Doctor Who [3]

Catherine Gee of The Telegraph said:
For all its new features, this is an episode filled with knowing nods to please Who fans, including a reference drawn from elsewhere in the Moffat catalogue, and the return of some of the Doctor’s old friends.. It's not quite as action-packed as previous specials but compared with the other sedate period Christmas Day offerings...this festive instalment of the sci-fi series will give the post-dinner snoozers a much-needed boost.

Vicky Frost of The Guardian said:
New music, new titles, a fetching new costume, sleek new Tardis interior and, most of all, a new companion, make this year's festive Doctor Who special filled with surprises. . . . It is not as if the 60-minute Christmas special is unambitious: among the co-stars is Richard E Grant as the deliciously wicked Dr Simeon, a man dreaming of a white Christmas.

Jonathan Carley of What Culture said:
Put simply, The Snowmen makes the Christmas Special feel fresh again, so much so it may as well be vacuum packed and wrapped with foil. So the firm underpinning of a good script is there, and I can tell you this will reward repeat viewing afterwards to reassess the intricacies of the plot.

Simon Brew of Den of Geek concluded:
The Snowmen certainly bodes very well for the year ahead. It’s a lower key story on the surface, perhaps, albeit an episode that proves once again Moffat's skill for introducing major new characters. It's also an excellent Christmas special, and quite a serious one. And whereas seasonal outings for Doctor Who have proven quite divisive in recent years, we suspect this one is going to have a lot more people on its side. It's very much worth your time.

Richard Beech:
The introduction of new themes and characters has to be balanced with the task of providing millions of people with a spot of Christmas entertainment, and that can’t be easy.
The Snowmen sees another brilliant performance from Matt Smith, a man who shrugged off the immense weight of pressure from the show’s millions of fans almost immediately when he first appeared on the show in 2010.
But needless to say, Jenna-Louise Coleman is the centrepiece of the Christmas special...Richard E. Grant is a classic villain in the role of Dr Simeon, he doesn’t say much, but he doesn’t really need to. He’s as intimidating as an evil Victorian aristocrat could (or should) be. the episode starts slowly, at a pace we can all keep up with. But as the plot unfolds, Amy and Rory seem like a distant memory, and it’s clear that Clara will continue in the legacy they left behind.
The Christmas special is funny, it’s easily digestible for people who aren’t fans of the show, and it has all the elements of a classic episode.
If you’re tuning in on Christmas day, expect something which is witty, light hearted and family friendly, but also something which is dramatic and at times heart-wrenching.
This should be the first thing you circle in your bumper edition of the Radio Times.'

Alex Zalvin of MTV reported:
This is probably the second best Christmas episode ever after 2010’s superlative A Christmas Carol. Since the latter episode is probably my favourite episode of Who ever, that's certainly putting it in high company. The episode is laugh out loud funny, emotional, and more importantly, captures the spirit of the holidays.
There's a beautiful sequence about halfway through that might be one of the most magical, storybook creations the show has ever done, more on par with a stage play than a TV show, but by golly, it works.
Jenna-Louise Coleman is a brilliant, perfect addition to the cast. Her patter, delivery, and whole demeanor make her a female Matt Smith, and it's brilliant. She matches him line for line, move for move, and if you’re not in love with her by the end of the episode...well...you’ll be in love with her.

i09:
In conclusion we're super excited about the the new Companion. And extremely thankful for the presence of Vastra, Jenny and Strax... especially Strax. The Doctor and the "Potato Man" are really quite fun together. All in all, this new companion and the Doctor's gang of friendly alien helpers could usher in a new season of classic Who tales.

Forbes:
It was a very good episode and will be absolutely worth the hour out of your Christmas day. The episode succeeds not only because of the charms of the cast but also because of the tightness of the script. Kudos to Moffat, who did double duty as the screenwriter, for a job well done.