The Runaway Bride

Easily the best Tennant Christmas Special. It's for sure one of those episodes which won't be for everyone and Donna and/or the Racnoss are definitely going to get on your nerves at least once here, but I think it's just nice? And cosy?

It just doesn't really take itself too seriously, which I think is a tone that just fits Christmas really well, but also has an underlining level of darkness to it, just to give it that lil extra bite. The Racnoss is also superbly realised and they're given good amounts of backstory to get you quickly invested.

When I was younger I held up The Christmas Invasion as a particularly fine example of a Christmas special, and The Runaway Bride as an average one - but now it’s quite the opposite. This is a tightly plotted effort from RTD. It’s poignant when it needs to be then camp and spectacular when it needs to be.

Understanding the brilliance of this larger than life iteration of Donna (as opposed to the more refined version we meet later) is the key to enjoying this story. I used to think that her and the Racnoss pushed the theatricality a bit too far, but that was just me being a sour faced, overly serious fan. Fans often over praise the serious stories and underrate the crowd pleasers.

The set piece on the motorway is the best chase scene in all of Doctor Who. It’s both visually interesting and hilarious. Sylvia Noble is wonderfully cast, this is a stand out character, and one that I’m delighted returns.

Donna performs an important role in the arc of the new series. RTD is letting the new audience know that the companion role is one that gets refreshed regularly, paving the way for a new arrival. It also helps us process the loss of Rose and highlights how important a good companion is. In this story, Donna is put in the role of the imperfect companion, or someone who isn’t quite ready - this yields interesting results.

Tate and Tennent’s chemistry is phenomenal. Tate is an outstanding actor and brilliant comic talent. We’re lucky to have her.