A Christmas Carol (TV story)

A Christmas Carol was the 2010 Doctor Who Christmas special. It was the first modern holiday special not at least co-written by Russell T Davies and the first not to feature David Tennant.

Furthermore, it broke the record for least delay between UK and US premiere broadcasts of an episode of Doctor Who. Previously held by The End of Time, whose US debut of Part One was a single day later, the delay between BBC One and BBC America (easternmost) broadcasts was a mere 8 hours. Australia was equally well-served, with the delay being something on the order of 7 hours, depending on time zone.

Behind the scenes, it was significant for the number of new faces in most departments – more than on any other single episode since Rose. Of those new to BBC Wales Doctor Who, the most prominent were those of production designer Michael Pickwoad, costume designer Barbara Kidd, and editor Adam Recht.

Synopsis
Amy and Rory are trapped on a crashing space liner, and the only way the Doctor can rescue them is to save the soul of a lonely old miser. But is Kazran Sardick, the richest man in Sardicktown, beyond redemption? And what is lurking in the fogs of Christmas Eve?

Plot
A spaceship begins to plunge towards an unknown planet below. A distress call has been sent from the honeymoon suite of the ship. Amy and Rory, honeymooning on-board, rush to the deck of the spaceship to see if they can help. As they get closer to the planet, the crew of the ship notice a small object approaching the ship. As the TARDIS comes into view, the message "Come Along Pond" is beamed onto the ship.

Kazran Sardick a wealthy, heartless man, runs a loansharking business and uses the frozen bodies of family members as security. A family is pleading with him to allow one of these bodies to be thawed out to enjoy Christmas. He rejects this, declaring that he views Christmas as merely an excuse to get "something for nothing". Kazran also controls the cloud bank over the planet. It is in this water-and-ice-based cloud cover that the ship is caught. The Doctor enters Kazran Sardick's house via chimney. The Doctor tries to persuade Kazran to open the skies by using his isomorphic controls. Kazran turns him down, saying he doesn't care if they live or die. Angrily, the young son throws a chunk of coal at Sardick's head. Sardick goes to strike the boy, but doesn't. He orders the Doctor and the family thrown out. The Doctor then talks to Amy and sees some small Fog Fish around a lamp. The unnaturally high proportion of water in the cloud bank, along with a slight electrical charge, allows fish to swim amongst the fog.

Kazran is asleep, dreaming of when he was twelve, making a video project of the sky fish. Kazran wakes to find that his video is being projected onto a wall; in the video Kazran's father comes in and strikes him as he has disobeyed him by researching the fish. The Doctor comes from behind adult Kazran and asks if he ever saw the fish, (at this point young Kazran is crying on the video). Kazran says that was the day when he first began to realise that there was no one that would ever help him and that he was on his own in the world. The Doctor says he can change the past.

Kazran laughs this off as impossible the Doctor leaves the room promising Kazran that he will be back – "way back." The sound of the TARDIS is heard and young Kazran on the video looks around; the Doctor appears on the video. The Doctor jumps around the room explaining that he is Kazran's new babysitter. Adult Kazran protests to himself that this didn't happen, but suddenly remembers that it did.

Young Kazran and the Doctor later move into the wardrobe, holding some string which is attached to the Sonic Screwdriver, which they are using as bait for a fish (young Kazran is the only boy in his class without a 'fish' story). A few minutes later, the Doctor opens the door to see a small fish. He walks out, leaving Kazran in the wardrobe. Adult Kazran, still watching the video, remembers what happened and says "Don't go out!". The Doctor looks at the fish and figures out how they survive in fog, when a shark flies in, swallows the fish, and half of the Sonic Screwdriver. The shark is suffocating, as being stunned has prevented it from going back to the clouds for too long - the low fog has dissipated, and it cannot return by itself. The Doctor attempts to console a saddened Kazran - there is little he can do, as half the sonic screwdriver is still inside the shark. He says he could get the shark into the sky, but she'd never survive the trip without a life support. To his surprise, Kazran offers an ice box.

