Doctor Who: Joy to the World (2024 Christmas Special) Reaction

🎄 Doctor Who: Joy to the World 🎄
The Doctor is back with a festive adventure that promises thrills, laughter, and plenty of heart! Set in the snowy streets of Victorian London, this Christmas special is a must-watch for Whovians and newcomers alike.
💫 Starring:
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor
Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald
Hugh Bonneville as Magnus Greyson (Guest Star)
Neve McIntosh as Madame Vastra
Catrin Stewart as Jenny Flint
Dan Starkey as Strax
🎥 Directed by: Rachel Talalay
📝 Written by: Russell T. Davies
🔔 Join us for a magical journey as the Doctor battles to restore joy to the world this Christmas. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and comment with your favorite Doctor Who moments!
#DoctorWho #ChristmasSpecial2023 #JoyToTheWorld

[@Syntell]

Rekkai's Deep Dive for this episode available soon! Rekkai's (NupeFromDaVille's) Deep Dives for Doctor Who - kzbin.info/aero/PLQ1om1IMqFrh2QwE1VgTYO3tKq9AjZhAX&si=ceKBjQQYkpBTnqvZ Make sure you join the Discord - discord.gg/ZKHV8dKcjQ

[@HuntingViolets]

She can't see her mother because of COVID restrictions. That's why she was saying how the people who made the rules were partying. Royal Hope Hospital, by the way, is where the Doctor first met Martha Jones (although the second time she met him) in "Smith & Jones."

[@space1999]

You'd think they'd be bored of boris by now.... the current leader is a bit of a joke so I'm waiting for some little political digs next season (unless of course the bbc is a one sided organisation and only attacks one party... surely not!)

[@HuntingViolets]

@@space1999 Good point.

[@space1999]

@HuntingViolets yep, sadly

[@pjlightning1995]

@@space1999 If the current party does anything as outrageous as Boris and his mates, then I hope the BBC does just that, but they'll be hard pressed to match the blatant hypocrisy of the Tories imposing quarantine restrictions on the entire country, but taking no notice of those rules themselves. Those of us separated from relatives with terminal cancer were justifiably furious to learn of the parties. And Boris and co absolutely deserved being roasted over hot coals for their behaviour. No politician should be exempt from laws or protected from justice.

[@waynecarpena4316]

​@@space1999 bored? He made everything worse while partying. And if you think they're having more of a pop at one side (which is clearly your side) maybe that's because they deserve it more.

[@kingbeauregard]

I remember early days of COVID. One of the things one of the local charity hospitals needed was iPads so their patients could communicate with their loved ones.

[@Kierankitty8869]

If you recall, there was a Villengard reference way back in the 9th Doctor era! The two parter where they meet captain Jack

[@camillealvarado9357]

There's a banana grove there now

[@ericaperez6287]

@@camillealvarado9357 Bananas are good!

[@JeshuaSquirrel]

"This will be the least I've ever let anybody down." That line gets me right in the heart.

[@Triskaan]

That clueless frown from Syntell at "mavity" though. ^^ And funny how they didnt clock at all Joy's mom died of covid. :)

[@binrotheheretic8174]

Or that v the rule breaking parties were the point of Joy's rage scene - but then remember that they'll be seeing it from an US rather than UK.

[@deemo7868]

How quickly we forget

[@jennifermorris6848]

I absolutely detest mavity. I feared it would be a Bobby Ewing thing before Sue Tech.

[@HuntingViolets]

The Doctor should go back and correct the mavity thing at some point.

[@VonPatzy]

They didn’t watch the 60th specials (and thank goodness they won’t hit the same without taking the long route). Funny how Mavity just goes unclocked without the context.

[@Chris-n7t8n]

do you realise the two women the old guy may have been referring to might have been Vastra and Jenny, given its 1940 and hes already old, so may have known them as a very young man.

[@FahadAyaz]

Oh, I didn't think of that!

[@sidselh]

She couldn't be with her mom because of Covid rules - she followed "The Rules", while the Tories and ruling class continued with their parties and dancing and ignoring the rules they set on everyone else. That is her rage.

[@coderdenewbie]

She could not go to the mother's hospital room, because COVID restrictions, that sort of idea. She was following the government's rules.

[@nathandts3401]

The ones the government frequently broke.

