Doctor Who Christmas Special 2011: “The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe”

Attention Whovians, your long wait is over. Tonight, The Doctor (Matt Smith) returns in Doctor Who’s Christmas Special, “The Doctor, The Widow, and The Wardrobe ”. Steven Moffat’s take on C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” takes place in WWII England, where a RAF pilot’s plane is shot and all he wants is to return home to his loved ones at Christmas time. Be warned, this is a two hanky episode, even for The Doctor. Yes, The Doctor returns and realizes the true meaning of Christmas is to be with people you love and who love you.

The episode opens with a bang, literally, as The Doctor barely escapes a star ship exploding with massive fire bombs, while attempting to put on a circa 1960’s space suit, in space. Next we see him back on earth in a huge crater with the same space suit in the middle. Who happens by? Madge Arwell (Claire Skinnner) on her bicycle just before the start of WWII. Madge helps an obviously disoriented Doctor back to the Tardis. Wait a minute! That’s not a Tardis, it’s just a common blue police call box. Ultimately, they find the right police call box and The Doctor, as a sign of gratitude for Madge’s kindness, tells her to make a wish.

The next scene, and three years later, Madge’s husband Reg (Alexander Armstrong) is lost over the English Channel, MIA, and presumed dead. Since it’s circa 1940’s, Madge learns this news by telegram, and can’t bear to tell the children, Lily (Holly Earl) and Cyril (Maurice Cole). So she clutches the telegram in her hands as she decides to take the kids to the country for Christmas, where she can keep the harsh truth from them for one last Christmas. Are your eyes welling up yet?

At the country, who opens the door to the inn but The Doctor, or The Caretaker, as he introduces himself as. The Doctor knows Reg is MIA, and has decided he’s going to make this the best Christmas ever for Lily and Cyril with a fun house and a big blue present under the tree. He’s ‘repaired’ all the rooms in the house to make it more ‘fun’. By repairs he means-the faucet in the kitchen now has hot and cold running water, and lemonade. “I know!” (How cool is that?) The ultimate kid’s bedroom is now complete with a window disguised as a mirror, a mirror disguised as a window. When the kids asked, “But where are the beds?” The Doctor immediately replies, “Who needs beds when you’ve got hammocks?”, as he attempts to land in one and lands on the floor in a crash instead. Good fun.

The next scene, it’s night time and Cyril can’t stop thinking about the large glowing blue present under the Christmas tree, so he sneaks out of bed to check it out. Off course when he opens it, it’s not a present at all; well, not any present he’s ever seen. It’s a portal, off course, to another planet resembling Narnia, where there’s snow in the forest; but it’s actually the planet Androzani, in the year 5345. Magically, as he brushes up against the evergreen, a silver ornament appears and grows in size. When Cyril attempts to take it, it drops to the ground and breaks. The next time he looks there are foot prints leading away from the broken ornament. And the footprints are getting bigger. At this point, any boy in his right mind would turn right around and climb back in bed/hammock. But this being Doctor Who, he follows the footprints.

Right about now Lily wakes up and follows the sound she hears up the stairs where she finds The Doctor repairing some timey whimey stuff next to the Tardis. She asks the obvious question, “Why do you have a phone box in your room?” The Doctor cleverly sidesteps it, “It’s not a phone box, and it’s my wardrobe. I’ve just painted it to look like a phone box.” Lily presses on, “Why are you rewiring your wardrobe?” Again, The Doctor’s witty comeback, “Have you seen the way I dress?”

Finally, after an eternity where she convinces The Doctor her brother is safe and asleep in bed, the two of them rush downstairs to discover Cyril gone from his hammock and the big blue box already opened. Off course, the two follow suit. Shortly thereafter, Madge turns up looking for her children who are not in their hammocks.

We’ll cut through the pointless scene with three forest harvester workers show up to tell Madge she had better leave now as the entire forest is being harvested by acid rain in about five minutes. Cyril, The Doctor and Lily, and Madge all end up in a tall structure, the only metal looking edifice in the forest. But when The Doctor points his sonic screwdriver at the doors blocking his way to save the boy, it has no effect. Wait a minute, this can only mean one thing; the edifice is not made of metal. The trees in the forest has anthropomorphized into a King and Queen, as well as a tall structure with a space ship the shape of the Times Square ball that drops on New Year’s Eve on top. The Queen keeps trying to put a gold crown on the humans, which turns out to be a holder of all the life force of all the trees in the forest. Just as the acid rain starts to fall, the life force of the forest, as seen as a spark of light all fly into Madge, who is the only one ‘humany woomany’ strong enough to take them all to safety through the time vortex because of her love for her children; something The Doctor regrettably recognizes he does not have. The doctor then reminds the Tree Royal Family that the humans helped you, now you must help them by taking them home for Christmas. If only Madge can keep Christmas thoughts intact. She tries, and images of better days flash on screen. But when it comes to her husband, she can’t help but think of him lost at sea. That’s when the children first learn that something is not right. The humans make it back to 1940’s England, and now is the time for Madge to come clean with the children. But just as she’s about to say the words, The Doctor interrupts and he tells them to come outside to see their Christmas Miracle. What is it? It’s the father with his RAF plane. It turns out he was lost in the dark, with no moon, until Madge shows up with her glowing ball/spaceship and lights the way for him to come home for Christmas.

The final scene, or is it? Madge’s nuclear family is reunited and deep in the glow of Christmas warmth. The Doctor is ready to depart in the attic, as Madge tempts him to stay, “No one should be alone on Christmas.” That’s when The Doctor reveals the cold truth, “Yes, I have friends, people who love me, but they all think I’m dead.” Madge won’t hear of it. She wants him to march right back to his friends and tell them the truth. The next scene is a close-up of a tardis blue door with a hand knocking for it to open. Who opens the door? Amy Pond (Karen Gillan). Surprise! When she lays eyes on The Doctor she starts to melt, but recovers immediately, “I’m not going to be the first one to hug.” They both succumb to the overwhelming reunion. It’s been over two years since Amy and Rory thought The Doctor had died. Little did The Doctor know River Song already spilled the beans and they both know The Doctor is alive and well. Rory (Arthur Darvill) joins them and invites The Doctor in. “We’ve saved a plate for you at the table.” The Doctor is confused, “But you didn’t know I was coming.” Rory explains, “We always save you a plate at the table. It’s Christmas.” The camera trains on The Doctor’s face and he has to wipe away a tear as he feels his humanly emotions of love and is loved in return, as he steps through the doors of ‘home’ and closes the door on another Christmas Miracle. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.