Doctor Who 3x0 The Runaway Bride Reaction | First Time Watching

[@OverWims]

The Doctor wasn't in the past. It was a year since the previous Chrristmas. Donna just didn't notice the aliens last year. Donna is just....Donna.

[@julesreacts]

HA! Happily oblivious 🤣

[@IG7799-c4u]

@@johnrob3215 Not really, it's woven into the narrative that she is oblivious to everything.

[@donaldb1]

@@IG7799-c4u To be fair, so are most other people.

[@sallyatticum]

@@johnrob3215 She specifically said she had a hangover during that time, so was drunk before that.

[@dylancole1910]

Yeah it’s probably the funniest jokes that somehow Donna missed every major invasion so far. 😂

[@AJUniverse]

I think sometimes you need someone to stop you. That line. Donna isn't particularly smart at a lot of things, and she often gets too swept up in herself, but when she pays attention she is the most emotionally intelligent character in this show. And she just gets the Doctor so quickly.

[@gordongoblin]

"The TARDIS always goes where it needs to" - look at you seeing to the heart of the show!

[@sallyatticum]

When Lance says the fact that Donna loved him is what made it is easy... Ugh. Makes me cry a little.

[@julesreacts]

Heartless 😭

[@Unclep318]

“I didn’t come here with the intention of being emotional but here I am” is pretty much doctor who’s motto

[@qqqqqqqqqqqq121212]

I miss that rare moment in Internet history, when everybody was on the same page about spoilers, and everyone instantly knew not to spoil things - it was amazing while it lasted

[@thepandorica1660]

The worst kind are the ones that try to be clever with them

[@ukoid]

I miss that rare moment in internet history where the only people that used the internet were people that used the internet. Now it's for everybody.

[@Neil_Hanson]

​@@thepandorica1660Agreed. And the funny thing is, they think they're being clever whilst everyone else thinks they're being a dick.

[@jennifermorris6848]

I love Donna. She stands in for the rest of us.

[@davisgrendel9448]

@@ukoid normies and smartphones ruined the internet.

[@noneya3635]

Donna is fantastic, “SANTA’S A ROOOBOT!” And the kids in the other car are awesome.

[@captainsplifford]

The delivery of that line was so chef's kiss!

[@donaldb1]

I like that Donna swinging into the wall is a sort of call-back to the more successful acrobatics of Rose in the first episode.

[@jessicapatton6523]

I’m so glad you enjoyed Donna. I still have a soft spot for her- honestly, if I vanished from my own wedding like that I’d probably be about as shouty as she was! I hope you enjoy series 3, there’s some episodes in there that I’ve been looking forward to you seeing since you started the show.

[@julesreacts]

I absolutely agree why she was a bit shouty 🤣 What I love about Donna is that she is just SO human... a perfect partner for our Doctor, I reckon!

[@HedeccaTamer]

Same! And yeah I'm specifically very excited for the S3 reactions And, tbf the flawless S4 run of episodes 8-13 Part of me selfishly wishes Jules did the reactions every day XD

[@Ulyanov.11]

tbh i didn’t really like her until i rewatched season 4… now i adore her

[@katthie230]

"sometimes you need someone to stop you"... that is so powerfull in a lot of circunstances in life... love this actress

[@lbd-po7cl]

Many people disliked Donna because she was so shouty, and coming after the sad ending of the finale found the episode too abrasive. But like you I really liked her and found her a breath of fresh air. Of course she was angry - who wouldn’t be - but I liked how she challenged the Doctor. She also showed a sensitive side towards the end. Glad you enjoyed this. Happy Christmas Jules!

[@colby_247]

I like that every companion has their own personality. I like that Donna is shouty hahaha. Now I'm only watching until the first few episodes in series 5.

[@Maastrichian]

One of the best things David Tennant managed to do was to display that deep, underlying anger, wrapped up in a shell of sorrow, something that he always manages to hide. Until, of course, certain circumstances occur which bring it out. I've watched the Doctor since the late 70's, but this was actually the first episode where I saw him as a person who could inspire fear. As a character, this made him so much more fascinating to me. I'm glad you enjoyed this episode... so many great and wild rides to come!

[@MarkWardReacts]

Very very few characters have ever made the impact that Donna did in just one episode. Perfect performance and that last scene is brilliant.

[@seomews]

ahh donna, the love of my life. you nailed every point on why i like her. she stands up for herself and knocks the doctor down a peg because he _needs_ it. i like to think that they give off sibling energy because of all the bickering they do HAHA im SO glad you liked her !!!

[@julesreacts]

Sibling energy!! Ah, I love that! I don't have brothers or sisters, so maybe I didn't pick up on that haha 🤣

[@seomews]

@@julesreacts i dont see my brothers much but whenever we do, we always make fun of each other 💀

[@AeonThePhoenix]

I do love this special... the juxtaposition of showing the Doctor's humanity and yet providing a view into the darkness he could be capable of without humanity. The expression Tennant shows during the drowning of the Racnoss feels... so cold and compassionless as he watches on, unforgiving after his mercy was rejected... thank heck Donna was there to snap him out of it.

