Doctor Who: The Snowmen

Clara: 'Run, you clever boy.'

Christmas specials are unique. Companions are usually absent (or have diminished roles), the backdrops are as festive as blue baubles balanced on Blitzen's bottom, and the stories generally take place outside of the main season arc. This year, however, the story focused mainly on new companion Clara Oswin Oswald, a mystery which started back in 'Asylum of the Daleks', and apart from the obligatory snow, a whistled carol, and the odd killer snowman, the Christmas elements were oddly low key. The result? Best Christmas episode ever!

Misfits: Episode Eight

Rudy: “This is all wrong, this. I wanted me ET ending.”

It was obvious there was more to Nadine's story than her being a nun. You don't throw tomato soup on a cream floor unless it's serious, and it doesn't get much grimmer than almost bringing about the apocalypse. Yes, the four horsemen were on BMXs rather than horses and, yes they had swords instead of scales, bows and scythes -- but they did at least attempt to bring about war, death and conquest. I'm not sure what happened to famine -- did Rudy and Nadine get to eat that ham and pineapple pizza or not?

Misfits: Episode Seven

Greg: “Do you know what they do with people who pretend to be on community service?”

They force them to do actual community service apparently. I'm not sure that's true, but it works -- Abby is now a fully suited member of the gang. This season's struggled a little under the weight of having too much to do. Introducing three brand new characters in just eight episodes is an almost impossible task. The episodes rarely get to be about just the stories -- which makes me hope that Misfits gets a fifth season. I'd love to see what these characters are capable of without the seemingly ever present spectre of re-population hanging over them.

Misfits: Episode Six

Rudy: “Trust me, you will never forget your first Richard Saunders house party.”

Ahhh... the obligatory party episode. I love it when the misfits get an opportunity to let their hair down. As well as a golf playing rabbit wearing a suit, we were also introduced to the legendary Colonel Saunders (from season three), saw Finn get laid (in all its exhausting glory), and finally discovered Alex's big secret. That's assuming it is big. It may turn out to be quite small. (Zing!) I think we also picked up a new member in the form of delectable pisshead, Abby. The misfits are a four-piece again.

Misfits: Episode Five

Finn: "You can't kill me. I'm your brother... half brother.”

If last week's episode was enough to set your lower lip wobbling, tonight's story hit a similar emotional high, but for completely different reasons. It wasn't so much that Finn's dad died, it was more the realism of the situation, Finn's struggle to adapt, and Grace's all too familiar grief. For once, someone on the show died a natural, non-murderous death. What a gyp it that had to be Finn's dad -- and just hours after them first meeting.

Misfits: Episode Four

Curtis: 'There ain't no happy endings. It's zombie noir, innit?'

It seems ironic that, just 7 days after complaining that Curtis never seems to get a decent storyline, he was finally gifted a pearler—only for it to be his last. I did not see that coming. In fact, even after he'd become infected, I still entertained the idea he'd either be cured, or simply continue as a zombie. This is Misfits, right? Why couldn't we have a zombie Curtis? Alas, it was not to be. He's dead. Demised. Passed on. He's run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. Clearly, Howard Overman has failed to read the rule book—again!

Misfits: Episode Three

Greg: "The magic word is potato."

A very different episode of Misfits this week, and exactly what the show needed -- an episode which made us love Jess. Finn may have provided the chortles, but it was the knowledge of Danny's betrayal and Jess' attempted suicide which brought gravitas to the proceedings. It also explained why Jess reacted so strongly to Finn's non-step-mum faux pas. Aside for having the minor hots for him, she isn't a fan of liars. Poor, pathetic, incredibly jammy Finn. I wish Nadine Lewington were my non-step-mum.

Misfits: Episode Two

Rudy: 'Let me put it like this: what would Bob Geldof do?'

Now that was more like it. Rudy was firing on all four disgusting cylinders, we got some nice back story for Finn, and probation worker, Greg, is just begging to be interred beneath the underpass. He may think he's God, but if Nietzsche was right, then he's surely destined to join Him. What a nightmarish personality. He makes Shawn look like Mother Teresa. I can't see it being long before Lola replaces him—unless, of course, she ends up in the ground as well. Either way, it looks as though Curtis is about to get screwed: both literally and metaphorically.

Misfits: Episode One

Rudy: "It's the storm. It's always the storm."

This time last year, I opened my review by saying that 2011 would be a make or break year for Misfits. If I'd known then what I know now. Last season I was convinced that losing Robert Sheehan would spell disaster for the show. It didn't. It was different, but it was still embarrassingly funny, occasionally brilliant, and excruciatingly vulgar. And then, seemingly inexplicably, three major characters left at once, leaving Curtis (the most boring character of all), and new recruit Rudy, to pick up the pieces. Can any show survive such character upheaval?

Doctor Who: The Angels Take Manhattan

Amy: 'Tell her this is the story of Amelia Pond. And this is how it ends.'

Thus endeth the saga of Rory and Amy. A much better episode this week—in fact, this was my favourite of the season so far. My main gripe with 'A Town Called Mercy' was that it wasted a perfectly good location shoot on a decidedly average story. Thankfully, tonight's story was worthy of Manhattan. Yes, it was a lower key exit than we're used to, and I didn't experience quite the same depths of despair as when we lost Rose or Donna, but it felt right that Amy should finally choose Rory over the Doctor. Like we ever doubted she would.

Doctor Who: The Power of Three

Rory: 'What you do isn’t all there is.'

All week, the press have been touting tonight's episode as reminiscent of the Russell T. Davies era—which, let's face it, is hardly a ringing endorsement. As it happens, they were mostly right. All the hallmarks were there: the urban setting, the amusing parent, the earth in peril, celebrity cameos galore. It even managed to have an abrupt, reset-button style ending, which made absolutely no sense. But, as with the RTD era, when it worked, it felt like the sun coming out.

Doctor Who: A Town Called Mercy

Doctor: 'Yes, I wear a Stetson now.'

If I'm honest, I was expecting Rory and Amy's final adventures to focus more on them, yet despite only having two episodes left, this story could quite easily done without them. That's not to say that it was a dud—it was a typically solid, dependable, Toby Whithouse effort—it just didn't have the shock factor of 'Asylum of the Daleks', or the fun of 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship'. It did, however, have a horse called Susan.

Doctor Who: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

Doctor: 'I know! Dinosaurs! On a spaceship.'

A decidedly kid-friendly episode, with something for everyone—providing your interest in Who isn't restricted to Moffat's more adult oriented, time twisting high jinks. This felt like Jurassic Park in space, with lots of running around, ineffectual camp robots, and more ham than the Hammer House of Horror wrapped in bacon. There was some nice foreshadowing regarding Amy's departure, too. Of course, now the Doctor and Rory are kissing buddies, we needn't worry too much about Rory being alone. And I dare say there'll always be a place for him around the Weasley table.