# The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe : Doctor Who Christmas Special 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389 "2011-12-26T01:30:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/21 "2011-12-26T10:41:27Z")
Very meh from me too - mind, I think this current Doctor’s been a disaster anyway. Get rid of Matt Smith, and bring in Dame Judi Dench! ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/22 "2011-12-26T10:43:27Z")
Best bit for me “Sir I’m detecting she’s a time traveller.” “Are you sure it’s not her cardigan” ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/23 "2011-12-26T11:24:51Z")
I thought it was OK. Enjoyable but a bit lame. I was fairly annoyed by them showing a [Lancaster bomber](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Lancaster) in service in December 1941. I’m sure I’m not the only WW2 aeroplane buff to be irritated by that. It wouldn’t have changed anything for them to set it at Xmas 1942 instead of 1941, and the Lanc wouldn’t have been a glaring anachronism. I mean, the info’s right there on the Wiki page. Yes, I know it’s a children’s SF show with time-travel and aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/24 "2011-12-26T12:52:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I > It was ok. I was a bit distracted why such an old looking actor was playing that young woman’s husband. Hmm? She’s five years older than he is. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/25 "2011-12-26T14:54:56Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Also, after watching the Best of Doctor Who Christmas Specials, which was basically all about how there’s always something about to crash into and or destroy Earth, IIRC there was one episode where some of the recurring characters that lived in London specifically mention that they arent (or they weren’t) spending Christmas in London this year because its always being attacked/invaded/something baded by Aliens at Christmas time. I thought that was pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/26 "2011-12-26T17:07:47Z")
Sappy as all get out, but I think this was my favorite of the Xmas specials. Hard to say exactly why, but I liked the overall look and feel and thought it had some nice moments. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/27 "2011-12-26T17:58:25Z")
I quite liked it. Except for the “Hey, I have a time machine - why don’t I save your husband?” option that the show always ignores. It was sappy as hell, but it was the Xmas episode. As Moffat says, the Xmas episode is _supposed_ to be simple sappy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/28 "2011-12-26T18:04:16Z")
I thought this episode went down nice, like a bit of comfort food, but it didn’t hit a home run. The scenery was pleasant to take in. I have to admit, I did get a bit of a charge from the mention of “Androzani trees.” It made me wonder if we were going to, you know, have any scenes set in caves at some point. Alas, no. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/29 "2011-12-26T18:14:12Z")
It was decent, IMHO. Not great. I’d really hoped for more coming out of the wooden figures at the top and bottom of the tower (I’d expected some ‘undying king’ symbolism), and was vaguely disappointed by the lack of it. It was predictably tear-jerk-y, and that’s enough for a Christmas eve for me, I suppose. Wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it twice. After watching it, my sis-in-law showed me last year’s special. That one I liked much more. (who doesn’t like a Christmas shark?) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/30 "2011-12-26T19:12:09Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I quite liked it. Except for the “Hey, I have a time machine - why don’t I save your husband?” option that the show always ignores. Er… I think it _was_ the ship in the time vortex, i.e. “time machine” that the wife was piloting that did, in fact, save the husband. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/31 "2011-12-26T19:20:50Z")
I knew what the ending was going to be pretty much from the start of the show with the dad being saved somehow but it didn’t matter, I still cried, and I loved it. I genuinely don’t understand the hate for the current Who but if that’s what you’d all rather do than enjoy it know yourselves out. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/32 "2011-12-26T19:33:06Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Er… I think it _was_ the ship in the time vortex, i.e. “time machine” that the wife was piloting that did, in fact, save the husband. Yes, but they didn’t know that till later. There was a period when they were home and before the plane turned up that they all still thought he was dead. The Doctor didn’t consider just jumping in the TARDIS and saving the guy. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/33 "2011-12-26T20:06:03Z")
I think whenever you are tempted to think “why didn’t he just go back in time/space and fix it” it helps to just think “time travel is complicated and for whatever reason he just CAN’T”. The Doctor is many things but he ain’t that stupid/lazy/uncaring. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/34 "2011-12-26T20:11:10Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > It was kind of “meh”. The ending felt like a huge deus ex machina. Doctor Who is litterally one huge Deus ex machina ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/35 "2011-12-26T20:44:59Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > The Doctor didn’t consider just jumping in the TARDIS and saving the guy. They lampshade this by saying that once something happens, it’s happened (except under extraordinary circumstances which threaten to tear the fabric of space and time itself apart anyway.) Of course this is necessary because there could be no dramatic tension at all in the entire series, if he could just go back in time and fix absolutely everything. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/36 "2011-12-26T21:52:09Z")
There’s also the fact that the Doctor didn’t know that the plane was going to meet them in the vortex and be taken forward several days. He could have been forgiven for assuming that this event had happened and was one he shouldn’t interfere with, but turned out destiny had other plans. He’s not omniscient. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/37 "2011-12-26T22:46:18Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I genuinely don’t understand the hate for the current Who Nor do I! This place is starting to remind me of another board I frequent, where posting in Who threads just to express your dislike of the current incarnation of the show has sort of become trendy. I thought last year’s special was better, but this one was good. I also liked the lack of bad guys. Will the Doctor be known as the Caretaker next season? If he’s trying to play dead, it might make sense to go about his business under a different name… ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/38 "2011-12-26T23:01:24Z")
Utter, utter tripe. Yet somehow still not as bad as last year’s. Although apparently I am just saying that to be “trendy”. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/39 "2011-12-26T23:42:28Z")
I was amused by it, especially the contrast between the opening with the Doctor being awesome\* and the rest of the show where he just flapped about and didn’t actually do much apart from provide some explanation of what was going on. It was a lightweight episode by Doctor Who standards but then it’s not exactly hard sci-fi at the best of times. There was a freaking lemonade tap in it - if that doesn’t indicate a somewhat frivolous attitude to the storytelling I don’t know what does. I thought the kid who played Cyril did a surprisingly good job of playing up the comedy aspects of the role by his straight-faced demeanour and perfectly-timed delivery (and also by acting in those glasses - seriously, unless those are his real glasses I’m surprised he could walk straight in them). \*By the way, what did the ship say? I caught “People of Earth, wharrgarbl boom” but wasn’t sure if there was more to it than that. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389/40 "2011-12-26T23:45:04Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > \*By the way, what did the ship say? I caught “People of Earth, wharrgarbl boom” but wasn’t sure if there was more to it than that. Probably Vogons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-doctor-who-christmas-special-2011/607389.md?page=3)