by What do we think of when we think of Christmas? Michael Bublé, maybe. Parsnips, perhaps. Television that ranges from the pleasant to the awful, definitely. Christmas television is a constant, but whether it is good or not is another question.
We’ve got to work on a selection of some of the biggest shows on the way, so we can help you choose what to prioritize when you’re too Christmassy to think.
From Ncuti Gatwa’s first complete. doctor who episode to the arrival of new dramas True love and The castaways, Here’s what to expect on your screens this festive season and our verdict on what’s really worth watching…
A ghost story for Christmas: Lot nº 249
BBC Two, Christmas Eve
Break out the Baileys because you’ll probably enjoy Mark Gatiss’ adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s tale more if you’re even a little tipsy. Here you have Kit Harington and Freddie Fox, all cut-glass vocals and vests, slapping each other. Because? Because Oxford’s eccentric Don Edward Bellingham, played by Fox, has purchased an ancient mummy that may or may not be possessed, and everyone is a little nervous. There aren’t any women in sight (well, it was Oxford in 1881), but there’s plenty of candlelit, country-style gothic atmosphere. Short and sweet at 30 minutes, the story is not a spooky Christmas tale of classic proportions, but it is good old-fashioned fun. Jessie Thompson
The robbery before Christmas
Sky Max, Christmas Eve
Pyromania, vandalism, and an armed robbery by Santa in the first 10 minutes don’t exactly scream “family Christmas show.” But this one-off adventure starring James Nesbitt and Timothy Spall as two Santas certainly points to that. Beyond the surprising opening moments, there is a heartbreaking story of a single mother who wishes she could make Christmas special for her two young children. Bamber Todd’s eldest Mikey never takes off his jacket, even while he sleeps, and depicts a struggling working-class family in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis in a cold, snowy Northern Ireland. The robbery before Christmas addresses the brutal reality that many families will experience this festive period, and will make many feel grateful for what they will be able to have at Christmas. Finn Cliff Hodges
Mrs. Brown’s Boys
BBC One, Christmas Day
Christmas TV’s turkey giblets, which must be quickly removed and thrown into the nearest trash bin, the Mrs. Brown’s Boys The festive special has returned with characteristic ignominy. Teetering between comedic heists and almost hallucinatory amounts of sensitivity, the first of two episodes sees Brendan O’Carroll’s evil grandmother pine for her lost rocking horse, shelter an elderly Alzheimer’s sufferer and pull a whisk out of her underwear. . More than a decade into its existence, this show is now firmly established as its own brand of white noise: a tribute to old-fashioned sitcoms and a prehistoric era of entertainment in which live studio audiences cheer along to the tune. of the jokes. But in 2023? Pass the sherry. white adam
Doctor Who: “The Church of Ruby Rose”
BBC One, Christmas Day
The traditional Christmas day doctor who has been lost in time and space for the last few years, and the Tardis appeared in living rooms on January 1st. But returning showrunner Russell T Davies has gone old school in 2023, with the Doctor confirmed for his first appearance on December 25 since 2017. “The Church of Ruby Rose” promises to be something old and new. The 15th Doctor Ncuti Gatwa will embark on his “first epic adventure”, as he was introduced in the last of David Tennant’s comeback installments which celebrated the character’s 60th anniversary. He will be joined by his new partner Ruby Sunday, played by Coronation StreetIt’s Millie Gibson. Plus, there will be a cameo from Davina McCall, who previously appeared in the series in 2005. Grab your sonic screwdrivers: she’s going to be special. Ed Power
Ghost Christmas Special
BBC One, Christmas Day
Pass the tissues. Everyone’s Favorite Paranormal Comedy ghosts comes to an end after five seasons, but not before giving us a wonderful Christmas special as a farewell gift. Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) are adding one more resident to Button House with their newborn baby Mia, who returns from the hospital and is ready to meet her many spectral roommates. May I suggest that anyone hosting their annoying in-laws this holiday season invite them to also watch as Mike’s meddling mother (Sutara Gayle) gets in the way of the celebrations? Hopefully, they’ll take the hint. Annabel Nugent
Tabby McTat
BBC One, Christmas Day
