Like 'The End of Time' before it, tonight's episode had a horrendously complex brief. It had to generate pathos over a festive canvas, introduce a new Doctor, incorporate a surprise cameo, drum up a world ending threat, and then drape it across a yarn worthy of a departing Matt Smith. Unlike its predecessor, however, it worked. The story served the characters (rather than the other way around), the loose ends were tied in a neat(ish) bow, and by the time Matt finally took off his bow-tie, I was in tears.