[@AlanCanon2222]

Donna is a great character and Catherine Tate plays her to perfection. This episode really shows her range.

[@Mr_Saxon]

I'm glad you've picked up on The Doctor's darker side. It's explored a little more in-depth in the Classic show but they do definitely touch on it in the new version of the show too. It's one of the things I enjoy most about the character. He often presents himself as something of a bumbling, comedic do-gooder but you're never quite sure if it's his enemies who are being mislead, or whether he's actually trying to convince HIMSELF.

[@julesreacts]

Yes!! YES! This!! I love that darker side to him. We've seen it only very sparingly.... Gosh, and it does make me wonder, maybe THAT is the real him. Everything else is just for show 😱

[@noneya3635]

There’s a book series you might enjoy that follows the waters of mars.

[@happyslapsgiving5421]

"A very grumpy woman". Yup. That's Donna, alright. You've "captured her essence", as Hoban Washburne would say.

[@julesreacts]

HA! I might have been a little harsh to call her so grumpy, as it was her wedding day and a DISASTER! But, she was indeed grumpy 🤣 Maybe that's why she was so lovable! haha!

[@joshuathompson2404]

Happy to see you fall in love with Donna. She definitely has a place in a lot of whovian's hearts. Fan favorite, for sure. Definitely made her presence known in such a short amount of time.

[@Pottsylird]

this is honestly a seminal moment in dr who for me. the time in new who someone really said no to going with him. i know you’ve already watched series 4 by now but donna really looked him in the eye and told him you’re terrifying and you need someone to hold you back sometimes. it’s an important thing somebody had to tell him at this exact moment. turn left proves that.

[@julesreacts]

Yes, exactly!! And Donna barely knew him back then, and already she knew so much about him 💜

[@Pottsylird]

@@julesreacts it’s why she’ll always be his best friend out of every companion. no one got him like donna and no one kept him in check like her. remember the fires of pompeii? “just save someone” there’s no companion like her.

[@AmeliusDex]

She really did hit the nail on the head with what she said - sometimes he needs someone to tell him when enough is enough. He has a serious dark side.

[@sithlordkaeyl21]

I like how you got to see the path The Doctor was headed down when he met Rose, and then how much she had helped him not remain that “dark” after he gave the Empress of the Racnoss his ultimatum. You can really see how he got the nickname, “The Oncoming Storm” by The Daleks.

[@bradleybowles7979]

Great reaction Jules! The Doctor Who holiday specials have become a permanent fixture of my well ....... holiday traditions. Catherine Tate kills it as Donna. When this special first aired, I honestly wasn't sure of what to make of the Donna character but as the episode went on, I grew to love Donna! Keep up the great reactions and happy holidays! Many blessings to you and yours!

[@julesreacts]

Bradley, thank you so much 💜😸💜 I love that we felt the same about Donna as the episode went on. In the beginning, she was this very grumpy woman (understandable, as it was her wedding day after all!) and then we got to know her. I really did like her, and I truly feel this isn't the end of her story. I do hope we see her again at some point... maybe next Christmas special!

[@jamalgordon8883]

I remember this episode since I was 7 years old in December 2006 and now I’m 25 years old

[@Madman13K]

The thing that really made me laugh with this episode was actually Donna pulling the Tardis door open right at the start; since that's never happened before and the doors always slammed shut when it took off, I thought they locked. And then for half a second I'm wondering if she was just angry enough to break ancient timelord tech by way of being stubborn. I actually think this series is the one I'm most excited to see your reaction to for a whole bunch of reasons.

[@nevem5010]

I love this episode, I'm so glad you enjoyed it too! I know some people dislike how shouty Donna is, but Catherine Tate really brings the vulnerability too; I think she's a pretty well-rounded and sympathetic character by the end of the story. ❤

[@Stephen-Fox]

Love Don't Roam - The song you hear at the reception - was written by Murray Gold for the episode, and attempts to both capture what the Doctor is feeling having just lost Rose and failing to tell her how he felt while 'burning up a star to say goodbye' as he put it, and sound like the sort of song that might play at a wedding reception since it was needing to be played diegetically for the scene. (Song For Ten, the original song Gold wrote for the first Christmas special, had the comparatively easier task of being non-diegetic) The Racnoss Empress - Sarah Parish portrayed the role. She had previously worked with David Tennant on the 2004 serial Blackpool which I'll refrain from saying any more about it in case you decide to give it a watch.

[@joeb918]

Ah these two, so good, great antagonistic chemistry, pure comedy greatness.

[@julesreacts]

Joe 🥰 It's always wonderful to see you! I hope you've been well and all the best for Christmas and the new year 💜😸

[@joeb918]

As my grandfather would say, “it is wonderful to be seen;” thank you muchly for the hopes well wishing, I hope the same for you and yours. As for the new year, I’m sure I’m not alone in needing my own TARDIS, this year flew by!

