Just as we were calming down from the excitement of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary episode (Chinny! Grandpa! Sand Shoes! THIRTEEN!), along pops the first synopsis and title for the show’s Christmas Special. As we attempt to digest turkey (or possibly tofurkey), Who fans will need to be ready for The Time Of The Doctor.
If you weren’t already aware, the episode marks Matt Smith’s final run around in the TARDIS before he hands the keys over to Peter Capaldi’s incoming regeneration. We caught a tiny, teasing glimpse of the episode at the end of The Day Of The Doctor (you can watch it below), but now we also have a synopsis for the Chrimbo episode. If you’re worried about spoilers, you might want to skip the next paragraph, but in true Steven Moffat style, it really doesn’t give away much…
"Orbiting a quiet backwater planet, the massed forces of the universe’s deadliest species gather, drawn to a mysterious message that echoes out to the stars – and amongst them, the Doctor. Rescuing Clara from a family Christmas dinner, the Time Lord and his best friend must learn what this enigmatic signal means for his own fate and that of the universe…"
Hhhm, shades of The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang with that gathering of potential villains, but hopefully with some new twist.
So yeah: Christmas Day. BBC One. We’ll be ready.