The Christmas Invasion (TV story): Difference between revisions

Narratively, it continued the story of [[Harriet Jones]], started the [[Torchwood Institute|Torchwood]] [[story arc]] and involved [[UNIT]] in its first major appearance in the new series.

== Synopsis ==

=== The Doctor ===

* The leader of the Sycorax slices off [[the Doctor's hand]]. However, the Doctor regenerates the hand, as he is still in the first 15 hours of his regeneration cycle.

=== Organisations ===

* The Doctor uses a [[satsuma]] (also found in the pocket of Howard's bathrobe) to defeat the Sycorax Leader.

* [[Luke Parsons]] is an A positive.

== Story notes ==

* This is the first episode of ''Doctor Who ''to air on a Sunday.

* David Tennant is credited as "The Doctor", as opposed to [[Christopher Eccleston]] who was credited as "Doctor Who". The change in the credit was done at Tennant's request.

* The "middle eight" section of [[Doctor Who theme|the theme tune]] is restored in this episode and is heard for the first time in the revived series.

* Before this episode was broadcast, a fictional tie-in website for the ''[http://www.guinevere.org.uk Guinevere One]'' project was created and launched by the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]]. The site includes an introduction by Harriet Jones and an interview with the project director, [[Professor]] [[Daniel Llewellyn]]. The site claims that the probe was developed by the [[British Rocket Group]]. The organisation's logo partially appears in this episode, in the televised press conference with Professor Llewellyn. The name of the organisation was first mentioned in ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]'' and is a reference to the British Experimental Rocket Group from the ''[[Bernard Quatermass|Quatermass]]'' science fiction serials of the 1950s. David Tennant had previously starred in the 2005 BBC live remake of {{wi|The Quatermass Experiment (2005)|The Quatermass Experiment}} as Doctor Gordon Briscoe, and Quatermass' first line to Briscoe was changed by actor Jason Flemyng during the broadcast from "Good to have you back, Gordon" to "Good to have you back, ''Doctor''" — Tennant's casting as the Doctor was announced two weeks after ''Quatermass'' went to air, and his castmates would have been aware of the speculation during rehearsals.

* The Tenth Doctor speaks with an accent similar to Rose's but unlike the Ninth Doctor's Northern one. In a radio interview broadcast on 23 December 2005, Tennant explained that a line of dialogue had been scripted for this episode which explained that the newly regenerated Doctor had imprinted on Rose's accent, "like a chick hatching from an egg", but the line was deleted from the final episode.

* According to press reports{{fact}} released before this episode was broadcast, producer [[Russell T Davies]] stated that he believed Christmas specials should include traditional Christmas items such as sleigh bells, [[snow]], [[reindeer]], and [[Santa Claus|Santa]].

* One of the outfits considered by the Doctor in the wardrobe is the costume worn by David Tennant in his previous role as Casanova in {{w|Casanova (2005 TV serial)|the eponymous television serial}}.

* When the Doctor is leaving the wardrobe near the end of the episode, a long coat and long yellow and red scarf (possibly [[The Doctor's scarf|Tom Baker's famous scarf]]) can be seen hanging from the very hat rack that appeared in the TARDIS in the Tom Baker years.

* This marks the first time in the new series that any room in the TARDIS other than the console room is seen on-screen.

* In a scene filmed for the episode, but deleted before broadcast (though included on the DVD), the Doctor attempts to utter his predecessor's catchphrase, "Fantastic!" but due to his "new teeth" (ref. his comments at the end of ''The Parting of the Ways'') finds it initially impossible to do so. This scene was intended to set up the final scene of the episode in which the new Doctor finally utters the word, "Fantastic!"

* A signal intrusion incident that occurred in Chicago during an airing of the [[Fourth Doctor]] serial ''[[Horror of Fang Rock (TV story)|Horror of Fang Rock]]'' is referenced by Harriet Jones' aide Alex when he says the official story of the Sycorax appearing via the probe is because of "a mask, some sort of prosthetic. Students hijacking the signal."

* After the Doctor changes his clothes and looks in the mirror, the TARDIS doors are behind it leaving a possible indication that they used the same set as the TARDIS console room.

* When Mickey calls Rose to check out the military broadcast of the Sycorax ship, you can see for a split-second the video player playing the broadcast, revealing that it was not green-screened, but a video playing on the computer.

* When proclaiming his new form to be "lucky", the Doctor is facing towards the Sycorax ship, but when mentioning being in the first 15 hours of his regenerative cycle, he is facing away from the Sycorax ship. He is facing the ship again when his hand regrows.

== Footnotes ==

{{reflist}}

{{DWTV}}

{{Christmas specials}}

{{UNIT stories}}

{{TitleSort}}

[[Category:Doctor Who (2005) television stories]]

[[Category:Tenth Doctor television stories]]

[[Category:Torchwood Institute stories]]

[[Category:SH ok]]

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