[@julesreacts]

It is wonderful to be seen.... Oh, how beautiful that is. I can somehow see the Doctor saying something like that... Your grandfather sounds very wise indeed 💜 I want to place my order for a TARDIS, too! I think this time last year I was on a holiday... there is no way it's been 12 months since then... 😭😭

[@joeb918]

He was, in the classic jack of all trades master of none sense and was in fact never without a screwdriver, albeit not a sonic one. (; he could fix and repair or build anything he set his mind to; I should have learned more for him when he was still around, especially his gardening skills. Where he had a green thumb I was allotted a black one.

[@LondonCelt]

So much fun this one, David & Catherine are just the best duo ever. The show goes to a different level from here. First mention of Gallifrey in NuWho as well. The shots of The Doctor during the flooding are iconic.

[@TheAlmightyGeoff]

Awesome reaction Jules! Catherine Tate was Doctor Who's first celebrity guest star, and was known at the time more as a comedian than an actor (she had her own popular sketch show). I really enjoyed Donna's character, such a sharp divide from Rose but as a one-off she played it well. This was also the first time since the show came back that the Doctor's planet of Gallifrey was named. Series 3 has some of the best episodes of the show's whole (as of 2023, 60 years) run, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts! :D

[@OverWims]

I did not realise that Gallifrey wasn't named in the new series until Series 3. Thought it was way earlier than that.

[@TheAlmightyGeoff]

@@OverWims Yeah it’s surprising in hindsight, because most of us know the name of the planet we assume 9 probably spoke of it when talking about the Time War, but this is actually the first time it’s named in the new era. It’s funny that Skaro actually gets named first, then again it was in the original show too

[@OverWims]

@@TheAlmightyGeoff it doesn't actually surprise me that Skaro is named first. When seeing some evil pepper pots, someone will tend to ask where they're from lol

[@TheAlmightyGeoff]

@@OverWims very good point 😂😂

[@SejhaIsHere]

@@OverWims Thats because its flat out untrue. The Time Warrior from 1973 is when it was originally named. Gallifrey meaning "Jewel" in english, apparently.

[@andrewgrant6516]

The sidekick being there to tell the hero when to stop is a theme that was well trodden in late 80s Batman. After the 2nd Robin was killed by the Joker, Batman became far too violent, and it took the arrival of the 3rd Robin to help him past his PTSD. This mirrors the Doctor's postwar journey in many ways.

[@ocgmercury]

It also applies to some of the classic doctors, specifically 1 and 4. Ian and Barbara might have the most impact on the doctors life because they taught the first doctor how to be human, and how to care. He was a bit of a nasty piece of work in season 1.

[@notoriouslybratty]

I love David Tennent and Catherine Tate together. They did an awesome version of Much Ado About Nothing together (modernize and hilarious). He was on her sketch show and they both played characters on the rebooted Ducktales. They have to be friends in real life ❤

[@godmagnus]

"What? What? What?" Three excellent questions.

[@julesreacts]

Who? Who? Who? Are three more excellent ones hehe

[@frugalseverin2282]

I was remembering 'School Reunion' when the Doctor said he used to have so much mercy. Now you get 1 warning, that's it.

[@Ibrahim26277]

You’re honestly the sweetest person I’ve ever seen. Such a kind hearted person! Love your reactions always look forward to them thank you for always posting and hope you have a great Christmas!

[@Emburbujada]

Donna is great. Sure, she's a little much at the start of the episode, but wouldn't you be if that happened on your wedding day? XD But then, she shows so much love and compassion, and also like you said, she had no problem standing up to the Doctor. Plus, she's very perceptive at the end, realizing that the Doctor needs someone with him.

[@gigo518]

I love reactors who appreciate Donna and her interactions with the Doctor in this episode ❤. Also some of your post-episode commentary makes me excited for your reactions to series 8 of DW (long way away I know 😅).

[@julesreacts]

Awww thank you!! I am SO EXCITED to see Donna again!!

[@FiggityJones]

Damn the way David Tennant delivers “Her name was Rose.” just kills me 😭

[@julesreacts]

Sigh 😭😭

[@hothotheat3000]

Donna is incredibly annoying in this episode. That’s the point. She has an arc in the episode where she goes from being insufferable to being a good person.

[@quantamdefender]

This is probably my favourite Christmas special, or at least one of the two that particularly stand out. Donna really made such a great impression and while people dismiss her as annoying, it wasn't long before she showed both a sweeter and more insightful side in relation to the Doctor, especially the comment you already covered about how he needs someone because of how much he can potentially go off the deep end. I agree with you about spoilers and how it's much better not just for you but the rest of us watching. It can admittedly be hard to resist the temptation to talk about what's coming when discussing episodes and your thoughts with the benefit of having the bigger picture but I always try and avoid mentioning anything specific or any spoilerish details when I do, like last time when mentioning a future companion's departure hitting harder which only mentioned the Doctor by number (not actor name), and not the companion, what actually happened or when it happens, which is hopefully 'safe' to do. Unfortunately I've seen some people be rather less restrained about it. Anyway since I guess this is the Christmas upload (helped by the episode you happened to be covering) I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas.

