James Lomond is a writer at Kasterborous Doctor Who News and Reviews - All the latest Doctor Who news and reviews with our weekly podKast, features and interviews, and a long-running forum.
Whilst you finished off the last of the mince pies, took down the mistletoe and picked pin-needles out of the carpet, the ratings elves have been busy totting the stats for Last Christmas…
The final ratings including overnights and all repeats and those recording to watch later within a week of broadcast – Last Christmas had 8.28 million viewers which is up by nearly two million from the overnight figure of 6.69 million. This is the lowest final ratings we’ve seen for a Christmas Special – take a look at the chart below for a quick comparison…
But it’s important to note again that television viewing has changed a lot over the years since Doctor Who returned to our screens and the “final” figure for Last Christmas does NOT include iplayer views which are included in the BBC’s Live+7 figure that will be available later and gives a more accurate picture of the reach of the episode. Many people who would have tuned in for the live broadcast now catch up on their laptop at a later date. the Live+7 adds on everyone accessing the episode online within the next 7 days.
In fact the downward trend we can see in the specials may be as much to do with the changing methods of accessing broadcast content over the years as much as anything to do with publicity drives or popularity. The jump up with Voyage of the Damned and the Next Doctor is presumably to do with the celebrity factor in casting Kylie and having a potential new Doctor in the shape of David Morrissey respectively.
The Audience Appreciation Index for the special came in at 82 which is still *good* if not quite as well received as most of Series 8 which had an average AI of 83.3. Other Christmas Day specials beating Who in the general public enjoyment stakes were Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife which means it still beat a number of high-ranking TV staples!
Though interestingly this is the lowest AI we’ve seen for a Christmas Special, all of the previous ones scoring somewhere between 83 and 88. Either it wasn’t as much to the taste of the average viewer as the more cheerful and *rompy* specials that we’ve seen up to now, or the average viewer is becoming a less sophisticated creature!
What do you think Kasterborites? You’ve told us what you thought of Last Christmas compared with previous specials but how would you rate it as a standalone piece of Who? The general impression from your comments, the press and the K news team has been very posiive though it may not be to everyone’s cup of tea? Dreams, Ridley Scott and Gangsta-Santa in a Polar bases – vote below!
Thanks!
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