It’s going to be strange, as Christmas specials go. The Doctor will be facing all of his greatest enemies on a “graveyard planet” and we know going in that the protagonist is going to die (or regenerate in this case). Sounds a far cry from It’s a Wonderful Life but I suppose it is supposed to be.
For me it is a Christmas present, in a way. I haven’t really enjoyed Matt Smith’s run as the Doctor although Stephen Moffat is more to blame for that than anyone. I’m happy to see a change and I’m happy about Peter Capaldi coming aboard. He is an extremely talented actor with decades of experience and has, apparently, been thinking about this part for a long, long time. There are also hints at a darker, crankier and more aloof Doctor, which would be refreshing after Matt Smith’s bumbling juvenile version. It is also a character type that Peter Capaldi has shown he’s very good at. (Guessing the language will be toned down, so far Doctor Who has stayed well away from the subject of “horse cocks”.)
If you’re looking forward to the Christmas Special, because you’re looking forward to Matt Smith’s demise or just because it’s the Christmas special here’s a peek.