The first real episode for David Tennant's beloved Ten, The Christmas Invasion was considered the benchmark for Christmas specials for a good while, thanks in part to Tennant's performance. He wasn't ever as dark as Christopher Eccleston on the surface (though it still bubbled beneath), and appeared far more amiable and warm; though inevitably it was a little frustrating to see him initially sidelined in the usual manner by side-effects of his regeneration. Following in the old trend, the Christmas Invasion reinvented something familiar and positive with a sinister edge, introducing killer robo-Santas and trees to ruin Christmas for children everywhere. Really, Billie Piper was the star of the early episodes of Ten's run, and this proved as much, even if the episode felt like a safe and tentative attempt to make sure the fans didn't run away after the departure of Eccleston. Immediately after the episode ended, digital viewers were also able to press their red button to view a special interactive episode, "Attack of the Graske".