The annual adaptation of one of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s picture books is already a Christmas TV tradition (and a savior for exhausted parents who need a break). This year, Jodie Whittaker will be the narrator of this sweet half-hour excursion, telling the story of a musically inclined cat (ṢỠpáº¹Ì Dìrísù) who keeps passersby entertained when he performs a duet with his street musician friend Fred ( Rob Brydon). When the couple separates, Tabby McTat starts a new life with neighborhood pet Sock (Susan Wokoma), but she can’t help but long for the old days. The exquisitely expressive animation makes this a real treat. Katie Rosseinsky
The castaways
Paramount+, boxing day
A word of caution: If you’re a nervous traveler venturing to warmer climes this Christmas, you might want to take a detour The castawayswhich features some of the most stressful mid-air sequences we’ve seen since Idris Elba was trapped on a plane in To kidnap at the beginning of this year. The patron saint of British television, Sheridan Smith, plays Lori, whose island-hopping holiday in Fiji goes horribly wrong when her flight disappears en route to her destination. Céline Buckens plays her younger sister Erin, who should have been on that same plane; Driven by a nagging sense of guilt, she sets out to unravel exactly what happened to Lori and her traveling companions. Katie Rosseinsky
Murder is easy
BBC One, December 27
Murder may be easy, but it turns out adapting Agatha Christie is not. Screenwriter Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and director Meenu Gaur have teamed up for this TV version of the novelist’s 1939 story, but the drama doesn’t seem to know whether it’s a good old-fashioned murder mystery, a light-hearted comedy. or a strange and surreal story. twin peaks-Thriller-esque. Industry and rye lane Star David Jonsson, as an ex-cop investigating a series of murders in a small town, is, as always, a captivating presence on screen. And he’s the first black hero in a Christie adaptation. It’s a shame that it feels a little let down by a straightforward script and strange stylistic choices. That said, it’s a pretty nice and simple watch, which might be just what the doctor ordered after overindulging in sausage rolls. HEY
Mr Bates v the Post Office
ITV, New Year’s Day
This dramatization of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history will make your heart ache. A reliably prickly Toby Jones leads an outstanding cast as Alan Bates, who, with his fellow postmasters and postmistresses, fought for years to clear their names after they were accused of theft, fraud and false accounting due to a computer system. defective Fujitsu. The allegations destroyed their lives, with many forced to pay thousands of pounds out of their own pockets and lose their jobs and homes in the process. There was at least one suicide. To this day, not a single Post Office or Fujitsu employee has been held accountable for the scandal, much less faced a criminal investigation. Serving as appropriate and powerful campaign television, this show could make a real difference. HEY
The Turist
BBC One, New Year’s Day
Warm and tender feelings are overrated. If you prefer your festive period to be chaotic and tense, tune in The Turist, which returns for its second season on New Year’s Day. Jamie Dornan is back as Elliot, a tough amnesiac fleeing a dark past he couldn’t remember if his life depended on it, and it does. Round two and it’s business as usual (except for the setting, which has been moved to Dornan’s native Ireland after season one’s Australian outback): Elliot has been kidnapped by a group of dodgy characters in response to some terrible but forgotten sins: leaving his girlfriend. Helen (Danielle MacDonald) tries to piece together the mystery. Perfect viewing for your first hangover of the year. A
Men up
BBC One, December 29
A dramatic feature film about one of Viagra’s first clinical trials may not immediately strike you as “holiday viewing,” but Men up It has ended up being one of those fun but thought-provoking stories that British television does so well. Based on the actual 1994 trial at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital, it features an all-star Welsh cast (including a Gavin and Stacey meeting of Joanna Page and Steffan “Dave Coaches” Rhodri) and imagine the stories of five participants. Each of them hopes that this new drug will be a magical solution to their relationship problems, but that’s not entirely the case. K.R.
True love
Channel 4, January 3
Agatha Christie has become an annual Christmas tradition, but this new year’s drama is like the evil twin of And then there were none, in which hosts found on an island are gradually eliminated. Here, a group of old friends, entering their twilight years, gather at a funeral and decide they will help get rid of them. each other. “Truelove” becomes their agreed-upon code for when the time comes (as well as their reason for doing it for each other). Lindsay Duncan and Clarke Peters lead the cast, and while it may sound a little bleak for January, the first episode suggests it’ll be unlike anything that’s been on TV for a while: an unflinching, dark reflection on mortality packed with wit. very black jt
