Doctor Who’s Joy To The World Christmas special could shine brighter
As a seasoned gamer of Doctor Who, I must say this year’s Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” was a rollercoaster ride that took me through time and emotions. Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor continues to captivate with his unique charm and wit, but it’s the introduction of Nicola Coughlan as Joy that steals the show, albeit not in the way one might expect.
Doctor Who: Joy To The World spoilers won’t be found in this review.
It’s been an entire year now since Ncuti Gatwa debuted as the main Doctor in his inaugural solo episode, ‘The Church on Ruby Road’, and what a difference a year makes after the latest ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas special was broadcast!
After the Doctor has spent an entire season untangling the enigmas connected with Ruby Sunday, he finds himself on his own once more, experiencing a touch of self-pity. Fortunately, it’s perfect timing that Joy To The World upholds the festive custom of introducing a temporary traveler to help him shake off those holiday melancholies.
The story opens with our charming Doctor appearing mysteriously in various places (and times), providing individuals with a choice between a cheese and ham toastie or a pumpkin-spice latte. While not as off-putting as fish fingers and custard, his offerings don’t quite appeal to the tastes of the people he meets.
In this opening scene, the chill is particularly biting, especially at Mount Everest base camp. However, later on, we encounter Joy – quite literally, as there’s a woman named Joy checking into a London hotel for the festive season of Christmas.
In this holiday season, the charming character Nicola Coughlan from Bridgerton finds herself in solitude within her humble quarters. However, her tranquility is disrupted when a Silurian unexpectedly enters through a locked door, accompanied by none other than the Doctor, hailing from the year 4202.
In the future, things haven’t drastically altered and no, people don’t reside underwater. Instead, a futuristic hotel chain offers time-travel vacations, allowing you to step into any era of human history. To make it even more extraordinary, their kitchen is set 30 minutes ahead in time, ensuring your meal orders are always promptly delivered. Is this hotel any more perfect?
In the special, the concept of time travel plays a crucial role in the storyline, yet certain plot twists leave viewers with limited understanding of Coughlan’s Joy character.
However, instead of taking a direct route, the Doctor encounters another compatible character named Anita, who adds a captivating twist to the story. This woman, in many ways, embodies the holiday spirit perfectly, and it is during their interaction that the episode truly sparkles.
In simpler terms, this part of the story adds depth and complexity, making it more believable and engaging, connecting the departure of Ruby with the subsequent journey of the Doctor in an emotionally impactful manner.
The atmosphere is quite festive yet not contrived, and it persists in scenes that aren’t Christmas-themed. This is due to the touching bond that forms between the Doctor and Anita, a tender unfolding of two hearts, which carries more emotional weight than Joy, who was intended to be the main focus.
Coughlan is entirely innocent, of course, doing her best with the material at hand. But once all the sci-fi shenanigans kick back in, including an unimaginative T-Rex (and little else), you’ll find yourself longing for the smaller moments where the Doctor bonds with Anita over Chinese takeout or a game of Cluedo.
Instead of stepping back in his initial season, it’s delightful to observe the series delve more profoundly into the factors driving Gatwa’s Doctor, exploring aspects beyond just the struggles of his companion and the lengths he’d take for what he perceives as “right action.
The final part of the episode attempts to combine character growth with complex time-travel shenanigans while also incorporating festive Christmas elements typical of a Doctor Who special. This blend sometimes creates a mix of poignancy and awkwardness, much like a TARDIS navigating through the turbulence of the time vortex.
In simpler terms, the conclusion fell short compared to the rest – it seemed as though a different author penned the heartwarming middle part.
If Steven Moffat indeed concludes his tenure as the writer for Doctor Who with this current series, it’s unfortunate that he didn’t choose to wrap up his work with the highly praised ‘Boom’ episode from earlier in the year. That ending would have provided a much more impactful and fitting conclusion to his body of work on the show.
In the United Kingdom, the show “Doctor Who” is broadcasted on BBC One, while it can be found on Disney+ everywhere else. For those in the UK, classic episodes of “Doctor Who” are accessible via BBC iPlayer.
Interested in talking about Doctor Who? Visit our dedicated sub-forum
Read more Doctor Who news on our dedicated homepage
Read More
- MANA PREDICTION. MANA cryptocurrency
- EWT PREDICTION. EWT cryptocurrency
- Silver Rate Forecast
- COW PREDICTION. COW cryptocurrency
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- VET PREDICTION. VET cryptocurrency
- CHR PREDICTION. CHR cryptocurrency
- ASTR PREDICTION. ASTR cryptocurrency
- SUPER PREDICTION. SUPER cryptocurrency
- WIF PREDICTION. WIF cryptocurrency
2024-12-20 14:19