[@gestaltdude]

Fun casting note, the actor playing the Sherpa in the base camp tent, which clearly was meant to be Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, was actually Norgay's great-great nephew. And I'm sorry to be, "that guy," but the energy that went into Mage in The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe, was the life force of the trees, not star seeds. I just finished watching Funny Lil Gal's reaction to Blink. One recurring comment from everyone is that Moffat is very, very good at writing characters that endear themselves to the audience very quickly. Anita in this, Billy, Kathy and Lawrence in Blink, and of course, River, though she had a lot more screen time in her first outing. :D

[@jennifermorris6848]

Me too! And I loved Anita and what she represented.

[@binrotheheretic8174]

​@@jennifermorris6848Anita & the actress who played her seem to be the standouts in this special - and apparently she's a stage actress, this was her very first tv role.

[@StarDream_]

I just came from there too.

[@binrotheheretic8174]

@StarDream_ i think we all have 😃

[@colerains]

I'm so glad you watched this. I wasn't sure if you would wait to catch up before continuing with the 15th doctor. But I immediately wanted to watch your reaction once seeing this episode. 💙🤍

[@David-cg1lh]

It's funny how many people act shocked at the assassination thing like it isn't the tropiest of time travel destinations. The first episode of modern who has 9 sitting in the crowd at JFKS

[@VonPatzy]

Not to mention by insane coincidence DR WHO premiered Nov 23 1963 the day after JFK was shot.

[@HerHollyness]

LOL have you guys really managed to forget what happened in 2020? I wish I could be so lucky! Joy’s mum was in hospital with COVID - Joy kept shouting about the ‘rules’. There was a big scandal here in the UK when it emerged that our government spent Christmas 2020 partying and mingling and blatantly ignoring their own ‘rules’ while the rest of us were alone and miserable without our families.

[@FahadAyaz]

I don't think she necessarily had covid but covid rules meant that she couldn't meet her daughter during that period. Same thing with my dad.

[@Andy-wl6xy]

A toastie is just a toasted sandwich.

[@sowhatchajen2846]

Can’t wait till you get to Capaldi as the doctor

[@dw5556]

Yeah in 2026 at this rate since people keep suggesting everything but the day and time of the doctor. I have their patreon yet I'm still waiting, they uploaded documentaries, a music video , the film and even this year's Xmas special! They should have a schedule we can see so people aren't guessing what's coming next

[@klenacca]

the implication was she couldn’t visit her mother bc of covid

[@brilof2112]

I had every intention of watching this episode again and was glad I could watch it with y'all. Happy New Year!

[@4884nat]

In the YK it was revealed that our government were having private parties while we were left with the toughest restrictions. People died alone in hospital, if they were lucky to get to hospital and people couldn’t attend funerals. It was horrendous and they partied.

[@solitarymaninblack]

Great cast. Liked the hotel. I did think the suitcase would be a bigger threat. But with it being an Xmas episode it was sweet. The Doctor spending that time working.

[@Which-Craft]

Definitely agree on the "disney" versioning. The doctor is a deep character, as are many of his companions. The Disneyfying comes across as cheap, trite storylining. On the other hand, it's only been one season and we often have to adjust to the new doctor to get it. Ncuti is great and hopefully the writing will catch up. We shall see.

[@andyradart8498]

I enjoyed the heart warming moment at the end where Joy, as the star, killed her own mum. This episode was ok, if you don't look to hard, cause it falls apart pretty quickly if you do. I'm not feeling Ncuti as the Doctor, I don't think he has the gravitas nor the acting chops. He's great at crying and we've seen a lot of that, far too much in fact. But you are right, the stories aren't great, they seem to be there to make a point rather than tell a good story, and it is possible to do both! The Doctors characterisation is off and there's no growth, journey or connection - Him and Ruby felt as much strangers at the end of the last series as at the beginning. Hope were high with RTD's return and boy is it a let down

[@allgeekthings]

You missed the mavity of Joy's situation. Her mum (like thousands of others) died alone during the pandemic while politicians were boozing it up, having a good time and failing to social distance. It was a sweet story overall. I'd like to see Anita again.

[@Velociraptour]

I'm with Rekkai. These shortened seasons make every episode feel like a one off. At least we have the Christmas specials again, as corny as they can get, not having them for during Jodie's run was just wrong.

[@alexanderwiles2003]

I'm really hoping for season 3 we get atleast 10 episodes even if it means ending the Disney deal

[@jennifermorris6848]

In 1962 Agatha Christie would have been 72 (born in 1890). The person on the train is a puzzle to me.