Kazran leads the Doctor to a vault filled with ice boxes, each box containing a person. He plays a video message from one of the frozen people: Abigail Pettigrew. In the video, Abigail expresses her gratitude towards Elliot Sardick, and her love of the fish. Kazran explains that the people are security; family members of those who have borrowed money from Elliot, and says they can borrow a box for the night, unlocking Abigail's. The Doctor's half of the screwdriver begins to beep, and he says it's trying to repair itself. A second beep is heard, and the pair realise that the shark is in the vault. Following a short chase, singing is heard; Abigail has woken up and is singing to the shark, calming it. The Doctor explains that her voice resonates with and aligns the fog crystals, the same way Sardick's machine does. The Doctor places the shark inside the box, and the trio visit the skies. In the present day, old Kazran turns to view a new portrait one the wall – of Abigail.

The Doctor releases the shark, and notices a dial set at number 8. He asks Abigail how it relates to her, and she responds by asking if he is "one of [her] doctors". Before she can explain, the Doctor becomes distracted. Before sending Abigail back into the ice, Kazran tells Abigail that the Doctor promises to come every Christmas Eve, and the Doctor feels obliged to. Every time he visits, he takes the pair to new and distant places (including a sleigh ride with the previously rescued shark and a visit to the pyramids). However, every time he visits, the dial goes down a number, which apparently goes unnoticed by the Doctor.

On the sixth Christmas, Abigail requests they visit her family, and watches their preparations for Christmas through the window, crying. When Kazran asks why, she only says that she's watching the life she can never have. The family invite the trio in for Christmas dinner a day early, and Abigail's sister warns her that Kazran will turn out just like his father. Meanwhile, old Kazran reflects on his newfound memories.

The following Christmas, the group are at a 20th century Hollywood party. Kazran finds Abigail by a pool, and sees that she is crying. She says she will tell him the truth. A few minutes later, the Doctor finds the pair kissing passionately, and tells them that they need to go (he has accidentally got engaged to Marylin Monroe). They ignore him and he leaves. Soon after they break apart, and are seen to be crying. Kazran asks Abigail what they can do, to which Abigail replies "Nothing can be done". The pair later bid a silent and emotional goodbye in the vault. When the Doctor tells Kazran he'll come back next year, Kazran says that he's outgrown Christmas and that times have changed. The Doctor only replies with "Not as much as I'd've liked", and gives Kazran his half a screwdriver in case Kazran ever needs him; Kazran assures him he won't. Meanwhile, Abigail's dial has turned to one.

A few Christmas Eves later, Elliot Sardick is celebrating with his son, as his machine is complete, and he insists that the planet is theirs. Confused, Kazran runs up to his room and takes the screwdriver out of his desk. He handles it hesitantly, and sees the Doctor at his window. Angrily, he shuts the curtains on him.

Back in the present day, old Kazran argues with the president, saying he won't open the skies. Suddenly, a hologram of Amy appears. She summons a hologram of the people on the ship, who are singing for their lives. Amy insists that the Doctor was only trying to change Kazran into a kinder man, but he insists people can't be 'rewritten'. He destroys the holograms and stares at Abigail. He then explains to Amy that Abigail was mortally ill when she went into the ice, and the dial showed how many days she had left to live. If he let her out, she would only have one day to live. Still determined, Amy sends a hologram of Kazran up to the crashing ship to see the disaster. The captain explains that the Doctor told the passengers to sing in hope of stabilising the ship. The crew know it won't work but allow them to carry on to give them hope. When asked again to save the ship, Kazran says everybody has to die, and this night was no better than any other. Amy reveals that the Doctor has been listening, and he returns Kazran's consciousness to his body in the vault, and apologises.

The Doctor now says that he will show Kazran the future, but Kazran only says that he'll dies "cold, alone and afraid as we all do", and that he doesn't care about the people on the ship. He goads the Doctor to show him the future, and the Doctor reveals that he is doing so: the young Kazran is standing in front of the TARDIS. When the Doctor asks if he wants to turn out like this, the boy mistakes his older self for his abusive father. Old Kazran goes to strike his younger self, but a rush of memories of his father and Abigail cause him to break down and embrace his younger self. He then goes to save the ship.