[@CrankyGrandma]

I love how Donna wasn’t afraid to tell him off. 😂. On a more serious note we got to see a flash of the Terrible side of the Doctor. The dangerous side. We saw flashes of that in the ninth Doctor as well. He is alien. And relative to humans he’s powerful. Donna’s right. He needs someone.

[@markbechtold7372]

This is my favorite DW Christmas special. I rewatch it every year. The first 15 minutes alone are pure gold.

[@rod370]

Hiu, Jules. The T.A.D.I.S. use to have a chanelean circuit. That could change the outside of the T.A.R.D.I.S. To fit into the place it landed in. But it broke and the T.A.R.D.I.S. got stuck as an old Police Box. The police Box use to be used to put people the police caught for doing bad things And the phone was to phone the station and have them picked up. Also the flashing light was to let the people picking up the people know what Police Box it was,. The inside was just a bit smaller than then outside. OH They where use until the two way radio was imvented. And made out of concrete not wood like the Doctors one.

[@Alucia0]

Catherine Tate is honestly such a good actor. She plays Donna so well, she instantly became loveable. She's just so...real and believable.

[@jess2952]

i feel like the first two seasons the doctor is this perfect man who can do no wrong, almost because that’s how rose sees him. I love the shift in this episode where we can start to see his flaws

[@TheZintastic]

And there it is. One of my personal favorite ones out of the Christmas Specials. It's really fun all the way through, has good pacing, tons of throwbacks, just the "perfect" CGI (where it's still cheesy and aged, but still beliveable enough to at least give it a pass) and makeup effects, the mometns with the Doctors more darker and ruthless side, really cool designed villain... And last but definitely not the least in the slightest; Catherine Tate as Donna. The taifoon to Doctors storm. Doctor is usually the eccentric one, but this time he meets his match at that and it's a blast to see. Oh, and merry christmas! (perfect timing with the special

[@littlecitygirl]

I love that this episode is such a great example of everything that Dr Who can be. It's got farce, comedy, drama, angst and horror wrapped up in a great entertaining package. I love that Donna is so aggressive with the Doctor at the start after the emotion of Rose's last two episodes and also that she's so strong and perceptive at the end both to turn him down and to realise he needs someone to stop him going too far. Great reaction, Jules. So looking forward to rewatching S3 with you.

[@joshuajoshua2732]

This is the first time since the TV Movie and in NuWho that the name of the Doctor's home planet "Gallifrey" was mentioned.

[@gazzamanazza4pm]

And now you meet Donna Noble! Played by the amazing (in my opinion at least) comedian Catherine Tate, who a lot of people were surprised and concerned to see appear in Doctor Who, but it turns out she's a really good actress too! Regardless, a lot of people didn't like Donna since she's so loud and grumpy and shouty, but in the sadder and quieter moments of this episode we see she really has a lot of heart. It's also critical to note what she does for The Doctor in the episode. Shouty or not, she kept him moving, stopped him from wallowing in grief over Rose, and allowed him to begin to move on. She's 100% right about the Doctor needing someone though. Two more final notes - first, you might have missed it, but Donna just coincidentally happened to miss the Sycorax Invasion the previous Christmas due to being hung over, and she missed the Battle of Canary Wharf since she was Scuba-Diving in Spain. Second, I always thought the design for the Racnoss Empress was really cool, especially since they actually used a practical costume for the humanoid torso of the creature!

[@ftumschk]

I wasn't surprised at Catherine Tate, given that she's first and foremost a fine actor (she studied at London's prestigious Central School of Drama), who happened to become famous through her comedy appearances.

[@gazzamanazza4pm]

@@ftumschk Oh, I'm aware. It all made sense to me when I found that out

[@tempusspiritus]

I’ve seen a surprising number of people say they dislike this episode as they found Donna loud & annoying, but I loved her. She came off realistic rather than someone who was simply overcome by & immediately enamored with the Doctor as who wouldn’t be upset if they were suddenly “beamed away” in the middle of their wedding? They’d be scared, upset, angry, etc. and it probably would be made even worse if they were faced with someone who was more excited by the situation rather than trying to rectify it the way the Doctor was at the beginning. Once she calms down a bit Donna’s charm starts to really shine and it’s one of my favorite Christmas specials.

[@alexanderbeta-werburghii6176]

Another lovely and heartfelt reaction, thank you. "No-one is perfect..." Apart from cats; cats are perfect. It was a well balanced episode wasn't it, with festive fun lightening the mood after the previous episode's heartbreak, only to twist the knife again slightly at the end. And it gets better. Merry Christmas to you Juliette and to your fur babies, and to Rose, wherever she is.

[@julesreacts]

Cats are perfect!! Even when they do something wrong, I can't stay upset with those little babies 💜 Have a wonderful Christmas yourself 🎄 thank you so much for your kind words!

[@jameshenner5831]

Jules is watching Buffy, Angel, and Doctor Who. A true trifecta of adventures!

[@campagnollo]

@23:18, that is the face of nightmares. As awesome as he is in talking, when he goes silent, you do not want to be on the receiving end of that fury. VERY terrible things occur. BTW, who gave the order for the tank to fire?

