Creators and Cast:
- Written by Russell T. Davies
- Directed by Euros Lyn
- Episode Cast:
- David Tennant ... The Doctor
- Catherine Tate ... Donna Noble
- Sarah Parish ... Empress
- Don Gilet ... Lance Bennett
- Howard Attfield ... Geoff Noble
- Jacqueline King ... Sylvia Noble
Official Summary:
As Donna is about to marry her boyfriend Lance on Christmas Eve, she suddenly finds herself on board the TARDIS. As the Doctor tries to get Donna to the church on time, the alien Empress of the Racnoss watches closely from the throne in her spaceship above. How is Donna the key to an ancient plot to destroy the Earth? With time running out, can the Doctor solve the puzzle, defeat the Empress and stop her army of robot santas?
Key Moments:
The Doctor is emotionally off-kilter throughout this story, as he's still dealing with having lost Rose (this episode follows directly on from the tearful goodbyes in the season 2 closer "Doomsday"). The Robot Santas are shoehorned into this episode in recognition of their popularity in the previous year's holiday story, "The Christmas Invasion." The car chase, with the TARDIS speeding down a crowded motorway in pursuit of the cab that abducted Donna, is stand-up-and-cheer fantastic.
Doctor Backstory Revelation:
One of the best explanations in the entire program of why the Doctor travels with companions comes when Donna realizes that the Doctor's passions can propel him too far. This leads to her memorable warning that he needs to find a new companion -- “because I think sometimes you need somebody to stop you.”
Fun Guest Alien Factoid:
The Racnoss were supposed to have been wiped out billions of years ago by the Fledgling Empires during the Dark Times of the universe. Apparently the Fledgling Empires included the Gallifreyans, since the empress blames them for her race's destruction. One more ancient genocide to chalk up to Gallifrey -- was this before or after they hunted down all but one of the giant vampires ("State of Decay")?
Season 3 Mister Saxon Reference:
A tank commander opens fire on the empress's ship under orders from "Mr. Saxon."
Bottom Line: Worth Watching?:
Absolutely. Yes, the Racnoss are throwaway monsters, but this episode is really about the Doctor's relationship with his companions and how jarring it is for him when they depart. Plus in retrospect this is an early introduction to the acerbic Donna Noble, who returns as the regular companion in season 4.
