For nearly 20 years now,Doctor Whohas had a new special episode out for every holiday season. While these were in the form of Christmas Specials from 2005-2017, there was a shift after Thirteenth DoctorJodie Whittaker’s first series to New Year’s Specials instead. These lasted from New Year’s Day 2019 right through to 2022 (with a gap in 2020 for the premiere of that year’s series), before being replaced in 2023 by Christmas Specials once again.
Almost always written by the showrunner, these festive episodes are a highlight in Whovians’ holiday calendars, and often represent the more fun, upbeat — perhaps even silly — aspects ofDoctor Who. What some viewers might not know is that the tradition of ChristmasWhobegan back in 1965. The seventh episode of “The Daleks’ Master Plan,” entitled “The Feast of Steven,” aired on Christmas Day, and was the only episode of the show’s original 1963-1989 which did so.
In the 21st century, though, the Christmas Special is an annual event — andDoctor Whois all the better for it. Most of these episodes manage to be a fun ride, even if some are nothing to rave about. This year,Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor will be taking on a hotel which has its rooms dotted around the past. For fans, it’s promising that wackier storylines and concepts like this are still allowed some breathing room in a show that’s been running for so long. Without further ado, here is a ranking of everyDoctor WhoChristmas and New Year’s special.
19"Resolution" (2019)
The first of the New Year’s Specials, “Resolution” was also the first ofDoctor Who’s holiday specials to feature Jodie Whittaker’s take on the title role. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to the previous festive episodes. The plot centers around a Dalek which is rebuilding itself out of scrap metal. The new Dalek design is fairly ugly and isn’t helped by a muddled plot with no clear direction. There’s a strange subplot with Ryan confronting his father, but it all feels horribly disjointed, and was not a promising start toDoctor Who’s New Year’s Specials.
18"The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe" (2011)
An obvious play on theChronicles of Narniaseries,Matt Smith’s second Christmas Special in the lead role was sadly pretty disappointing. It was by no means bad, but the inspiration it took fromNarniawasn’t used to its full potential, and the final act involved weird tree people whose motives left a lot of questions for the viewer. Some highlights are the way that the episode deals with the Doctor’s engagement with and attitude to childhood imagination, and it features a really strong performance from Claire Skinner as Madge Arwell.
17"The End of Time" (2009-2010)
David Tennant’s swansong story (that is, before his subsequent returns in 2013 and 2023) was a two-part affair, with the episodes broadcast on Christmas Day 2009 and New Year’s Day 2010. “The End of Time” is a huge-scale epic which features multiple returning characters, including Wilfred Mott, John Simm’s Master, and even the Time Lords of Gallifrey.
While there are some standout moments in this, especially towards the end of the second part, a lot of the story doesn’t quite fit together — even if the audience is treated to a genuinely wonderful performance from Timothy Dalton as Rassilon. David Tennant’s final speech is divisive, but there’s no doubt this is one of the most emotionally charged episodes inDoctor Who’s history.
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16"The Next Doctor" (2008)
Cybermen in Victorian London sounds like such a good idea that it’s almost strange to thinkDoctor Whohadn’t done it before 2008. “The Next Doctor” focuses on David Morrisey’s character, who believes that he is a future incarnation of the Doctor. With Cybermen on the run and a story from this future version of the title character that doesn’t quite hold together, the Doctor has a mystery on his hands. “The Next Doctor” is a fun romp that’s best viewed without squinting too hard, although the Victorian setting does make for lovely festive viewing.
15"Voyage of the Damned" (2007)
After a spaceship modeled after the Titanic crashes into the TARDIS, the Tenth Doctor is sent on a mad trip assisted by one-off companion Astrid Peth to save the Starship Titanic. The main attraction for this story is that Astrid is played by none other than Kylie Minogue. The rest of the plot is wafer-thin, but the stunt casting is enough for “Voyage of the Damned” to stick firmly in fans’ minds.
Ncuti Gatwa’s first full episode as the Doctor slightly misses its mark, with a contrived plot and a resolution that comes out of nowhere. However, it’s a great showcase for his characterization of the part, as well as his relationship with companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson. With a musical number halfway through that feels arbitrary but is nonetheless fun, this is a whirlwind dive into the new era of the show, and as an attempt to set the tone for the new Doctor and season, it can’t really be faulted.
13"The Time of the Doctor" (2013)
Matt Smith’s swansongDoctor Whostory is a celebration of all that has come before, with references to moments throughout his tenure as the lead character and resolutions to plot threads set up months previously. Matt Smith has the opportunity to show off his range one last time on this series, and setting the story in a town literally called Christmas is so sweet that it’s impossible to hate. “The Time of the Doctor” is a standout regeneration story and the perfect farewell to a Doctor so often described as an old man in a young man’s body.
12"Last Christmas" (2014)
“Last Christmas” is basically best summed up asDoctor WhodoesAliendoesInceptionbut with the actual Santa Claus (a star turnfrom the delightful Nick Frost). This episode deconstructs dream narratives and alien face-huggers in an intelligent and careful way, while also effortlessly resolving plot points from the preceding series. Jenna Coleman’s performance is incredibly strong, only matched by the magisterialPeter Capaldi, and it’s a great example of a distinctly darker take on the Christmas Special.
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11"Revolution of the Daleks" (2021)
A two-year-late sequel to “Resolution,” “Revolution of the Daleks” picked up on plot threads established throughout the 12th series ofDoctor Who. The episode begins with the Doctor in prison, having discovered the secret thatshe is the Timeless Child.
While the jeopardy from the previous series finale is very swiftly cast aside, the pace immediately picks up with the reintroduction of Captain Jack Harkness. After appearing briefly in the previous series, this feels like a proper return for the character, and with a Dalek civil war and plenty going on, this is exactly the kind of feel-good fun needed on New Year’s Day.
10"The Daleks' Master Plan: The Feast of Steven" (1965)
A 12-part epic from 1965-1966, “The Daleks’ Master Plan” is one of the most revered classicDoctor Whostories of all time, an extremely impressive feat given that not a single complete episode exists to watch. All that remains are the audio recordings and a few stills from various episodes.
“The Feast of Steven” makes a brave choice, completely breaking away from the narrative of all of its surrounding episodes to instead do a mistaken identity police farce. Yes, really. It’s an episode where the humor has its ups and downs, but it’s part of such a great overall story that it has to be included on this list. To finish off, the Doctor breaks the fourth wall to wish “a happy Christmas to all of you at home!” Bliss.
