Preview the ‘Doctor Who’ 2014 Christmas Special

Nick Frost as Santa Claus in "Doctor Who". (Photo: BBC)
Nick Frost as Santa Claus in "Doctor Who". (Photo: BBC)
Doctor Who Series 8 wrapped up last weekend with a finale that included Cybermen, the return of an old enemy, difficult emotional choices, and the first reference to Gallifrey’s continued existence we’ve heard since the 50th anniversary special last year.

This season – the first for Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor - has proven a bit divisive among Who fans and the finale (entitled “Death in Heaven”) is certainly no less contentious, depending on how you felt about a variety of topics, including Cybermen in general, the identity of Missy, the handling of the Clara and Danny relationship and whether the whole Nethersphere explanation worked for you. (I have a lot of thoughts about this, but you can probably extrapolate most of them based on my previous ramblings on the first half of Series 8. In short, I love Capaldi, but I’ve found this season largely a frustrating one.)

At any rate, no matter how you feel about the conclusion of Series 8, season finales always bring at least one thing all Whovians can get excited over, the trailer for that year’s upcoming Christmas special! And the 2014 version promises us the most Christmassy of all trappings – Santa Claus himself. 

Yes, Nick Frost, likely known to most of you as Simon Pegg’s BFF in almost every movie he’s ever made but particularly from Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy, is playing Jolly Old St. Nick, and done up in the proper red suit regalia, he looks almost unrecognizable.

Also there’s maybe a Ghostbusters reference, I’m not sure if that's on purpose or not.

Watch for yourselves below: 

No sign of companion Jenna Coleman in this (admittedly maddeningly short) clip, but if you think “Death in Heaven” was really her swan song I have a bridge to sell you.

Whether or not you think that the Christmas episode will really be her last go-round as Clara Oswald, is a whole ‘nother topic though. (Personally, I’m predicting yes, but feel free to try and convince me otherwise.)

Are you looking forward to the Doctor's annual Christmas tale?


Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

More to Love from Telly Visions