The Church on Ruby Road (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Story SMW
|name            = ''{{StoryTitle}}''
|special        = [[Christmas Special]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]]
|special        = [[Christmas Special]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]]
|story number    = 304
|story number    = 304
|epcount        = 1
|epcount        = 1
|scripturl      = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/doctor-who-2023-christmas-special-the-church-on-ruby-road-tan-revisions-280923.pdf
|novelisation    = The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)
|novelisation    = The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)
|image          = The Church on Ruby Road Promotional Photo 4.jpeg
|image          = File:ChurchRubyRoad3.jpg
|doctor          = Fifteenth Doctor
|doctor          = Fifteenth Doctor
|companions      = [[Ruby Sunday|Ruby]]
|companions      = [[Ruby Sunday|Ruby]]
|featuring      =  
|featuring      = [[Davina McCall (in-universe)|Davina]]
|enemy          = The [[Goblin King]]
|enemy          = The [[Goblin King]]
|setting        = [[Manchester]]<ref name="Sunday Best">[[DWM 598]] - ''[[The DWM Interview|Sunday Best]]'', Page 32-34</ref> [[2004]],<ref>[[SFX 373]]{{which}}</ref><br>[[Notting Hill]]<ref name="Sunday Best"/> [[Christmas Day]]<ref name="DWM 598">[[DWM 598]] - Preview of ''The Church on Ruby Road'', Pages 18-19</ref>
|setting        = {{il|[[Notting Hill]], [[21st century London|London]], [[22 December|22]]-[[24 December]] [[2023]]|[[Ruby Road]], [[Manchester]], [[24 December]] [[2004]]}}
|writer          = Russell T Davies
|writer          = Russell T Davies
|director        = [[Mark Tonderai]]
|director        = [[Mark Tonderai]]
|producer        =
|producer        =  
|genre          = Science fiction
|genre          = {{w|Science fantasy}}
|broadcast date  = 25 December 2023
|broadcast date  = 25 December 2023
|network        = BBC One, Disney+
|network        = BBC One, Disney+
|format          =
|format          = 1x60 minute episode
|production code =  
|production code =  
|series          = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|series          = [[List of Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
|prev            = The Giggle (TV story)
|prev            = The Giggle (TV story)
|next            = The Devil's Chord (TV story)
|next            = Space Babies (TV story)
|series2        = [[Christmas Special]]s
|series2        = [[Christmas Special]]s
|prev2          = Twice Upon a Time (TV story)
|prev2          = Twice Upon a Time (TV story)
|next2          =
|next2          =  
|series3        = [[Festive Special]]s
|series3        = [[Festive Special]]s
|prev3          = Eve of the Daleks (TV story)
|prev3          = Eve of the Daleks (TV story)
|next3          =
|next3          =  
|bts            =
|made prev      = <!--T:OFF REL-->
|bts2            =
|made next      = <!--T:OFF REL-->
|bts3            =
|bts            =  
|trailer        = Next On Disney+ - December 2023
|bts2            =  
|trailer2        = CHRISTMAS TRAILER - The Church on Ruby Road - Doctor Who
|bts3            =  
|clip            = The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video - The Church on Ruby Road - Doctor Who
|trailer        = {{uc:Christmas Trailer}} - The Church on Ruby Road - Doctor Who
|trailer2        = Next On Disney+ - December 2023
|clip            = Ruby Meets the Doctor - The Church on Ruby Road - Doctor Who
|clip2          = The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video - The Church on Ruby Road - Doctor Who
|unleashed      = The Church on Ruby Road (Unleashed episode)
}}
}}
'''''The Church on Ruby Road''''' was the [[2023 (releases)|2023]] [[Christmas Special]]<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal">[https://twitter.com/DisneyPlus/status/1721544215069593912 @DisneyPlus on twitter.com]</ref> and opening episode of [[Series 14 (Doctor Who)|series 14]] of ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]''<ref name="doctorwho.tv">[https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-church-on-ruby-road ''The Church on Ruby Road'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref> broadcast on [[25 December (releases)|25 December]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]].<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal"/><ref name="doctorwho.tv"/>
'''''The Church on Ruby Road''''' was the [[2023 (releases)|2023]] [[Christmas Special]]<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal">[https://twitter.com/DisneyPlus/status/1721544215069593912 @DisneyPlus on twitter.com]</ref> and opening episode of [[Season 1 (Doctor Who 2023)|season one]] of ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]''<ref name="doctorwho.tv">[https://www.doctorwho.tv/stories/the-church-on-ruby-road ''The Church on Ruby Road'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref> broadcast on [[25 December (releases)|25 December]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]].


It was the first full episode to feature the [[Fifteenth Doctor]], as played by [[Ncuti Gatwa]], and introduce audiences<ref name="Sunday">[https://web.archive.org/web/20221118204127/https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/millie-gibson-is-the-new-doctor-who-companion-ruby-sunday ''Millie Gibson is the new Doctor Who companion, Ruby Sunday'' on doctorwho.tv via the Wayback Machine]</ref> to [[Ruby Sunday]], the new [[companion]], played by [[Millie Gibson]],<ref name="church">[https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/doctor-who-lands-on-christmas-day-2023-with-the-church-on-ruby-road ''Doctor Who lands on Christmas Day 2023 with ‘The Church on Ruby Road’'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref> concluding the [[2023 specials|sixtieth anniversary year]] with the start of [[Series 14 (Doctor Who)|a brand new era]], officialising the reboot of the series number.<ref name="doctorwho.tv"/>
It was the first full episode to feature the [[Fifteenth Doctor]], as played by [[Ncuti Gatwa]], and introduced audiences to the new [[companion]], [[Ruby Sunday]], as played by [[Millie Gibson]], concluding the [[2023 specials|sixtieth anniversary year]] with the start of [[Season 1 (Doctor Who 2023)|a brand new era]], officialising the reboot of the series number.<ref name="doctorwho.tv"/>


This is the second time since the [[2005 (releases)|2005]] relaunch of ''Doctor Who'' that a Doctor's first full post-[[regeneration]] story was a Christmas Special, following the [[Tenth Doctor]] in that year's {{cs|The Christmas Invasion (TV story)}}.
''The Church on Ruby Road'' was the second time since the [[2005 (releases)|2005]] relaunch of ''Doctor Who'' that a Doctor's first full story was a Christmas Special, following the [[Tenth Doctor]] in {{cs|The Christmas Invasion (TV story)}}.


The story marked the return of the Christmas Specials to televised ''Doctor Who'', having been absent since [[2017 (releases)|2017]]'s {{cs|Twice Upon a Time (TV story)}}.
''The Church on Ruby Road'' also marked the return of the Christmas Specials to televised ''Doctor Who'', having been absent since [[2017 (releases)|2017]]'s {{cs|Twice Upon a Time (TV story)}}.


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
Long ago on [[Christmas Eve]], a baby was abandoned in the [[snow]]. Today, [[Ruby Sunday]] meets [[Fifteenth Doctor|the Doctor]], stolen babies, [[Goblin|goblins]] and perhaps the secret of her birth...<ref name="church"/><ref name="doctorwho.tv"/>
Long ago on [[Christmas Eve]], a baby was abandoned in the [[snow]]. Today, [[Ruby Sunday]] meets [[Fifteenth Doctor|the Doctor]], stolen babies, [[Goblin|goblins]] and perhaps the secret of her birth...


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
{{inuse}}
[[File:Stranger and child (TCORR).jpg|thumb|left|"Once upon a time, late on Christmas Eve, a stranger came to the church on Ruby Road. She carried in her arms the most precious gift of all. A newborn child".]]
On the 1st of December 2023, a series of accidents - caused by tiny, unseen creatures - plagues Ruby Sunday’s interview with Davina McCall for a television show. Davina is offering to help her find her birth parents, since she was discovered as a foundling outside a church on Ruby Road. A light nearly falls on Ruby, ending the interview early.
On [[Christmas Eve]] [[2004]], a baby girl was dropped off at [[Church, Ruby Road|a church]] on [[Ruby Road]]. Leaving as quickly as she arrived, [[Ruby Sunday's mother|the mother]] departed - nobody seeing who she was. This is witnessed by the [[Fifteenth Doctor]], with tears streaming down his face.


On the 23rd of December, Ruby suffers more accidents at a gig played by her band, and then when she is driving home a large Christmas decoration nearly falls on her taxi - all caused by the same creatures. The Doctor see these incidents and saves her by altering a traffic light with his new sonic screwdriver. He also goes dancing in a night club where he briefly meets Ruby, telling her she’s not clumsy before disappearing.
On [[1 December]] [[2023]], a series of accidents caused by unseen [[Goblin]]s plagues the set of that girl, [[Ruby Sunday]]'s, interview with [[Davina McCall (in-universe)|Davina McCall]] for [[Long Lost Family|a television show]]. Davina is offering to help her find her birth parents, or someone else in her family if possible, by attempting to match a [[DNA]] sample from Ruby against various [[database]]s. As Davina tells Ruby that she does need to be realistic about the situation, a chain of falling, heavy studio lights nearly crash into Ruby, ending the interview early.


On Christmas Eve, Ruby’s adoptive mother Carla fosters a baby, Lulubelle, which she leaves in Ruby’s care while she goes to the shops. Ruby gets a phonecall from Davina McCall with the news that they couldn’t find any trace of her parents, but Davina also asks if she’s been having bad luck, as she’s been plagued by it since the interview. Her call is cut off as a Christmas tree falls on her. Meanwhile Lulubelle is kidnapped from Ruby’s flat by the creatures, which turn out to be goblins. Ruby chases after them, climbing onto her roof and grabbing a ladder floating in midair as it drifts away from the house. The Doctor bounds over rooftops and chats to her. Then, he leaps and grabs the ladder, joining her. He reveals some black gloves that light up yellow, which enable one to convert all their mass and weight (mavitational field strength multiplied by mass) into the gloves. The pair ride the ladder up to its point of origin - a huge flying airship.
Three weeks later, on [[22 December]], as Ruby plays a small gig with [[The Red Notes|her band]], a small electrical mishap interrupts their performance as the Doctor watches on from the outskirts of [[King's Arms, London|the pub]]. [[23 December|The next day]], Ruby encounters him at [[nightclub (The Church on Ruby Road)|a nightclub]], dancing one floor below her, before turning around and seeing him catch a [[glass]] of [[gin and tonic]] that she knocks over when it's not quite where she left it. He asks Ruby if she normally has bad luck, and she says that it's been happening for a while now. He departs, but follows her as she gets into a [[taxi]] with her friends. A Christmas snowman decoration hanging from a nearby building is poised to fall on the taxi. Using [[Fifteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]], the Doctor changes the light at the intersection, prompting the taxi to drive on, just as the decoration collapses onto him. [[Harry McLellan|A policeman]] stops him as he leaves to take a statement, but the Doctor instead tells the man his girlfriend will accept his marriage proposal and leaves.


