Doctor Who fans divided over ‘controversial’ Christmas episode
This year’s Christmas episode of Doctor Who, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, has divided fans, with some criticising it for having a “controversial” ending while others have said it left them “sobbing.” The episode, which aired on Christmas Day, has the Doctor uncovering the Time Hotel, where guests can travel through hotel door portals to any point in history for a time travelling mini break.
Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan co-stars as Joy, who checks into a London hotel on Christmas Eve and inadvertently ends up joining the Doctor on his adventure. It becomes a battle to save the world when they realise that the weapons manufacturer Villengard, last seen in the 2024 episode Boom, has smuggled a star seed into the hotel which will obliterate everything when it becomes a star.
In the end, Joy, who is mourning her mother who died at Christmas during the Covid pandemic, sacrifices herself. She embraces the star and becomes one with it, and it is then revealed that she has become the star that shines over Bethlehem at the birth of Jesus.
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Some fans found the ending, in which it is also hinted that Joy’s mother’s spirit has reunited with her daughter, to be very moving, with one viewer writing: “It was beautiful. A wonderful timey wimey journey with new friends. I enjoyed every second of it.” A second commented: “I’m crying hard right now,” and a third said: “Joy to the World is one of the best Doctor Who Christmas specials. I’m not crying, you are.” A fourth added: “This year’s Christmas special was so sweet, I loved it!” while another fan said: “I’ll just say as a born and bred catholic who distanced themselves from religion but who still has a lot of unresolved religious trauma, the joy to the world ending made me sob uncontrollably.”
The religious implications of the ending did not appeal to everyone, however. One viewer commented: “This 'Christmas Special' 'Joy to the World', literally is a direct mockery of Christianity and will offend a lot of people,” while another noted “The controversial ending I can see people NOT liking.” Another viewer didn’t hold back on their opinion, saying: “As someone who has been watching Doctor Who since 1963, last night’s episode wasn’t just the worst Christmas special ever, but the worst episode ever! Utter drivel.”
Fans were also disappointed that Nicola Coughlan’s Joy was not as heavily featured in the episode as expected. “Joy’s character feels surprisingly weak,” wrote one, as another agreed: “Nicola was sadly underused,” and a third said: “Ncuti Gatwa was on good form, Nicola Coughlan was wasted though.”
