Do you mean Matt Smith’s first Christmas special?
No, one of the later ones. It might have even been his regeneration show… why that was the Christmas Special, I do not know. Series 5 was definitely the best of his era, but it’s impossible to approach the later seasons (and any of Capaldi’s) without being much more familiar with the show. It’s a lot like the original show in the 80s. And… well, both eras saw a huge drop in viewership.
Ah, fair enough. I agree that Time of the Doctor (while I actually love the episode, unlike most people), is possibly one of the very worst episodes to start on.
That said, I think the beginning of Moffat’s run, as some have suggested, is indeed a great place to start.
It depends on the person you’re recommending the show to and their tastes. Though we are only 13 years out, people are already seeing series one as rather dated. There are some parts of the RTD era that newcomers (perhaps more so for Americans) struggle with. I’ve heard at least a couple people doubt they should keep watching once they get to the ‘farting aliens’. Again, depends on the person. People who like British drama from that time period might enjoy the era more.