Doctor Who - Christmas Special 2014 - Recap: Here Comes Santa Claus

But even without the "it was all a dream!" twist, the episode is still striking and ominous, despite being rather whimsical at the same time. I say "ominous" because it manages to be one of the scarier episodes in some time, owing in large part to the horrific crab creatures that represent the big threat in this North Pole adventure. The crabs target its victims brains, leaving them wondering what's real and what's a dream, which is terrifying enough in an episode that's already as surreal as this one, since one of the lead supporting characters in this romp is Jolly Ol' St. Nick himself, Santa Claus (Nick Frost). In a lot of ways, this adventure owes a lot to popular creature features and siege movies of years past. In at least one instance, the show openly acknowledges this by making references to the movie Alien. And the story itself seems to be a self-referential sort of tale, harking back to other horror-themed adventures like "Kill The Moon" or "Mummy On the Orient Express," both of which were siege-type episodes confined largely to one central location (and both of which were directed by tonight's helmer, Paul Wilmshurst). "Last Christmas" expands on this trope by becoming a sort of Christmas-themed The Thing, as The Doctor (Peter Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) team up with Santa to defend against a snow-bound lab against alien abominations. Because there are few things as genuinely unsettling as creepy crawlers screwing with your mind and lulling you into a false sense of security with impossibly happy dreams.

Credit: BBC

Of course, beyond the amusingly eerie nature of its central plot, there was a lot I enjoyed about "Last Christmas," such as the dynamic between the characters. Faye Marsay is absolutely wonderful as Shona, a potential future companion who serves as an instantly memorable foil to Santa, who serves as a compelling foil to The Doctor himself, as they are both ancient travelers of a sort, but not a whole lot like one another otherwise. I also loved the cameo appearance by Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), who reminds The Doctor that he didn't die saving the world, he died saving Clara. "You all just got lucky," he adds, in one of the more badass line readings of the season. But I would be remiss if I didn't single out Nick Frost, for his terrifically measured performance. His Santa is equal parts ridiculous, warm and formidable as an on-screen presence opposite Capaldi's Doctor. It's one of my favorite guest performances on the show in some time, and it helps that the writing for the character is so on-point. He's given some great back-and-forth with Shona, and he's also got some great one-liners of his own (“This is a dream. How much more obvious do you want me to make it? I can text the Easter Bunny.”). I'd love to see Frost back at some point, even during the regular season, away from the context of Christmas episodes (despite the holiday context of the character). He's such an affable persona that I kind of wish he could be a regular companion. The notion of Santa traveling with The Doctor is utterly ludicrous, but in that delightful way only this show can pull off. But, at the very least, I think Shona will probably be back, in much the same way the Paternoster Gang is semi-recurring. And I have absolutely no problem with that at all.

Credit: BBC

However, if I do have one problem with the episode, it's in the central relationship between The Doctor and Clara. While I've grown to really enjoy the pairing, and even though I'm kind of happy the rumors about Jenna Coleman leaving turned out not to be true, I'm not sure how many times the show can milk a potential break-up between these two. Every time an adventure is touted as possibly being the last for this pairing, their relationship is inevitably renewed, and while it's always poignant and moving, I feel like it's a little less effective each time the show goes this route. The reveal of elderly Clara was quite emotional (as emotional as the aging makeup was well-done, for once), and her determination not to wakeup from her dream with Danny, even while recognizing that it's slowly killing her, is unmistakably powerful. And even The Doctor getting his second chance to have Clara back as a companion does a great job of softening the edges of what's been an acerbic, occasionally off-putting version of The Doctor. But I feel like we've been here before. It's all very well-done, of course, but it simply comes across as a bit of a retread, as The Doctor and Clara work to hash out their troubled pairing. Really, the most effective part of all of this is the Inception-like dreams-within-dreams narrative, since it embraces the inherent outlandishness of a Doctor Who Christmas special by giving us another ambitious story to anchor the character work at its heart.

Credit: BBC

Ultimately, I enjoyed "Last Christmas" for what it was, an adventurous romp that served as an homage to siege movies and horror classics of years past. The Doctor and Clara's relationship got enough attention to build on the dark events of the Season 8 finale, while also giving us the levity of Nick Frost's Santa Claus. And Faye Marsay would be a welcome presence, should she ever return to the series. Doctor Who often serves up heavier Christmas episodes than most other dramas, but that's part of their charm. And, occasionally, their effectiveness.