This year's special didn't seem to be the former, while somehow accommodating the latter.
Peter Capaldi and Steven Moffat contrived for themselves, and for this generation of the character, a fantastic send off. David Bradley, no matter how good the make-up and characterisation, was never going to actually be the same as William Hartnell. For those with any knowledge or recollection of the first Doctor that was always going to be a potential sticking point, so the inclusion of what was originally someone pretending to be the original actor playing that character was only going to be justified by great performance and dialogue. I think it was accomplished wonderfully.
For all Capaldi's great scenes, there was always the nagging knowledge that had been there for almost too many months, that once it had all played out, we were still all just as keen to see what was bound to be the all too brief, and likely cliff-hanging, introduction to Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor. I found the last combined change of Doctor and showrunner to be a welcome change of style and character, and before the end of Matt Smith's first episode I was already thinking 'David who?' So I am already excited.'Oh Brilliant!' was a great way to start, and while we will have to wait and see, I have high hopes for whatever we have in store next year. I am sure there will still be plenty of audible nay-saying regarding a female doctor, opinions are OK, humour on the subject is acceptable without any Whovian militant response, let the story come first, then decide.
In anticipation of Christmas specials yet to come.
08/01/18
David Tennant had to endure comatose bed rest in Rose's mum's flat. Matt Smith had to eat fish fingers in custard and solve major swimming pool problems. Even Sylvester McCoy had major wig issues. With all these challenging regenerations, and the associated crises of having the TARDIS crash, explode, or forgetting how to fly the damn thing, why hasn't the Doctor gone to the trouble of sorting himself out a new Zero Room?
