Ivan Radford | On 28, Dec 2023

If playing catch in his pants wasn’t enough to make you a fan of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, then the Doctor Who 2023 Christmas special will seal the deal. We meet the Fifteenth Doctor in a nightclub where he’s dancing in a vest and a kilt, only for him to turn up minutes later in a cowboy hat and leather jacket. Sporting an irresistible amount of charm on his sleeves, it’s immediate clear that this Time Lord isn’t just a stylish fellow, but also charismatic to boot.

We soon learnt that he’s on the tail of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who’s been having a run of bad luck. Taking the form of everything from knocked-over drinks to split shopping bags, it soon becomes apparent that it’s the work of goblins – and they’re looking to gobble up Lulubelle, the adorable baby that Ruby and her foster mother have taken under their wing. Cue a quick dash across a rooftop, a ladder floating above London and a ship in mid-air boasting a clamour of goblins all looking to enjoy their Christmas feast.

All this is wonderfully silly, with a dash of grotesque humour in the form of the greedy goblin king, and Russell T Davies keeps the tone just the right side of dark – even though this is an episode that technically sees someone bumped off by a Christmas tree. It also sees a baby abandoned on the titular church doorstep – a baby we find out was Ruby 19 years ago. The fact that the Doctor was also foundling (thanks to Chris Chibnall’s Timeless Child reveal in the show’s last incarnation) is a gently tender foundation for the duo’s bond, as they each understand the importance of the family ties you make along the way, and share a thirst for adventure.

So much of this episode is just a chance to enjoy the chemistry buzzing between our leads, with Gibson effervescent as a curious, optimistic and warm young woman. She doesn’t need to say “bigger on the inside” when she first encounters the TARDIS – her expression says it all. It’s also a chance for Ncuti to introduce himself fully as the Doctor, and he’s a similarly physical presence, flashing a smile, dashing about and not hesitating to segue into a musical number. He lights up with interest as he learns a new language – “You speak rope?” – but also has a nose for when not to interfere with someone else’s personal life. Gatwa, who stole every scene going in Netflix’s Sex Education, balances that energetic and kind persona with a hilarious knack for calling out foolishness when he sees it – we can immediately get a sense of what frustrates him as well as what excites him. He’s instantly iconic in the role.

Director Mark Tonderai bottles that electricity and powers the camera with it, filling the episode with tracking shots that are racing to keep up with his stars. There’s a feeling of barely contained eagerness to get out there and explore the stars – even as we also pause to pay a little too much attention to Anita Dobson’s apparently changeable neighbour, Mrs Flood, who you suspect will become a key character as this new era unfolds.

How will that tie into Ruby’s origins? Who is the hooded figure who left her by the church? Will we get to spend more time with Ruby’s entertaining flatmates? Will anyone ever say “gravity” again? What cool outfit will Ncuti’s Doctor wear next? All these questions and more lie ahead – and, from the gorgeous new opening credits, accompanied by Murray Gold’s remixed theme (complete with an off-kilter piano threatening to fall down the stairs), we can’t wait to find out the answers.

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