Inside, they crawl through some wooden vents and discover a horde of goblins. The baby is on a wooden conveyor belt, being carried towards a goblin king with a humongous tongue. The goblins sing about eating the baby. The Doctor uses his newly-determined dexterity with ropes to cut the ground beneath him and Ruby, making them plunge onto the conveyor belt, which ceases to move henceforth. There, the Doctor and his new companion have a song, which the goblins find interesting, and the Doctor explains his plan via his lyrics, referring to a master knot.
On [[Christmas Eve]], Ruby returns to her home, [[Ruby and Carla's flat|a flat]] in [[3 Minto Road]], to see that her adopted mother, [[Carla Sunday]], is fostering another new-born, a little baby named [[Lulubelle]]. Carla leaves "Lulu" in Ruby's care as she leaves to the store. As she walks out, Davina calls Ruby, and sadly informs her that they were unable to find any trace of anyone related to her. Ruby is saddened by the news, but accepts it. Davina then changes the subject, asking if Ruby been having any bad luck recently, as she's been having the worst rash of it, including falling off a boat on dry land, and remembers it started when she talked to Ruby. Davina, who is stuck in a wheelchair due to her numerous injuries, talks about how terrified she is as a nearby Christmas tree topples over on her, with the star heading directly for her head, and her phone cuts out.


Escaping from the goblin horde, the Doctor and Ruby return to the flat, baby safely recovered. Then, Ruby disappears. The Doctor returns to the fridge, seeing that [[cracked timeline (The Church on Ruby Road)|the entire life of Ruby has vanished]]. Many of the Christmas lights have been removed from the flat and there is a generally unhappy atmosphere to the place.
Ruby hears noises over the baby monitor and heads into the other room, where she finds the crib empty and a photograph of a goblin resting underneath. She chases after the culprits out the skylight and finds goblins nestling Lulubelle in a basket dropped down from above a long ladder reaching up into the sky. The goblins scamper up as the basket is pulled up and the ladder begins to retract, prompting Ruby to jump on as it drifts away from her flat. The Doctor suddenly appears and yells after her as he bounds along the rooftop and jumps onto the ladder as well. As the ladder retracts further, the pair have difficulty holding on, so the Doctor pulls out a set of [[intelligent gloves]], gloves that takes care of all of the [[friction]] and [[mavity|mavitational force]] that normally exist when climbing and transfer them all into the glove itself, away from the body. The pair are effortlessly pulled up with the rest of the ladder into a flying ship, where they promptly encounter a small horde of goblins that capture them and tie them up.


The Doctor travels in time and arrives at a church. He climbs to the roof and grabs a ladder, dangling off an airship. Using his powerful magnetic gloves, he hoists the airship down, causing the spire to slice through the goblin king. Having saved the baby, the Doctor takes off in the TARDIS to return to the present to find all is well.  
The Doctor begins to decipher the goings on of the goblins, chance, luck, and coincidence. He's not altogether clear on everything, but he's deducing that they are using luck to stitch Ruby into time ever so slightly more, make her more real, and then use the similarities between her and Lulubelle as seasoning for when they eat the latter. He manages to untie them both, but is unable at first to escape the room - everything is built with wood and rope, which his sonic screwdriver isn't effective on. But, after spending a small amount of time with the rigging, he likens it to wires and circuitry, untying knots as one would flip switches, triggering the right one to get them out of the room they were in and into a crawlspace above.


Ruby ascertains that the Doctor can travel through time via his reference to the often-mentioned Houdini, and rushes downstairs and out of the house. She finds the TARDIS and enters. She then leaves, walks around it and returns, to find the Doctor, leaning on a rail a little higher than the console. He claims his title true.
[[File:Goblin feast (TCORR).jpg|thumb|right|♪ ''He's the goblin king. Yes, the goblin king. He's not a myth, he's an actual thing. Here's the king. Here's the king. Here's the king. Here's the king goblin!.'' ♪]]
Lulubelle moves along a conveyor belt as the goblins [[The Goblin Song|sing]] about how the [[Goblin King]] is going to devour her, with the Doctor and Ruby crawling above and watching in horrified fascination as they frantically try to untie the right ropes. The Doctor makes a mistake, however, and causes himself and Ruby to fall on the conveyor themselves. The two grab the baby as the ropes above them continue to unravel, don their intelligent gloves and set them to reverse, taking a line of rigging and using it to descend back to the ground.


Soon after the pair depart, Mrs. Flood breaks the [[fourth wall]] and remarks "Never seen a TARDIS before?"
Escaping from the goblin horde, the Doctor and Ruby return Lulubelle to the flat. Thinking about accidents and bad luck, they dash around the flat to goblin-proof it. Carla returns, and, as the Doctor introduces himself, she acts concerned, not sure why they need a doctor. Frustrated, and trying to change the subject, Ruby tells Carla how the show called and they were unable to locate any of her family. The group mentions orphans and foundlings, and how the Doctor is one as well, which Carla notes as a coincidence, and, as discussion turns back to coincidences, the house shakes until the roof cracks in two, the Goblins having left.
 
[[File:Happy as I am (TCORR).jpg|thumb|left|"I was looking forward to it. Christmas Day, Mum's asleep by three, and I'll be all on my own. Why would I want a daughter when I'm happy as I am?".]]
The Doctor then looks around, and sees that [[cracked timeline (The Church on Ruby Road)|Ruby has vanished]]. He dashes around the flat and outside looking for her, asking Carla and others, none of them having heard of her. He takes a deeper look around the flat and it is a far drearier place with no Christmas decorations, no pictures of Ruby or any other foster children. Carla is also far different; unhappy with her lot in life, resentful of having to take in Lulubelle on Christmas Eve and having fostered far fewer children and having only done so for the money, although she [[history-proofing|seems to subconsciously miss]] Ruby. The Doctor, brought to tears at witnessing these changes, dashes outside and into [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]], dematerialising in front of [[Flood (The Church on Ruby Road)|Mrs Flood]] as he travels back to the night when Ruby was abandoned at the church.
 
In the snowy night, the Doctor sees the figure of Ruby's mother walking away, but he ignores her as he rushes towards the building. He chases after the goblin scaling the church with little Ruby, grabbing onto the ladder at the last second. The Doctor uses his intelligent gloves in reverse mode to pull the ship downwards, bit by bit, but finds it too slow to make a difference. In a last ditch effort, he jumps off the roof, pulling the ship down with him and impaling the Goblin King's stomach with the steeple, killing it. The ship and all in it vanish as the timeline is restored, and the Doctor catches baby Ruby as she falls from the ship and places her once again on the church's doorstep. Back at the TARDIS, the Doctor sees Ruby's mother in the distance, but does not go after her.
 
The Doctor returns to 2023 and rushes up to Ruby's flat to find her safe and sound, babbling about how they went back to take her so he had to go back. He then mentions that he forgot something else and dashes off again, running into his TARDIS as Mrs Flood watches from her front yard. The Doctor travels back to when Davina was about to have a Christmas tree fall on her and catches it, saving her life.
 
The Doctor returns once more to the present day to see Ruby, but thinks better of it, feeling that he might be the one who brought bad luck to her and her family. Ruby and Carla talk about the Doctor, Carla just finding him crazy, and Ruby trying to contextualise the day she's just had. It dawns on her that the Doctor is a time traveller, and she kisses her adopted mother and dashes out of the door. Looking around on the street, she asks Mrs Flood if she's seen the Doctor, and Mrs Flood points to the TARDIS over the road. Ruby enters it, after a wish of luck from Mrs Flood, to find the Doctor leaning on the railing in the console room, ready to welcome her aboard.
 
[[File:Never seen a TARDIS (TCORR).jpg|thumb|right|"Never seen a Tardis before?".]]
As the TARDIS dematerialises, another one of Ruby's neighbours comes up to Mrs Flood and panics about how a box has just vanished in front of them. She tells him to stop making such a fuss and then, as he walks away, [[Fourth wall|asks the audience]], ''"Never seen a TARDIS before?"''


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 89: Line 108:
* Baby [[Ruby Sunday]] - TBA
* Baby [[Ruby Sunday]] - TBA
* [[Ruby Sunday's mother]] - TBA
* [[Ruby Sunday's mother]] - TBA
* [[Vicar (The Church on Ruby Road)|Vicar]] - TBA
* [[Clark (The Church on Ruby Road)|Clark]] - TBA
* [[Jim (The Church on Ruby Road)|Big Jim]] - TBA
* [[Woman (The Church on Ruby Road)|Woman]] - [[Susan Twist]]<ref>https://bleedingcool.com/tv/doctor-who-is-susan-twist-playing-the-same-secret-character/</ref>
* [[Lulubelle]] - TBA
* [[Lulubelle]] - TBA
* Voice of the [[Goblin singer]] - [[Christina Rotondo]]<ref>https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-christmas-2023-cast-characters/</ref>