[@Venemofthe888]

Wouldnt you like to know ;)

[@ms_scribbles]

Yeah, that last bit hits you in the feels. Especially when the Doctor's voice breaks when he says her name.

[@JackMellor498]

This is a brilliant Christmas special. 23:25 is such a great moment, and highlights in a moment of chaos, and what might as well be genocide, why the Doctor needs a companion, a human being with a human heart to stop him from going too far, to pull him away before he gets carried away and gets himself killed doing something like this. Because that image of him shrouded in fire and rushing water is the Doctor of the Time War, absolutely merciless.

[@sherrysink3177]

Poor Doctor. "I'm not... I'm not... I'm not from Mars." Lol!

[@julesreacts]

He's definitely no Martian 🤣

[@vMixMasterJayv]

I LOVE THIS EPISODE and I love Sarah Parish who plays the Racnoss Empress she plays a few roles with full body prostetics and makeup to become different creatures and every time she has so much fun playing them that is just shines through in her performace. Also the Makeup department did a Miraculous job with the costume she looks so awesome you can tell the budget went up with this episode! The Emotions from Donna going from Furious to Somber and then heart broken was amazing and same with The Doctor missing Rose, the acting was impecable from both of them. The way David Delievery the line "Her name is Rose" 4 words and It makes me tear up instantly! Brilliant! Oh plus the one liners in this episode, "Only a mad man talks to thin air and trust me you dont wan to make me mad!" 🙌 who ever wrote that line deserves are raise and a holiday to where ever they want cos thats so good!! The episode is what made watching Doctor who on Christmas a Tradition! Such a great Episode and im glad you loved it and loved Donna she's a great character! Hopefully not too much was spoiled for you cos those first time moments are so amazing I hope you get to experience them too! My suggestion to avoid spoilers is if you can use a seperate KZbin account to watch stuff so that your channel's content doesnt influence the reckonmended as thats where i find most spoilers pop up. Either with thumbnails that show something you didnt want to know yet or videos that have titles that speculate on things from the show. Also Facebook is the worst aswell one single mention of Doctor who and facebook somehow will know and send you everything ad, meme and post related too it. Its scary how good Facebook and Instagram are at targetted advertising.

[@Experiment-221]

Oh I absolutely adore this episode. Donna's dynamic with the Doctor is both hilarious and brilliant as we have two characters that are both great at taking charge of situations, but in different ways. The car chase is so impressive to me. The tracking between the Tardis interior and the cgi exterior is phenomenal and you can even see the Tardis's reflection on the real life cars. Very impressive cgi work and a fun packed sequence to boot. The Tardis is so great in this episode aswell. We get a little more of her personality such as being more sensitive to something small such as hovering and being a little silly (wandering off to different times). Shes not perfect which makes her unique and almost human. I love that Rose is threaded very delicately into the storyline while the action continues showing how fast the Doctor runs from tragedy and barely has time to grieve. The bit with the Doctor looking on coldly as he lets the drowning of the Racnoss children continue is horrifying. The time war has made him so desensitised to death and killing and only Donna snapping him out of it shows how badly he needs a freind to help him remember he who is. Gosh I love this episode so so much. Sorry that was alot lol continue with your day everyone🙃

[@Katiekooleyes]

If I ever get married, my wedding needs to include a time traveller, killer Santas, and a vicious spider empress. Or everybody wasted their time!!! 😂 The xmas specials are always a highlight in Doctor Who, and this one was no exception. Donna was an absolute hoot! I always find it interesting when that little bit of darkness slips out with the Doctor. As you say, it's not evil, but I think in this instance he's still angry about losing Rose, and the injustice these aliens, cybermen, daleks etc bring. Roll on season 3, looking forward to seeing how you take to it. Oh and Merry Xmas! Hope you don't come across any killer xmas trees! 😂

[@Oiyuki]

Donna is my favorite character in the entire show. It’s close, there’s a lot of characters I like but Donna is my favorite

[@julesreacts]

I love her and Wilf so much!

[@Oiyuki]

@@julesreacts Wilf! Ah I love him so much❤️

[@Scripture-Man]

Loving your reaction videos! You're the ideal Doctor Who watching fan, love how invested you've become in the show! :-)

[@julesreacts]

Glad you enjoy the episodes!! Have an awesome weekend!

[@Scripture-Man]

@@julesreacts Thanks! :-)

[@LeonBlade]

One of my favorite Christmas specials honestly. Glad to see your reaction as always! This episode is a lot of fun, but also has a lot of emotional moments as well.

[@JoeThornhill]

I don't know why I've just noticed that those controllers at 10:51 are just old Nintendo 64 controllers with a bit of MDF (medium density fiberboard) and painted gold with switches and cut up plastic balls stuck to the top with the wire replaced with an antenna.

[@julesreacts]

Whaaaat? That is so cool!

[@erichunter7649]

Catherine Tate was in the middle of a 5-year run on The Catherine Tate Show, so there was no way for her to become the Doctor's Companion. Christmas Specials usually have a special guest star, and Catherine Tate was Series 3's.

