Doctor Who: Has Christmas Been Cancelled?

Has Christmas been cancelled?


Well, for Doctor Who, yeah, it looks like it.


There were concerns going into the Chris Chibnall era of Doctor Who about the fate of a Christmas Special for 2018. The notorious cone of silence surround the production of Series 11 offered few clues about anything. But there was a feeling something might be off regarding a Yuletide adventure with the Doctor under Chibnall.


Steven Moffat and Peter Capaldi had extended their stays on Doctor Who for one more episode to make sure Doctor Who had a Christmas special for 2017 due to Chris Chibnall not wanting to start his run with a Christmas special. Or was there more to it than that?


Does Chris Chibnall hate Christmas?


Well, maybe not. Back on July 19, 2018, a news story reported that a Doctor Who Christmas special would be arriving for 2018.  


The news story cites that Chris Chibnall confirmed the return of the special at San Diego Comic-Con: “We seem to be filming 11 episodes, and it’s only a series of 10,” 


Executive producer Matt Strevens said: “I don’t know what happened. It’s a show about space and time, so it’s all quite abstract.”



“I would definitely think there’s another episode after the end of the series, yeah,” Chibnall concluded.


Please note that neither Chibnall nor Strevens ever said anything about a Christmas special.  Just that after the 10 episodes of Series 11, there would be another episode after that.


The reports last week were more emphatic. There would not be a Doctor Who Christmas special for 2018. 


This should not be a surprise.  


1) The Christmas specials have endured falling ratings for years.  


2) The Christmas specials have had less and less to do with actual Christmas. Take the last three specials: The Husbands of River Song, the Return of Doctor Mysterio and Twice Upon A Time. Any references to Christmas are cursory and shoehorned into to remind us it is indeed Christmas. These particular episodes were enjoyable and among my favorites but they are just bonus episodes that could air at almost anytime, perhaps on a day that doesn't have to compete with everything else that happens on Christmas Day.


The first Christmas special in 2005 made sense. With only 1 season under its belt, the revived Doctor Who was dealt an unexpected blow when Christopher Eccelston decided to leave the show. With the show only just revived and with a new Doctor in the form of David Tennant, I imagine there was some urgency to get the new Doctor in front of people sooner than later.


After that, Doctor Who Christmas specials had as a driving purpose, well, we did one last year.  It became expected to have new Doctor Who on Christmas Day.


The Doctor Who Christmas special was no longer... special. 


 The rumor now is that if there really is an 11th episode as Chibnall teased at Comic Con, it may air on New Year's Day, 2019.


And if you're bummed about Doctor Who noting getting a Christmas special in 2018, you will not want to hear about the rumor that Series 12 may not debut until 2020.


What?!?!?


So far, it's just a rumor. Here's hoping that one does not pan out. 


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For tomorrow's Doctor Who post:


Doctor WHO? Who is the Doctor really?  


Tomorrow, the secret history of the secret history of the Doctor!