== Crew ==
== Crew ==
{{Wales crew|ExecutiveProd3=Jane Tranter|ExecutiveProd=Russell T Davies|ExecutiveProd2=Julie Gardner|ExecutiveProd4=Joel Collins|ExecutiveProd5=Phil Collinson|SeriesProducer=Vicki Delow|Writer=Russell T Davies|Producer=Chris May|Director=Mark Tonderai|DOP=Miroslaw Baszak|ProductionDesigner=Phil Sims|VisualEffects=Automatik VFX|Make-upDesigner=Claire Williams|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG|Music=Murray Gold|CostumeDesigner=Pam Downe|Editor=Rebecca Trotman BFE|SpecialEffects=Real SFX|OriginalTheme=Ron Grainer|TitleSequence=Painting Practice & Realtime Visualisation|MusicConductedBy=Alastair King|MusicPerformedBy=BBC National Orchestra of Wales|StuntCoOrdinator=Derek Lea|Stunt=Jessica Barfoot|Stunt2=Nikita Mitchell|Stunt3=Paul Joseph|ExecutiveProdForTheBBC=Rebecca Ferguson|ProductionExec=Steffan Morris|CoProducer=Ellen Marsh|LineProducer=Mark Devlin|ProductionManager=Adrian Devane|SupervisingLocationManager=Iwan Roberts|LocationManager=Baljinder Sidhu|AssistantLocationManager=Alex Moore|ProductionCoOrdinator=Sandra Cosfeld|ScriptEditor=Scott Handcock|AssistantScriptEditor=Rasheed Bello|1stAD=Gareth Tandy|2ndAD=Lauren Pate|3rdAD=Jennifer Day|OnlineEditor=Christine Kelly|AdditionalVFX=Egg VFX|AdditionalVFX2=BBC Wales Graphics}}
{{Wales crew
|Writer=Russell T Davies
|ExecutiveProd=Russell T Davies
|ExecutiveProd2=Julie Gardner
|ExecutiveProd3=Jane Tranter
|ExecutiveProd4=Joel Collins
|ExecutiveProd5=Phil Collinson
|Producer=Chris May
|Director=Mark Tonderai
|StuntCoOrdinator=Derek Lea
|Stunt=Jessica Barfoot
|Stunt2=Nikita Mitchell
|Stunt3=Paul Joseph
|GoblinKingPuppeteer=Andrew Heath
|GoblinKingPuppeteer2=Brian Herring
|GoblinKingPuppeteer3=Colin Purves
|GoblinKingPuppeteer4=Jeremiah Krage
|GoblinKingPuppeteer5=Josh Elwell
|GoblinKingPuppeteer6=Mark Whittaker
|GoblinKingPuppeteer7=Matt Lyons
|GoblinKingPuppeteer8=Nick Kellington
|1stAD=Gareth Tandy
|2ndAD=Lauren Pate
|Crowd2ndAD=Charlie Campbell
|3rdAD=Jennifer Day
|FloorRunner=Jac Lewis
|FloorRunner2=Devante Fleming
|FloorRunner3=Emmy Williams
|SAWFloorRunner=Micah Joshua Brown
|BaseRunner=Jamal Price
|SAWFloorRunnerStandIn=Beyagy Demba
|FloorRunnerStandIn=Emmy Williams
|SAWCastAssistant=Juanee Scott
|ProductionManager=Adrian Devane
|ProductionCoOrdinator=Sandra Cosfeld
|AsstProductionCoOrdinator=Liam Hobbs
|ProductionSecretary=Florence Trott
|ProductionSecretary2=Chris Harkus
|TravelAccommodationCoOrd=Ariana Scott
|TravelAccommodationSecretary=Adam Byard
|ProductionOfficeRunner=Danilo Van-Der Nguyen
|ProductionOfficeRunner2=Lisa Elena Williams
|SAWDirectorsAsst=Rugie Begum
|SAWDirectorsAsst2=Abdoul Razak Ceesay
|CreativeCoOrdinator=Fabia Sinigaglia
|ExecutiveAsstTo1=Dee Brooker
|AssistedExec1a=Jane Tranter
|ExecutiveAsstTo2=Kaleigh O'Boyle
|AssistedExec2a=Julie Gardner
|ExecutiveAsstTo3=Joshua M.G. Thomas
|AssistedExec3a=Russell T Davies
|AssistedExec3b=Phil Collinson
|AssistedExec3c=Joel Collins
|LocationManager=Baljinder Sidhu
|AssistantLocationManager=Alex Moore
|AssistantLocationManager2=Shuaib Said
|UnitManager=Kyle Yates
|LocationAssistant=Robyn Selby
|LocationAssistant2=Nathan Rose
|StudioManager=Richard Balshaw
|StudioAssistant=Lloyd Di Mauro
|1stAsstAccountant=Greg Robinson
|APAsstAccountant=Devon Anscombe
|AsstAccountantPayroll=Aimee Bond
|AsstAccountantPayroll2=Laura Gardner
|Cashier=Joseff Thomas
|SAWAccountsTrainee=Lauren Mackey
|CameraOperator=Martin Stephens
|FocusPuller=Jonathan Vidgen
|FocusPuller2=Steve Rees
|ClapperLoader=Sarah Macleod
|ClapperLoader2=Evangeline Davies
|CameraTrainee=Farah Rose
|CameraTrainee2=Chai Lee Tan
|CameraTrainee3=Andrea Jovanovska
|DigitalImagingTechnician=Nick Everett
|DataManager=David Buckley
|KeyGrip=Bobby Williams
|Grip=Ken Hodgson
|BestBoyGrip=Moses Stringer-Ogundeji
|GripTrainee=Rhys Jones
|EntryLevelGripTrainee=Emily Badger-Knight
|AssistantScriptEditor=Rasheed Bello
|ScriptSupervisor=Richard Pask
|EntryLevelScriptSupervisor=Ines Mayorga
|1stAssistantSound=James Bowen
|2ndAssistantSound=Angharad Evans
|SAWSoundTrainee=Tayne McIntosh-Barrett
|Gaffer=Pete Chester
|RiggingGaffer=Chris Kiley
|BestBoy=Sion Davies
|RiggingBestBoy=Scott Smallwood
|LightingRigger=Paul Davies
|DeskOperator=Alan Tippetts
|RiggingDeskOperator=Pete Davies
|Electrician=Andy Green
|Electrician2=Joe Jennings
|Electrician3=Jon Down
|ScreenSkillsTraineeElectrician=Bianca Parris
|SupervisingArtDirector=Robyn Paiba
|SeniorArtDirector=Rhys Ifan
|SeniorArtDirector2=Gareth Cousins
|ArtDirector=Hattie Gent
|ArtDirector2=Kartik Kundan Nagar
|ArtDirector3=Jon Horsham
|LocationArtDirector=Alex Stannus
|PropArtDirector=Michael van Kesteren
|AssistantArtDirector=Eleri Lloyd
|StandbyArtDirector=Ifan Lewis Lewis
|SetDecorator=Adrian Anscombe
|AsstSetDecorator=Verity Scott
|AsstSetDecorator2=Billie Blue Williams
|ProductionBuyer=Helen O'Leary
|ActionPropsBuyer=Tara Lily Johnston
|AssistantBuyer=Taymar Lee
|AssistantBuyer2=Camilla Blair
|AssistantBuyer3=Harriet Wall
|PettyCashBuyer=Charlie Shelley
|PettyCashBuyer2=Llinos Jones
|PettyCashBuyer3=Oyrania Morris
|Draughtsperson=David Merryweather
|JuniorDraughtsperson=Lucia Heseltine
|JuniorDraughtsperson2=Lakota Gunter
|JuniorDraughtsperson3=Katja Allen-Kormylo
|JuniorDraughtsperson4=Diana Samuila
|ArtDeptCoOrdinator=Jason Davies-Redgrave
|ArtDeptAssistant=Sam Hanson
|StoryboardArtist=Rupert Smissen
|PropMaster=Nick Thomas
|PropsChargehand=Stuart Rankmore
|PropsChargehand2=Ifan Ramage
|StandbyProps=Phill Bull
|StandbyProps2=Jonathan Barclay
|PropHand=Declan Petryna
|PropHand2=Atiff Tahir
|PropHand3=John Thomas
|PropHand4=Ingo Hans
|PropHand5=Joseph Craig
|PropHand6=Jason White
|PropHand7=Matt Shrimpton
|PropHand8=Ieuan Parker
|PracticalElectrician=Phillip Jones
|Storeman=Charlie Malik
|PropStoreAssistant=Stephen Bright
|StandbyPainter=Jessie Thomas
|GraphicArtDirector=Erica McEwan
|GraphicDesigner=Stephen Fielding
|AsstGraphicDesigner=Sophie Cowdrey
|GraphicsAsst=Aled Llyr Griffiths
|PropModellerHOD=Barry Jones
|Modeller=Grant Humberstone
|Modeller2=Paul Mazonas
|Modeller3=Stephanie Howell
|Modeller4=Penny Howarth
|PropSculptor=Valma Hiblen
|FabricationBuyer=Hester Haslett-Venus
|Rigging=Shadow Rigging
|StandbyRigger=Nigel Owen
|ConstructionManager=Rhys Griffiths
|ConstructionCoordinator=Ffion Roberts
|ChargehandCarpenter=Martyn Russell
|Carpenter=Mark Borde
|Carpenter2=Sam Burridge
|Carpenter3=Dave Martynski
|Carpenter4=Christopher Hawksworth
|Carpenter5=Patrick Watts
|Carpenter6=Gareth Jones
|Carpenter7=Huw Morgan
|Carpenter8=Jonathan Tylke
|Carpenter9=Sam Riddiford
|HODScenicArt=Jody Raynes
|ChargehandScenicArtist=Deb Clarke
|ScenicArtist=Inga Jastrumskaite
|ScenicArtist2=Mike Carter
|Sculptor=Brent Johnson
|Sculptor2=Tony Hitchcock
|Painter=Justin Abraham
|Painter2=Drew Abraham
|ScenicCarpenter=Justin Williams
|StandbyCarpenter=Sam Crowley
|Construction=4Wood TV & Film
|SpecialEffects=Real SFX
|CreatureFX=Millennium FX
|AsstCostumeDesigner=Raïssa Hans
|CostumeSupervisor=Laura Baker
|CostumeDesignAsst=Charlotte Godfrey
|CostumeCoOrdinator=Anthony Williams
|PrincipalCostumeStandby=Kitty Carin-Boyd
|PrincipalCostumeStandby2=Leila Headon
|PrincipalCostumeStandby3=Michelle Victoria McGrath
|CrowdCostumeSupervisor=Nicola Clay Vidales
|CrowdCostumeStandby=Nicola Rodd
|CostumeArtist=Heather Waterton
|CostumeMaker=Issy Lawrence
|CostumeMaker2=Jessica Hardy
|CostumeMaker3=Hannah Carey
|SAWPrincipalCostumeTrainee=Lizzie Doody
|SAWCrowdCostumeTrainee=Hettie Kitson
|HairMake-upSupervisor=Clarice Gill
|CrowdHairMake-upSupervisor=Scott Beswick
|SeniorHairMake-upArtist=Sarah Davies
|SeniorHairMake-upArtist2=Juliet Ireland
|Make-upArtistTo1a=Bella Arghiros
|Made-upActor1=Ncuti Gatwa
|JuniorHairMake-upArtist=Kate Rawsthorne
|JuniorHairMake-upArtist2=Stuart Cheadle
|TraineeHairMake-upArtist=Madison Garland
|TraineeHairMake-upArtist2=Charlotte Threadwell
|Facilities=AP Transport c/o Bob Gurney and Richard Gurney
|CastingAssociate=Ri McDaid-Wren
|CastingAssistant=Kristian Wall
|1stAsstEditor=Joseph Keirle
|1stAsstEditor2=Emily Lawrence
|VFXEditor=Matt Nathan
|VFXEditorTrainee=Catrin Rees
|VFXTempEditor=Alastair Gray
|PostProdSupervisor=Liv Duffin
|AudioPostProduction=Bang Post Production
|CrowdADR=Wild ADR
|VFXSupervisor=Sebastian Barker
|VFXSupervisor2=Dan May
|VFXSupervisor3=Sean Varney
|VFXOnSetSupervisor=Daniel Roberts
|VFXLineProducer=Liam Tully
|VFXCoOrdinator=Siân Reynish
|VFXCoOrdinator2=Livvy Edwards
|DataWrangler=Hattie Williams
|VFXAssistant=Sarah-Hoor Aboubakar
|CreatureConceptPrevisVFXArt=Painting Practice
|VisualEffects=Automatik VFX
|AdditionalVFX=Egg VFX
|AdditionalVFX2=BBC Wales Graphics
|PostProdFacility=Gorilla (post-production)
|Song=The Goblin Song (soundtrack)
|SongBy=Murray Gold
|SongBy2=Russell T Davies
|SongSungBy=Christina Rotondo
|MusicPerformedBy=BBC National Orchestra of Wales
|MusicConductedBy=Alastair King
|OriginalTheme=Ron Grainer
|MusicSupervisor=Ollie White
|TitleSequence=Painting Practice & Realtime Visualisation
|CoProducer=Ellen Marsh
|ScriptEditor=Scott Handcock
|Colourist=Gareth Spensley
|OnlineEditor=Christine Kelly
|VFXProducer=Will Cohen
|PostProdProducer=Ceres Doyle
|SupervisingLocationManager=Iwan Roberts
|SoundRecordist=Alex Thompson (sound recordist)
|Re-recordingMixer=Paul McFadden
|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG
|Music=Murray Gold
|Editor=Rebecca Trotman BFE
|DOP=Miroslaw Baszak
|ProductionDesigner=Phil Sims
|CostumeDesigner=Pam Downe
|Make-upDesigner=Claire Williams
|FinancialController=Dyfed Thomas
|LineProducer=Mark Devlin
|SeriesProducer=Vicki Delow
|JuniorProductionExec=Charlotte Cox
|ProductionExec=Steffan Morris
|HeadOfProduction=Alex Protherough
|DirectorOfProduction=Emily Russell
|ProductionExecBBCStudios=John Hamer
|ExecutiveProdForTheBBC=Rebecca Ferguson
|CommissioningEditorBBC=Lindsay Salt
}}