[@philb2085]

I thought it was meant to be Agatha Christie but I wasn't sure and like you say the maths are way off if it is supposed to be her?

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

i think its literally just a random person on a train

[@channyh.221B]

The person on the train is just someone reading a book of Agatha Christie, although her name is the same as the Bond Girl in 1962 so maybe it's just a wink at that.

[@nekobat1962]

Her mom had COVID. She couldn't visit her because of the quarantine rules. But other people partied and broke the rules.

[@lunacouer]

And even more specifically, the people that made the rules broke the rules.

[@zvimur]

20:38. At first, I mistakenly thought that the star seed was wiping out the dinosaurs, retconning Adrik's sacrifice. Still, no mentioning him? Yes the explosion is a fixed point event, but...

[@Samraaaa2]

I keep forgetting theres a whole chunk of Who you've yet to see 😭 I definitely think the highs and lows of disneys season 1 will make a lot more sense after the next era and show runner.. i kinda think a lot of choices that made Ncuti's season what it was were very much reactionary to what came just before but thats just my two cents 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@Capt.Jack-017]

I just noticed that in your video description. It still has the synopsis for The Snowmen, the supporting cast, writer and director. 😅

[@superkid3188]

It was about the Conservatives partying during Covid breaking the restrictions and then trying to cover it up, whilst people couldn’t be with their living or dying loved ones due to the lockdowns especially relevant to the episode is those parties that took place over the Winter holidays of 2020 and into 2021.

[@zinnia2980]

The Christmas episodes are always so special and it's great to get a glimpse of the new series 🧡

[@philb2085]

It wasn't terrible...and that's high praise given how bad Whitaker's tenure was (IMO).

[@benjames9158]

5:07 sorry but have you guys forgotten about perception filters?

[@SNMG7664]

Truly do not understand how this is Anita's first TV role she was the best part of this episode

[@theultimatetvchannel]

Happy New Year, Family

[@Tele-dude]

The tear happened when the doctor was saying goodbye to Anita

[@HuntingViolets]

You two should check out Derry Girls.

[@nekobat1962]

Ham and cheese toasty and a pumpkin spice latte

[@alexanderwiles2003]

Season 2 has always been confirmed from day one the Disney deal was for them to distribute 2 seasons with only 8 episodes. What isn't confirmed is if they will want to go ahead with more after (but we haven't had the second season yet so we will need to wait) the trailer for season 2 played directly after the episode on tv here in the uk. And if we don't get a new season of doctor who with disney the bbc will still continue it, because disney does not own doctor who ultimately they just have distribution rights (outside the uk) for these 2 seasons. (And the series is still incredibly popular even if you exclude all the merchandise and expanded media), they dont have creative control and every episode youve watched of ncuti has been written by the current showrunner russel T davis (2005-2010) and a previous show runner steven moffat who ran the show during matts series which you are watching right now (disney have been able to give some small notes but this isnt like marvel or star wars) And i highly doubt season 2 will be the end of ncuti since he hasnt really been the issue with anything and the showrunnee has written 4 seasons with him in mind (ncuti also said on the graham norton show thst he would be filming season 3 but when the episode aired they cut it out) So alot going on there

[@jennifermorris6848]

Love the Metaphor about needing some Ws. Hopefully the story of Mrs Flood will be what pulls it together. I am going to have faith.

[@avmavm777]

Ham and cheese toastie!

[@HuntingViolets]

Being more connected to the companion is an old concept, actually. The Doctor is an alien, and the human companion was meant to be the one we follow and relate to (whether we did or not is another matter) when the revival started.

[@adamcarlson2192]

Did you guys actually forget that we went through a pandemic?

[@space1999]

I suppose its a while ago, I know the bbc hate boris and like to have a dig whenever they can.... but there are more current problems in the world they could reference if they wanted to (but dont)

[@HuntingViolets]

COVID is still killing people too.

[@stark_harshly]

Whataboutism? Boris broke his own rules and lied. He is a disgrace and this shouldn't be forgotten.

[@LindaChambers-gy2zl]

What what I've gathered over 50 years of watching Doctor Who and BBC TV. Is they are not concerned about race....,black, white matters...not so much at all! Terrif huh? I love it!

