I loved this then and I love it now.

This is one of RTD's best episodes and one of the best Christmas specials (it's definitely in the running for my vote).

David Tennant is great, even though he's unconscious for a sizeable chunk. Billie Piper is on top form, as are Camille Coduri and Noel Clarke. Penelope Wilton is simply wonderful as Harriet Jones and the script sparkles around these characters. Tennant's arrival aboard the Sycorax ship thrills and there are few better lines than the Lion King gag.

The Sycorax are a great monster and I love the idea of blood control. I have a bit of a fascination with 'mass panic' concepts (I love a good disaster movie - so you can imagine I'm a bit of a fan of Voyage of the Damned as well) and the scenes of people walking to the top of buildings whislt their loved ones impotently try to stop them is heartwrenching. The mother trying to stop her two children makes my stomach lurch in horror now I have two kids of my own.

The scenes of the Sycorax ship arriving owe more than a little to Independence Day (another favourite film of mine) and I love the fact Big Ben has scaffolding around it as a result of Aliens in London.

I remember on first watch finding the scenes of the Doctor bringing Harriet Jones down a little harsh and unnecessary. Watching it now, many years later after seeing a far darker 10th Doctor, as well as the War Doctor and the very grumpy 12th Doctor, it doesn't seem as out of character as it did back then (even after the tough 9th Doctor). His disappointment in human failure is totally in character, it's just rarely as on the surface as here (at least until Series 8/9). On the flipside, I think Harriet gives a powerful justification of her decision, particularly with her comment about how two men died whilst the Doctor was asleep.

It's very weird to have Torchwood referred to as now, in retrospect, we can imagine Jack pressing the button (I assume he's in charge by this point, I can't remember the timeline - at the very least Susie Costello must be in that bunker - or maybe it's Yvonne Hartmann. Actually, yes, it's probably her bearing in mind what happens at the end of Series 2). Back then, we didn't know what Torchwood was - it was just a word. How amazing to see what developed from that one anagram...

There's a lots of good Christmas stuff in this, particularly the spinning Christmas Tree - totally Doctor Who and totally RTD. The Robot Santas maybe a bit underdeveloped (never quite understood the whole Pilot Fish thing) but they give a good set piece blowing up a Christmas market. I always found it a bit odd, though, that they return - sort of - in the next Christmas episode. I also like the Doctor joining the Tylers for Christmas - which harks nicely back to the 1st Doctor celebrating with Steven and Sara.

A definite favourite of mine.