❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more) Doctor Who Christmas special features Wild Blue Yonder in-joke There are plenty of references for seasoned Whovians. Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who’s Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road. Christmas Day gifted us a new Doctor Who special and while The Church on Ruby Road could definitely be watched by even the newest of newcomers, there were plenty of references for seasoned Whovians. Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor not only made a reference to the Timeless Child reveal from Chris Chibnall’s era of the show, but also made a callback to the 60th anniversary special Wild Blue Yonder, which featured a cameo from Isaac Newton, played by Nathaniel Curtis. Thanks to a visit from David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor and Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble, Newton ended up calling what we know as gravity, “mavity” – and it was mentioned again in The Church on Ruby Road. With the Doctor and Ruby hanging off a ladder as they’re whisked off to the goblin ship, the Doctor whips out his intelligent gloves, which take all of the duo’s weight. As Ruby marvels at how light she feels, the Doctor explains: “All the mass and density and mavity exist in the glove, not in you.” Sounds like “mavity” is here to stay! The Church on Ruby Road saw the Doctor and Ruby embark on their first adventure together, to defeat a hoard of goblins who feast on coincidence. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. It also introduced plenty of new cast members, including Michelle Greenidge as Ruby’s mum Carla, Angela Wynter as Ruby’s grandmother Cherry, and Anita Dobson as next door neighbour Mrs Flood. However, it was revealed in the mid-credits scene that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Mrs Flood… Hopefully plenty of our questions will be answered when Gatwa’s first full season airs in 2024! Read more: Doctor Who’s Goblin Queen thought she was being pranked with Goblin Song David Tennant beats Matt Smith to top best Doctor Who Christmas episode poll Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Leave a Reply