[@SoTOreo]

guys didnt catch the 1st time ive seen on a show touch on not being able to see people on their death bed cause of covid

[@qa1327]

16:13 they did a good job of making me like Anita in such a short time 16:39 the 12th Doctor will give a cool explanation of a bootstrap paradox. Look forward to you seeing it. 22:30 I’m on the fence with this Mavity joke they have going on. I don’t think you guys have seen it so I won’t say much but a past doctor and his companion got Newton to call what he theorized Mavity instead of Gravity, by accident. This Doctor has referred to Mavity a couple times in his run. I like the consistency but still a little corny. Enjoyed your reaction to the episode.

[@lunacouer]

"I don't think you guys have seen it so I won't say much." Proceeds to say the whole thing 😂 They've asked us over and over again when watching the new episodes to not spoil past ones. You take away their joy in finally understanding it when you explain it before they get there.

[@sallyatticum]

Steven Moffat and his literal potty humor...

[@samwell54]

and then moffat wrote ‘she becomes a star’ and they actually filmed it 😂

[@HuntingViolets]

You're saying this episode is a 7 for you, really, so be brave enough to give it a 7.

[@space1999]

7 is generous.... 3 or 4 for me

[@HuntingViolets]

@@space1999 Yeah, I liked some of it but a lot I didn't, especially the ending.

[@space1999]

@@HuntingViolets yep... I can't see what some of these other people saw sadly

[@HuntingViolets]

@@space1999 Agreed.

[@VonPatzy]

This episode had too many plates spinning for me. I wish Joy and Anita had been the same character - splitting them stole some development from Joy and just made her a situational martyr that didn’t stick the landing emotionally for me. And y’all need to stop with the innuendos that Anita (if she only knew) was pining for the Doctor. Straight men never clock that we women KNOW when our friends are gay and it allows for a next level sort of bond. Being able to be close to a man who doesn’t see you as a conquest is a whole level of friendship ONLY afforded by a man who cares about you but isn’t treating you like a present he wants to open.

[@IsiahBradley]

P.P.S. I agree with #Rekkai on the #DisneyWho storytelling. Speaking of that, is the #COVID story subtle--or have we just forgotten about it??

[@alexanderwiles2003]

i think if you take this episode in isolation its a very good and fun episode

[@HuntingViolets]

"Ham and cheese toastie and a pumpkin latte." Toastie and, not toastina.

[@VonPatzy]

I love the order because a pumpkin latte is incredibly out of place in any time other than current day.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@VonPatzy That's true. And then it's the Doctor's order.

[@Fluffysweep]

I have got better hopes for season two and will trust RTD to get it right, Season one, i believe, was short and disjointed because ncuti was contracted to film the last season of "sex education", the same year. Therefore, he was filming "doctor who" in bits and pieces. That's why a lot of that first season was so Ruby heavy overall.

[@djhyjak]

the writing and the directing of this Who is very nickelodeon/disney channel. cliffsnotes style story telling are doing Ncuti a disservice .

[@lalida6432]

That’s the guy from the Witcher. 6:57

[@lalida6432]

Toastie is British for a grilled cheese sandwich.

[@OneTrueScotsman]

I didn't really enjoy this episode, but I loved that Stylax from The Plebs was in it.

[@DakNJaxter]

A darker reading of this episode is that the villains won. One of the Villenguards biggest customers in the future was the Church, which they aided in creating with the star of Bethlehem,. While Joy interprets the Flash Rising being her ascent, it could actually be in reference to the Crucifixion. With regards to the current quality of Who, I think it's still good overall, but regardless of that, whatever's the most current thing tends to be given the harshest criticism. That's with every era of the show, even dating back to the Classic.

[@philb2085]

I didn't get that the church had "commissioned" the star of Bethlehem, I thought it just ended up there by ironic accident?

[@DakNJaxter]

@@philb2085 That could be the case. It's certainly the surface reading. But when I think to Moffat's continual mixing of militaristic and religeous iconography, I couldn't help but make the connection. Someone else who came to a similar conclusion thought it was even a "Christmas is all about shopping/capitolism" thing. Intentional or not, I guess it's builtin a way you can take away what you want about it. They did at least show the star did spread joy and do some good, so it's not just a black and white conclusion. (Though just to note, I didn't think the Church had comissioned it , but rather it was Villenguards intention from the beginning, and what seemed to be be a heroic sacrifice by Joy was actually a tragic loss against her will. In a 'consumers are actually the product' kind of way. If they didn't intend for Joy to rise, nor were refering to the curcifixition, what does 'Flesh Rising' mean? Maybe bodies piling up when the star becomes a weapon IDK.)

