The Cutprice Guignol

Well, here we are at the end of another year, but, more importantly, the start of a new Doctor’s run on Doctor Who.

With the 60th anniversary behind us, I’ve been really looking forward to seeing this first full episode of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. His introduction in The Giggle is not one I’m entirely convinced of – not because of his presence or performance, but rather the bi-generation decision and David Tennant’s continued craicing around the Whoniverse.

But I do think a Christmas special is actually pretty fallow ground for a new Doctor’s introduction. I shall not bore you with my diatribe on the purpose of the Doctor Who Christmas special again, except to say that it should be consumable, understandable, and enjoyable even if you’re in a food/drink/socialising coma, a bit silly, a bit sweet, nothing that demands too much in the way of temple-rubbing lore-indulgence. Which is, coincidentally, exactly what I think an introduction like this should be made up of – this isn’t about trying to expand the enormity of the Who universe, it’s about dropping the new Doctor into some lowish-stakes story and letting us as an audience better understand the kind of character we’re going to be getting in the upcoming run.

And I think, if this episode is anything to go by, I’m really going to love Ncuti Gatwa in this role. There was an immediate effervescence to this performance, a radiating warmth that spread out to fill the whole episode; Gatwa brings oodles of charisma to this role, tumbling through this episode with a joyful brightness that’s impossible not to like. As I’ve written about before in these reviews, one of the Doctor’s most defining traits for me is their warmth and kindness, and it feels as though that’s been preserved from the Jodie Whittaker era and then polished up to a brilliant shine. The coat! The sonic screwdriver! The kilt, the fucking kilt! I couldn’t have asked for more of an introduction for a new Doctor, in terms of a great big sigh of relief that the role has gone to the right person and that we’re in safe hands going forward.

But, of course, this isn’t just Ncuti Gatwa’s first proper episode – it’s the first for Mille Gibson as Ruby Sunday, too. Also, just a quick note to say that it is illegal for anyone to mention that I’m officially more than a decade older than the current Doctor Who companion, and I will not hesitate to press charges if you try it in the comments. But aside from all the lawsuits I’m about to bring, this was a really promising start for Gibson. She’s immensely charming and feels grounded in a way a lot of the Russell T Davies-era assistants have, and every scene she shares with Gatwa absolutely sparkles with chemistry. Her family, in particular, really help to fill out her world, especially Angela Wynter as her grandmother Cherry, who I can already tell is going to be a fan favourite (it’s me. I’m the fan).

So, with all that said: how bloody was it as an episode? I generally really liked The Church on Ruby Road – it ticked off the Chrimbo special checklist with a bit of bittersweetness matched with a whole heap of silliness. The Coincidence Goblins served as fun villains for this outing, a smattering of Labyrinth mixed with a whole heap of Henson, and, as always, Davies knows how to plant his storytelling feet in the real world, no matter how wild things get. That stack of photos of foster children on the fridge instantly threw me back to sitting with my grandparents as they told me stories of the kids they had fostered over the years – it’s these moments of humanity and normality that serve as such a strong backdrop for Davies’ stories to spring off from. Davina “My Beautiful Wife” McCall was an enormously fun and game guest star – no, forget I mentioned stars at all, given the one that nearly went through her orbital lobe.

There were a few aspects of the episode I wasn’t a big fan of – the Doctor and Ruby getting involved in that song number made me cringe cringe, and not in the fun Christmassy way I hope for from this sort of episode. It felt very out-of-character for the show and, while I’m not averse to Doctor Who having a crack at new things, it was such a joltingly weird moment as to take me out of things completely. With Disney now serving as a home for the show, I’m worried we’re going to see more of these big, silly moments that push beyond the fond kook native to the show and into grating capital-W Wackiness.

If this is an indication as to what’s to come in the 2024 season of Doctor Who, it looks like this season will settle in to some comfortable ground for Davis and the show; found family, identity, a big dose of lore (this time apparently related to the Timeless Child arc kicked off by Chibnall) bubbling away in the background for the season-long arc. I’m particularly looking forward to Anita Dobson’s continued involvement in the show after a delightfully mysterious outing in this special – she’s an utter icon of British telly, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll do with this genre fiction role compared to her more grounded turns before. What I’m saying is that, if she isn’t the new Master, I’m going to chew my own arm off in protest, but hey – no pressure, Russell.

I’m really happy with The Church on Ruby Road – it served as a fantastic introduction to the Doctor, Ruby, and their dynamic, and delivered on some of my favourite aspects of Russell T Davies storytelling in the process – but not without a few aspects that have me a little concerned for the season to come, and the tone it’s going to take. What did you think of this Christmas special, and the introduction to our new leads? Let me know in the comments below!

If you’d like to read my other Doctor Who articles, you can check them out here (and take a look at my books if you’re feeling curious!).

(header image via Empire)