Doctor Who: EVERY Steven Moffat Episode Ranked Worst To Best

39. The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe

The Doctor, the widow and the wardrobe
BBC Studios

The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe is by no means a bad episode. In fact, none of Steven Moffat's episodes are total flops (even the ones at the bottom of the list).

But when it comes to the Christmas specials, the 2011 offering had the misfortune of being incredibly forgettable compared to previous, and following, years.

Despite featuring some great guest stars including Claire Skinner, Alexander Armstrong, and Bill Bailey, and an overall feel-good message about the strength and power of mothers, the story is far too slow in getting to the point, and is a touch too melodramatic for its own good – even for your typical overly sentimental Christmas special.

After 2010's A Christmas Carol gave a beautiful sci-fi spin on the Charles Dickens classic, it was a little disappointing that this special didn't lean further into the elements of its C.S. Lewis inspiration, beyond the snow-covered forest hidden inside an inanimate object.

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Ellie has been part of the WhatCulture team since 2021 where she began as a freelance presenter for the WhoCulture channel. As a diehard Whovian with a BA (hons) degree in Drama and Acting, this role was the perfect opportunity for her to combine her screen presence training with her extensive Doctor Who knowledge. From there, she branched out to various other WhatCulture channels, including TrekCulture, and became a full time Content Producer/Video Presenter in 2023. Ellie is now a regular fixture on both WhoCulture and TrekCulture and has become a well respected public figure within both fandoms, building up a substantial following across her social media platforms and being given the opportunity to represent the channels and the wider communities at several industry events. Her favourite Doctor Who character is River Song and her favourite Star Trek character is Captain Janeway - which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches her role within a generally male dominated field.