Although Doctor Who technically aired its first Christmas special in 1965, the tradition of annual specials was not introduced until the series was revived in 2005. Since then, holiday specials have regularly premiered between seasons, giving the audience a fun episode between major plot arcs and allowing the characters to have a break after what they suffered in the previous series finale.
Since becoming a tradition, the Christmas specials have developed a few trends. Russell T. Davies loved to make a symbol of Christmas into an object of terror, while Steven Moffat tended toward adapting Christmas stories into the world of Doctor Who, with the Doctor in the most mystical, awe-inspiring roles. Across both eras, Christmas specials have included lore-defining moments, often with large implications for Gallifrey-related plotlines and including or directly following the Doctor's regeneration.
This year's special, "Joy to the World," will be the fifteenth, marking Steven Moffat's eighth Christmas special and the first not to be written by the current showrunner. But if you're looking for what to watch in the lead-up to the new episode, we've put together a ranking of every Christmas special, from worst to best, since 2005.
As a brief note, there really aren't any bad Christmas specials. So try not to get too upset if your favorite is one of our 'worst'.
- The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe
- The Return of Doctor Mysterio
- The End of Time
- Voyage of the Damned
- The Next Doctor
- The Time of the Doctor
- The Church on Ruby Road
- The Runaway Bride
- Last Christmas
- Twice Upon A Time
- The Snowmen
- A Christmas Carol
- The Christmas Invasion
- The Husbands of River Song
The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe
Steven Moffat told SFX that he intended for "The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe" to be "the most Christmassy Christmas special ever," but it just doesn't hold up in comparison to the others. The plot begins with a heavy-handed homage to The Chronicles of Narnia before transitioning into an environmentalist message and a celebration of motherhood. While these aren't bad themes, the plot wasn't strong enough to support them.
That said, the Christmas elements were certainly there. From being set on Christmas Eve to the abundance of holiday classics (presents, trees, and winter wonderlands), there is no denying that this episode knew what it was meant to be. That was useful in guiding the audience to the Doctor's reunion with the Ponds. But the story itself is the weakest Doctor Who has put forth in a Christmas special, and no amount of Christmas aesthetic can overcome that.
The Return of Doctor Mysterio
What happens when Doctor Who tries to make an episode about Superman? It's a bit of a let-down. "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" was the only episode released in 2016, bridging the gap between the Doctor's 24 years on Darillium and his adventures with Bill in Series 10, and it ends up feeling every bit of that disconnect. It's a fun enough story, but the emotional context doesn't really work.
Although written as a Christmas special, this episode has little to do with the holidays aside from its setting. Grant gets his powers on Christmas Eve. That's it. The rest of the episode is just a random superhero plotline, which feels far more derivative than charming. There are a few wonderful moments, but it's just not very effective as a whole.
The End of Time
Hands up for all those who remembered that "The End of Time: Part 1" aired on Christmas, because I certainly didn't. But it did, with the second half airing on New Year's Day, 2010. The episode marked the end of Russell T. Davies' time on Doctor Who (for the next 13 years, anyway), the return of the Master and the Time Lords, the Tenth Doctor's regeneration, and a swan song for the characters Davies introduced.
The story is enjoyable, with massive implications for the future of the show, but nearly all of its most important moments have now been undermined by future plot lines. These include the existence of two future versions of the Master, the reveal that Gallifrey was not destroyed in the Time War, and Donna's return to the series. With so many moments losing their impact, it's not as enjoyable for fans to go back and rewatch.
It's also barely a Christmas special. Despite mentioning that it takes place on Christmas thirteen times, the episode has absolutely nothing to do with the holiday, in themes or aesthetics. If you're committed to watching every single episode of Doctor Who connected to Christmas, then go for it. Otherwise, just throw it in a marathon built around the Master, Donna, or regeneration. It fits much better there.
Voyage of the Damned
"Voyage of the Damned" starts with the idea of alien tourists trying to learn what humans do for Christmas, but it quickly went off the rails when the Titanic spaceship was thrown from one catastrophe to another. While the idea that the company's former owner would use the lives of both the ship's passengers and the people of Earth for a revenge plot is sadly believable, the disaster movie tropes didn't mesh well with the standard sci-fi elements.
The actual Christmas elements were a lot of fun, from the wildly misguided description of holiday traditions to the introduction of Wilf and the concept that everyone now flees London for Christmas. It's an enjoyable enough episode, but there are few memorable moments aside from Astrid's sacrifice.
The Next Doctor
"The Next Doctor" came out in the gap between Series 4 and 5, and it unfortunately suffers from some of the directionless aspects of that time. The idea of the Doctor running into a future version of himself is a lot of fun and has been played with in other episodes since. The actual reason for the Jackson Lake Doctor also has similar themes to the Doctor Donna plotline. But while the ideas are good, the overall plot is average.
As for the Christmas elements, the adventure is set on Dec 24, 1851, which gives both an explicit connection and an overall Dickensian feel that is suitably Christmas-y. The use of the Cybermen isn't the strongest, but it hits the right notes of emotion and morality that such an episode demands. Overall, it's a decent episode that doesn't stand out when compared to others.
The Time of the Doctor
There was a lot of content for "The Time of the Doctor" to cover, and while much of it was done well, it just didn't feel as solid as it needed to. This was the conclusion to the Trenzalore plot, with an explanation for the Silence and the cracks in time from series 5 and 6. It was also a follow-up to "Day of the Doctor," providing the option for the Time Lords to return and granting the Doctor more regenerations.
Unfortunately, the Christmas connection only really comes in through the name of the town the Doctor was defending, making it a weaker entry for that specific purpose. Overall, it's a strong episode that just doesn't stand out as a Christmas episode. Given all of the layers to the story, it's probably better for a 50th anniversary or Eleventh Doctor rewatch than a Christmas marathon.