The ship's captain reveals they have five minutes, and the Doctor reveals that all is well. He goes to see how Kazran is doing, and discovers that the machine no longer responds to his brainwaves; he has changed too much. The Doctor thinks all is lost, when old Kazran gives him the half screwdriver. The Doctor realises he can transmit a signal from one half to the other half of the screwdriver, but needs to use it to transmit something else. He realises that he'll have to transmit something that they know works into the cloud belt: they need Abigail to sing, as her voice resonates perfectly with the fog crystals, which could calm the sky.

Kazran reluctantly lets Abigail out, and she says she would have chosen Christmas Day for her final day with her beloved. She remarks that he's waited too long, and willingly offers her services, saying that they've had too many Christmas Eves, and it's time for Christmas Day. She sings into the screwdriver, "unlocking" the clouds and causing it to snow. The ship's crew realise that they can land, and Rory and Amy embrace. Young Kazran and the Doctor depart, as old Kazran and Abigail wave goodbye.

Amy and Rory meet up with the Doctor, asking for more honeymoon ideas. Amy asks where Abigail and Kazran have gone for their last day together: they are revealed to be in the shark-drawn sleigh, flying across the sky once more.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
 * Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill
 * Kazran Sardick / Elliot Sardick - Michael Gambon
 * Abigail Pettigrew - Katherine Jenkins
 * The Captain - Pooky Quesnel
 * Middle Kazran - Danny Horn
 * Young Kazran - Laurence Belcher
 * Co-Pilot - Micah Balfour
 * Eric - Nick Malinowski
 * Older Benjamin - Steve North
 * Chief Servant - Tim Plester
 * Isabella - Laura Rogers
 * Pilot - Leo Bill
 * Boy - Bailey Pepper
 * Benjamin - Bailey Pepper
 * Old Isabella - Meg Wynn-Owen

Culture

 * Abigail's song mentions "Silence" several times.

The Doctor

 * The Doctor gets married to Marilyn Monroe - although questioning the validity of the chapel - and she has the number to the TARDIS phone.
 * The Doctor displays an inability to perform a card trick.
 * The Doctor has employees leave by having them mysteriously win the lottery (as in School Reunion).

Locations

 * The Doctor, Kazran and Abigail appear to have visited (according to Kazran's photos): the Pyramids and the Sphinx in Egypt; the Sydney Opera House and Uluru in Australia; the Eiffel Tower in France; and the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and 1952 California (specifically Hollywood) in the United States of America.

Story notes

 * 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, Amy being the Ghost of Christmas Present and Kazran himself being the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.
 * The first footage from this special was screened on 19th November in the form of a trailer as part of the BBC's Children in Need.
 * The interior design and look of the crashing space liner is very similar to 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. Additionally, the space liner is described as "galaxy class", which is also the class of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition, one of the crewmen is of african descent and wears an odd eyepiece, similar to the character of Geordi Laforge.
 * This is the first story to feature Arthur Darvill's name in the opening titles.
 * Steven Moffat said before it aired that this episode would be the most "Christmassy Christmas special ever," adding that "It's all your favourite Christmas movies at once, in an hour, with monsters and the Doctor and a honeymoon..."
 * This is the first Christmas special since The Christmas Invasion to feature the Doctor's regular companions. This is also the first Christmas special not to be set primarily on or near Earth.
 * Paul Cornell's short story "The Hopes and Fears of All the Years" likewise features the Doctor visiting an individual every year at Christmas time (though in that case on Christmas Day, not Christmas Eve) by virtue of time travel. Both stories also involve the Doctor arriving on the scene by coming down the chimney.
 * This is the first Christmas special not to feature David Tennant and the first one not to be written by Russell T Davies. It is the first one to be written by Steven Moffat.
 * The shark, despite being a female, was named "Clive" behind the scenes. Smith and Belcher also claimed to have named it "Percy" and "Clyde".
 * Murray Gold revives his custom of composing a special song for the Christmas Specials, after not doing so for DW: The Next Doctor or The End of Time Part 1 ("Vale Decem", the Ood's song featured in the latter, appears in Part 2, which was a New Year's special, and was an expansion of an earlier composition, "The Doctor's Theme".)
 * Excluding the little fish and Abigail Pettigrew and Elliot Sardick's off-screen deaths, this is the first Christmas special without a character's death.
 * Although Abigail is assumed to have died within a day of her final unfreezing, as this event does not take place on screen, this cannot be said to have occurred with 100% certainty.
 * "Abigail's Song" is the first English-language song to be composed for Doctor Who since "The Stowaway" and is the first original song to actually play a direct role in resolving the plot.
 * Michael Gambon is well known for taking over the role of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, coincidentally the only Harry Potter film that includes time travel.

