Doctor Who Christmas Special: Joy To The World Review

Doctor Who’s latest Christmas Special, Joy to the World, is a charming return to the show’s old festive spirit that makes the most of its sentimental writing.

This year’s Christmas Special picks up shortly after the previous season’s conclusion, as the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) pays a short visit to a mysterious “Time Hotel” in search of a new solo adventure. But what he finds is bigger than he ever could have imagined, as he’s drawn into a sprawling conspiracy of brainwashed concierges, hungry dinosaurs, and one young woman who finds herself at the center of it all. Joy to the World is one of the show’s best standalone adventures in a long time, and much of that comes down to its ability to simply let loose and not worry about season continuity or recurring character arcs. It’s a simple story, and that really works to its benefit.

Joy to the World is written by Doctor Who veteran Steven Moffat, who oversaw the show during Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi’s eras throughout the 2010s – and he’s already proving to be the new era’s secret ingredient. His episode Boom was the highlight of the show’s previous season, and his holiday special is just as well-written and entertaining. There’s a raw sentimentality to his writing that perfectly fits the Doctor’s character, particularly during his solo travels following the departure of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) in the previous season’s finale. He reaches into the Doctor’s loneliness and solitude in a way that blends perfectly with the episode’s festive atmosphere and themes of friendship and empathy.

Interestingly, Doctor Who’s latest Christmas Special is also the show’s best-looking episode in a long time. There’s a warm, festive color scheme that runs throughout the story, giving everything an entirely separate feel from the often cold, clinical atmosphere of the main series episodes. Alex Pillai also proves himself to be one of Doctor Who’s most stylish and creative directors in a long time, as his debut episode really forges its own visual language that gives rich subtext to everything the Doctor experiences in this adventure. Overall, Joy to the World stands out as an extremely technically proficient Christmas Special whose greatest strength is creating the warm, cozy atmosphere that audiences have come to expect, and ultimately miss, from Doctor Who.

Narratively, there are aspects to both enjoy and criticize about Joy to the World. Its strongest aspect is undoubtedly the presence of Nicola Coughlan’s new character Joy, whose bubbly personality and hilarious naiveté make for a perfect contrast against Gatwa’s cocky and overconfident portrayal of the Doctor. It’s never easy to step into such a well-loved show for a single appearance, but Coughlan really makes her character shine. The story itself is a little predictable and overly nostalgic in parts, but it’s the electric dynamic between these two actors that keeps Joy to the World moving forward with such momentum. The episode also features a standout performance from Stephanie de Whalley, whose character gives the story a surprisingly emotional heart.

Ultimately, Joy to the World may not be Doctor Who’s most innovative or groundbreaking Christmas Special, but its festive spirit and warm sentimentality make it one of the show’s most enjoyable episodes in a long time. It also benefits from a great balance of emotional moments and sharp jokes; Steven Moffat is still on top form, and Doctor Who would be making a huge mistake by not keeping him around for as long as he’s willing to stay.

Season 1 of Doctor Who (2024) will be available to stream globally on Disney+ on December 25, 2024.