== Worldbuilding ==
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Ruby Sunday ===
=== Ruby Sunday ===
* Ruby plays a [[GO:PIANO88]] [[musical keyboard]] and is in a band.
* Ruby plays a [[GO:PIANO88]] [[musical keyboard]] and is in a band. She can also sing.
* Ruby was born on Christmas Eve, almost 19 years ago, probably around 2PM.
* Ruby was born on [[Christmas Eve]] [[2004]], around [[2 (number)|2]][[PM]].
* Ruby declined going out with Bobby McGeever.
* Ruby is unaware who her [[Ruby Sunday's mother|mother]] and [[Ruby Sunday's father|father]] are.
* Ruby has a good relationship with her mysterious neigbour Mrs. Flood. Another neighbour is Abdul.
* Bad luck encountered by Ruby includes losing [[£20]], losing a [[job]], breaking something, breaking her [[heel]], falling over in front of a [[Dentist (The Church on Ruby Road)|fit dentist]], and being asked out by [[Bobby McGeever]]. [[Ruby Sunday's friend|Ruby's friend]] tells her she is [[jinx]]ed and Ruby believes herself to be in the centre of a [[whirlwind]] of bad luck.
* Ruby lives in a flat with her adoptive mother, Carla; and Carla's elderly mother, Cherry.
* Ruby has a good relationship with her neighbour, [[Flood (The Church on Ruby Road)|Mrs Flood]]. Another neighbour is [[Abdul (The Church on Ruby Road)|Abdul]].
* Over the years, Carla has managed to foster 33 children and still keeps in touch with some of them.
* Over the years, Carla has managed to foster [[Carla Sunday's foster children|thirty-three children]] and still keeps in touch with some of them.
* [[Lulubelle's mother]] couldn't cope with raising a child, according to Ruth. She also claimed that her family was too complicated to explain.
* Ruby bought [[bread]] and [[egg]]s, among other groceries, from [[Tesco|a shop]].


