Doctor Who’s “Joy to the World” belongs to a specific group of Christmas specials for an unfortunate reason, but the festive installment in 2025 can easily break away from the predictable trend.All theDoctor WhoChristmas specials(and New Year specials under Chris Chibnall’s reign) hold an interesting place in the show’s timeline. Because they’re one-off installments, they need to include high-paced action while also maintaining the spirit of the holidays. However, there’s often a behind-the-scenes hurdle that needs to be overcome at the same time.
AlthoughDoctor Who’s classic erararely acknowledged Christmas, the festival specials have been a big hallmark of the show since its 2005 revival.Doctor Who’s modern erahas taken the Doctor through several holiday tropes to varying degrees of success, but the person by his side can often be an unfamiliar face. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does highlight a repetitive streak that must come to an end in December 2025.
The Doctor is often downbeat in Christmas specials due to a friend leaving the TARDIS
Although 2005’s “The Christmas Invasion” has Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler make the transition between two Doctors, many of the December specials that have followed David Tennant’s debut as Ten have had the Time Lord quietly mourning the loss or departure of a previous companion. For example,Ten had just lost Rose to a parallel dimension immediately before the events of 2006’s “Runaway Bride.“In 2007, “Voyage of the Damned” shows Ten making a comment to Kylie Minogue’s Astrid Peth about how it’s best that he travels alone, after Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) chooses to leave the TARDIS.
Although it makes sense that the Doctor wouldn’t be in the best of spirits, it starts to get repetitive.
The trend even made the jump to Matt Smith’s era as Eleven, when he was quite clearly upset by the loss of Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) in 2012’s “The Snowmen.” Unfortunately,theDoctor WhoChristmas specials often fall between seasons, when a previous companion commonly steps away. So, although it makes sense that the Doctor wouldn’t be in the best of spirits, it starts to get repetitive. With Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday staying behind with her family at theend ofDoctor Whoseason 14, “Joy to the World” will also feature a morose Doctor.
Varada Sethu Must Stay Beyond Doctor Who Season 15 To Avoid The Same Trap
Sethu is confirmed to be playing a new character rather than reprising her “Boom” role
Although “Joy to the World” will temporarily installBridgertonstar Nichola Coughlan as Fifteen’s sidekick,Varada Sethu’s Belinda Chandra is set to take over from Rubyas the Doctor’s primary companion when season 15 begins in 2025. It’s far too soon to know whether Sethu will remain in her role after the end of next season, but if she does, then she will be able to avoid the Doctor’s feeling of loss in 2025’s Christmas special - unlessDoctor Whohas something dark in store for Ruby’s confirmed return.
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Doctor Who: Released on August 05, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
