 This story is the sixth Doctor Who Christmas Special since the programme’s revival in 2005.
"A Christmas Carol" is loosely based on the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, with Kazran Sardick being Ebenezer Scrooge, The Doctor being the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ and ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ and Amy Pond being the ‘Ghost of Christmas Present’.
Charles Dickens’ classic novel was first published in December 1843 and versions of the tale have been filmed regularly since the early twentieth century. Actors who have played the central figure of Ebenezer Scrooge include Simon Callow (who also played the part of Charles Dickens in the 2005 Tenth Doctor story "The Unquiet Dead") and Mark Strickson, who is better known as playing the part of the Fifth Doctor’s companion, Vislor Turlough.
This story features Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins, making her acting debut alongside Harry Potter and The Singing Detective actor Michael Gambon.
Other members of the cast include: Laurence Belcher (Little Dorrit), Leo Bill (Jekyll, Ashes to Ashes, Alice in Wonderland), Pooky Quesnel (EastEnders, Fine Days, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Micah Balfour (The Bill, The Time of Your Life) and Bailey Pepper (Guess with Jess).
This is the first story, since the show was revived in 2005, in which the role ‘Script Editor is not used. Instead, the same job is credited as ‘Script Executive’.
This story marks the debut of the show’s new Production Designer, Michael Pickwoad. His previous credits include Withnail & I (1987), the 2009 version of The Prisoner and Longford which received a BAFTA nomination for Best Production Design.
Steven Moffat becomes only the third person to write an episode of Doctor Who that receives its first broadcast on Christmas Day. The first was Terry Nation who wrote "The Feast of Steven", the seventh episode of the 1965 First Doctor story "The Daleks' Master Plan". Forty years later, Russell T Davies wrote the 2005 Tenth Doctor Christmas Special "The Christmas Invasion" and subsequently "The Runaway Bride", "Voyage of the Damned", "The Next Doctor" and "The End of Time".
This is the first Christmas special not to feature David Tennant (with the exception of a very brief cameo of Matt Smith, as the Eleventh Doctor, at the end of "The End of Time").
Murray Gold continues his theme of having a special song for the Christmas Specials.
For the first time Arthur Darvill, who plays companion Rory Williams, is included in the opening credits.
This is the first Christmas special since "The Christmas Invasion" to feature The Doctor’s regular companions.
The ‘policewoman’ kissogram costume Amy Pond wears during this story was last seen in "The Eleventh Hour" and Rory Williams’ Roman Centurion’s outfit was previously worn by his Auton self in the Season Thirty One (New Series 5)’s finale "The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang". The two claim that they have gotten used to the outfits.
If you think that the interior design and look of the crashing space liner is very familiar this is because it is based on the style of the Starfleet ships from the 2009 Star Trek film, with a similar layout (though more compact) and touchscreen controls. There is also moderate use of lens flares during the scenes on the ship, which also was seen during the interior shots of the various ships in Star Trek as well.
The Doctor is amused by Kazran’s claim that the weather controls are isomorphic. This is possibly because he has previously claimed that the TARDIS is isomorphic and can only be controlled by him - a questionable fact as we have seen several companions operate his time machine! The word itself is centuries old and derives from 'isos' meaning 'the same' or 'equal' in Greek and 'morphe' meaning shape.
The Doctor has previously observed and attempted to use devices with isomorphic controls to no avail, a notable example being The Master's Laser Screwdriver in the 2008 Story "The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords").
The Doctor produces a photograph of himself with the famous scientist Albert Einstein. The Doctor has previously mentioned knowing Einstein and previously suggested that the two were friends in the 1987 story "Time and The Rani" - the first adventure to feature the Seventh Doctor.
The Doctor is seen, once again, in a Fez, this time in a photo, and one time when unfreezing Abigail. Also during one of his visits to Abigail, The Doctor wears a scarf, similar to the one worn by the Fourth Doctor.
Paul Cornell’s short story "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years" also features The Doctor visiting an individual every year at Christmas time (though in the case of this short story on Christmas Day rather than Christmas Eve) by virtue of time travel. Both stories also involve The Doctor arriving on the scene by coming down the chimney.
In the scene where Abigail states she cannot enter her home before seeing The Doctor already inside closely resembles The Doctor telling Amy not to interfere before she sees him doing so in "The Beast Below".
Listen out for when Amy says ‘Don't be late, Doctor, just this once - a reference to "The Eleventh Hour"). The Doctor also sends a message to Amy saying ‘Come Along Pond’.
The end of Abigail’s song features the repeated line ‘Silence will fall all around’.
The first significant clip of this story was broadcast on 19 November 2010, during the Children in Need annual telethon.
This story was broadcast on 25 December 2010 on both BBC One and BBC America, making it the first story to premiere on the same day in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Following on immediately after this story, on BBC3, was an untitled episode of Doctor Who Confidential presented by Russell Tovey. This programme was 55 minutes long and looked into the making of this story.
For the sixth Christmas Day in a row, Doctor Who pulled in a massive number of viewers for the channel. "A Christmas Carol" averaged 12.1 million viewers on BBC One and its new counterpart BBC One HD - exactly the same who tuned in for the first episode of "The End of Time" exactly a year earlier.
"A Christmas Carol" also became the most-watched story of the Eleventh Doctor’s era - bettering his 10.1 million debut in "The Eleventh Hour" by over two million viewers. This story also became the fourth most-watched Doctor Who story of the revived show (of the 58 stories and 74 episodes shown at the time).
"A Christmas Carol" was also the first story to have been simulcast on BBC One HD, which launched in November 2010. Earlier in the year Matt Smith's debut season (Season Thirty One) had been broadcast on BBC HD, which would often feature a very different line-up to BBC One itself.
Not included in the above rating are viewers who watched via the BBC's iPlayer service. "A Christmas Carol" was accessed 0.8 million times over the 14 days it was available.
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The Firsts:
Though not technically part of Season Thirty Two (New Series 6) this is the first real story of this season.
The first Christmas special not to feature David Tennant (with the exception of a very brief cameo of Matt Smith, as the Eleventh Doctor, at the end of "The End of Time").
The first Christmas special since "The Christmas Invasion" to feature The Doctor’s regular companions.
The first time Arthur Darvill, who plays companion Rory Williams, is included in the opening credits.
The first use, in Doctor Who, of the role ‘Script Executive’ instead of ‘Script Editor'.
The first Doctor Who story to be produced by Sanne Wohlenberg.
Michael Pickwoad's first involvement in the show as Production Designer.
Lindsey Alford's first involvement in the show as Script Executive.
The first Doctor Who story to premiere on the same day in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
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(Position = 8 out of 13)
(Position = 97 out of 241)
