The best Doctor Who Christmas special EVER !! (Doctor Who - The Runaway Bride (DVD))

Member Name: Jcapulet

Product:	Doctor Who - The Runaway Bride (DVD)
Date:	03/03/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everything!!

Disadvantages: Nothing once you get past Donna's shrieking at the beginning !!

This is my favourite of the Doctor Who Christmas specials !! Still 'sensitive' over the loss of Rose ( the first scene in the Tardis when Donna finds Rose's jacket still leaves a lump in my throat ) I'll admit that I wanted the Doctor to throw Donna out of the Tardis as soon as they were on Earth again and leave her to fend for herself since she annoyed me so much in the first 5/10 minutes, so if that's you please, please, please stick with it and you won't regret it !! Russell T Davies giving the companion spot to Catherine Tate was a HUGE shock to Doctor Who fans and many were up in arms about the decision and so the first 5/10 minutes those said fans probably felt justified at their initial horror. However, once this bride has calmed down at the disappointment of being taken from the alter, she becomes my second favourite companion of all time. Donna soon learns to trust The Doctor and acts as his conscience in many different ways !!

We soon learn that Donna has been secretly plyed with Huon particles by her false friend/fiance Lance ( who we find out later is in cahoots with The Racnoss ) which is how she ended up in the Tardis since the Huon particles and the Tardis were attracted to each other like a positive charge. By this point The Doctor is willing to do whatever it takes to help Donna and not 'lose anyone else' *sob* and Donna returns the favour when The Racnoss and Lance take aim at The Doctor. The Doctor triumphs of course and Donna helps him to 'let go' and leave the dangerous site. We learn in 'turn left' just how important Donna is to The Doctor and the rest of the universe for that matter by sticking with the Doctor until the end when she could have simply stayed at her wedding reception in this instance.

There's much needed humour in this special which was very much needed after Doomsday and Donna was able to eventually show sensitivity to his loss of Rose ( the scene at the end when Donna asks's The Doctor what her name was has me in tears EVERY time !! Sad I know, but the thought of The Doctor alone but needing Rose just kills me !! (There's a scene in a later episode where the Doctor acknowledges that needing Rose is 'very me' which highlights just how much the Doctor needed 'someone' and more so Rose ) although Donna eventually passes on the offer of accompanying the Doctor in the Tardis in this Christmas special.

So, I would recommend this or any Doctor Who fan, even those who seriously dislike the thought of Catherine Tate as the Doctor's companion as it will soon dispel any pre-concieved ideas that you may have had. I'd also recommend it for anyone new to Doctor Who as it's a cracker for any one to begin with, although mentions and references to Rose will be lost on you obviously. However, this special isn't merely about how The Doctor is coping without Rose, it's an exciting and family-friendly Doctor Who episode with many laughs guaranteed. Great stuff.

Summary: Great family entertainment and a great addition to any Doctor Who fan's collection too.