"Last Christmas"

Doctor Who has never been shy of taking inspiration from other sources. However, what elevates some of these stories far beyond mere plagiarism is the way in which ideas have been used to tell wonderfully fresh stories. The layered dream saga that is "Last Christmas" is clearly inspired by Christopher Nolan's Inception, and there are obvious nods to Alien - so blatant, that the script has to acknowledge it ('There's a horror movie called Alien?! That's really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you!') - but it is what the layers consist of that really make the story stand out.

The state of dreaming is vitally important to the presentation of the story. Events and motivations are understandable, but have a fuzziness that often happens in dreams. The key scene here is Shona’s initial infiltration into the sick bay. What she is trying to accomplish is unclear, but the characters treat the situation with complete sincerity, as does director Paul Wilmshurst who masterfully creates fear and tension in the Dream Crab scenes that are not invalidated by Santa and his elves making a completely incongruous appearance. The supporting cast is outstanding – Michael Troughton makes an appearance where more than one member of his family has been before, and the excellently steely Maureen Beattie makes an immediate impression as Professor Bellows. Natalie Gumede shows a maturity and authority I never realised she possessed, which leaves the adorable Faye Marsay in the junior role – her hilarious dancing has to be seen to be believed. Then, as the ultimate unreality of the season we have Nick Frost, who makes Santa into the jolly, bearded deus ex machina that we need him to be – and, if there is any justice, ‘Nick Frost’ will now become an actual nickname for the Man in Red. Alien, wrapped in Inception wrapped in Doctor Who makes an interesting three-bird roast, but it is the appearances by a, seemingly, completely real Father Christmas that make the irresistible pigs-in-blankets. This is a truly extraordinary script by Steven Moffatt not only managing to be a truly terrifying monster story and a jolly Christmas story at the same time, but also examining the notion of Christmas as a dream state that we must all wake from. The supporting characters are scientists in the base, but all wake up to a more mundane reality and, vitally, get on with their lives.

Anchoring all of this is a beautiful pair of performances from the two regulars. The Doctor is, as always, the man in charge, but keenly protective of his companion. Clara is still in mourning and the way they share their loss is very touching, as is the scene with the apparently aged Clara. ¤The dynamic changed after Danny died, but it still exists and it will be interesting to see how it will progress.

I (jokingly) wondered when Steven Moffat would do his version of The Box of Delights, but this thrilling tribute to the necessary dream of Christmas (to which an extra layer is added when the viewer watches it on Christmas Day) goes a good way to fulfilling this.

NEXT: "The Magician's Apprentice"/"The Witch's Familiar"

"Mummy on the Orient Express"

The title of the story promises a jolly romp, with nods to both Agatha Christie and classic monster movies; more in line with a Christmas special than a regular episode Indeed, the first shot, with its period-style costumes and setting are line with this. However, the sight of the mummy itself soon dispels any notion that this episode is disposable filler, and we are immediately shown that this episode will take us into darker territory.

Jamie Mathieson's script is clever and insightful, whilst remaining hugely engaging throughout. The story is a fantastic monster tale and can easily be enjoyed on that level, but it cannily uses the monster to draw out character in truly inspired ways – the monster attack is, effectively, the same attack repeated. This moves the spotlight away from the mummy and onto the people reacting to it and the nature of their reactions, which leads to an inspired left-turn, when it is found out that the Orient Express is, in fact, a laboratory, with the scientists being the subjects as well as the conductors of an experiment.

The supporting characters are drawn in enough detail for them not to be simple Christie clichés, and are brilliantly performed by a stellar cast – Janet Henfrey is always worth watching, even in such a small role and Christopher Villiers is very effective as the doomed Professor Moorhouse. Daisy Beaumont, almost unrecognisable in a blonde wig, makes Maisie into something more than the usual shrinking violet and David Bamber brings unexpected depth to the role of the Captain. Frank Skinner is clearly having the time of his life as Perkins and I’m sure it was a wrench for his character to refuse the Doctor's invitation. Paul Wilmshurst puts in another sterling effort in the director's chair The uniformity of the mummy attacks do not mean that Wilmshurst makes them all look the same, as he finds fresh ways to make those 66 seconds look scary. He is helped, of course, by a truly terrifying monster that will live on in the nightmares of a generation of children. The opulent design is another triumph for the production team and the cinematography is exquisite.

