Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol

A space liner with many passengers encounters difficulties while flying through the atmosphere of an unknown planet. Amy and Rory, who are honeymooning aboard, witness the distress and request help. The Doctor responds by arriving in his TARDIS, which materializes ahead of the ship, indicating imminent danger.

On the planet below, Kazran Sardick, the wealthiest man, is shown denying a family's request to release their sister from cold storage, as he has taken her as collateral for a loan. This reveals his cold, controlling nature and sets the scene for his character development. A servant informs Sardick about the ship's impending crash, but he refuses to assist.

The Doctor arrives at Sardick's residence through a fireplace and attempts to persuade him to help save the ship. Sardick explains that the ship's controls are only responsive to him, and his refusal to act is rooted in fear and past trauma. The Doctor tries to appeal to Sardick's conscience without success.

The Doctor presents Sardick with a childhood video showing his father hitting him. Sardick reflects that he learned the lesson 'Nobody comes' during a traumatic night. This insight begins to reveal the origins of Sardick's emotional coldness and fear of abandonment.

The Doctor travels back in time to Sardick's childhood, where he witnesses Sardick attempting to fish in the fog using a sonic screwdriver as bait. A shark attacks, leading the Doctor and young Sardick into a close encounter with the predatory fish within the fog bank.

The Doctor and young Sardick visit a cold-storage facility housing the 'Surplus Population.' They encounter Abigail, a fish capable of singing, which Sardick releases. Her singing calms the shark, allowing them to place her back into the cold storage, starting her annual Christmas visits with Sardick.

Each year, on Christmas, Sardick and the Doctor release Abigail by reducing her storage counter, which starts at 8. They go on Christmas-themed adventures, including a sleigh ride pulled by the shark, symbolizing Sardick's growing connection and the passage of time.

Over the years, Sardick and Abigail develop a close bond, culminating in a Christmas where Sardick admits feelings for her and they share a kiss. Sardick's memories of these joyful Christmases continue to influence him, though his bitterness remains.

On a subsequent Christmas, Abigail confesses a terrible secret, leading Sardick to decide to end the annual visits. The storage counter drops to 1, marking the nearing end of their tradition as Sardick becomes more isolated and resentful.

In the present, Pond, disguised as the Ghost of Christmas Present, shows Sardick holograms of Christmas celebrations on the ship. Sardick visits Abigail's cold storage, learns she is dying, and refuses to release her, revealing his continued selfishness and regret.

The Doctor presents Sardick with a hologram of his future, heartless and cold, compelling him to reconsider his actions. Sardick's attempt to save the ship falters as the controls no longer recognize him, illustrating his moral transformation and regret.

The Doctor finds a way to save the ship using Abigail's singing, amplified by the sonic screwdriver. Her voice stabilizes the atmosphere and causes snow to fall for the first time in years, symbolizing a hopeful change and Sardick's redemption.

The story culminates with Sardick and Abigail enjoying their final Christmas together in the sky sleigh. As they part, Sardick’s feelings of regret are evident, and their relationship signifies a tragic yet redemptive closure to the story.