The Return of Doctor Mysterio: Doctor Who Christmas Special

Yes, a bit late I know, but I finally watched the Christmas special. I hate to say it but this time I wasn’t excited for it at all. I think I haven’t been that much excited to watch Doctor Who ever since Matt Smith left the show. You see, that’s the problem with me. I just can’t let go of the old Doctor. It was same when ten was gone and Matt Smith took over. It took me a lot of time before I started liking Matt Smith, more than two seasons.

It has sort of become a pattern. I say that now because I haven’t watched the entire series, I have just watched the rebooted one that started in 2005.

But this Christmas Special was different. After a series of beautiful stories that are sort of retold in the Christmas Specials (Narnia, A Christmas Carol etc. etc.), we got Superman this time. To be honest, I have never watched or read Superman. Believe me I tried watching it, as a kid. But I found it silly that people couldn’t tell who Superman was. Like really? How can you not recognize a person when they take off their glasses? I am sure there is more to it, but my brain could not get over it. And I never enjoyed watching Superman. ( I apologize to all Superman fans, but this is just my opinion.)

But I can’t say the same for this Christmas special.(Maybe because the superhero wore a mask?)

When it started, I was a little scared to see the kid and an older version of himself. I was like, “Really Moffat, you are gonna use same plot for the third time!”. But thankfully, it didn’t turn out to be so. I loved the episode. I think it even tops my favourite Christmas episode from season 6-A Christmas Carol (Though I am not sure yet! I really, really loved A Christmas Carol).

Here’s how this one goes: A boy with glasses, who loves to read comics(he reads Superman too), accidentally gets superpowers when he meets the Doctor.

Then we are shown the grownup version of boy, who is in love with a female reporter and works as a nanny to her child. It was quite interesting to have a superhero (The Ghost)who is a part time nanny. But really, a nanny again? Was it a tribute to Clara Oswald?

So our superhero, The Ghost has been trying to save The Earth all these years.  And now after he and the Doctor saves the day, he is told that he is not supposed to use his powers. He just got them accidentally. The obvious question arises-“Who will save the Earth, then?” But I think this is a realization for the Doctor that he needs to get back in the game. The Ghost had to do it only because the Doctor was away grieving, after the death of River Song. (And the irony is she died a long back, in the library, but for the Doctor it has only happened now as he cannot see her anymore).

The episode comes to a beautiful end as the Doctor himself accepts that endings are inevitable and sad but they lead to new beginnings.This acceptance is important for the Doctor, because he has never liked endings.

There were still a few things that I quite didn’t like. Why did the doctor didn’t try to save the first victim ? Actually, that’s the only thing that I didn’t like about the episode.

It bugged me a little because that  was not like the Doctor at all. But I am gonna let it go, because this episode finally made me see  12th(Peter Capaldi) as The Doctor and brought all the excitement back.