[@lukebarton5075]

Donna not knowing about the previous occurrences is just a joke about her being in her own little world and unaware.

[@sherrysink3177]

It's definitely a tonal shift compared to the final episode of season 2, but I appreciate the number of times Donna asks about Rose, and the Doctor clearly thinks about her, and the fact that they ended the episode with Rose's name... that brought things full circle for me. It kept the Doctor's loss present throughout the episode, even amidst the humor of Donna and the Doctor and all their clashing (which was really funny). I liked the mix of funny and poignant. Regarding your thoughts about the darker side to the Doctor, years ago there was a fan who created a fan video using snippets from the show, and they combined it with a piece of music that definitely tapped into showing that he has that darker side. I hadn't thought about it much before seeing that video, but I remember watching the video gave me shivers and reminded me just how powerful he is, and how dark things could go if he weren't careful (or connected to humanity, as Donna noted that he needs). If you're interested, I could send you a link to the video. It's really really good. (I'll make sure it doesn't have any spoilery images first, of course)

[@TreyMcDonaldAnimator]

Donna Noble... oh Donna, Donna, Donna... comparing her to Rose, she is such a wake up call with sass that is levels above anyone. I freaking love her. LOL

[@SmazSolaire]

I'm glad you liked Donna! I originally really didn't like her at the start of this special, but I have since liked seeing her progression throughout - she starts so abrasive, but I think becomes a lot more likable as soon as the TARDIS stops on that rooftop. That's when you start to see all the other facets of her character and range from there on out, and it's great!

[@julesreacts]

I definitely had the same feelings as you! She was having a terrible day so I guess she had every right to be grumpy 🤣

[@SmazSolaire]

@@julesreacts That she did, that she did!

[@Capn_Mal]

God.. the way he says "Her name is Rose..." kills me every single time at the end there. Unreal line delivery.

[@nightshade7240]

I think the thing people so easily forget is that in the many incarnations of the Dr, the silliness, the positive energy, he is still a soldier very much affected by complex PTSD. If you've ever been around soldiers, especially those who served on the front lines and saw things, they have this ability to switch it on and off. The Dr has that but exponentially more so. We have seen snippets, small almost throw away lines that only work in the big picture and the truth is that the Dr has committed war crimes. He has single handedly caused the genocide of countless species. He has made his whole life the continuation of a war that for him has never stopped and he is the line in the sand for the enemies of humanity because after causing so much harm there is hope in him that he can do this one bit of good in a ledger stained multicoloured with the blood of those who would harm the human race. What we see in those moments is the fury of someone who views his actions as righteous and no one has the power to stop him. Judge, Jury and Executioner. A soldier with ultimate power and knowledge and no oversite to keep him in check. I'll stop there because spoilers but if you want a comprehensive history of the Time Lords there is a band called Chameleon Circuit and they have a song called "Gallifreyan History 101". Highly recommend it, it's the lore of the classic series which is touched upon in the new Who but there are no spoilers in that particular song. I'd hold off on listening to any of their other songs til you get to the end of the 11th Dr but their music is so full of lore and just a beautiful tribute to old and new Who.

[@CharlieHiber]

Donna is right, sometimes he needs someone to stop him. and your right too, though the Doctor is a good man, sometimes he let's his knowledge of the past shade his decisions, sometimes he decides to go too far. love your reactions to things old and new, look forward to your thoughts as the season progresses!

[@HollsHolls]

Me and my brother have been rewatching the show to introduce it to my mum, and when we got to this episode and she heard Donna complaining about no pockets, my mum very happily exclaimed “I did! I had pockets!” Which was new information to me and my brother, and now I can’t see this episode the same anymore 😂

[@julesreacts]

That's cute 💜

[@discretelyobvious]

A lot of people hate donna but imo she has the most realistic reaction to everything and i love her

[@jeffreypreiss8191]

Great reaction. This is such a great episode. I always laugh at the beginning sequence. Donna is quite a character. I'm glad you appreciate seeing the Doctor's darker side. It is hidden from us most of the time. Look forward to the next episode.

[@TheSindustriesLtd]

love Donna! and i love getting these little glimpses into The Doctor's darker, more ruthless side.

[@MrPaulMorris]

Catherine Tate, who played Donna, was best known as a comedienne and had her own series running so it would have been difficult to take on a long term committment to a show as time-consuming as Who. I have to admit to not really enjoying her comedy but thought she did a great job here, establishing Donna's character and managing to make what could have been a shallow cartoon character into a believable person in the span of a single episode. Hats off as well to the writer and production team for giving such a strong platform to Catherine and a tremendous fresh start for the Doctor after the trauma of losing Rose. Edited for (many) typos. Moral? Don't comment on phone while in bed!

