lot easier because it allowed me to shift into "First Episode Review" mode – albeit a "first episode" of a show that has a half-century-plus "backstory" to it. What that means is that we're looking to see if it checked off the big boxes on our scorecard. Did the special effectively introduce our heroes & big bads? Was the storytelling effective enough to offer a strong first impression to the new duo? Did the episode leave enough interesting storyline threads dangling that left us wanting more? The short answer? Yes, yes, and yes – all boxes emphatically checked. Here's a look at some SPOILER-FREE takeaways from the special to make our point.

Did the special effectively introduce our heroes & big bads? Just in case "The Giggle" didn't already make enough of a case, "Ruby Road" answers any & all questions naysayers may have about Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor. He is the perfect mix of a number of previous regenerations (like Jon Pertwee's flamboyant swagger) with a style that is definitely Gatwa's own. While presenting the sense of fun, hope & whimsey that we've seen in the past, Gatwa already has me looking forward to when he flips the switch and shows someone what he's like when he's not in such a "fun" mood.

Gibson presents a companion who also vibes familiar to previous companions, yet there was something about Gibson's performance that left me feeling as much for her storyline as the Doctor's – and that's no easy feat. That's because Gibson understands that the best companions are the ones that viewers can relate to the most – the ones who speak for us (since I'm not expecting a TARDIS to show up anytime soon) – and she delivers that and then some. Special mention should be given to Michelle Greenidge's Carla & Angela Wynter's Cherry as Ruby's adoptive family, serving as Ruby's anchor to her humanity as she sets offer across time & space.

Together, the two offer us another unique Doctor/Companion – "best buds." Not the mentor/mentee, brother/sister, boyfriend/girlfriend, girlfriend/girlfriend themes that we've seen in play – and it's refreshing. I truly enjoyed seeing two fine actors play off of each other in ways that left me wanting more of it. I'm imagining a ton of excellent back-and-forths in our future with Gatwa & Gibson (and that's before factoring in who's joining them next season).

And how can you go wrong with a Goblin King and goblins during a holiday special? In every twisted way possible, they worked – giving the special a "magical swashbuckler" vibe that Gatwa played off of nicely.

Was the storytelling effective enough to offer a strong first impression to the new duo? Davies chose to go the fantasy route with the Christmas Special – a move that some might consider to be a gamble. I don't necessarily agree – going in a different thematic direction fit nicely with Davies's plan to bring us something bold & different – but if it was a gamble, then it paid off in a big way. With Tonderai at the helm, the episode did an impressive job of blending the fantastic with a real world that actually looked real. I know that may sound obvious, but think back on the last time you watched a film where the fantasy aspect was lacking because the countering real-world didn't feel real enough.

In addition, you have to respect a script that blends the holiday season with a battle against creatures that eat babies – and does it in a way that still hits our feels in some very unexpected ways. Which is me using a lot of words to say that the episode was fun. But a quick warning? I can already tell that close-ups of Gatwa & Gibson's teary-eyed faces will end up breaking the hearts of millions moving forward – calling it now.

Did the episode leave enough interesting storyline threads dangling that left us wanting more? Between what we learned about what's ahead from the casting news that's hit over the past few months and the "big bad" seeds that were planted by the time the anniversary specials wrapped, I was actually willing to give the special a pass in this department. But the ongoing mystery surrounding Ruby's real backstory adds nicely into the mix of what we already know lies ahead. While some fans have already started rumbling that Ruby's storyline seems to sound familiar to previous companions' storylines, I have more than enough faith in Davies that the "answer" to Ruby will be something we didn't see coming. Heading into the Christmas Special, Davies had already earned our trust – "The Church of Ruby Road" just solidified it. But what's the deal with Anita Dobson's Mrs. Flood and her familiarity with TARDISs? Hmmm…

Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023: "The Church on Ruby Road"

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Review by Ray Flook

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8.5/10

Normally, my review route skews more towards "The Walking Dead" universe, Rick and Morty, American Horror Story, and other parts of the television/streaming landscape. But with director Mark Tonderai & showrunner/writer Russell T Davies offering us the first full adventure of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor and an introduction to Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday, I found the chance to do something that I've never done before - review an episode of Doctor Who. My love of the series started when I was a wee lad, and my sister introduced me to the Tom Baker episodes that our local PBS station in Philly used to show on Saturday afternoons - with each pledge campaign bringing more seasons & more Doctors. And there was no looking back. On that very personal level, I'm glad that I waited (intentional or otherwise) because, for me, "The Church on Ruby Road" was just as much (if not more) of a reaffirmation of what makes the show so special as the trio of anniversary episodes - and why Davies is exactly the right "ringmaster" to lead the "Whoniverse" into its next 60 years.

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