Written by Russel T. Davies
Directed by James Hawes
“When you talk of the Earth, tell them this…IT IS DEFENDED!”
How much did I love The Christmas Invasion? Let us count the ways…
1—David Tennant IS the Doctor, let’s make that perfectly clear. From the moment he stepped out of the TARDIS — into the Sycorax ship, wearing only pyjamas — he stamped himself firmly onto the role. He was frantic, manic, jokey, sly, and completely & utterly heroic. He made you want to love him to pieces…and Rose finally realizing it was her Doctor after all was a joy to behold.
But then…the steely, hard Doctor also emerged. The one who doesn’t make compromises for what’s right and what’s good. “No second chances…that’s the man I am.” There is stern stuff to play with in this new incarnation…and Tennant will no doubt seize it and sink his teeth into the material.
Of course, even as he reached his heroic peak…he still managed to win the day with an orange! How’s that for Doctor Who in a nutshell. 
2—Penelope Wilton as returning Prime Minister Harriet Jones. She was as lovely and wonderful as her previous appearances in Aliens of London/World War Three…and yet…that finale…where she makes her Thatcher-like Belgrano decision to shoot down a retreating ship. It was surprising, terrible, gut-wrenching, and so very very sad. Her quiet I’m sorry spoke volumes…as did the Doctor’s six words to bring down a government. Scary stuff, and carried by a superlative actress.
3—The effects work…and I don’t even know where to start. The giant rock ship over London? The battle in the mountainous outdoor holodeck inside the ship? The spinning Christmas tree of death — which is possibly the single most ridiculous-yet-wonderful effect EVER?!? This was a gorgeous production, where all the money was spent in the right places. And as for that wardrobe room…just LOOK at it!!!
4—James Hawes, fresh from his directorial triumph on last year’s The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances, brings us another tightly constructed mini-film. The epic moments were awe-inspiring…the quiet character scenes were intimate, funny and touching…and the climax was a rousing, feel-good 10 minutes of solid closure. He truly brings us the start of a new era, aided ably by its chief architect…
5—Russel T. Davies! Sure, his script makes Rose a bit useless, and the Sycorax a bit too stereotypically Klingon/warrior-ish…but that’s not what this story is about. Plot holes are incidental to building tension, character, and having a complete and utter blast! There’s a reason this is a CHRISTMAS special, and Davies gives it everything we require. He knows exactly what belongs in this jam-packed Christmas cracker of an episode…and he never dares to disappoint, whether it be with his insane humour, or his knack with emotions. The man is a master of making the impossible manifest as reality…and turning the ridiculous into the sublime.
6—The little touches:
The wardrobe room, and its contents… “Martians don’t look like that” …UNIT symbols and staff everywhere… “Where’s the Royal Family? Oh…they’re on the roof” …the laying of the groundwork for the Torchwood spinoff…the Star Wars touches, from the Death Star beam to the cutting off of the hand…the regeneration energy seeping from the Doctor’s mouth and going…someplace? Dare we stay tuned…?
And many many many more…including the trailer for season 2!!!
If this glorious, wonderful celebration of what Doctor Who is all about doesn’t make you laugh, cry, and cheer with delight, you’re watching the wrong show…and you’re a miserly bastard as well! This is the kind of stuff that should be on television EVERY Christmas!
A bloody brilliant 9 out of 10.
“So…where are we going first?”
“Umm…that way? No…THAT way.”
