Doctor Who Christmas Special 2008: The Next Doctor Movie Review

It’s been a crazy few months for fans of “Doctor Who”; first the hyper popular David Tennant gracefully exits only to be replaced in a rapid fashion by relative unknown Matt Smith. Meanwhile, viewers have only 5 new episodes spread over a year before the 10th Doctor gets his regenerative facelift. To make it up to all, the BBC needed an episode that knocks it out of the park. Keeps us guessing, and then holds our attention when the biggest mystery is revealed. A grand slam, a perfect game, a triple play all steroid free and rolled into one. Behold…..”The Next Doctor”???!!!??

The Doctor is flying solo these days, with Donna back with her family after last season’s war with Davros and the Daleks. His TARDIS arrives at Christmastime in Victorian England, but his chance to savor the holiday cheer is short lived. A woman’s voice screams for “the Doctor”–but when he arrives to save the day he’s surprised to learn she doesn’t mean him.. Another Doctor shows up, and both face off against an animalistic Cyberman. But who is this new Doctor? He knows about Time Lords, the TARDIS, Cyberman, and the relevance of the Doctor’s companion. Somewhat, as his memories have been fractured and he has no knowledge of regeneration and the last Doctor.

Is he a future Doctor, struggling to fulfill his identity with the little he remembers? Or a Doctor from a another dimension (hey, it’s possible. If they can do “The 7 Doctors” they can pull off anything). Or is he an amnesic whose encounter with the Doctor accidently blanked his identity—leaving him to grab the only one he can remember in fragments. Of course, that’s the least of the Doctor(s) worries; the Cyberman are loose in Victorian London and aided by a vengeful woman oddly named Mercy. Now both must unite to save not only the present, but Earth’s future.

In his guest role, David Morrisey is fantastic as the mystery Doctor. He fuses his performance with fearless bravado, but in private moments he drops his guard to show private pain and a wounded psyche. As his faithful companion, Veille Tshabala is remarkably similair. While she acts sassy and tough, she shows moments where she cares for him and what was done to him. At this point, David Tennant is so popular that criticizing him is like beating a lame puppy. Luckily, there’s no reason to be tempted to do it. He’s truly stellar as the 10th Doctor, all bouncy and enthusiasm with a streak of compassion and introspection. Matt Smith has a lot to live up to.

Script by veteran Russell T. Davies is up to par as usual. That’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, he’s written/produced “Doctor Who” so often he could crank one out in the midst of a drug overdose. Director Andy Goddard makes the 47 minute running time fly by, and more importantly keeps the audience’s attention even when a major mystery is solved.

It’s a pity that US audiences won’t see Tennant’s final episodes until Spring 2010, when the SciFi Channel decreed it won’t show any until they’re all done and Tennant hands the TARDIS over to Smith. God forbid anything gets in the way of those pitiful SciFi Original Films, that can’t get released theatrically or on dvd. In the intern, “Doctor Who” fans can have happy anticipating thoughts to console them.

CAST: David Tennant, David Morrisey, Velile Tshabalala, Dervla Kirwan