Watch Doctor Who Christmas Specials

Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television series that has been entertaining audiences since the 1960s. It follows the adventures of an alien time-traveler known as The Doctor, who travels through time and space in their trusty spacecraft, the TARDIS, with a variety of companions. The show has become a staple of British culture and has gained a worldwide following, with fans eagerly awaiting each new episode.

One of the most anticipated parts of the Doctor Who calendar is the Christmas special. Since the show's revival in 2005, a new episode has been broadcast on Christmas Day each year, and these specials have become an annual tradition for many families in the UK.

Each Christmas special is a standalone adventure, separate from the main series storyline. However, they often tie in with the wider mythology of the show, and usually feature a returning character or villain. The specials are usually longer than the normal episodes, with a runtime of around an hour.

The first Doctor Who Christmas special, "The Christmas Invasion," aired in 2005 and starred David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. The episode sees the Doctor recovering from his recent regeneration and battling against the Sycorax, a race of aliens who are threatening to enslave humanity. The episode received high ratings and was praised for its festive spirit and exciting action sequences.

Since then, there have been many memorable Doctor Who Christmas specials, each with their own unique twist on the holiday season. In 2010, "A Christmas Carol" saw the Doctor trying to save a crashing spaceship by teaching its miserly owner the true meaning of Christmas. In 2011, "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" saw the Doctor taking a family on a magical adventure through time and space.

The 2013 special, "The Time of the Doctor," marked the final episode for Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, and saw him taking on the Daleks and the Time Lords in a showdown on a far-off planet. The episode featured emotional scenes and a powerful performance from Smith, and was a fitting end to his tenure as the Doctor.

Peter Capaldi took over as the Twelfth Doctor in 2014, and his first Christmas special, "Last Christmas," was a festive horror story that saw the Doctor battling against dream crabs, creatures that latch onto their victims and force them to dream. The episode was a critical and commercial success, and cemented Capaldi's place as one of the most popular Doctors of recent years.

The most recent Doctor Who Christmas special, "Twice Upon a Time," aired in 2017 and starred Capaldi alongside David Bradley, who played the First Doctor. The episode saw the Doctors teaming up to battle a threat to the fabric of time, and included appearances from several returning characters, including Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman). The episode was praised for its touching farewell to Capaldi and its celebration of the show's legacy.

Overall, the Doctor Who Christmas specials have become an intrinsic part of the show's mythology, offering fans a chance to see their favorite characters in a festive setting and enjoying new adventures. The specials also serve as a gateway for new viewers, giving them a taste of the show's unique blend of humor, drama, and sci-fi action. With a new Doctor on the horizon and a new era for the show set to begin, fans are eagerly anticipating what surprises the next Christmas special will bring.

Doctor Who Christmas Specials is a series that ran for 11 seasons (25 episodes) between December 11, 2011 and on BBC