Ratings

 * 10.3 million (Overnight)
 * 12.11 million (BARB)

Rumours

 * The villain has been confirmed by the BBC to be a CGI "Flying Shark". Although the main enemy was Kazran Sardick, there was a menacing, flying shark.
 * The episode could be a musical. This was false, although Katherine Jenkins did sing.
 * The episode will be set on a planet that looks Victorian and will have flying sharks. This was true.
 * In the episode, the Doctor will get engaged. He was accidentally engaged to Marilyn Monroe, and this leads up to a gag at the end of the episode.
 * The Doctor will pose as a Ghost of Christmas Past. In a trailer for the BBC's Christmas season, the Doctor is heard saying "I'm a ghost of Christmas Past". This was true, with the Doctor traveling back in time to Kazran's past, and from there, effect his future.

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors

 * When The Doctor first goes back to Kazran's childhood, the light from the TARDIS windows can be seen through the crack in the door after the supposed departure.

Continuity

 * Amy says "Don't be late, Doctor, just this once." (DW: The Eleventh Hour)
 * The Doctor sends a message to Amy saying "Come Along Pond." (DW: The Big Bang)
 * The Doctor attempts and fails to perform card tricks. He previously displayed this in DW: Robot and DW: Rose.
 * The Doctor produces a photograph of himself and Father Christmas with Albert Einstein at Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge. It was previously suggested in DW: Time and the Rani that the Doctor and Einstein were friends.
 * While in the honeymoon suite, Amy wears her policewoman kissogram garb, (DW: The Eleventh Hour) and Rory wears a Roman Centurion's outfit, just like the one worn by his Auton self, and previously by his real self (as seen in a photograph in Amy's house), or this was the Christmas event that the photograph was of. (DW: The Pandorica Opens)
 * The Doctor is seen, once again, in a fez, but this time it's because he's actually going to Egypt. Kazran's photographs prove that the time travellers spent one Christmas Eve at the pyramids.
 * During one of his visits to Abigail, the Doctor wears a scarf similar to the one worn by his fourth incarnation.
 * 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. (DW: Last of the Time Lords) The Doctor has also previously stated (apparently falsely) that the TARDIS has isomorphic controls. (DW: Pyramids of Mars)
 * Abigail says she cannot enter her home, before seconds later seeing the Doctor within - closely resembling the Doctor telling Amy not to interfere before she sees him on the TARDIS monitor doing so. (DW: The Beast Below)
 * The Captain claims that "Christmas is CANCELLED!" (DW: The End of Time)
 * The Doctor once again says "Geronimo!" (DW: The End of Time, The Beast Below, The Big Bang)
 * The Doctor gets himself into a problematic marital situation with Marilyn Monroe. He previously had a failed marriage with Queen Elizabeth I, and he has stated that he is "rubbish at weddings... especially my own." (DW: The Shakespeare Code, The End of Time, Blink')
 * The Doctor, when speaking to Kazran, said "900 years of time and space, I've never met someone who wasn't important". He said something along the same lines to Craig Owens when Craig was sick. (DW: The Lodger)
 * The Doctor previously mentioned having seen fish that fly. (DW: Marco Polo)
 * As Amy Pond had been replaced with a Ganger some point prior to the beginning of series six, this is ostensibly the last appearance of the original Amy Pond until the end of DW: The Almost People.

Timeline

 * A Christmas Carol occurs after: SJA: Death of the Doctor.
 * A Christmas Carol occurs before: DW: Space

DVD release
This story was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 24th January 2011 in UK markets and 15th February 2011 in North American markets.