Doctor Who’s Christmas specials have become a staple for the long-running franchise since its return to TV back in 2005. (Yes, it’s hard to believe the show has been back on air for 20 years!) Those high-octane and often self-contained stories are easy for both dedicated fans and casual/new fans alike to dive into. And it seems this year’s event will be no different as the Fifteenth Doctor takes us to the Time Hotel to celebrate Christmas (and fight villains) in many different places. The trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas special, delightfully titled “Joy to the World,” boasts dinosaurs, train adventures, two Doctors, and so much more.
This clip packs in a lot in just one minute. We see the Doctor arrive at the Time Hotel, a place where Christmas is apparently happening in many places at once. I really appreciate the hotel’s lovely decor and airy atrium. If only it was a real place to visit on vacation. Anyway, the Doctor quickly goes on a mission of sorts and crosses paths with Joy (Nicola Coughlan), someone who is staying in a room and having a not-so-fun encounter with a Silurian.
Some seriously timey wimey things go down as we see one version of the Doctor ask another version of himself how to get from point A to point B. It will be interesting to see how it all goes down. We even get a little flashback at Ruby leaving the TARDIS, so it is likely that the Doctor is missing her and happy to have Joy by his side.
Here’s a quick synopsis of the Doctor Who Christmas special trailer to further bring things into focus:
When Joy checks into a London hotel in 2024, she opens a secret doorway to the Time Hotel — discovering danger, dinosaurs and the Doctor. But a deadly plan is unfolding across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.
We also have a little more casting information, too. Joining Gatwa and Coughlan is Steph de Whalley as Anita, Jonathan Aris as Melnak, Joel Fry as Trev, Peter Benedict as Basil, Julia Watson as Hilda and Niamh Marie Smith as Sylvia. And, of course, this episode was executive produced and written by the great Steven Moffat with Alex Sanjiv Pillai as its director.
What Is the Premiere Date and Time for the Doctor Who Christmas Special?
“Joy to the World” will hit Disney+ plus on Christmas Day at 9:10AM PT/12:10PM ET.