Okay, let’s start with disclaimer one: Steven Moffat is not a very strong show-runner for Doctor Who. Many people have had trouble with his over complicated plots that don’t really pay off, his relegation of companions to damsels in distress and his frankly messy characterisation. Disclaimer number two then, is the fact that none of the Doctor Who Christmas Specials have really been any good. There have been a couple that have been pretty good but overall, the Christmas Special is usually a bit of a let down. Disclaimer three is that this is a regeneration episode and those can be a little hit and miss. I personally loved Christopher Eccleston’s episode but was completely underwhelmed by David Tennant’s. Matt Smith’s could have gone either way.
With all that in mind, the short version of this review is that The Time of the Doctor was a big mess of long drawn out plots that needed wrapping up, sometimes rather precariously. It included, some might say as an afterthought, the regeneration of the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith. His performance, as has been the case throughout his tenure, was fantastic despite the messy plot and the questionable character moments. He saw his Doctor out with class and with what felt a little like a big warm hug.
Follow me for a little more about The Time of the Doctor under the cut.
