This was originally released on the internal BBC Christmas tape, a gag tape made for BBC employees. Thus, it's a very early example of an early (home video) story.
Talk about it here.
Merry Christmas Doctor Who was a mini-episode made for Christmas of 1978 by the BBC production team on the Christmas Tape (White Powder).
Synopsis[]
The Doctor, Romana and K9 drink in the TARDIS in celebration of Christmas.
Plot[]
The Doctor and Romana share a kiss behind K9. They stiffen suddenly and cough awkwardly.
The Doctor offers K9 some gin, which he takes cheerfully. Afterwards, K9 sings "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by suggestion of the Doctor.
The Doctor asks K9 what he wants for Christmas and K9 replies "enough ball bearings to last the series through and fewer sill irons on the floors of the planets they visit." K9 asks the Doctor what he would like for Christmas, and the Doctor thinks deeply, then turns affectionately towards Romana.
Everyone, including the crew, laughs.
Cast[]
Worldbuilding[]
to be added
Story notes[]
- This entire sketch was adlibbed by the cast.
- Played for laughs, and never intended for public release, this is nonetheless the first BBC-made Doctor Who production to show the Doctor and his companion in a romantic scenario. Ironically, behind the scenes Tom Baker would later romance and marry Lalla Ward, the actress who would soon replace Mary Tamm as Romana.
- It is not, however, the first to show the Doctor consuming alcohol, and he had done so on several previous occasions in televised episodes, such as at the conclusion of The Green Death.
- "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" would later be sung by the next K9 in TV: A Girl's Best Friend which aired during Christmas 1981.
Filming locations[]
Home video releases[]
DVD releases[]
- This sketch was included on the DVD release of The Armageddon Factor.
