Astrid Peth "a full return to the limelight", Minogue's appearance was not universally praised. Gareth McLean, a TV writer for "The Guardian", described Minogue as "not that good...she's blank and insipid". McLean wrote: "There's no chemistry between Astrid and the Doctor, she delivers her lines with a real lack of conviction and thus we never really believe in Astrid as a character. Where Catherine Tate's Donna in last year's special was overbearing, Kylie Minogue's Astrid is hardly there at all. It does make you wonder why casting Kylie was regarded as a coup. She's a pop star – of course she's going
The True Meaning of Christmas Special decides to move the beach party north to Canada, depicted as a snow-covered cabin, which strangely appears to be located only fifty feet from the beach. Upon arriving, Dave teams up with El Vez ("The Mexican Elvis"), Elvis Stojko, Bing Crosby, Thomas the Butler, Santa Dude, Mike Myers, and "The Ghosts of Christmas Specials Past, Present, and Yet to Come". He consults a priest and many of his new friends, but cannot gain passion for his Christmas special. Eventually, Dave dreams about "Christmas Specials Yet to Come", which is a future reminiscent of "Soylent Green", only with Christmas specials. He