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15th Doctor, bbc, David Tennant, Davina McCall, Doctor Who, DOCTOR WHO 2023 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD REVIEW, Doctor Who Christmas Special, Millie Gibson, Ncuti Gatwa, Ruby Sunday, TARDIS, television, The Church on Ruby Road
Doctor Who 2023 Christmas Special: The Church on Ruby Road
Review by Paul Bowler
Get set for a festive treat with the Doctor Who 2023 Christmas Special: The Church on Ruby Road. Yes, the fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa’s first adventure sees him take over the TARDIS and be joined by new travelling companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson. The Church on Ruby Road provides a magical new beginning for the series, one filled with goblins and mystery as the Time Lord and his new sidekick discover a unique bond that will entwine their fates forever more.
On a snowy Christmas Eve, long ago, a woman abandoned a newborn baby girl on the steps of a church. Now, years later, foundling Ruby Sunday is trying to reconnect with her birth parents via Davina McCall’s TV show, but her life will soon be turned upside down again at Christmas time as she meets the Doctor! Up until now, Ruby’s life has been full of bad luck, which escalates when the baby she’s minding for her foster mother suddenly vanishes. When the Doctor bursts into Ruby’s life they embark on a adventure surrounding the mystery of stollen babies, leading to an encounter with a mythical goblin king, and finally uncovering the heartrending secret of Ruby’s own birth.
The fifteenth Doctor and Ruby make a wonderful team right from the outset, the chemistry between Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson lights up every scene, and this Christmas Special written by show runner Russel T Davies and slickly directed by Mark Tonderai gives them a fantastic starting point on which to build as they embark on their new adventures in the TARDIS. Tondera also helmed Rosa, one of the standout episodes of Doctor Who’s previous era, and The Church on Ruby Road is every bit as thoughtful an exploration of a deeply emotive subject matter. Russel T Davies continues his reseting of the Doctor Who mythos with this Christmas Special, crafting a perfect jumping on point for new viewers in very much in the same way as his phenomenal 2005 revival Rose did back in the day. Incidentally this is also the first Doctor Who episode to air on Christmas Day since 2017’s Twice Upon a Time (the final outing of Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor), and only the second post regeneration Christmas Special since David Tennant’s first story: The Christmas Invasion (2005).
Millie Gibson is a pure joy to behold in the role of Ruby, she has all the hallmarks of a classic companion, and you will immediately take Ruby Sunday to your heart. Gatwa totally make the role of the Doctor his own right from the outset. His charismatic Doctor feels footloose and fancy free, there’s no baggage to drag him down, only warmth, style and fun. He’s even got a nifty new sonic screwdriver and some hand high-tech gloves as well. Ruby and the 15th Doctor make a perfect team, the chemistry between them positively sparkles, and the fact they are both foundlings brings an added poignancy to their friendship. If anything Russel T Davies is doubling down on the Timeless Child aspects of the Chibnall era with this episode, and it imbues the Doctor and Ruby with a bond unlike anything we’ve seen the Time Lord have in common with a travelling companion before. What’s established here makes them a perfect new TARDIS team for this new era of Doctor Who.
Also appearing in this festive special are It’s a Sin actress Michelle Greenidge, as Ruby’s mum Carla, her grandmother Cherry, played by Eastenders’ Angela Winter, and Anita Dobson as nosey neighbour Mrs Flood. There’s also a special cameo from Davina McCall playing as herself from an episode of Long Lost Family, this isn’t Davina’s first credit on Doctor Who either, she previously voiced the Davinadroid, for a futuristic Big Brother house in the episode Bad Wolf from Christopher Eccleston’s series back in 2005.
The Church on Ruby Road is easily up there with the very best of the past Doctor Who Christmas Specials. It’s a festive adventure which blends elements of a certain Christmas Classic, along with undertones of the fantasy film Labryinth and just a pinch of Gremlins thrown in for good measure. So with the wonderful pairing of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor and Gibson’s new companion, the Church on Ruby Road takes us on a wild, fun-filled, emotional rollercoaster ride that has our leads soaring across the sky on a ladder hanging beneath a galleon Goblin ship, with action galore, and even musical number to enjoy. The episodes quirky blend of magic and fantasy clearly sets the tone for what’s to come and a post credits scene teases the mystery of Mrs Flood’s true identity…
With this Doctor Who Christmas Special show runner Russel T Davies has successful caught lightning in a bottle for a second time! This reset of our beloved 60 year old show now hurtles towards its very own “season one”, with new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson’s companion Ruby Sunday ready to start the legend anew for 2024 in the TARDIS.
Happy Christmas everyone!
(Images: BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Disney)
About The Author
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website,, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook