The Christmas Invasion (S01E14)

The beginning of a magical storyline period and an unexpected taste of the power of the British Christmas series. And yet Russell T. Davies' prelude to the second season gave me an invaluable experience apart from the sleeping Doctor or the fighting hand. It was right here that I understood for the first time how much David Tennant is capable of, and that an unforgettable era can begin during the Christmas invasion. And I was right. (14/11/2013)

The first of the specials and also the first to suffer the malady typical of specials. There are just too many birds in the bush. That’s the reason why it’s disorderly and almost every segment is presented in a completely different style; and so the opening resurrection of the Christmas props gets soon forgotten (and seems forcefully placed in the movie just because it airs at Christmas) and runs in a different style subsequently to change again several times and to finish completely differently than it started. One thing that came off outstandingly is the Doctor’s transformation. Having seen Tennant in his pajamas face-to-face starts reciting lines from the Lion King to cohorts of top-notch bloodthirsty aliens with a mixture of boyish goofiness and undeniable respect, there probably won’t be too many viewers who won’t immediately fall for the Tenth Doctor immediately after his introduction scene, just after he got up. (04/12/2013)