5. Glittering Guest Stars
Helping the Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald light up our Christmas was the episode's glittering guest stars who each brought something unique to the timey-wimey table. It's even more interesting when you realise that the characters they played for the majority of the episode were creations of the dream whose lives were arguably more interesting, and in some cases even better, than their real life counterparts. It certainly says something about human psychology. There was Coronation Street's Natalie Gumede as the ever resourceful Ashley Carter, Casualty star Maureen Beattie as Fiona Bellows and Michael Troughton (who, fact fans, is the real life son of Second Doctor Patrick Troughton, if you hadn't guessed by the surname), filling the shoes of the ill fated Professor Albert Smithe. Let's not forget the unsung star of the show, Faye Marsay, who's made such an impact with her portrayal of Shona McCullough that fans are already campaigning for her to return to the show as a full time companion next year - and
there's definitely enough evidence to suggest this might actually turn out to be true. Nick Frost has already been praised on this list for his inspired performance as Old Saint Nicholas but it won't hurt to mention him again. That goes for Dan Starkey and Nathan McMullen, too, who were the two cherries on top of this fantastically festive cake. All in all it was one of the show's most impressive ensembles to date. Even Samuel Anderson came along for the party and his character
died at the end of the last series. You quite literally can't keep them away.