Joy to the World

I've been waiting with baited breath for this episode, and Moffat once again delivered on everything we expected, both the good and the very small amount of bad. The beginning immediately hooked me into a web of delightfully confusing wibbly-wobbly stuff, resulting in one of the most awesome episode concepts ever brought to screen in the time hotel, and gives us a taste of the Moffat style writing I think we've all been missing. On the writing, this episode is the funniest I've seen in a while. The line, "is this armed?" will be living rent-free in my head for years. In addition, Moffat and 15 are perfect for each other. Ncuti's acting is on full display throughout the script, striking a perfect balance between comedy and emotion. The sets are great too. In fact, right up until the finale, this is one of the best looking doctor who episodes ever. Every sequence is great and keeps you engaged either emotionally or physically. The only let-down was the ending, which felt half-baked and a surprising let-down of such a fantastic episode, and one that unsurprisingly contains a lot of characters coming back to life. Even with the ending, this episode is a prime example of how to write and structure a doctor who episode, one RTD should make sure he follows in the future.

This is what a Christmas special is supposed to be. I feel like Moffat gave us the episode we needed, nothing too overcomplicated or mind-bending, just a really enjoyable hour. It will still be fun for people who aren't caught up, because it's a standalone story. It actually made me cry, because I am alone on Christmas day and only got to see my family over Zoom. You'll see why that's relevant when you watch the episode. I've always loved the one-off companions like Kylie Minogue's character in Voyage of the Damned, and this episode lived up to that. Nicola Coughlin brings this really genuine energy to every role she plays. We don't actually know much about Joy, and that could have led to a one-dimensional character, but she had depth. The actress who played Anita also did a really fantastic job, and for me she was a highlight of the episode. This episode really did bring me joy for what it was, a simple and fun Christmas special.

Joy checks in to The fabulous Time Hotel, but a deadly plan is taking place, only The Doctor can help.

How on Earth could an hour of so called sci fi entertainment, feel like a decade of painful Disney fluff?

On this evidence, I think it's good that Steven Moffat has decided to move on, he chose to move on by punishing us with this excruciating snooze fest. When you think of his highlights, just compare those to this.

Quite literally nothing happens, you keep hoping for something big, some major reveal, or some huge villain....nope we get the angry suitcase. The plot was incoherent, the CGI looked about two decades out of date.

It preached at us, as you'd expect from The BBC, it literally offered us nothing, even poor Ncuti seemed uninterested, sadly none of the supporting characters offered very much.

Sadly, a massive disappointment.

3/10.

Fun, entertaining, heartfelt... joyful! The Time Hotel is a perfect idea! Ncuti Gatwa's doctor shows a lot of character development after one season. Nicola Coughlan does a good job. Steph de Whalley's Anita is perfect and makes you wish she'd come back as a new companion! Moffat's writing sets the perfect ton. Great set, costumes, and score (as usual, if Murray Gold is in charge). New catch phrases (French!), memorable moments. The Indiana Jones-like action scenes felt a bit lost in the middle of the episode. Still, perfect holiday fun! If anything, it felt too short! Doctor Who is back... the long way round!

Really enjoyed how fun and action-packed it was, I am sorry if some of the Whovians aren't on board with it's concept, some Whovians loved it, but in my eyes fun fluff is all you need as a festive output, easy going and fun entertainment.

I think the Time Hotel was fun, it deeply explored the different time periods which was fun and it was fun because we got to see a Dinosaur and other cool scenes were displayed, with the Doctor himself. The timey-whimey stuff is introduced well and it's philosophy of Mofatts has always been entertaining sometimes in a good way and a bad way, but here the fun parts are fun, and the time zones are also fun throughout the story.

The multitudes of characters have always been a flaw in his era, but here it sometimes works with it being through a time hotel and it having to show all of the themes the episodes trying to represent, and it does work for that reason. Deeper level maybe not so much, as some of them do feel abit of a waste. But the effects and the action do make it a fun enough adventure.

So hopefully this concept is introduced abit more in the present siries as it was just Fun, and had a few laughs, I'd certainly give this a 7, and I am a big Whovian. I did still enjoy this.