=== The Doctor ===
=== The Doctor ===
* The Doctor has invented "Intelligent Gloves" because he spends a lot of time hanging off things. They do need to be recharged after usage.
* At the nightclub, the Doctor is wearing a [[kilt]] and very briefly dances with a man.
* The Doctor has invented "intelligent gloves" because he spends a lot of time hanging off things. These need to be recharged after usage.
* The Doctor jokes he wishes he was called Lulubelle because it is a brilliant name.
* The Doctor jokes he wishes he was called Lulubelle because it is a brilliant name.
* The Doctor quickly learns the language of the Goblins, and he already knows how to "speak" the rope language.
* The Doctor quickly learns the language of the Goblins, and he already knows how to "speak" the rope language.
* The Doctor has once spend a "long, hot summer" with [[Harry Houdini]], who taught the Doctor how to untie himself.
* The Doctor has once spend a "long, hot summer" with [[Harry Houdini]], who taught the Doctor how to untie himself.
* The Doctor demonstrates his singing abilities.
=== London ===
* [[VOSS]] is an estate agency, with available properties around London.
* The snowman is attached to [[Henrik's, Central London|a department store]].
* The Taxi accepts [[American Express]], [[MasterCard]] and [[Visa (credit card)|Visa]].
=== Minto Road ===
* [[Minto Road]] is in the [[W11]] [[postcode]] district.
* There are at least fourteen houses on Minto Road, with [[14 Minto Road]] being located at one end. Around the corner from this house is [[Hawkins & Co. Estate Agents]].
* The Sundays' home is [[3 Minto Road]].
* Mrs Flood's home is [[4 Minto Road]].
* Minto Road is a [[Pay & Display Zone]] and has a [[20 (number)|20]][[Miles per hour|MPH]] [[speed limit]].
* A flyer on the [[fridge]] in Cherry's flat for [[Minto Pizza Alla Pala]] reveals that the local pizza parlour opened in [[2006]].
* On the same fridge, there are business cards for [[Crossgate Cabs]], which states that their [[Telephone number|phone number]] is [[020 7946 0112]]. There is also a business card for [[Citywide Taxis]].
* The Sundays have [[Tesco Bread Bag|a bag]] with pictures of [[bread]] on it.
* [[The 94]] is a [[bus]] that operates the Notting Hill area. There is an advert for [[Triad Technology]] on its side. It is part of the [[London Carriage Association]] and it had the [[number plate]] [[SKI8 TKY]].
* Other buses include [[the 47]], [[the 55|55]], [[the 96|96]], [[the W60|W60]] and [[the X99]].
* [[Mr Swanton's Barber Shop]] is a business located in Notting Hill near a bus stop.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[File:Season's Streamings Disney+.png|thumb|"Season's Streamings" promo image providing the story's title.<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal" />]]
[[File:Season's Streamings Disney+.png|thumb|"Season's Streamings" promo image providing the story's title.<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal" />]]
* The title of the story was officially announced by the official [[Disney+]] [[Twitter]] account in a "Season's Streamings" promotional image on [[6 November (releases)|6 November]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]],<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal"/> ahead of any [[BBC]] announcements.
* The title of the story was officially announced by the official [[Disney+]] [[Twitter]] account in a "Season's Streamings" promotional image on [[6 November (releases)|6 November]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]],<ref name="DisneyPlusReveal"/> ahead of any [[BBC]] announcements.
** This marks the return of the [[Christmas Special]]s; in the installment of [[Russell T Davies]]'s column ''[[Letter from the Showrunner]]'' printed in [[DWM 585]], Davies had stated that a "Christmas Special" would be returning as the format of the first full episode of the [[Fifteenth Doctor]]'s tenure, although clarifying that he considered the term to be synonymous with the [[Festive Special]]s. The Disney+ announcement clarified that ''The Church on Ruby Road'' will be a traditional Christmas Special.
** This marks the return of the [[Christmas Special]]s; in the instalment of [[Russell T Davies]]'s column ''[[Letter from the Showrunner]]'' printed in [[DWM 585]], Davies had stated that a "Christmas Special" would be returning as the format of the first full episode of the [[Fifteenth Doctor]]'s tenure, although clarifying that he considered the term to be synonymous with the [[Festive Special]]s. The Disney+ announcement clarified that ''The Church on Ruby Road'' will be a traditional Christmas Special.
** The first BBC acknowledgement of the title came in a press release on [[doctorwho.tv]] on [[30 November (releases)|30 November]] 2023, revealing minor plot and casting details.<ref name="church"/>
** The first BBC acknowledgement of the title came in a press release on [[doctorwho.tv]] on [[30 November (releases)|30 November]] 2023, revealing minor plot and casting details.<ref name="church">[https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/doctor-who-lands-on-christmas-day-2023-with-the-church-on-ruby-road ''Doctor Who lands on Christmas Day 2023 with ‘The Church on Ruby Road’'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref>
* The preview of this episode released in [[DWM 598]] revealed a teaser of the plot and a snippet of dialogue between the Doctor and Ruby.<ref name="DWM 598"/>
* The preview of ''The Church on Ruby Road'' released in [[DWM 598]] revealed a teaser of the plot and a snippet of dialogue between the Doctor and Ruby.<ref name="DWM 598">[[DWM 598]] - Preview of ''The Church on Ruby Road'', Pages 18-19</ref>
** This preview also revealed Ruby would be part of a [[band]].
** This preview also revealed Ruby would be part of a [[band]].
** Davies's ''A Letter from the Showrunner'' column printed in DWM 598, styled as a ''Doctor Who''-themed "[[The Twelve Days of Christmas]]", revealed that scene eleven's stage directions began inside the [[TARDIS control room]].
** Davies' ''A Letter from the Showrunner'' column printed in DWM 598, styled as a ''Doctor Who''-themed "[[The Twelve Days of Christmas]]", revealed that scene eleven's stage directions began inside the [[TARDIS control room]].
** The interview with [[Michelle Greenidge]] and [[Angela Wynter]] in that issue contained further details about Ruby: she is a [[musical keyboard|keyboardist]]; she is homesick for [[Manchester]], having recently moved into Cherry's flat in [[Notting Hill]] with her mother Carla; and that she was a day old when she was abandoned on [[Christmas Eve]].<ref name="Sunday Best"/>
** The interview with [[Michelle Greenidge]] and [[Angela Wynter]] in that issue contained further details about Ruby: she is a [[musical keyboard|keyboardist]] who is homesick for [[Manchester]], having recently moved into Cherry's flat in [[Notting Hill]] with her mother Carla, and that she was a day old when she was abandoned on [[Christmas Eve]].<ref name="Sunday Best">[[DWM 598]] - ''[[The DWM Interview|Sunday Best]]'', Page 32-34</ref>  
* Parts of the script of this episode were used in auditions for [[Ruby Sunday]]; the script for self-tapes from potential actors were truncated from the scripts of this episode and the next, and the longer script for in-person auditions<ref name="DWM 586b">[[DWM 586]] - ''A Brand New Face'', Page 21</ref> in [[London]]<ref name="DWM 586a">[[DWM 586]] - ''Hello, Ruby Sunday'', Pages 16-20</ref> was adapted solely from this episode.<ref name="DWM 586b"/>
* The non-fiction feature {{cs|The Next Doctor (feature)}}, published in ''[[Doctor Who The Official Annual 2024]]'' on [[7 September (releases)|7 September]] 2023, teased the casting of Dobson and Greenidge; the feature also hinted that the doors in the promotional images may have significance.
* The non-fiction feature {{cs|The Next Doctor (feature)}} — published in ''[[Doctor Who The Official Annual 2024]]'' on [[7 September (releases)|7 September]] 2023 — teased the casting of Dobson and Greenidge; the feature also hinted that the doors in the promotional images may have significance.
* ''The Church on Ruby Road'' is the first time in the revived series that a Doctor's first Christmas special does not include "Christmas" in the title, following {{cs|The Christmas Invasion (TV story)}}, {{cs|A Christmas Carol (TV story)}}, and {{cs|Last Christmas (TV story)}}.
* ''The Church on Ruby Road'' will be the first time in the revived series that a Doctor's first Christmas special does not include "Christmas" in the title, following {{cs|The Christmas Invasion (TV story)}}, {{cs|A Christmas Carol (TV story)}}, and {{cs|Last Christmas (TV story)}}.
* At sixteen days, ''The Church on Ruby Road'' marks the third shortest gap between a regeneration story and its follow-up, behind {{cs|The Power of the Daleks (TV story)}} at seven days and {{cs|The Twin Dilemma (TV story)}} at six days.
* At sixteen days, ''The Church on Ruby Road'' will mark the third shortest gap between a regeneration story and its followup, behind {{cs|The Power of the Daleks (TV story)}} at seven days and {{cs|The Twin Dilemma (TV story)}} at six days.
* "[[The Goblin Song (soundtrack)|The Goblin Song]]" was an original song for ''The Church on Ruby Road''. It was released ahead of the episode on [[11 December (releases)|11 December]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]] with proceeds going to [[Children in Need]].<ref>[https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/doctor-who-releases-christmas-single-the-goblin-song ''Doctor Who releases Christmas single, The Goblin Song'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref>
* "[[The Goblin Song (song)|The Goblin Song]]" is an original song for this episode. It was released ahead of the episode on [[11 December (releases)|11 December]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]] with proceeds going to [[Children in Need]].<ref>[https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/doctor-who-releases-christmas-single-the-goblin-song ''Doctor Who releases Christmas single, The Goblin Song'' on doctorwho.tv]</ref>
** The short story {{cs|A Message from Janis Goblin (short story)}} was released by [[BBC Studios]] on [[14 December (releases)|14 December]] 2023 to celebrate success of the song in the charts, also revealing the name of the singing goblin as [[Janis Goblin]], a play on [[Janis Joplin]].
** The short story {{cs|A Message from Janis Goblin (short story)}} was released by [[BBC Studios]] on [[14 December (releases)|14 December]] 2023 to celebrate success of the song in the charts, also revealing the name of the singing goblin as [[Janis Goblin]], a play on [[Janis Joplin|Janis ''Joplin'']].
** Davies clarified on Instagram that the goblin would be named "[[Janice (The Church on Ruby Road)|Janice]]" by the Doctor, as she resembles {{iw|muppets|Janice}} from ''[[The Muppet Show]]''.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/C0y-QG6tnMr/ @russelltdavies63 on instagram.com]</ref>
** The episode will also contain a rendition of "[[Carol of the Bells]]".<ref name="DWM 598"/>
*** Davies clarified on Instagram that the goblin would be named "[[Janice (The Church on Ruby Road)|Janice]]" by the Doctor, as she resembles {{iw|muppets|Janice}} from ''[[The Muppet Show]]''.<ref>[https://www.instagram.com/p/C0y-QG6tnMr/ @russelltdavies63 on instagram.com]</ref>
** [[Pixie Not]] is a pun on pop singer {{w|Pixie Lott}}, [[Ralph McTelf]] is a pun on folk singer-songwriter {{w|Ralph McTell}}, [[Bryan Fairy]] is a pun on pop-rock singer {{w|Bryan Ferry}}, and [[Gob Dylan]] is a pun on singer-songwriter [[Bob Dylan]].
** [[Pixie Not]] is a pun on pop singer {{w|Pixie Lott}}, [[Ralph McTelf]] is a pun on folk singer-songwriter {{w|Ralph McTell}}, [[Bryan Fairy]] is a pun on pop-rock singer {{w|Bryan Ferry}}, and [[Gob Dylan]] is a pun on singer-songwriter [[Bob Dylan]].
** While other original songs have been released with actors in character as the Doctor ([[Music|MUSIC:]] [[Who is the Doctor|Who is the Doctor?]]), this episode marks the first time both an incarnation of the Doctor and a companion have performed a musical number onscreen.
** While other original songs have been released with actors in character as the Doctor ([[Music]]: [[Who is the Doctor|Who is the Doctor?]]), ''The Church on Ruby Road'' marks the first time both an incarnation of the Doctor and a companion have performed a musical number on-screen.
* Davies felt inspired by the door opened by the inclusion of [[the Toymaker]] in the preceding episode {{cs|The Giggle (TV story)}} — as he deemed the Toymaker to be a fantasy character — so decided to include goblins, a traditional element of fantasy stories. He also sent the script to former showrunner [[Steven Moffat]], who had a surprised realisation about the unused potential of the species within ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="DWM 598"/>
* Davies felt inspired by the door opened by the inclusion of [[the Toymaker]] in the preceding episode {{cs|The Giggle (TV story)}} — as he deemed the Toymaker to be a fantasy character — so decided to include goblins, a traditional element of fantasy stories, in ''The Church on Ruby Road''. He also sent the script to former showrunner [[Steven Moffat]], who had a surprised realisation about the unused potential of the species within ''Doctor Who''.<ref name="DWM 598"/>
* This is the first episode that does not credit a white male performer as a regular cast member. Although [[William Hartnell]] was absent from ''[[Mission to the Unknown (TV story)|Mission to the Unknown]]'', he still received credit for contractual reasons.
* ''The Church on Ruby Road'' is the first episode that does not credit a white male performer as a regular cast member. Although [[William Hartnell]] was absent from ''[[Mission to the Unknown (TV story)|Mission to the Unknown]]'', he still received credit for contractual reasons.
* This is the first episode since ''[[Village of the Angels (TV story)|Village of the Angels]]'' to include a mid-credits scene, and the first Christmas special since ''[[Last Christmas (TV story)|Last Christmas]]'' to include one too.
* ''The Church on Ruby Road'' is the first episode since {{cs|Village of the Angels (TV story)}} to include a mid-credits scene, and the first Christmas special since {{cs|Last Christmas (TV story)}} to include one too.
* Although unremarked upon in the episode, the television series Davina McCall hosts is seemingly ''[[Long Lost Family]]'', a television series McCall hosts in real life.
* While scripted to be [[Henrik's, Central London|Henrik's]],<ref name="TCoRR script">[https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/doctor-who-2023-christmas-special-the-church-on-ruby-road-tan-revisions-280923.pdf ''Christmas Special - The Church On Ruby Road (2023)'' on bbc.co.uk]</ref> the department store in the final cut bears the branding of the real business, likely a budgetary constraint. This error is fixed in {{cs|The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)|the episode's novelisation|noital=1}}.
* The scene where the Doctor interacts with a policeman was the result of a suggestion by Disney, who felt that the Doctor needed more screen time early on in the episode.
 
=== Comparison between BBC and Disney+ versions ===
There are slight differences between the version broadcast on [[BBC One]] and the one shown on [[Disney+]]:
* The [[Whoniverse ident|''Whoniverse'' ident]] was shown at the beginning of the episode on the [[BBC]] version. However, on the Disney+ version, the [[BBC ident]] was shown.
* The [[Disney]] ident was shown at the end of the episode on the Disney+ version.
* Following [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] reveal scene, in the BBC version the Cast credits appears, followed by the [[mid-credits scene]] and then the rest of the end credits roll. In the Disney+ version [[Spring 2024 teaser|a short teaser]] is shown after the TARDIS reveal scene which is then followed by the mid-credits scene and then the full end credits roll.


=== Myths ===
=== Myths ===
Line 136: Line 457:


=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
* [[Notting Hill]] - {{w|Clifton, Bristol|Clifton}}, [[Bristol]]<ref name="bristolworld">[https://www.bristolworld.com/news/doctor-who-frederick-place-bristol-pictures-show-the-tardis-has-arrived-4017166 ''Doctor Who filming in Frederick Place Bristol - pictures show the Tardis has arrived'' on bristolworld.com]</ref>
* [[Notting Hill]] - {{w|Clifton, Bristol|Clifton}}, [[Bristol]]<ref name="bristolworld">[https://www.bristolworld.com/news/doctor-who-frederick-place-bristol-pictures-show-the-tardis-has-arrived-4017166 ''Doctor Who filming in Frederick Place Bristol - pictures show the Tardis has arrived'' on bristolworld.com]</ref><ref name="cultbox">[https://cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/russell-t-davies-talks-exciting-doctor-who-scenes-as-programme-films-in-bristol ''Russell T Davies talks “exciting” Doctor Who scenes as programme films in Bristol'' on cultbox.co.uk]</ref>
** [[Minto Road]] - Frederick Place, Bristol<ref name="bristolworld"/><ref>[https://twitter.com/BBCBristol/status/1733116434128023828 @BBCBristol on twitter.com]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1An-L78zyD0YCNNFDlUu6vGDOMNOCp2s&ll=51.43732484443776%2C-2.6240689000000095&z=12 ''Doctor Who in Bristol'' on google.com/maps]</ref>
** [[Minto Road]] - Frederick Place, Bristol<ref name="bristolworld"/><ref>[https://twitter.com/BBCBristol/status/1733116434128023828 @BBCBristol on twitter.com]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1An-L78zyD0YCNNFDlUu6vGDOMNOCp2s&ll=51.43732484443776%2C-2.6240689000000095&z=12 ''Doctor Who in Bristol'' on google.com/maps]</ref>
** [[Forbridge Street]] - Wetherell Place<ref name="bristolworld"/>
** [[Forbridge Street]] - Wetherell Place<ref name="bristolworld"/>
** Bruton Place/Park Place (where Ruby gets off a bus){{fact}}
* {{w|Kingsweston, Bristol|Kingsweston}}, [[Bristol]]
** {{w|Kings Weston House}} (Davina's bad luck)<ref name="cultbox"/>
* {{w|Nash, Newport|Nash}}, [[Newport]]
** [[St. Mary's Church]] - [[The Parish Church of Oldenhalt]]
* [[Cardiff]]
** [[Parkgate Hotel]] (interview with Ruby and Davina){{fact}}
** [[PRYZM Cardiff]] (now called Circuit) ([[Room 47]])<ref>[[DWM 598]] - ''[[The DWM Interview|Alien Superstar]]''</ref>
** [[The Golden Cross]] (the [[King's Arms, London|King's Arms]])<ref>{{Cite web
|url = https://cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/doctor-who-filming-with-ncuti-gatwa-at-two-venues-in-cardiff
|title = Doctor Who filming with Ncuti Gatwa at two venues in Cardiff
|author = Andrea Laford
|date of source = 9 February 2023
|website name = CultBox
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20231208151435/https://cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/doctor-who-filming-with-ncuti-gatwa-at-two-venues-in-cardiff
|archivedate=8 December 2023
}}</ref>
** House of Fraser, St. Mary's and Wharton Street (where the snowman falls on the Doctor){{fact}}


