Peace in L.A. and

Ian Anderson once noted that the Christmas Spirit is not what you drink.

Our intrepid explorers, Zoe and Jamie, were reminded of this in the Los Angeles of the late 20th century on one Christmas Eve when the Doctor brought them to a soup kitchen, the Los Angeles Midnight Mission, to lend a hand. Zoe is appalled that in such an enlightened period "that a powerful country such as the United States of America, with such advancements as microtechnology and atomic fission" hadn't "learned to control their social problems. Or at least provide a decent welfare system." Jamie notes that even in his time, primitive in comparison, a laird would provide for the needy.

The Doctor replies, "Even the most powerful nation in the world, ahead of its time in its economy and its military, cannot afford to feed its most desperate and hungry."

At one point a homeless man named Charlie bursts in and threatens an employee of the Mission named Carl. He is desperate to give his son, Joe, who is at his side, a nice Christmas. The Doctor diffuses the situation and the would-be thief and his son join in and help out the other volunteers.

The TARDIS crew works through the night and leave the next day satisfied that they'd done good.

It's easy to dismiss this tale as being ham-fisted and preachy. Plus, Americans are often grossly misportrayed and/or stereotyped in Doctor Who but I think author J. Shaun Lyon avoided that pitfall here. One can also argue that the United States could very well afford to feed its most desperate and hungry in the late 20th century.

Regardless, I didn't feel the social criticism was laid on too thickly - it's a short story, anyway. The "most desperate and hungry" were neither devils nor angels but all-too human. At one point the Doctor says, "The human race didn't simply wake up one day and decide to end hunger and poverty, my dear. It took centuries of hard work and determination." This, I think, is the lesson that we witness Zoe absorb at the end.

I appreciated the sincerity here. The tale may wear its moral on its sleeve but it's genuine. During the late 20th century and early 21st - when this story was published - sincerity wasn't popular. Instead, ironic detachment, cynicism, and sardonic quippery ruled the roost and so it is nice to read something earnest from this time instead.