[@darrenhopgood9348]

her mother had Covid.

[@IsiahBradley]

P.S. AND HAPPY #WHOVIAN ANNIVERSARY!!! Y'all Old School #NuWho #Whovians now!!!!!

[@lalida6432]

Bugs me he didn’t say “Pumpkin-Spice.”

[@RuthAlber-o7t]

Who is ham and cheese toastie in a pumpkin latte

[@CJ-qp7hi]

I think Anita is Mrs flood and she stalks 15 though time with the hotel as his number one fan. Or something to that extent

[@HuntingViolets]

Frenchie from _Our Flag Means Death_ too.

[@LewisBuck2005]

The audio sounds off.

[@nac.mac.feegle]

I really want the writers to do better by their new doctors. They gave Jodi not-great stories and she was absolutely harassed beyond reason just for daring to be a female doctor. I mean harassed like with death threats and grape threats. It looks like Ncuti isn't getting the writers' best work, either. That's a shame because he's personable and I love his style. They started to stretch with Capaldi. He had pretty good stories, but didn't last more than two seasons. That was okay, and I was so happy they cast a woman. I had hoped actually they'd make Martin, the Fugitive Doctor, the next doctor. She was terrific and they could have done a lot with her complicated story line. As with Jodi, and now with Ncuti, people won't blame the story lines, they'll blame the actor, and one just knows the next casting (if there is one) will be a safe bet. Safe as in probably White, probably male, and probably younger. This has pretty much killed my love of Who, I hate to say. Maybe they need more diverse writers who can write from different perspective than we've seen.

[@UserName-vb4lg]

You went thru all three seasons of Bridgerton and you don’t know how to pronounce Nicola Coughlin? That’s Penelope’s actress.

[@Directorkey718]

Ncuti deserves better than these episodes, hopefully he gets it in his 2nd season. The first woman and the first Black Doctor(s) both let down by the writing. Ya'll should really start Peter Capaldi's Doctor, I love his seasons and I prefer an older, crankier, darker Doctor.

[@RobertJones-xs1ns]

The first Christmas special not written by the show runner

[@A7bz3LOT4AL0B]

A Time hotel for Timelords to bed their companions

[@benjames9158]

2:20 uhh are you forgetting something

[@RuthAlber-o7t]

They're talking about the Star of Bethlehem the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the Flash will rise means the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is descending into heaven and having him come back you don't know when but he will come back to kick Satan's ass

[@LewisBuck2005]

I understand that the overarching story wasn't great butI feel like everyone is forgetting that Season 1 had extremely good episodes. Especially when they were coming out. Everyone was saying how we had 3-4 top teir episode in a row. Then empire of death made everyone forget. This is the best who since series 10.

[@KatrinaMacGregor]

You guys didn’t get that it was Covid?

[@David-cg1lh]

Do the say Nicola differently in America? I've never been t heard anyone put the stress on niCOla before.

[@HuntingViolets]

I've never known anyone who went beyond "Nicole," so I'd just say it however the person wanted.

[@Sydneybarrett91]

I’m black Canadian and black pple always pronounce it that way Nicola is my name

[@mistknights4675]

Um...guys...its 2024...not 2023...

[@HankD13]

Sad. Watching a show you have loved all your life slip down the toilet. RIP.

[@joeyunderwood]

2024 Christmas special lol (we’re in 2025 now) Also, some things in the description aren’t correct.

[@LewisBuck2005]

They do know that Disney has nothing to do with how good or bad a episode is. They don't make it. As they were saying how Disney dealt with Marvel and Starwars.

[@HuntingViolets]

Yeah, RTD (and Moffat, for this episode) are making writing choices, not Disney.

[@alexanderwiles2003]

Yeah i don't think they realise the episodes so far have been written by previous show runners.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@alexanderwiles2003 Except "Rogue."

[@Marc22.]

