4. Doctor Who: 'A Christmas Carol' (2010 Christmas Special)
Ive certainly never cried at Doctor Who, but Ive only got misty-eyed watching either The End of Time, or this. Once again, Michael Gambon as the Scrooge character steals the show and makes us invest whole-heartedly. The clever sci-fi twist involving a impending spaceship crash is merely background. This rests entirely on the shoulders of Gambon, Matt Smith (rarely better), and the surprisingly-good Katherine Jenkins. It has a beautiful central song, and captures the spirit of Dickens original better than most, despite involving Flying Sharks and Frank Sinatra. Things begin with a deliciously dark streak that is seldom present in Moffats run on Who, and three equally convincing stages of Kazran Sardick- boy, young man and Gambon- win us over. It is equally clever, funny and heartbreaking. I would always attempt to show this to people who dont like Doctor Who, because its another genius alternative adaptation.