[@ashleytuchin7693]

This isn't my favourite Christmas special, but it's definitely a fun one and it helps ease the pain of the previous episode without just sweeping it under the rug. This adventure is a welcome distraction for the Doctor, but Rose's shadow still looms over him and I think it's ultimately what the Doctor needed. He has a history of just moving on, never staying put for long, but at least here he doesn't just push her out of his mind. I know Donna can be divisive, but I for one love her. People say she's mean and obnoxious, but I think her behaviour is understandable given what she's been through. Besides, that's the point of her arc - during her brief time with the Doctor she goes from being shallow and oblivious to the world (even alien invasions), to having a new lease on life. She even saves the Doctor, pulling him back from the edge in the episode's most haunting scene. Speaking of which, that scene with the Doctor standing in the fire and water is so iconic. You see it as memes and GIFS and it's the perfect visual representation of what happens when the Doctor goes too far. Because despite being a hero, he really does need someone (especially a human) to reign him in sometimes. There have been countless occasions where this has been explored, going right back to the show's very beginning in 1963. Heck, the Doctor initially came off as indifferent and uncaring, and it was only through his travels with humans that he began to soften. Oh and I'm sure you've heard it by now, but Catherine Tate is a beloved comedian and was quite famous at the time for her sketch show, 'The Catherine Tate Show'. She also went on to appear in the final two seasons of the American version of 'The Office' Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jules! I'm so glad you got to release this just in time for Christmas (on KZbin anyway), and I can't wait to see you dive into Season Three.

[@julesreacts]

Ashley, thank you so much 💜 I am so thankful to have had you here this past year and coming along on these exciting journeys with us 🤗 I love Donna as well! I seem to really love the human and flawed characters, like Donna and Jackie. They seem more relatible! Have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the new year 💜🎄

[@OverWims]

Have fun with series 3. The series-arc in this series is my personal favourite. I won't give any clues as to what it is but it is very well executed (and it's more noticeable on a second watch through when you know what's coming).

[@rtaylor7384]

The 10th Doctor was a no second chances man. He show this in the last Christmas Special when he killed that creature . He give it one chance and he didn’t take it. In this episode like he did in that scene when he killed her children. He give her a chance and she didn’t take it so he show her what would happen if you rejected his offer. That what Tennant Doctor was all about. He give you one chance, no second chances. This scene was the first piece of darkness we see in the 10th Doctor. This is probably the first time he did something like this. He never gone this far.

[@HedeccaTamer]

I LOVE how you manage to stay 100% spoiler free, It's hard nowadays, especially with new episodes of Doctor Who coming As far as I know you're only vaguely aware of other Doctor actors? Not even companions or story points and I LOVE that

[@julesreacts]

I know next to nothing of the story or doctors or companions and I'm hoping it stays that way 💜 I knew when the ninth Doctor was finishing up as a lot of people said in the comments, but Rose's ending wasn't spoiled, and nor was the beginning of our next companion. Sometimes I feel a little out of my depth, as there's SO much history and lore that I just don't know. And even the bits that do get told, like about the Dalek's and Time Lords, I still feel I only know the very basics and I probably forget half of what has been told to us, too 🤣

[@anniesharp4871]

This is my favourite Christmas special. Catherine Tate is just brilliant; she switches between comedy and sorrow so seamlessly! Love Donna; it's obvious that she has a kind heart and is much more perceptive than she (or Lance) believes. Lance was awful!

[@nicholastaylor4195]

donna summed up the doctor perfectly , when she said he needs someone . Very diffent to the doctor with Rose

[@raphaelperry8159]

The more keen eyed among us recognised Donna's husband as Detective Constable Danny Glaze from The Bill.

[@bobthebomb1596]

I find myself looking forward to Wednesdays. I have not commented for a while as I had to watch via my phone and for some reason comments won't work. I was taken into hospital and had to undergo heart bypass surgery. Watching your reactions while in the intensive care unit, then during recovery was a most welcome bit of normality. Thank you.

[@julesreacts]

Bob 💜 It is so good to see you and to learn that you're on the mend. I'm truly hoping you're doing so much better and that recovery went smoothly! I can't imagine what you've been through, but I am so honoured that you had these videos to look forward to each week. Thank you, Bob 😊😊

[@bobthebomb1596]

@@julesreacts Oh I am doing fine now. Just wanted you to know that your reactions helped cheer an old bugger up when he needed it.

[@julesreacts]

I am so glad to hear that, Bob 🥰🥰

[@catindigo9907]

At this point its not easy for us to say anything that's not a spoiler. Sorry, the ducklings, goats, and I enjoyed this alot. I will say that this just goes to show the one thing we all should learn from Dr. Who. Never spend Christmas in London. I may have mentioned that before, interesting the punk band The Ramones also wrote a song about being stuck in London on Christmas called I want to be sedated. They did a show in London on December 23rd and got stuck for 24 hours straight in their hotel room because nothing was open Christmas day. Oh the animals said they got me a Christmas present but I can't have it til boxing day because I'm the help. Ugh, my life. Hope you have a wonderful holiday and all the best to you and yours.

[@smashstuff86]

12:33 It was current year. Donna was just a bit out of touch with the outside world.