If you really didn’t get the London 2020 that was Covid

[@R_SENAL]

I give this an 8 easy, no quibble, I loved it, it just wasn't epic 9 or jaw dropping 10. You all are a bit harsh on Nu-New-WHO. Looking back at the past season half the episodes were bangers. Consider how Series 2 of New-WHO was kinda mid, because it had greats like Girl in the Fireplace and the Impossible Planet, but then had Fear Her or Idiot's Lantern or Love & Monsters! Ncuti's season was mid like that. Boom, Dot & Bubble, 73 Yards, and The Legend of Ruby Sunday were Great! The rest, not so much, kinda meh, but remember we about to get our comeback. The 2nd companion of Series 3 was where the gears shifted. Series 15 is gonna have Belinda join up, and she's just dazzling from what I've seen so far. Even if we get all 8s like Joy to the World, it'll be a great season. I'm looking forward to it with eagerness!

[@gaelsomerville5163]

I enjoyed this one but expect good stories from Steven Moffat. The Disney series has been very hit and miss for me. It felt at times that Dr Who had been changed to appeal to American audiences when the charm of the Doctor is that it is delightfully British with references that are very British. Trying to make it more universal just loses some essence of the Doctor.

[@Which-Craft]

omg omg omg Anita Flood??????????????????

[@stark_harshly]

Did you forget what happened in 2020 already? 😢

[@bluesnake4626]

Is this my favorite christmas episode, no. But I was crying through that ending when her mom looked up at the star. It might be a low bar, but I say if you get me to cry at all during your movie or episode, then it was good.

[@JeshuaSquirrel]

Really should have been Bethlehem, 4 BC, but whatever.

[@martynnotman3467]

I loved it. The usual suspects who dont like the Doctor not being a white man are raging though

[@puddlejumper021]

I thought it was great as well. I find the toxic mindset of going into something automatically intent on ripping it to shreds a terribly sad way to live. I'm not saying you have to love everything, I've had my fair share of criticisms watching Who over the years, but dang do some people need to take a deep breath and gain a little perspective.

[@space1999]

​@puddlejumper021 why? If someone has invested decades into a franchise, has all the books/dvds/figures etc, why can't they have an opinion.... it seems if anyone doesn't like this or the last dr they are labelled "toxic"... as well as being untrue, it reflects more on the people accusing the fans than the fans themselves.... luckily we seem to be slowly emerging from this, most damaging time for movies and TV shows, crucified by the lefties.....

[@martynnotman3467]

@@space1999 oh bore off

[@puddlejumper021]

​@@space1999 Constructive criticism holds genuine value, and passion for a subject is equally valid. While I personally found the Chibnall era lacking and suspect we may share some viewpoints on areas needing improvement, it’s crucial to recognize when criticism shifts from constructive to hate, revealing deeper, more troubling issues.

[@Senkoau]

@@puddlejumper021 have you considered the troubling issue may lie with the people who rather than coming up with a new original character, telling African traditional stories or the like are instead constantly taking over existing established IP's and changing them to fit a modern view e.g. the doctor now originally being a little brown girl, Harry Osborne being black, demanding Nikki be changed from a Chinese girl to a black girl so they can be represented (in a Chinese game series), Velma constantly bashing Fred who Mindi thought was "defined by his whiteness"? When a new original IP is created with a black lead US, Get Out, Voyage of the Demeter, Owl House there's not anywhere near the kind of pushback. Its being created as much by the insistent changing and altering of established IP's and it often comes with very bad story telling that couldn't sell their story to begin with. Take Jodie Whitaker over ten million people tuned in to watch her up from Capaldi's episodes. In this case the change was workable as it fit in the lore and heck people loved Missy's as the master. However we got soap box issue of the week preaching as if we were dumb children who needed to be enlightened (Capitalism is bad, polllution is bad, depression is bad, etc). Regenerating into this version of the doctor was not helped that the lead up had Donna and her daughter lecturing him on how a "Male presenting time lord" couldn't understand giving up power. This lecture being given to a man who literally ran away from being president of Gallifrey twice, ran away from being a time lord to see the universe, has repeatedly stepped back from claiming power and authority and who was a woman for three seasons yet somehow being a "female presenting time lord" didn't give her any magical insight. The simple fact is even if someone gives constructive criticism such as how the "timeless child" retcon causes a lot of issues with the whole history of the show and served no actual purpose beyond giving the white woman a chance to say to the Indian man her genes were just better afte turning him over to the Nazi's in WW2 it will just be dismissed as toxic, racist bigotry so most people have given up on offering it and just stopped watching the show that lasted for decades where you only knew the Doctor was a straight if you caught an episode with his granddaughter. Otherwise he could have been straight, gay, asexual or reproduced by mental thought engrams it wasn't important he was the alien while the companions offered the human perspective.

