With Doctor Who back in its familiar festive slot, it’s fair to say that Christmas Day was extra special this year. The Church on Ruby Road marks not only the end of a year (or more accurately, two months) of 60^th Anniversary celebrations for the Whoniverse, but also the start of a new era of adventures continuing into 2024.

Ncuti Gatwa makes a terrific (second) impression as the new Doctor, with Russell T Davies’ script giving him a nice mix of action, humour, charm, and sadness. This is a more emotional Doctor, but also a more confident one. Seeing him thrown straight into the action without the baggage of a post-regeneration crisis is a nice change of pace after the last few Doctor debut stories, and allows Gatwa to arrive fully-formed (possibly helped by the fact that this was the third episode filmed in the 2024 series). Hopefully we’ll see more of the ‘inventor’ side to this new Doctor, with the introduction of the special gloves (I can imagine them already being a staple in younger audiences’ playground adventures) and the new sonic screwdriver, although I’d have liked a little more tension with the gloves. At one point the Doctor mentions they’re running low on power, but this doesn’t seem to be a concern when the special’s big, bombastic climax in the Churchyard arrives.

This Christmas Special also saw the introduction of Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. She’s instantly endearing, with a tragic backstory and a nice connection to the Doctor (who’d have thought the Timeless Child twist would become such a key part of Doctor Who canon?) Her introduction to the TARDIS reminded me a lot of Billie Piper’s in Rose – perhaps a deliberate homage from director Mark Tonderai (who previously helmed The Ghost Monument and Rosa) – while her sudden disappearance made for a tragic mid-way twist. Millie Gibson herself is brilliant in the role, balancing a confidence and vulnerability that makes her relatable to the audience yet still ready for the adventures to come. There’s a lot of potential in the family dynamic with her, Carla, and Cherry, and I’m sure her musical talents will come in handy when she meets a certain band next year, but of course Davies has set up the mystery of Ruby’s mother. Who is she? When will she be revealed? And once she is, what does that mean for Ruby herself? Time will tell…

It’s a more fantastical adventure than Whovians are used to, with a plot revolving around singing Goblins kidnapping and eating children in their flying pirate ship. The way Russell T Davies’ script bases the Goblins’ eating habits around coincidence is a nice touch, even if exactly what the Goblins are, how they fit into the broader universe (where did they come from? How long have they been above Earth?) and their abilities feel incredibly vague. There’s a comment about them not being time travellers, but able to ride the time winds, although they’re also able to manipulate the flow of time and wipe themselves out of existence…it’s a little vague to say the least. The Goblins themselves are well-realised despite their incredibly limited screentime, being gradually teased with echoing giggles and close-ups of tiny hands moving objects. When they do appear in full, there’s not really any interaction between them and the Doctor and Ruby, which feels like a missed opportunity. The song is a fun addition, and I particularly liked the Doctor and Ruby distracting the Goblins with an extra verse to escape, but the Goblins end up feeling like a nice idea that never develops into anything more memorable.

All in all, The Church on Ruby Road is a fun Christmas treat. There is the sense that this is an introduction to a new series of Doctor Who as opposed to a standalone episode, complete with an admittedly thin plot and villains, but as the debut of Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson as our two leads, it’s cracking stuff. The two are kept apart for most of the runtime, allowing each of them to stand on their own two feet as characters and actors, but bringing them together long enough to see their dynamic develop. Complete with the fantastical vibe, The Church on Ruby Road makes for perfect Christmas Day viewing. And, as one final present under the tree, we have our first look at the new season. Beatles! Jonathan Groff! Giant slugs! Rose Noble! It looks to be a fun eight episodes…

Doctor Who returns to BBC One in May 2024

Join us for our series blog review then!