Episode 181: The Runaway Bride.
Companions: 10th Doctor and Donna Noble.
Air Date: 25th December 2006.
Killer Santas, exploding baubles, an alien spaceship shaped like a giant star — Christmas with the Tenth Doctor is anything but a silent night.
The Runaway Bride was the second Christmas special for the revamped show. Thankfully the Christmas elements are toned down and other than some robot Santas's you don't really notice. Unfortunately as the Christmas specials go on I find it jarring somewhat that they are all set on Christmas day. So much for time travel.
Anyway, this episode sees the arrival of Donna Noble who, a couple seasons from now, will make a return as a regular companion for the Doctor. Donna is played by well known comedienne Catherine Tate. Other than one or two of her "characters" I don't find her very funny and I remember thinking that when she was announced as a the companion for the episode. I was pleasantly surprised that she fitted in well even with a somewhat dim and obnoxious personality. Donna does make a nice change to the regular type of female companion.
The villains of the story are an extinct race of spider-centaur beings called the Racnoss who were wiped out by the Time Lords in the early days of the universe. The effects for the Empress of the Racnoss are top notch. Unfortunately I doubt we will see them again now.
Three things are brought to light in this story. One is the first mention of Gallifrey in the modern incarnation of the show and the second is the Doctor's growing darkness. Donna tells him near the end that he needs to find someone to keep him in check. The Doctor has lost many companions over the years and you can see that it may weight heavy on his shoulders but the growing concept of the "lonely god" is pushed too hard in this instance. A part of modern television styles I guess. Lastely when the Racnoss ship appears over London the military have orders to destroy it from "Mr Saxon". Who could that be? We'll find out all too soon.
All in all the plot isn't bad and it is an enjoyable story. It is typical of modern Who though in the silliness elements that creep in. I don't mean the cool personality quirks of the Doctor as they have always been there but there are elements dropped into the episode that just make me roll my eyes at times as I am sure I have mentioned before.
There is one plot issue that is left open for me and that is the robot Santas's. Were they the same ones as from the prior Christmas and if so, were they nothing to do with the Sycorax last time but working for the Racnoss?
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