This cynicism in word and presence works to the show's favor – particularly in a silly show like this. While Smith was part of the silliness, this slightly dour Doctor sits outside it with a cynical edge, so the viewer can sit with him, so when he reluctantly goes with it despite himself, it feels easier to accept (namely the 'do you want a go scene' – which would have been totally different with a childish Smith begging to have a go). The cast are solid and in particular this episode shows the value of Capaldi. The writing is mostly okay but as usual it cannot control itself and we get silliness thrown in, along with clumsy references like we are stupid. The ending felt like it was two endings – the second of which was thrown on once they got the thumbs up from Coleman that she will return for the next season (which is what they did in the end – which is a shame because the first ending was much better).

Mixing Aliens and Inception kind of works, and although the plot doesn't totally hang together (moving quickly at times to try to stop viewers asking too many questions), it is broadly pretty engaging. It doesn't really work as it is happening, but gradually it works in retrospect as the plot falls into place. From here the content is weirdly mixed with Frost still hanging around but yet this horror going on at the same time. This is not the Mary Whitehouse coming out in me, because I thought it was great to have something to shake me and the special out of a festive stupor. However from here we get thrown into a horror movie of sorts, with some images that sort of made me questions what we have done to ourselves in the last 25-30 years that Aliens once got an 18 but yet these very similar images are now family TV-viewing. The move to the North Pole doesn't help this, since we see a character dancing to Slade in an attempt to avoid some form of danger – really making me cringe. Starting the episode, this is precisely how I felt as we had so-so comedy from Frost and his elves, making me feel like this was going nowhere but even lower than I had feared. After a reasonably okay final few episodes (aside from some terrible decisions), we got Nick Frost popping in as Santa ('stunt casting' as Theo rightly calls it) to announce the Christmas special – something that made me feel this special would be even more silly and festive than usual. Of course with Doctor Who it is normal that you expect less, but it almost feels deliberate that the show caused my expectations to drop so low this time. How many times do you hear someone saying something like 'I didn't expect much of it, but it was alright', or conversely 'I had heard such great things but it was only alright' same outcome, but the receipt of that outcome is much more of a positive when you expected less, not more.

Doctor who last christmas ending