The Christmas Invasion

My overriding conclusion from an initial viewing of The Christmas Invasion was that Russell T Davies (as ever) got a lot more things right than wrong.

A prime-time Christmas Day slot would come with certain caveats – nothing too demanding in terms of plot, plenty of gimmicks, plenty of knockabout dialogue between the main characters and plenty of effects. And I think RTD and his merry men and women polled four from four in that count.

I was a bit concerned that too much of the Christmas angle would descend the show into high farce but, in truth, it was a lot more minimal than I expected and, as the killer Santas and Christmas trees had been trailed beforehand, I actually felt the writer only did what he had to in order to justify the title.

The Santas were genuinely menacing (rather like the Autons in Rose, I’d have liked to have seen more of them, but accept there’s only so much you can shoe-horn in) and the spinning tree was a bit of harmless flotsam. Can’t imagine it would have gone down too well with the “purist”, but gimmicks such as this do appeal to the mainstream audience, and it’s their interest which will keep this show floating at the front of the BBC flotilla.

I thought the story was a good romp (the hour flew by). As I said earlier, it had to be simple enough to keep a tiring Christmas audience awake, with a regular sprinkling of “wow, look at that” if they were starting to nod off. Obviously, there were holes in the plot if you can be bothered digging, but I can’t. Even if I could, season of goodwill and all that!

It was actually more Star Trek TNG than Doctor Who in a lot of places for me, but I greatly enjoyed the former, and had no objections to such a spectacle. And it was a spectacle. It looked like a movie – and a well-made one at that.

I liked the Sycorax (and was pleased The Doctor finished off their leader – gave the promise that the dark side remains intact) and was also pleased Harriet Jones finished off their spaceship. The Margaret Thatcher/Tony Blair analogies (the former in respect of Harriet’s physical makeover from the previous series and the latter in terms of transition from popular leader to warmongering megalomaniac – allegedly) were obvious, but worthy.

And what about the new Doctor?

Watching David Tennant on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on Friday night (funnily enough) I thought he looked pretty weary, even allowing for having to put up with Ross at his oafish worst.

I didn’t get the vibe from any of Tennant’s soundbites that he relished the prospect of hanging around in the role beyond a third season. Of course, he may have been genuinely concerned at the reaction to his first episode. If the latter was the case, then he should only leaf through this Forum (and I’m sure others) for reassurance.

David Tennant IS The Doctor.

A terrific performance. Stole every scene he was in and, while I was a huge fan of Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor and felt he was an impossible act to follow, Tennant shows every indication of being capable of achieving the impossible.

He doesn’t have the physical presence of his predecessor, but the role will be written to take that into account. And, anyway, you get the impression he can take any line in any script and make it his.

This really was a remarkable start to his tenure. Energetic, funny, charming, chuck in any adjectives you wish. In terms of screen time, he had less than might normally be expected for the lead role, but almost all the lines I scene I recall instantly had Tennant in them. I always thought he was going to be brilliant, now I know for sure.

And the episode-closing little segue of treats to come “in the spring” has me genuinely thirsting for the start of what I believe will be the finest-ever Doctor Who season.