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
''to be added''
* 4.73 million viewers. (UK overnight)<ref name="Doctor Who overnight ratings">[https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/uk-doctor-who-ratings-2023-accumulator-99482.htm ''Doctor Who'' ratings - overnight figures]</ref>
 
* 7.59 million (UK final).<ref>[https://guide.doctorwhonews.net/info.php?detail=ratings&start=0&type=date&order= ''Doctor Who'' - final ratings in the UK]</ref>


=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
{{discontinuity}}
{{discontinuity}}
''to be added''
* The letters of the names in the [[title sequence]] for both [[Ncuti Gatwa]] and [[Millie Gibson]] do not render behind [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] as it spins past, and instead appear to pop up after the TARDIS has passed. In the case of Gibson's credit, this issue only affects her last name.
* In the pre-titles sequence where the Doctor travels back to 2004, the clock chimes midnight as he exits the TARDIS. When the scene is revisted later in the episode, it doesn't chime until after the Doctor spends several minutes saving Ruby.
* At the end, when Ruby turns and sees the TARDIS after talking to Mrs Flood, the stone street sign next to her head reads [[Frederick Place]], the real world street where the outdoor scenes were filmed, rather than [[Minto Road]] like other signage, which was the street in-universe.
* When Ruby enters the TARDIS for the second time and turns around to see the Doctor, the set clearly changed to the TARDIS interior set.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* Ruby Sunday was first mentioned in the short story {{cs|First Day of the Doctor (short story)}}, a story which contained a tantalisingly obscured snippet of the [[Fifteenth Doctor]]'s [[Fifteenth Doctor's diary|diary]].
* Ruby was first mentioned in the short story {{cs|First Day of the Doctor (short story)}}, a story which contained a snippet of the [[Fifteenth Doctor]]'s [[Fifteenth Doctor's diary|diary]].
* This is not the first story to depict a companion written by [[Russell T Davies]] being part of a band; [[Mickey Smith]] was part of the band [[No Hot Ashes]], as revealed in his {{cs|Rose (novelisation)|novelisation|noital=1}} of {{cs|Rose (TV story)}}, although this connection was not present in the original episode.
* This is not the first story to depict a companion written by [[Russell T Davies]] being part of a band; [[Mickey Smith]] was part of the band [[No Hot Ashes]], as revealed in his {{cs|Rose (novelisation)|novelisation|noital=1}} of {{cs|Rose (TV story)}}, although this connection was not present in the original episode.
* The Doctor is shown using [[The Doctor's psychic paper|psychic paper]], which debuted in {{cs|The End of the World (TV story)}}, and [[Fifteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver|a new sonic screwdriver]], which debuted in {{cs|The World Tree (audio story)}}.
** Furthermore, [[Trudy (The Church on Ruby Road)|Trudy]] was intended to be [[transgender]]<ref name="TCoRR script"/> and [[Sally Salter]], a member of Not Hot Ashes, is also transgender. Big Bone Bill is another member of No Hot Ashes, and in {{cs|The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)|the novelisation of ''The Church on Ruby Road''}}, another member of Ruby's band is revealed to be named [[Jim (The Church on Ruby Road)|Big Jim]].
* Ruby remarks that the Doctor appears to move so fast that he has teleported. The [[Twelfth Doctor]] similarly displayed a seemingly magical ability to teleport, as seen in [[TV]]: {{cs|Listen (TV story)}}.
* The [[First Doctor]] had previously been seen visited a nightclub during the events of [[TV]]: {{cs|The War Machines (TV story)}}, albeit only to meet up with [[Dodo Chaplet]] and not solely to enjoy himself.
* This story marks the first time the Doctor is seen wearing his new clothes, as he only wore part of the [[Fourteenth Doctor]]'s clothing earlier when last seen in {{cs|The Giggle (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor is shown using [[The Doctor's psychic paper|psychic paper]], which debuted in [[TV]]: {{cs|The End of the World (TV story)}} and [[Fifteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver|a new sonic screwdriver]], which debuted in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The World Tree (audio story)}}.
* [[Minto Road]] isn't original to ''The Church on Ruby Road'', as it was first mentioned by [[Mickey Smith]] in [[2005 (releases)|2005]]'s {{cs|The Parting of the Ways (TV story)}}. The [[Pizza place (The Parting of the Ways)|pizza place]] mentioned by Mickey in that episode is even indirectly seen, as Cherry has a flyer for it on her fridge, which names it [[Minto Pizza Alla Pala]].
* On the same fridge, there is a business card for [[Crossgate Cabs]], a fictional taxi service that was first seen in {{cs|The Sound of Drums (TV story)}}.
* The Fifteenth Doctor states that he created [[intelligent gloves]] to transfer his mass into the glove to prevent friction on his hands that was caused by mavitational pull when dangling in the air. [[Rose Tyler]] was a prime example of this occurring, with her hands suffering severe friction burns when suspended above [[World War II]] [[20th century London|London]] during [[the Blitz]] in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Empty Child (TV story)}}.
* ''The Church on Ruby Road'' continues the usage of "mavity", the new name for [[gravity]] after time was inadvertently altered by [[Donna Noble]] making a gravity pun at [[Isaac Newton]] during {{cs|Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor recalls how he is still learning the "new science" that Ruby claims is magic, recalling how the Fourteenth Doctor accidentally made previously mythical occurrences and creatures, like the goblin's existence and ability to time travel, possible when he cast a superstition at the [[edge of the universe]] during the events of [[TV]]: {{cs|Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor recalls how he is still learning the "new science" that Ruby claims is magic, recalling how the Fourteenth Doctor accidentally made previously mythical occurrences and creatures, like the goblin's existence and ability to time travel, possible when he cast a superstition at the [[edge of the universe]] during the events of [[TV]]: {{cs|Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)}}.
* "Mavity" is still a word instead of "gravity", as revealed when the Doctor explains his new gloves. The Fourteenth Doctor accidentally caused the title mavity to replace gravity in [[TV]]: {{cs|Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor once again mentions meeting [[Harry Houdini]], having claimed to have met and learned escapology from him before in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Highlanders (TV story)}}, {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}}, {{cs|Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)}}, {{cs|Planet of the Ood (TV story)}} and {{cs|The Witchfinders (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor mentions learning he was abandoned, as shown in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Timeless Children (TV story)}}. He remarks that he was also adopted, indicating his connection to [[Tecteun]], who was seen in {{cs|Survivors of the Flux (TV story)}}.
* Upon Ruby revealing she was abandoned as a baby, therefore not knowing her biological parents, the Doctor mentions "recently" learning he was adopted as being abandoned too, which the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] found out from the [[Spy Master]] in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Timeless Children (TV story)}} when he showed her [[the Matrix]]'s recordings of the [[Timeless Child]].  
* [[Minto Road]] isn't original to this episode, as it was first mentioned by [[Mickey Smith]] in [[2005 (releases)|2005]]'s {{cs|The Parting of the Ways (TV story)}}. The [[Pizza place (The Parting of the Ways)|pizza place]] mentioned by Mickey in that episode is even indirectly seen, as Cherry has a flyer for it on her fridge.
* Ruby is erased from reality shortly after cracks form along the Sunday family's apartment. [[Time field|Cracks]] have previously been a sign of an individual's erasure from history, as seen in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Eleventh Hour (TV story)}}, {{cs|Flesh and Stone (TV story)}} and {{cs|The Big Bang (TV story)}}.
* The Doctor once again mentions meeting [[Harry Houdini]], having claimed to have met him before in [[TV]]: {{cs|Planet of the Spiders (TV story)}} and {{cs|Planet of the Ood (TV story)}}.
* After Ruby is erased from reality, the Doctor displays an [[history-proofing|ability to remember her despite others forgetting]]. The [[Eleventh Doctor]] displayed this ability when [[Rory Williams]] was erased from existence in [[TV]]: {{cs|Cold Blood (TV story)}}. He explained in [[TV]]: {{cs|Flesh and Stone (TV story)}} and ''Cold Blood'' that this was because time travellers developed immunity to such effects so long as they did not affect their own timeline.
* When Ruby is erased from reality, the Doctor displays an ability to remember her despite others seemingly forgetting her. The [[Eleventh Doctor]] displayed this ability when [[Rory Williams]] was erased from existence in [[TV]]: {{cs|Cold Blood (TV story)}}. He once remarked this was because he was a complicated space time event that granted him unique immunity to such effects so long as it did not affect his own timeline in {{cs|Flesh and Stone (TV story)}}. Similarly, Carol cries when the Doctor tries to make her remember Ruby; [[Amy Pond]] also forgot Rory, but still had a residual awareness of him that caused her to cry upon the Doctor and Rory's [[Auton]] form pointing it out to her as displayed in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Pandorica Opens (TV story)}}.
* Carla cries when the Doctor tries to make her remember Ruby. [[Amy Pond]], after forgotting Rory, also had a residual awareness of him that caused her to cry, as displayed in [[TV]]: {{cs|The Pandorica Opens (TV story)}}.
* Ruby walks around the exterior of the TARDIS after seeing it is [[bigger on the inside]], in a similar reaction seen by [[Rose Tyler]] in [[TV]]: {{cs|Rose (TV story)}}, [[Donna Noble]] in  [[TV]]: {{cs|The Runaway Bride (TV story)}} and [[Clara Oswin Oswald]] in  [[TV]]: {{cs|The Snowmen (TV story)}}.
*The Doctor again argues that what another character perceives as magic is in fact science, as previously seen in [[TV]]: {{Cite source|The Dæmons (TV story)|''The Dæmons''}}, [[TV]]: {{Cite source|Horror of Fang Rock (TV story)|''Horror of Fang Rock''}} and [[PROSE]]: {{Cite source|The Knight, The Fool and The Dead (novel)|''The Knight, The Fool and The Dead''}}.
* The Doctor decyphers the rope language of the Goblins. The [[Seventh Doctor]] similarly decyphered the scent language of [[Vrill]] in [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Survival of the Fittest (audio story)}}.
* The events of this story were referenced in [[PROSE]]: {{cs|TARDIS Data File: Ruby Sunday (feature)}}.
* [[Goblin (Wonder Chase)|A Goblin]] from this story appears in [[GAME]]: {{cs|Wonder Chase (video game)}}.


