As far as I'm concerned this is exactly what a Christmas special should be like. There's a Christmas surprise, some amazing visual effects, and a large nod to CS Lewis and Narnia (not just a snow-covered planet but a line quoted from the book). There's some humour, there are some unusual aliens, and, best of all there's a wonderful climax and a great ending.

it's not standard Doctor Who, and probably won't appeal to hard-line fans. It's rated PG, and there's only mild suspense; there's a lot that's silly and the whole is somewhat twee. Credulity is always suspended in this series, but perhaps even more so in this.

And I loved it. ( )

A British family during WWII is treated to an unusual Christmas holiday.

Now that I've finally gotten around to watching this, I'm very relieved to find Doctor Who turning in the complete opposite direction of the cluttered, fast-forward mess of series six. There are still a lot of problems with the story, but nothing too bad. The focus is back on characters, and taking the time to let the audience care about what's happening to them. As far as emotional impact goes, this is the strongest episode so far of the Smith/Moffat era - maybe of the entire series.

Concept: A
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: A
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: B

Enjoyment: A plus

GPA: 3.2/4 ( )