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The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe – Doctor Who

Play trailer Poster for The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe – Doctor Who 2011 Holiday Sci-Fi Fantasy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
After being evacuated to an old house in Dorset, a woman and her children encounter the Doctor.

Critics Reviews

View All (8) Critics Reviews
Keith Phipps AV Club It's both a fine episode of Doctor Who and a fine piece of Christmas television in which death and despair get defeated by hope and love. Rated: A- Nov 16, 2018 Full Review Steven Cooper Slant Magazine Fortunately, the episode ends on a high point Nov 16, 2018 Full Review Dan Martin Guardian Putting aside the now-mandatory doomed spaceship that now must surely always feature, this was the smallest - yet perhaps the most enchanting - Christmas special we've had to date. Nov 16, 2018 Full Review Patrick Mulkern Radio Times Much as I like Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, I feel it is time for a companions shake-up. In the meantime, it's undeniably heart-warming to find the lonely old Time Lord among friends at Christmas. Rated: 3/5 Mar 25, 2019 Full Review Nick Setchfield SFX Magazine Moffat dials down the time-scrambling maziness that's so characterised the last 12 months of Doctor Who , delivering a sweeter, less frenetic tale that aims squarely for the heart, not the flipchart. Rated: 4/5 Mar 25, 2019 Full Review Matt Risley IGN Movies While fans have had their fair share of yuletide yarns, there have been none that felt quite so classically, indulgently, infectiously Christmassy as 'The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe'. Rated: 8/10 Nov 16, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (10) audience reviews
James M I like the episode compared to other fans because of the mystery of the children’s father. The Child actors are annoying and the villains aren’t good, but the design is ok and the doctors dialogue and the ending saves it from a disaster. The music is amazing and episode final scene is great. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/13/25 Full Review Wolfgang B Absolutely appalling. Not only is it boring and forgettable, it barely even does what it's trying to do well Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/23 Full Review Audience Member While this is certainly not as good as the two Christmas stories that surround it (being the wonderful A Christmas Carol and the solid The Snowmen), I really do not understand why many people consider it to be perhaps the worst, some even calling it one of the worst stories of the entire franchise. I'd definitely put this one above The Christmas Invasion, The Runaway Bride, The Next Doctor or The Return of Doctor Mysterio, all of which were varying shades of mediocrity. The Doctor The Widow and the Wardrobe has some solid imagination, some nice moments of sentimental sweetness, a great visual style and a really happy ending that wraps up the semi-incomplete finale of Season 6. I don't make sure to put it on every December like some others, but if I have some time for some extras, it's one I'll happily pop in during the Holiday Season. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Movie M Weird, very different and underdeveloped. Has a strong story but is muddled up and misses the entertaining special Doctor who can bring. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/19 Full Review Mark K I find this episode to be a bit of a guilty pleasure, a nice small watch, I liked the scene where Marge pulled out the gun, though I didn't like that stuff about 'strong' and 'weak' i don't really see the logic of it. (don't know why this is all caps nothing else is). Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/23/19 Full Review Audience Member The end could have been a little stronger BUT over all a really good special! I was very happy with it and excited to see more! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/31/18 Full Review Read all reviews
Doctor Who — The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

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Season Info

Synopsis After being evacuated to an old house in Dorset, a woman and her children encounter the Doctor.
Director
Farren Blackburn
Executive Producer
Steven Moffat
Screenwriter
Steven Moffat
Network
BBC
Rating
TV-PG
Genre
Holiday, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Dec 25, 2011