== Home media releases ==
== Home media releases ==
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[[fr:The Church on Ruby Road (TV)]]

Latest revision as of 14:48, 4 November 2024

The Church on Ruby Road
Promotion
Gallery
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The Church on Ruby Road was the 2023 Christmas Special[1] and opening episode of season one of Doctor Who[2] broadcast on 25 December 2023.

It was the first full episode to feature the Fifteenth Doctor, as played by Ncuti Gatwa, and introduced audiences to the new companion, Ruby Sunday, as played by Millie Gibson, concluding the sixtieth anniversary year with the start of a brand new era, officialising the reboot of the series number.[2]

The Church on Ruby Road was the second time since the 2005 relaunch of Doctor Who that a Doctor's first full story was a Christmas Special, following the Tenth Doctor in The Christmas Invasion [+]Loading...["The Christmas Invasion (TV story)"].

The Church on Ruby Road also marked the return of the Christmas Specials to televised Doctor Who, having been absent since 2017's Twice Upon a Time [+]Loading...["Twice Upon a Time (TV story)"].

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

Long ago on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, stolen babies, goblins and perhaps the secret of her birth...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

"Once upon a time, late on Christmas Eve, a stranger came to the church on Ruby Road. She carried in her arms the most precious gift of all. A newborn child".

On Christmas Eve 2004, a baby girl was dropped off at a church on Ruby Road. Leaving as quickly as she arrived, the mother departed - nobody seeing who she was. This is witnessed by the Fifteenth Doctor, with tears streaming down his face.

On 1 December 2023, a series of accidents caused by unseen Goblins plagues the set of that girl, Ruby Sunday's, interview with Davina McCall for a television show. Davina is offering to help her find her birth parents, or someone else in her family if possible, by attempting to match a DNA sample from Ruby against various databases. As Davina tells Ruby that she does need to be realistic about the situation, a chain of falling, heavy studio lights nearly crash into Ruby, ending the interview early.

Three weeks later, on 22 December, as Ruby plays a small gig with her band, a small electrical mishap interrupts their performance as the Doctor watches on from the outskirts of the pub. The next day, Ruby encounters him at a nightclub, dancing one floor below her, before turning around and seeing him catch a glass of gin and tonic that she knocks over when it's not quite where she left it. He asks Ruby if she normally has bad luck, and she says that it's been happening for a while now. He departs, but follows her as she gets into a taxi with her friends. A Christmas snowman decoration hanging from a nearby building is poised to fall on the taxi. Using his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor changes the light at the intersection, prompting the taxi to drive on, just as the decoration collapses onto him. A policeman stops him as he leaves to take a statement, but the Doctor instead tells the man his girlfriend will accept his marriage proposal and leaves.

On Christmas Eve, Ruby returns to her home, a flat in 3 Minto Road, to see that her adopted mother, Carla Sunday, is fostering another new-born, a little baby named Lulubelle. Carla leaves "Lulu" in Ruby's care as she leaves to the store. As she walks out, Davina calls Ruby, and sadly informs her that they were unable to find any trace of anyone related to her. Ruby is saddened by the news, but accepts it. Davina then changes the subject, asking if Ruby been having any bad luck recently, as she's been having the worst rash of it, including falling off a boat on dry land, and remembers it started when she talked to Ruby. Davina, who is stuck in a wheelchair due to her numerous injuries, talks about how terrified she is as a nearby Christmas tree topples over on her, with the star heading directly for her head, and her phone cuts out.

Ruby hears noises over the baby monitor and heads into the other room, where she finds the crib empty and a photograph of a goblin resting underneath. She chases after the culprits out the skylight and finds goblins nestling Lulubelle in a basket dropped down from above a long ladder reaching up into the sky. The goblins scamper up as the basket is pulled up and the ladder begins to retract, prompting Ruby to jump on as it drifts away from her flat. The Doctor suddenly appears and yells after her as he bounds along the rooftop and jumps onto the ladder as well. As the ladder retracts further, the pair have difficulty holding on, so the Doctor pulls out a set of intelligent gloves, gloves that takes care of all of the friction and mavitational force that normally exist when climbing and transfer them all into the glove itself, away from the body. The pair are effortlessly pulled up with the rest of the ladder into a flying ship, where they promptly encounter a small horde of goblins that capture them and tie them up.

The Doctor begins to decipher the goings on of the goblins, chance, luck, and coincidence. He's not altogether clear on everything, but he's deducing that they are using luck to stitch Ruby into time ever so slightly more, make her more real, and then use the similarities between her and Lulubelle as seasoning for when they eat the latter. He manages to untie them both, but is unable at first to escape the room - everything is built with wood and rope, which his sonic screwdriver isn't effective on. But, after spending a small amount of time with the rigging, he likens it to wires and circuitry, untying knots as one would flip switches, triggering the right one to get them out of the room they were in and into a crawlspace above.

♪ He's the goblin king. Yes, the goblin king. He's not a myth, he's an actual thing. Here's the king. Here's the king. Here's the king. Here's the king goblin!. ♪

Lulubelle moves along a conveyor belt as the goblins sing about how the Goblin King is going to devour her, with the Doctor and Ruby crawling above and watching in horrified fascination as they frantically try to untie the right ropes. The Doctor makes a mistake, however, and causes himself and Ruby to fall on the conveyor themselves. The two grab the baby as the ropes above them continue to unravel, don their intelligent gloves and set them to reverse, taking a line of rigging and using it to descend back to the ground.

Escaping from the goblin horde, the Doctor and Ruby return Lulubelle to the flat. Thinking about accidents and bad luck, they dash around the flat to goblin-proof it. Carla returns, and, as the Doctor introduces himself, she acts concerned, not sure why they need a doctor. Frustrated, and trying to change the subject, Ruby tells Carla how the show called and they were unable to locate any of her family. The group mentions orphans and foundlings, and how the Doctor is one as well, which Carla notes as a coincidence, and, as discussion turns back to coincidences, the house shakes until the roof cracks in two, the Goblins having left.

"I was looking forward to it. Christmas Day, Mum's asleep by three, and I'll be all on my own. Why would I want a daughter when I'm happy as I am?".

The Doctor then looks around, and sees that Ruby has vanished. He dashes around the flat and outside looking for her, asking Carla and others, none of them having heard of her. He takes a deeper look around the flat and it is a far drearier place with no Christmas decorations, no pictures of Ruby or any other foster children. Carla is also far different; unhappy with her lot in life, resentful of having to take in Lulubelle on Christmas Eve and having fostered far fewer children and having only done so for the money, although she seems to subconsciously miss Ruby. The Doctor, brought to tears at witnessing these changes, dashes outside and into his TARDIS, dematerialising in front of Mrs Flood as he travels back to the night when Ruby was abandoned at the church.

In the snowy night, the Doctor sees the figure of Ruby's mother walking away, but he ignores her as he rushes towards the building. He chases after the goblin scaling the church with little Ruby, grabbing onto the ladder at the last second. The Doctor uses his intelligent gloves in reverse mode to pull the ship downwards, bit by bit, but finds it too slow to make a difference. In a last ditch effort, he jumps off the roof, pulling the ship down with him and impaling the Goblin King's stomach with the steeple, killing it. The ship and all in it vanish as the timeline is restored, and the Doctor catches baby Ruby as she falls from the ship and places her once again on the church's doorstep. Back at the TARDIS, the Doctor sees Ruby's mother in the distance, but does not go after her.

The Doctor returns to 2023 and rushes up to Ruby's flat to find her safe and sound, babbling about how they went back to take her so he had to go back. He then mentions that he forgot something else and dashes off again, running into his TARDIS as Mrs Flood watches from her front yard. The Doctor travels back to when Davina was about to have a Christmas tree fall on her and catches it, saving her life.

The Doctor returns once more to the present day to see Ruby, but thinks better of it, feeling that he might be the one who brought bad luck to her and her family. Ruby and Carla talk about the Doctor, Carla just finding him crazy, and Ruby trying to contextualise the day she's just had. It dawns on her that the Doctor is a time traveller, and she kisses her adopted mother and dashes out of the door. Looking around on the street, she asks Mrs Flood if she's seen the Doctor, and Mrs Flood points to the TARDIS over the road. Ruby enters it, after a wish of luck from Mrs Flood, to find the Doctor leaning on the railing in the console room, ready to welcome her aboard.

"Never seen a Tardis before?".

As the TARDIS dematerialises, another one of Ruby's neighbours comes up to Mrs Flood and panics about how a box has just vanished in front of them. She tells him to stop making such a fuss and then, as he walks away, asks the audience, "Never seen a TARDIS before?"

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ruby Sunday[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • At the nightclub, the Doctor is wearing a kilt and very briefly dances with a man.
  • The Doctor has invented "intelligent gloves" because he spends a lot of time hanging off things. These need to be recharged after usage.
  • The Doctor jokes he wishes he was called Lulubelle because it is a brilliant name.
  • The Doctor quickly learns the language of the Goblins, and he already knows how to "speak" the rope language.
  • The Doctor has once spend a "long, hot summer" with Harry Houdini, who taught the Doctor how to untie himself.
  • The Doctor demonstrates his singing abilities.

