“The Best Christmas TV Lineup in Years” - How BBC One’s Festive Lineup is One for the Ages

23/12/2024

Simon Reynolds discusses why the Christmas TV lineup on BBC One is the best one for a decade

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By Simon Reynolds

The year is 2009. You’re settling down to watch some telly after stuffing your face with pigs in blankets. Gavin & Stacey have a Christmas Special on and you are invested in what Nessa and Smithy are doing next. A repeat of Wallace and Gromit’s A Matter of Loaf and Death is on and you cannot wait to see your favourite animated dog get up to an adventure. I was five, I cannot remember this. Yet, the return of these cult classics on BBC One is getting me excited this Christmas. This is the power of TV.

So what can we look forward to? Here are three of my favourites which you can  enjoy before, after or whilst tucking into your Celebrations (other Christmas chocolates are available) on Christmas Day, and an added bonus for Boxing Day.

Doctor Who Joy To The World - 5:10pm Christmas Day

Is it really Christmas without Doctor Who? After a successful first season as the Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa is back alongside guest star Nicola Coughlan for a time travelling adventure that centres around a ‘time hotel’ in London which has a mystery at its heart.

Even if you are not a self-proclaimed Doctor Who fan, Christmas adventures like these are an easy stand alone. Granted, Doctor Who is not at the heights that it was in David Tennant’s era, but Ncuti Gatwa’s performance as the ever-evolving character has injected new life into the franchise. There is a tease too of an “old enemy” as the big villain behind the hotel. Who could it be? The Daleks? The Cybermen? You will have to tune in to see.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - 6:10pm Christmas Day

Aardman films always remind me of Christmas. Last year, the new Chicken Run sequel was released on Netflix. This time an all time British favourite, first released in 1989, makes a welcome return to festive proceedings.

With fan-favourite villain Feathers McGraw back out of prison, he is causing havoc with Wallace’s inventions. Gromit must save Wallace from the evil forces at work so that he can have his best friend back and they can work together once more. A stellar cast including Peter Kay, Reece Shearsmith, Diane Morgan and Lenny Henry unite to voice the characters that will make this a fun-filled adventure for all the family.

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale - 9pm Christmas Day

For fans of Gavin & Stacey, this is the one we’ve been waiting for. For one final time, we get to go back to Barry to catch up on what our favourite group has been up to. The last time we saw them in 2019, all jaws dropped as the episode ended with Smithy proposing to Nessa, and we were left with the distinct sense that it could not end like that.

A classic for the ages, the last episode of Gavin & Stacey pulled in 18.49 million viewers, the most watched Christmas TV event for a decade. Can it do the same this time? Well, this time the gang are off to Essex. Uncle Bryn is getting ready to pack, Gavin and Stacey are trying to spice up their relationship and Neil the Baby is all grown up with a new job. Pam and Mick will be about, as will Dawn and Pete. One final adventure at 9pm on Christmas Day  –  what more could you want after eating those mince pies?

Outnumbered Christmas Special - Boxing Day 9:40pm

Concluding our list of big hitters is another classic and quite frankly one which I am most excited for. I grew up with Outnumbered, following the hilarious antics of the Brockman family. This is the cherry on the cake of the festive offerings. Last seen on our screens eight years ago for another festive special, this time the Brockman children are all grown up and assembling for a Christmas celebration.

All the main cast, Hugh Dennis, Claire Skinner, Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Romona Marquez are back reprising their roles. The special promises to show how parents Sue and Pete are getting the kids back together for Christmas, despite the “fate, neighbours, hyenas and bus replacement services” standing in their way. Sounds like chaos. But the kind that only Outnumbered can deliver.

So there we have it. A Christmas TV lineup on BBC One which delivers something for everyone. It is this sort of event television that has been missing in the past few years. TV has the power to unite and this year  the lineup sparks interest for anyone. At a time when the BBC is constantly struggling to maintain its relevance in the streaming age, it has managed to put together the best Christmas TV lineup in years.