However, it is the regulars who do the most demanding work of all of the actors. The spotlight is frequently on the Doctor, in his attempts to not only deal with the mummy, but the ways in which he helps those around him. The collateral damage in Doctor Who is always high and we get a rare glimpse of how the Doctor reacts about the bodies left in his wake, rather than how he reflects later. The Time Lord is calculating, but he always tries to make the best choice, even when the choices aren't good. This is, crucially, after Clara's damning rebuke of the Doctor at the end of "Kill the Moon" and Clara is prepared for this to be their last great adventure. However, the Doctor respects her enough to not modify his behaviour and be honest with her as far as it is possible. Jenna Coleman is vital in making us feel why Clara, in the end, wants to stay with the Doctor, but it is our leading man who takes the laurels. The scenes with the Doctor talking to himself are mesmerising, with a wonderful scene where he channels one of his previous selves. He is affected by the deaths, but, as he says, 'People with guns to their heads cannot mourn'. However, he carries jelly babies in a cigarette case and would rather talk about planets than relationships. Most importantly, the joy in his face when Clara decides to stay is wonderful to behold.

Again, we have been given an excellent 45 minutes entertainment that uses an old concept to tell a wonderfully fresh story.

NEXT: "Flatline"

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"Kill the Moon"

"Kill the Moon" is, on the surface, a story of the Doctor and some monsters. It also has hallmarks of that old Troughton staple, the base-under-seige story. The situations that form the plot are easy for anyone to follow. Yet the combination of all these things somehow results in something really striking, proving that simplicity does not equal stupidity. "Kill the Moon" is a début story for both director and writer and this fresh take really makes the story work. Peter Harness writes each scene with total conviction, which makes the (frankly bonkers) revelation of the story – that the Moon is, in fact, a giant egg, completely convincing. Harness manages to bring out the mythic resonance of such a plotline, which has precedents in folklore around the world, to make the concept seem epic, rather than silly.

Paul Wilmshurst realises Harness's vision with great skill, making the spider-germs truly terrifying. An obvious precedent is the superficially scary, but ultimately silly 2011 film Apollo 18, but this story is better in every conceivable way. The location filming in Lanzarote gives the lunar surface a real sense of depth and Wilmshurst deals excellently with the subtle shifts in mood; horror, tension and wonder, with the unforgettable sight of the Moon hatching being particularly breathtaking. The performances from the limited cast are excellent, although again, it's a shame that an fine actor like Tony Osoba is used so little, in his third appearance in the programme (in easily his best story!) The main guest star is the brilliantly charismatic Hermione Norris, who makes Lundvik a very relatable character, despite her archetypal function in the plot. We also have the return of Ellis George, showing a whole new side to Courtney.

However, what elevates the story into a whole new level are two key scenes. Once the true nature of the Moon is discovered, there follows a debate over whether or not to, well, kill the Moon. This recalls a similar sort of discussion in "Cold Blood", but the writing here is so much better. The decision to let the Earth vote leads to some wonderful visuals as the lights on the globe blink out. In all this, the Doctor has done what he couldn't do on Mars, or even Pompeii – he leaves it entirely to the humans. The Doctor's wonder at a new piece of history being freshly revealed to him is infectious – until Clara reveals to him exactly what she thinks of this manipulation.

This scene is excellently written, but is only improved by outstanding performances by the regulars, of the same standard as Steven's taking leave of the Doctor in The Massacre. We have seen the Doctor detached from humanity and we have seen the human he is closest to pulling him back to Earth and reminding him of his duties to his favourite planet. Jenna Coleman and Peter Capaldi have never been better than in this story, a remarkable feat, indeed.

"Kill the Moon" is a brilliant first story for its creators and another highlight of what is turning out to be a great season.

NEXT: "Mummy on the Orient Express"