(#4) The End Of Time (2009)
In what may be the most epic and heart-wrenching holiday special of the show, David Tennant takes his tearful final bow as the Doctor when he faces off against his maniacal Time Lord nemesis, the Master (John Simm). The Master enacts an evil plan to take down the Doctor once and for all, but before this plan can come to fruition, Ten sacrifices himself to save Donna’s grandfather (Bernard Cribbins).
Packed with action and emotion, the episode earns its place as the only two-part holiday special of the series. It introduces a brand new element to the long-running series: a Doctor who is afraid to regenerate. As we bid farewell to the tousled hair, trench coat, and Chuck Taylors, Ten utters his poignant last words: “I don’t want to go.”
(#15) The Return Of Doctor Mysterio (2016)
This light, festive holiday special tells a superhero story in Whovian style. Justin Chatwin stars as the Ghost, a masked vigilante who the 12th Doctor accidently bestowed alien-borne powers upon in his youth. The episode is chock-full of all the superhero tropes you might expect - it’s cute, warm, and plenty of fun.
This was the first Doctor Who episode to air in a year and the second to feature Matt Lucas as Nardole. Nardole is a strange, funny fellow who travels with Twelve, making a great foil for the often grumpy Doctor.
(#2) The Runaway Bride (2006)
This Season 3 episode gives us our first glimpse of future companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), as well as a healthy dose of Ten's unflappable charm. Where the first holiday special was an action-drama, this episode provides action with a heaping side of comedy.
The Doctor is grieving the loss of his previous companion, Rose, when Donna is unexpectedly beamed into the TARDIS in her wedding gown. The episode gives us a giant-spider villainess and, once again, Christmas accoutrement gone wrong, like a weaponized Christmas star and ornaments, and dastardly Santa-bots. By the end of the special, it's clear that despite her cantankerousness, Donna is a good counterweight for the Doctor. He invites her to join him on his travels, but she turns him down - at least this time.
(#11) Last Christmas (2014)
This Season 9 holiday special perfectly marries Christmas iconography with a dramatic thriller. It’s equal parts fun, creepy, emotional, and action-packed.
Santa, played by Nick Frost, comes to the rescue when Clara and the Doctor face a formidable foe known as Dream Crabs. When the face-sucking aliens - who induce idyllic dreams in their targets to distract them while the crabs consumer their brains - prey on our protagonists, the two have difficulty distinguishing their dreams from reality. Having recently lost her boyfriend, Danny, Clara must choose between facing her grief in the real world and living in a beautiful fantasy with lethal consequences.
(#9) The Husbands Of River Song (2015)
River Song (Alex Kingston) is part Time Lord, part adventurer, part outlaw, and part romantic - and many believe she's the one and only true match for the Doctor. This holiday special presents River with multiple “husbands,” each of whom serves her needs in different ways. Like everyone else, she believed the Doctor was out of regenerations, so she doesn't recognize Twelve (Peter Capaldi) when they first meet. River brings him along on her caper, during which she speaks openly about her love for the Doctor and their complicated relationship.
Once their quest is complete and the Doctor has made himself known, his signature grouchiness has melted away. The two travel to a planet called Darillium to enjoy a beautiful Christmas dinner date and spend their (very long) last night together.
(#14) The Doctor, The Widow, And The Wardrobe (2011)
In this introduction to Season 7, Doctor Who retells another classic story through a sci-fi lens. Featuring a mother and her two children, this sentimental holiday special, set in WWII-era Britain, is likely the most family-friendly of the bunch.
Matt Smith’s Doctor presents the family with a mansion filled with his whimsical creations, as well as a gift box containing all the wonders of Narnia. They soon discover, however, that the Christmas tree forest they're exploring literally has a mind of its own.
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On Christmas Day, people will wake up early and open gifts under the Christmas tree, and have meals with their families. It is undeniable that many people like to watch the story of an alien man with a British accent who saved the universe. This is the must-see Christmas special of "Doctor Who" every year, which is part of the Christmas tradition for many people.
For more than ten years, every Christmas special of "Doctor Who" has continued the plot, although sometimes these specials are a bit far from the Christmas theme, they can always perfectly blend the festive atmosphere and the weird plot. The random tool list all of the 15 "Doctor Who" holiday specials you should know.
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