[@paulhammond6978]

Nice reaction Jules. There were one or two things I had forgotten with this one - I had forgotten that there was a Torchwood connection with the company in this one - we got a brief burst of the Torchwood series theme again, as we did in the two-parter of the Season 2 finale. I kept wanting to call Don Gilet's character "Lucas" rather than Lance - I think he played a character called "Lucas" in EastEnders. Catherine Tate, who played Donna, was very busy at the time this series was made - she had her own comedy sketch show at the time - so she wasn't available to commit to a whole series as the new companion in Doctor Who. "that box is too weird" is a great reaction to seeing the Tardis for the first time - and it's a cool variation that they got Donna to see the inside before she saw the outside.

[@frnknstndrgqn]

I did think donna was a bit shouty at first, i mean i get it but he was so vulnerable when she found him i just wanted to yell back " please stop yelling at him" Love her tho. 😂😂😂😂

[@rod370]

Hi, Jules. The bride Donna Actresses real nane Kathren Tate. Use to be an impressionist. And had her own show. Called the Katheren Tate Show.And it aired from 2004 to 2007 in the UK. So if you listen to her, you can hear her voice change. to somebody else. Just a little bit. Like she is doing an Impression.OH the impressions she did was of normal people, nobody famous. But every voice was different.

[@julesreacts]

OOOH! That is so interesting to know! Thank you!

[@iKozak99]

The British Museum has a section about currency, in which you can see the fake notes they produced for the ATM scene, with David Tennant's face printed on them.

[@RudolfaSong]

Fun fact, the money that comes out of the ATM actually has tenants face on them. You could call them David tenners!

[@julesreacts]

HA!!

[@victorv5109]

A very grumpy woman 😂😂😂😂 the most accurate description of Donna….. EVER 😂😂😂

[@patkillian5925]

Always love the reactions from you and hope you manage to stay spoiler free because there's lots of great twists and turns in the show and it is truly a shame that people end up spoiling things whether intentionally or accidentally. My personal rule is always, "treat any comments I make as though I'm at the same point as you in the series" because even the most clever comments can sometimes end up causing spoilers and it's so much more fun for all involved if you get a chance to go in mostly or fully blind/unspoiled

[@briangilliver2197]

Thanks, I hadn't seen this for ages, so well edited, HQ pictures, very entertaining.

[@julesreacts]

Brian, thank you so very much!!

[@AlmightyCRJ]

They would have considered Catherine Tate for companion but IIRC she was already booked for some other filming projects for 2007 release.

[@wutangkang]

Awesome video as always dude! You summed up everything i was gonna say about Donna at the end there so ill just way, i can't wait for the next one!

[@mattperiolat]

“Blimey, you can shout!” Yeah, Donna is one of those characters where you’re like Han Solo with: “Wonderful girl! Either I’m gonna kill her or I’m beginning to like her!” Catherine Tate is wonderful as a comic actress, but her reaction to the dark side of the Doctor is really wonderful. It’s easy to forget he’s the last of the Time Lords, he’s a war veteran, he made a choice that killed all the Daleks and all the Time Lords to end the war. Dude has baggage to unpack and he really hasn’t. And thank you for the reminder on spoilers. Obviously don’t want to give away the store, but also have to remember comments like “Oh, you’re gonna love this! Oh, I love this character and you’ll see why!”, those are all spoilers too. Have to remember and I’m sorry if I ever missteped. Enjoy what is to come!

[@Stuart_Cox1969]

Thanks Jules, have a great Christmas when it comes around.

[@jonathangmallender]

No spoilers from me, but just to say i love your reactions more than anything creator. I love the emotion and humanity you always show. 🔥🥰

[@tomswift3482]

Hello Jules,💜 another Christmas, here and gone, with the Doctor. A new Year and a great time to pause, reflect, and remember those who are seeing all these for the 1st time. Here's hoping for No Spoilers!🤫 Not even of the not really, not much, and just a bit, sort.🤫 A great Christmas special episode.😍 Donna has taken quite a bit of nastiness over the years for this episode. It seems the Doctor wasn't the only one not over Rose. Fans disliked how abrasive Donna was. But, really, I think this was a perfect Doctor Who story - loaded with humor, a most disturbing villain, a confused, then funny, then frighteningly fierce Doctor, and a, justifiably, peeved bride, all of whom earned, and gave out, varying degrees of sympathy by the end. Except for Lance., who got what he asked for.😏 Donna, with all her angry shouting and bossing around, proves herself to be an understanding, and wise, person.😊 A really good Christmas story.🥲 Good No Spoilers talk in the beginning Jules. You laid it all out very clearly, in a most straight forward manner - No one can say they didn't understand what you meant, and therefore will have no standing when barred from commenting permanently... ahem,🤭 just a little Christmas dream of my own... whew!😅 Great episode, and a beautiful first time reaction, bringing back all the emotion I remember from my own first viewing. Laughter, apprehension, more laughter, tears, and reflection. The gamut of Christmas spirits.🥹 Well done, Jules.🤗💜 Have a great day, and thank you, once again, for the effort you put into producing these reactions against the big bad BBC cancel machines, whilst still managing to produce very coherent overview episodes. See you again, soon!🥰 .