[@jennifermorris6848]

I was happy to rewatch this because there was a bit about this that made me quite uncomfortable. There was a lot of death. No “everybody lives” in this one. I didn’t see the Doctor upset (on par with past Doctors) about the deaths. And I’m not thrilled that the “Christmas Star” is the result of an evil plot by universal arms dealer. I think atheists struggle with religious adjacent stories. I did appreciate the lesson about self-sacrifice, making connections, family.

[@HuntingViolets]

Yeah, Joy manipulated to end her earthly life gives me no joy, particularly as she was unhappy at the time and now can never move on from that (probably). It's a disturbing thing to put out there. I think it's a problem whether you're an atheist or religious (although both sides have liked the episode). Her dying (she thinks she isn't dying, but is she even herself anymore? It's not that analogous to regeneration) to point the world to Jesus' birth (wrong date, anyway) is bad, whether it's God doing it or an evil corporation.

[@fieryjack9243]

not a patch on the tennant and smith doctors..........ncuti is a 1 outta 10

[@cornparade6874]

Shut up he's perfectly fine

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

Ncuti has the potential to be a great doctor if RTD stops trying to bash out messaging all through his stories and writes a good story like he used to. If you ever hear RTD in the behind the scenes he spends 90% of it talking about whatever non story related nonsense hes proud to have put in the episode. This episode and boom were good, the 73 yards had potential if they had put more effort into it but the rest have been kind of awful

[@philb2085]

This was the least awful of all the recent Doctor Who episodes I've watched 😂. Gatwa is already miles better than Jodie Whittaker but then she was bleeding' awful, so that may not be saying much. In fairness to Whitaker, the writing and the day-time soap "acting" of the supporting cast didn't do her any favours?

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

Yeah her companions were so wooden and the dialogue was atrocious. She had no chemistry with them, she never sounded like a doctor and the writing in her run was a complete shiz-show. I will say this episode is ncutis best so far, i also enjoyed boom, coincidentally they were written by moffat who wrote all the better doctor stories anyway so thats probably why. I think ncuti could have been a better doctor than he currently is if they just gave him some decent scripts and stopped worrying about throwing in message buzzwords into the episodes like mansplaining, pronouns and whatever other stuff they keep trying to show horn in.

[@rockwellknuckles9425]

They have taken all the darkness out of the Doctor. We can all agree that 9/10/11 have all had a darkness within them. Ncuti is so bright and happy, which is always needed but the darkness of the personality hasn’t shown itself. I’m all for it, though…

[@SteveODonnell]

14 took all the darkness and trauma, he needs therapy or to sort himself out. So 15 doesn't have all the guilt, fear and darkness. He is free to enjoy himself again.

[@HuntingViolets]

He was pretty dark punishing the characters in "Rogue."

[@HuntingViolets]

@@SteveODonnell Except we're not being shown that, with his telling himself no one likes him and everyone leaves, etc.

[@rockwellknuckles9425]

@ nah. Not his gear. Didn’t press the button.

[@SteveODonnell]

@HuntingViolets he had to get him to 'take the long way round' so what better way to stop yourself in his tracks than have him question himself.

[@KingHercules21]

I really hated this one. Seemed so inappropriate and disrespectful to Christ.

[@cornparade6874]

Wasn't really disrespectful at all unless you have paper thin skin or something.

[@KingHercules21]

@@cornparade6874 I thought the COVID plot and Bethlehem parts were very inappropriate. Many people, myself included, lost loved ones at that time and couldn't see them. So to have a plot where a sick character is magically reunited with her daughter to become a star over Bethlehem came across insensitive. Worse then "Imagine" video from 2020. Tone deaf, and disrespectful. As for the Bethlehem bit in particular, it was inappropriate to inject fictional Doctor Who "canon" into the faith myself, and so many people hold close. God outlined the what happened exactly, and it's wrong of Moffat to write a CHRIST-mas special that takes the story written in the Bible and then changes things. Wrong.

[@samwell54]

I’m sure Christ wouldn’t mind

[@KingHercules21]

@@samwell54 I hope so. I didn't feel that but that's just my perspective. I hope you enjoyed it more then I did.

[@simongiles9749]

​@@KingHercules21The Doctor me turns having been present at "the original Easter" back in Planet of the Dead. Not to mention met the Devil.