lukepic123 I was waiting the whole episode for that line form Catherine Tate. Now casting her as a doctor who assistant was a bit of an error on the director of casting. After watching that series of Catherine Tate show i just could not take her seriously. The Tardis going down the motorway was also a bit daft! I hope the rest of the series will be better than this, story was stupid too. Its been through the good old throw in a bad joke and you get some ratings thing. Another major disappointment was seeing the stupid Santa clause robots, we have seen them once I wanted something new! Oh well, better luck next time doctor. Looking forward to series 3.

DVD_Connoisseur As the end credits rolled on Christmas Day, I was left feeling distinctly underwhelmed by "The Runaway Bride". Following the previous Christmas special ("The Christmas Invasion"), I had high expectations. Unfortunately, the 2006 special is something of a damp squib although it does have its moments.The usually horrendously annoying Catherine Tate appears as The Doctor's temporary companion following the loss of Rose Tyler at the end of the last season. I've never understood the appeal of Ms. Tate and this production has done little to shed any light on this mystery. Her early scenes are ham-fisted and poorly executed. However, by the end of this story, Tate has partially redeemed herself as she does bring moments of comedy to the proceedings.There are some saving graces for this production. Firstly, David Tennant is as entertaining as always. Long may his travels in the TARDIS continue - he's going to be a very tough act to follow. Tennant reveals a little more of what makes his Doctor tick in "The Runaway Bride". I have no doubts that the best is yet to come.Secondly, there is the excellent and genuinely exciting TARDIS chase scene. I won't say anymore but this was a spectacular set-piece and it showed just how far the production values have improved.Although my initial reaction to this special is one of disappointment, it's far from being a total disaster. For a Christmas episode, though, this lacked festive sparkle and left me feeling more than a tad disappointed. However, this is a Doctor caught in the midst of change and the tone reflects this. Even Russell T. Davies' script seemed without its usual magic and zest, although there are a few sizzling one-liners. Previous (brief) Xmas enemies were shoe-horned into the production without really adding anything to plot-development. The script seemed a little dull and director Euros Lyn fails to set proceedings truly alight although there are some memorable scenes.The usually easy-on-the-eye Sarah Parish is practically unrecognisable as the evil Empress Of Rachnos. 10 out of 10 for the effects guys, they've done a sterling job in creating this new spider-monster. Parish herself is a lot of fun and fills her screen time with an over-the-top but successful and likable performance. It's a shame her appearance is limited - she's a very watchable villain with a wicked sense of humour.The delightfully pretty Krystal Archer appears briefly as Tate's nemesis, Nerys and makes the most of her small role. Don Gilet is also amusing as "The Runaway Bride"'s fiancée, Lance. As a stop-gap between series, "The Runaway Bride" serves its purpose. I imagine, though, that Tennant's Doctor will weep with relief that his next long-term companion isn't Catherine Tate.As a teaser, the episode finishes with a tantalising glimpse of the next series. Although a fleeting compilation of scenes can be deceptive, the next series looks simply amazing and promises the return of some familiar characters.

ShadeGrenade With 'The Christmas Invasion' in 2005, 'Dr.Who' effectively displaced 'Only Fools & Horses' as the 'must-see' B.B.C. Christmas Day programme. The king is dead, long live the king. With Billie Piper gone, 'The Runaway Bride' needed to be good - fortunately, it was. Very good indeed.Beginning with secretary Donna Noble being spirited away from her wedding and dumped aboard the Tardis ( thereby removing the need for a lengthy reprise of Rose's tearful departure from 'Doomsday' ), the show was a tour de force of witty one-liners, great S.F.X. and nifty performances. Had it been twenty-five minutes longer it could have passed for a decent feature film. The Tardis chasing the taxi was worth tuning in for alone. I laughed out loud when the children in the car mouthed 'Jump!'.Before last Christmas, we wondered how David Tennant would shape up as the Doctor. Well, now we know - he is excellent. He handled with aplomb the humorous aspects of 'Bride', particularly his exchanges with Donna and later, the Empress of The Rachnoss. But his heartbreak at losing Rose had not dissipated - he saw her at the wedding reception. I hope his departure from the role is a long way off. I have to admit to not being a fan of Catherine Tate's T.V. show, but here she made a good contrast with Rose, being older, louder, brasher and - dare I say it - common as muck, but becoming gradually more sympathetic as the story progressed. When Lance stuck the knife in, you were on her side. As for Sarah Parish as the Empress, what a performance! That make-up job must have been hell! Nice that we didn't see her actual death. A return appearance would be welcome.The plot may have been thin, but 'Bride' pushed all the right buttons; it had action, comedy, tragedy and, above all, spectacle. The finale in the Empress' underground lair was literally stupendous. If you watched 'Emmerdale' instead - more fool you! Three cheers to B.B.C. Wales for producing yet another seasonal treat!

general-melchett Personally, I thought this was riveting. It looks like something out of Hollywood (with big-budget, barmy special effects and lots of gadgets) and it is full of action. None of it makes sense exactly, but when has that mattered? The killer Santas that replaced the Daleks as the new villains weren't exactly terrifying, but they were menacing and launched a beautifully-made attack on Donna's wedding party. But towards the end, the whole thing starts to feel like a pantomime - why did that stupid spider need so much screen time? Catherine Tate wasn't too bad - I despise her comedy show, but at least in this episode there wasn't any of this "Am I bothered?" rubbish coming from her - she's far better when she stays off the humour. David Tennant is once again a few sandwiches short of a picnic and slightly too jolly, but we can accept that. After all, Doctor Who is meant to be completely bonkers and unrealistic, and this Christmas special promises great things for the third series. A car chase featuring the Tardis and lots of Christmas-related villainy are amongst the best things you'll find in this episode - I'm sure that Series 3 will be absolutely spiffing. 8/10