The Church on Ruby Road
The 2023 Christmas special had to do a lot of work, from introducing the dynamic between Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and new companion Ruby to seeding the rising importance of magic and fantasy for the show moving forward. While it's a bit goofy, the goblin plotline is a lot of fun to follow, and nearly every major theme for the next season is addressed.
Since it's the first Christmas special since 2017, they really wanted audiences to know that it was set at Christmas. Ruby and Lulubelle are both Christmas Eve babies, a Christmas star is used as an 'accidental' weapon, and "Carol of the Bells" gets a central role. While several elements are a bit heavy-handed, it does what it needs to do and refuses to let viewers forget that it's a Christmas episode.
The Runaway Bride
There really aren't any bad episodes where Donna Noble is involved, but "The Runaway Bride" is arguably one of the weakest, just given how strong of a showing she has as a true companion. But the humor is excellent, and the Racnoss plotline made perfect sense given the destruction of Torchwood in the Series 2 finale. This episode was necessary for fans and the Doctor to accept a new companion after losing Rose, and it serves that purpose well.
Adding to the episode's strong showing in general, it definitely hits the right Christmas aesthetics. Donna and the Doctor are hunted by robot Santas, and the Racnoss ship happens to look like a Christmas star. It's a solid episode, with its only weakness being that it was built to bridge Series 2 and 3. Some of the narrative beats aren't as effective out of that context, but it's still a fun watch anyway.
Last Christmas
Steven Moffat tended to write his Christmas specials with a focus on whimsy, but "Last Christmas" is much more in the style of Davies's Christmas horror. The Doctor and Clara find themselves trapped in a series of dreams, hunted by dream crabs with some help from Santa Claus. It's a weird episode, drawing on Inception and Alien, but there are some sentimental moments that work well given the fracture in the Doctor and Clara's relationship in the Series 8 finale.
The Christmas elements are obvious here, since Santa is a main character, but the overall tone provides a nice twist. Clara and the Doctor have both suffered tremendously, so the idea that Christmas is dark this year fits well. Clara's desire to stay in the dream, even if it kills her, is relatable for those grieving during the holidays, looking for any escape from the reality that someone they love is gone.
Twice Upon A Time
Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor was a very different man by the end of his run, but he was notably tired of the endless losses he'd faced. All of the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor's companions died, and though they all lived on in another way, it was bound to have an impact on the Time Lord. He wanted the regenerations to stop, putting him in the same mindset as the First Doctor for a jarring reunion.
Bringing these two Doctors together allows for the show to reckon with its own history, honor the most recent era, and reckon with both the pain of death and the exhaustion of not dying. It's a strong meditation on the Doctor's mindset in two very different circumstances, which merges well with the legendary Christmas truce. It's more of a regeneration episode than a Christmas episode, but "Twice Upon A Time" does balance the two admirably, succeeding in its goals for both.
The Snowmen
"The Snowmen" serves as a transition between the era of Amy and Rory and the time of Clara, a connecting point that was necessary for the split Series 7 to make sense. It also serves as the re-introduction of Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax, who would become fan-favorite characters throughout Moffat's time as showrunner.
While The Great Intelligence is not at its best in this episode, it allows the story to play with creatures of snow and ice in a justifiable way. This, naturally, feeds into the Christmas feel while also doing a lot of lore work. Victorian Clara hooked a lot of audiences on the character and her mystery, explained how the Doctor could move forward from his losses, and generally kick-started the next phase of the series.
A Christmas Carol
When Steven Moffat took over as showrunner, it was unclear how he would manage the Christmas special tradition, but that concern was eased by how successful his first attempt was. The Doctor decides to heal a Scrooge by playing with his past, a storyline that somehow isn't quite as overcomplicated as it sounds, nor as derivative.
In addition to using the plot of the Dickens story, "A Christmas Carol" is explicitly set on and around Christmas, with snow and holiday romance sufficiently proving the theme. The actual setting is as Doctor Who as it gets, paired with a plot line more focused on the villain-hero's emotional journey than the Doctor's brilliance.
The Christmas Invasion
David Tennant had his first real showing as the Doctor in "The Christmas Invasion," which was a fast-paced romp that solidified his potential in the role. For the first change of actors in the revived series, it had to work really well, and this episode did. Rose and the audience were constantly testing this new man to see if he was sufficiently the Doctor, and Tennant proved his worth.
The episode also spent a lot of time on its Christmas theming, from flame-throwing Santas to murderous Christmas trees. It did that well enough to justify having Christmas episodes for the next 12 years. It's memorable for the biggest moments, like the Doctor beating the Sycorax, and the smaller moments, like the Doctor ruining Harriet Jones's career. While not necessarily the best episode in Doctor Who history, there is a feeling in "The Christmas Invasion" that they've been trying to recapture ever since.
The Husbands of River Song
"The Husbands of River Song" earns the top spot for Doctor Who Christmas specials because of the delightful balance it managed between humor and sentimentality. The Doctor gets to delight in the unique situation of his wife not recognizing him—and not trying to kill him—which hasn't happened before. But he and the fans quickly learn that this will be her last adventure before going to the Library, a sobering thought in an otherwise hilarious episode.
While not being strictly about Christmas, as some of the others on this list were, this episode did hit the needed notes to feel like a Christmas special. It was snowing, River was in a hooded red cloak, and the Doctor wore holiday antlers. But more than any of that, it was emotional, beautifully closing River Song's arc by insisting that tragedy can come without undermining the time spent "happily."
No matter where they fall on our ranking, Doctor Who's fourteen Christmas specials all bring a certain magic to the show that it rarely captures in the standard season. We can't wait to see what the upcoming episode (and Ncuti Gatwa's second season) will bring.