London[[edit] | [edit source]]

Minto Road[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

"Season's Streamings" promo image providing the story's title.[1]
  • The title of the story was officially announced by the official Disney+ Twitter account in a "Season's Streamings" promotional image on 6 November 2023,[1] ahead of any BBC announcements.
    • This marks the return of the Christmas Specials; in the instalment of Russell T Davies's column Letter from the Showrunner printed in DWM 585, Davies had stated that a "Christmas Special" would be returning as the format of the first full episode of the Fifteenth Doctor's tenure, although clarifying that he considered the term to be synonymous with the Festive Specials. The Disney+ announcement clarified that The Church on Ruby Road will be a traditional Christmas Special.
    • The first BBC acknowledgement of the title came in a press release on doctorwho.tv on 30 November 2023, revealing minor plot and casting details.[5]
  • The preview of The Church on Ruby Road released in DWM 598 revealed a teaser of the plot and a snippet of dialogue between the Doctor and Ruby.[6]
  • The non-fiction feature The Next Doctor [+]Loading...["The Next Doctor (feature)"], published in Doctor Who The Official Annual 2024 on 7 September 2023, teased the casting of Dobson and Greenidge; the feature also hinted that the doors in the promotional images may have significance.
  • The Church on Ruby Road is the first time in the revived series that a Doctor's first Christmas special does not include "Christmas" in the title, following The Christmas Invasion [+]Loading...["The Christmas Invasion (TV story)"], A Christmas Carol [+]Loading...["A Christmas Carol (TV story)"], and Last Christmas [+]Loading...["Last Christmas (TV story)"].
  • At sixteen days, The Church on Ruby Road marks the third shortest gap between a regeneration story and its follow-up, behind The Power of the Daleks [+]Loading...["The Power of the Daleks (TV story)"] at seven days and The Twin Dilemma [+]Loading...["The Twin Dilemma (TV story)"] at six days.
  • "The Goblin Song" was an original song for The Church on Ruby Road. It was released ahead of the episode on 11 December 2023 with proceeds going to Children in Need.[8]
  • Davies felt inspired by the door opened by the inclusion of the Toymaker in the preceding episode The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"] — as he deemed the Toymaker to be a fantasy character — so decided to include goblins, a traditional element of fantasy stories, in The Church on Ruby Road. He also sent the script to former showrunner Steven Moffat, who had a surprised realisation about the unused potential of the species within Doctor Who.[6]
  • The Church on Ruby Road is the first episode that does not credit a white male performer as a regular cast member. Although William Hartnell was absent from Mission to the Unknown, he still received credit for contractual reasons.
  • The Church on Ruby Road is the first episode since Village of the Angels [+]Loading...["Village of the Angels (TV story)"] to include a mid-credits scene, and the first Christmas special since Last Christmas [+]Loading...["Last Christmas (TV story)"] to include one too.
  • Although unremarked upon in the episode, the television series Davina McCall hosts is seemingly Long Lost Family, a television series McCall hosts in real life.
  • While scripted to be Henrik's,[10] the department store in the final cut bears the branding of the real business, likely a budgetary constraint. This error is fixed in the episode's novelisation [+]Loading...{"noital":"1","1":"The Church on Ruby Road (novelisation)","2":"the episode's novelisation"}.
  • The scene where the Doctor interacts with a policeman was the result of a suggestion by Disney, who felt that the Doctor needed more screen time early on in the episode.

Comparison between BBC and Disney+ versions[[edit] | [edit source]]

There are slight differences between the version broadcast on BBC One and the one shown on Disney+:

  • The Whoniverse ident was shown at the beginning of the episode on the BBC version. However, on the Disney+ version, the BBC ident was shown.
  • The Disney ident was shown at the end of the episode on the Disney+ version.
  • Following the TARDIS reveal scene, in the BBC version the Cast credits appears, followed by the mid-credits scene and then the rest of the end credits roll. In the Disney+ version a short teaser is shown after the TARDIS reveal scene which is then followed by the mid-credits scene and then the full end credits roll.

Myths[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • 4.73 million viewers. (UK overnight)[17]
  • 7.59 million (UK final).[18]

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • The letters of the names in the title sequence for both Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson do not render behind the TARDIS as it spins past, and instead appear to pop up after the TARDIS has passed. In the case of Gibson's credit, this issue only affects her last name.
  • In the pre-titles sequence where the Doctor travels back to 2004, the clock chimes midnight as he exits the TARDIS. When the scene is revisted later in the episode, it doesn't chime until after the Doctor spends several minutes saving Ruby.
  • At the end, when Ruby turns and sees the TARDIS after talking to Mrs Flood, the stone street sign next to her head reads Frederick Place, the real world street where the outdoor scenes were filmed, rather than Minto Road like other signage, which was the street in-universe.
  • When Ruby enters the TARDIS for the second time and turns around to see the Doctor, the set clearly changed to the TARDIS interior set.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Ruby was first mentioned in the short story First Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["First Day of the Doctor (short story)"], a story which contained a snippet of the Fifteenth Doctor's diary.
  • This is not the first story to depict a companion written by Russell T Davies being part of a band; Mickey Smith was part of the band No Hot Ashes, as revealed in his novelisation [+]Loading...{"noital":"1","1":"Rose (novelisation)","2":"novelisation"} of Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (TV story)"], although this connection was not present in the original episode.
  • The First Doctor had previously been seen visited a nightclub during the events of TV: The War Machines [+]Loading...["The War Machines (TV story)"], albeit only to meet up with Dodo Chaplet and not solely to enjoy himself.
  • The Doctor is shown using psychic paper, which debuted in TV: The End of the World [+]Loading...["The End of the World (TV story)"] and a new sonic screwdriver, which debuted in AUDIO: The World Tree [+]Loading...["The World Tree (audio story)"].
  • Minto Road isn't original to The Church on Ruby Road, as it was first mentioned by Mickey Smith in 2005's The Parting of the Ways [+]Loading...["The Parting of the Ways (TV story)"]. The pizza place mentioned by Mickey in that episode is even indirectly seen, as Cherry has a flyer for it on her fridge, which names it Minto Pizza Alla Pala.
  • On the same fridge, there is a business card for Crossgate Cabs, a fictional taxi service that was first seen in The Sound of Drums [+]Loading...["The Sound of Drums (TV story)"].
  • The Fifteenth Doctor states that he created intelligent gloves to transfer his mass into the glove to prevent friction on his hands that was caused by mavitational pull when dangling in the air. Rose Tyler was a prime example of this occurring, with her hands suffering severe friction burns when suspended above World War II London during the Blitz in TV: The Empty Child [+]Loading...["The Empty Child (TV story)"].
  • The Church on Ruby Road continues the usage of "mavity", the new name for gravity after time was inadvertently altered by Donna Noble making a gravity pun at Isaac Newton during Wild Blue Yonder [+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"].
  • The Doctor recalls how he is still learning the "new science" that Ruby claims is magic, recalling how the Fourteenth Doctor accidentally made previously mythical occurrences and creatures, like the goblin's existence and ability to time travel, possible when he cast a superstition at the edge of the universe during the events of TV: Wild Blue Yonder [+]Loading...["Wild Blue Yonder (TV story)"].
  • The Doctor once again mentions meeting Harry Houdini, having claimed to have met and learned escapology from him before in TV: The Highlanders [+]Loading...["The Highlanders (TV story)"], Planet of the Spiders [+]Loading...["Planet of the Spiders (TV story)"], Revenge of the Cybermen [+]Loading...["Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)"], Planet of the Ood [+]Loading...["Planet of the Ood (TV story)"] and The Witchfinders [+]Loading...["The Witchfinders (TV story)"].
  • Upon Ruby revealing she was abandoned as a baby, therefore not knowing her biological parents, the Doctor mentions "recently" learning he was adopted as being abandoned too, which the Thirteenth Doctor found out from the Spy Master in TV: The Timeless Children [+]Loading...["The Timeless Children (TV story)"] when he showed her the Matrix's recordings of the Timeless Child.  
  • Ruby is erased from reality shortly after cracks form along the Sunday family's apartment. Cracks have previously been a sign of an individual's erasure from history, as seen in TV: The Eleventh Hour [+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"], Flesh and Stone [+]Loading...["Flesh and Stone (TV story)"] and The Big Bang [+]Loading...["The Big Bang (TV story)"].
  • After Ruby is erased from reality, the Doctor displays an ability to remember her despite others forgetting. The Eleventh Doctor displayed this ability when Rory Williams was erased from existence in TV: Cold Blood [+]Loading...["Cold Blood (TV story)"]. He explained in TV: Flesh and Stone [+]Loading...["Flesh and Stone (TV story)"] and Cold Blood that this was because time travellers developed immunity to such effects so long as they did not affect their own timeline.
  • Carla cries when the Doctor tries to make her remember Ruby. Amy Pond, after forgotting Rory, also had a residual awareness of him that caused her to cry, as displayed in TV: The Pandorica Opens [+]Loading...["The Pandorica Opens (TV story)"].
  • Ruby walks around the exterior of the TARDIS after seeing it is bigger on the inside, in a similar reaction seen by Rose Tyler in TV: Rose [+]Loading...["Rose (TV story)"], Donna Noble in  TV: The Runaway Bride [+]Loading...["The Runaway Bride (TV story)"] and Clara Oswin Oswald in  TV: The Snowmen [+]Loading...["The Snowmen (TV story)"].
  • The Doctor again argues that what another character perceives as magic is in fact science, as previously seen in TV: The Dæmons [+]Loading...["The Dæmons (TV story)","''The Dæmons''"], TV: Horror of Fang Rock [+]Loading...["Horror of Fang Rock (TV story)","''Horror of Fang Rock''"] and PROSE: The Knight, The Fool and The Dead [+]Loading...["The Knight, The Fool and The Dead (novel)","''The Knight, The Fool and The Dead''"].
  • The Doctor decyphers the rope language of the Goblins. The Seventh Doctor similarly decyphered the scent language of Vrill in AUDIO: Survival of the Fittest [+]Loading...["Survival of the Fittest (audio story)"].
  • The events of this story were referenced in PROSE: TARDIS Data File: Ruby Sunday [+]Loading...["TARDIS Data File: Ruby Sunday (feature)"].
  • A Goblin from this story appears in GAME: Wonder Chase [+]Loading...["Wonder Chase (video game)"].

Home media releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

Main article: The Church on Ruby Road (TV story)/Gallery

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 @DisneyPlus on twitter.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Church on Ruby Road on doctorwho.tv
  3. ↑ https://bleedingcool.com/tv/doctor-who-is-susan-twist-playing-the-same-secret-character/
  4. ↑ https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-christmas-2023-cast-characters/
  5. ↑ Doctor Who lands on Christmas Day 2023 with ‘The Church on Ruby Road’ on doctorwho.tv
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 DWM 598 - Preview of The Church on Ruby Road, Pages 18-19
  7. ↑ DWM 598 - Sunday Best, Page 32-34
  8. ↑ Doctor Who releases Christmas single, The Goblin Song on doctorwho.tv
  9. ↑ @russelltdavies63 on instagram.com
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Christmas Special - The Church On Ruby Road (2023) on bbc.co.uk
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Doctor Who filming in Frederick Place Bristol - pictures show the Tardis has arrived on bristolworld.com
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Russell T Davies talks “exciting” Doctor Who scenes as programme films in Bristol on cultbox.co.uk
  13. ↑ @BBCBristol on twitter.com
  14. ↑ Doctor Who in Bristol on google.com/maps
  15. ↑ DWM 598 - Alien Superstar
  16. ↑ Andrea Laford (9 February 2023). Doctor Who filming with Ncuti Gatwa at two venues in Cardiff. CultBox. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Doctor Who ratings - overnight figures
  18. ↑ Doctor Who - final ratings in the UK
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