The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) | Photo Credit: Bad Wolf/BBC Studios/Disney+
It’s not the holiday season without a Doctor Who holiday special. And with the debut of Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor comes the return of Doctor Who‘s traditional Christmas Special – and what a Christmas spectacular it is. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Mark Tonderai, The Church on Ruby Road offers a very Doctor Who take on the likes of Labyrinth and Gremlins – a holiday spectacular packed with tons of camp and enough holiday cheer to lift even the darkest of spirits. It’s a smooth on-ramp for new viewers and a perfect way to reacquaint older viewers with Davies’ take on the show and Gatwa’s interpretation of the Doctor. It’s new, it’s bold, and it’s endlessly thrilling.
A Very Doctor Who Sort of Fable
Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) has spent all her life wondering who her parents were. Abandoned on the doorstep of a church on Christmas Eve, she’s the very definition of a foundling. But when her search for answers about her past leads her into the crosshairs of a crew of hungry baby-stealing goblins, Ruby Sunday’s fate just might rest in the hands of a certain time traveler. But can the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) unravel the mysteries of Ruby’s past before it’s too late? Or is Ruby destined to suffer a fate most unlucky? The Church on Ruby Road is a Christmas adventure unlike most. Packed with homages to classic films like Labyrinth and Gremlins, it’s a creepy little story tied together with a healthy dose of campy delights and holiday cheer.
Longtime fans of Doctor Who are sure to pick up on the special’s immediate Eleventh Doctor vibes. In The Church on Ruby Road, Davies strikes a nice middle ground between his first era’s more grounded vibes and Steven Moffat’s more fantasy-tinged ones. This is a special filled with magic – both literal and figurative – while always remaining grounded in the reality of its characters’ lives. The special offers a story about families – found and otherwise. About the strengths of those bonds, and the impact they leave. It offers a joyous introduction to Gatwa’s Doctor and a very bold take on the future of the show. It’s Doctor Who as you’ve always known it while also being something entirely new and modern. The Church on Ruby Road gives Doctor Who a fresh coat of paint in the best way possible.
New Doctor, New Companion
Much of that freshness rests on the shoulders of Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. Rarely does a new Doctor come out of the gate so fully formed, so confident and assured. But that’s exactly what Gatwa does in this special. At first glance, his Doctor appears completely sure of himself. He knows what he’s about, what he’s looking for, and he’s just living it up traveling from place to place. Gatwa just breathes such a huge breath of fresh air into this character. Equal parts joyous, adventurous, and immediately vulnerable, Gatwa’s Doctor is the kind of person you’d immediately warm up to if you met them. He struts into any given room, immediately takes charge, but never makes you feel talked down to. Gatwa exudes both confidence and kindness, and his performance immediately captures you and never lets you go. Put simply, he’s the Doctor through and through.
The same rings true for Millie Gibson, who easily holds her own next to Gatwa. Any Doctor is only as good as their companion, and Ruby Sunday complements Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor perfectly. Here’s a girl searching for her place in the world, filled with wanderlust and a mysterious past. And in walks this mysterious man from outer space, oozing charisma, danger, and warmth, promising her a chance at finding those answers. It’s easy to see why she’d be so charmed by him. But what’s great about their relationship is the way they immediately treat each other as equals, as true partners. The Doctor is constantly impressed by Ruby’s gumption; her courage in the face of danger. And Ruby’s just enthralled by the Doctor’s endless possibilities. It’s a dynamic Gibson and Gatwa play beautifully, and one that’s sure to grow as their time together continues.
An Uneven Plot Carried By Strong Character Work
On the downside, the plot itself offers little to write home about. When you step back and look at the special in its entirety, it’s all held together by chance and coincidence. Intentionally, to be fair, but that kind of plotting makes for an uneven watch. A watch plagued by a general lack of stakes. And if that sounds like a bad thing, it kind of is. But in a special like The Church on Ruby Road, those finer details just don’t matter that much because that’s not what a Doctor Who Christmas special is about. Doctor Who Christmas specials are never meant to wow viewers with their stunning twists and turns. They’re meant to be heartwarming adventures that can capture the minds and hearts of those watching them. And that’s exactly what The Church on Ruby Road does.
This is a story about the Doctor and Ruby – how they meet and what their relationship is. It lays the groundwork for the rest of their adventures together – adventures teased brilliantly by this special. And, above all else, it’s endlessly fun to watch. Packed with one setpiece after another, it’s a thrill ride from start to finish. And even better, it’s all tied together by Ruby’s relationship with the Doctor and with her adopted family, played with an enormous heaping of warmth and love by Michelle Greenidge and Angela Wynter. As Ruby’s adopted mother and grandmother, Greenidge and Wynter play similar roles to Jackie Tyler or Sylvia Noble, just in a much more grounded, realistic way. Their love for Ruby is palpable, and it only adds to the special’s emotional core. Davies is always at his best with character work, and it’s the character work that shines the brightest here.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, The Church on Ruby Road delivers exactly what a Doctor Who Christmas Special should. It offers a rollicking joyride of an adventure from start to finish, filled with plenty of action, holiday cheese, and heartwarming warmth. Sure, the plot’s a bit of a mess. But it’s all held together by some of Davies’ best character work to date and by Gatwa and Gibson’s brilliant, electric performances. If this is a taste of what’s to come later this spring when Ncuti Gatwa’s first full season as the Doctor begins, then we’re all in for quite a treat. As it is, The Church on Ruby Road gives Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor a confident introduction. It’s exciting, bold, adventurous, and a perfect way to kick off the newest era of Doctor Who.
Doctor Who: The Church on Ruby Road premiers December 25th at 12:55pm ET on Disney+ and BBC One (in the UK). New episodes return in Spring 2024.
It's a bit light on plot, but "The Church on Ruby Road" offers a bold introduction to Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor and the new era of Doctor Who. Filled with a ton of camp, singing goblins, and enough Christmas cheer to liven up Scrooge himself, it's a roller-coaster of fun from start to finish - and a perfect jumping on point for new and old fans alike.
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GVN Rating 9
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