Doctor Who: Every Tenth Doctor Episode Ranked From Worst To Best

The Christmas Invasion was the Tenth Doctor's first full episode, and he's asleep for most of it. A bold move indeed.

Instead, we follow Rose, who must deal with an invading alien spaceship in the absence of Earth's greatest defender. Removing the Doctor from the action keeps the stakes high in this simple yet effective invasion story, as the government tries to fend off warrior aliens the Sycorax.

Tennant's big entrance in the final 15 minutes also demonstrates why, for many, he is the definitive Doctor. He babbles for a bit, fights the Sycorax leader with a sword, charms Rose and Harriet Jones, and quotes the Lion King in a dramatic monologue. Not many Doctors could pull all of those random things off so convincingly.

The Christmas Invasion is perfectly fine Doctor Who. It's the weakest Tennant special largely because he's barely in it, but oh boy does he make the most of his limited screentime.