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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
| name            = Kill the Moon
| image          = Clara reaches out to earth.jpg
| image          = Clara reaches out to earth.jpg
| series          = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
| series          = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]]
| season number  = [[Series 8 (Doctor Who)|8]]
| season number  = Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)
| story number    = 247
|series episode number = 7
| story number    = 248
|scripturl        = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/documents/doctor-who-8-episode-7-kill-the-moon-shooting-script-030514.pdf
| doctor          = Twelfth Doctor
| doctor          = Twelfth Doctor
| companions      = [[Clara Oswald|Clara]]<!---Do not change this until forums have resolved the issue--->
| companions      = [[Clara Oswald|Clara]], [[Courtney Woods|Courtney]]
| featuring      = [[Courtney Woods|Courtney]], [[Danny Pink|Danny]]
| featuring      = [[Danny Pink|Danny]]
| enemy          =
| enemy          = [[Spider germ]]s
| setting        = [[The Moon]], [[2049]]
| setting        = [[The Moon]], [[2049]]
| writer          = [[Peter Harness]]
| writer          = Peter Harness
| director        = [[Paul Wilmshurst]]
| director        = [[Paul Wilmshurst]]
| producer        = [[Peter Bennett]]
| producer        = [[Peter Bennett]]
| confidential    = Kill the Moon (DWE)
| dwe            = Kill the Moon (DWE episode)
| broadcast date  = [[4 October (releases)|4 October]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]]
| broadcast date  = 4 October 2014
| network        = [[BBC One]]
| network        = BBC One
| format          = 1x45 minute episode  
| format          = 1x45 minute episode  
| production code = 4.7
| prev            = The Caretaker (TV story)
| prev            = The Caretaker (TV story)
| next            = Mummy on the Orient Express (TV story)
| next            = Mummy on the Orient Express (TV story)
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| bts            = Kill the Moon - Doctor Who Extra Series 1 Episode 7 (2014) - BBC
| bts            = Kill the Moon - Doctor Who Extra Series 1 Episode 7 (2014) - BBC
| bts2            = Looking back on Kill the Moon - Doctor Who Series 8 Episode 7 (2014) - BBC One
| bts2            = Looking back on Kill the Moon - Doctor Who Series 8 Episode 7 (2014) - BBC One
}}
| bts3            = DOCTOR WHO Exclusive Inside Look at Kill The Moon The Doctor & His YoYo - BBC AMERICA
'''''Kill the Moon''''' was the seventh episode in [[Series 8 (Doctor Who)|series 8]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''. Narratively, it saw the [[Twelfth Doctor]] take [[Coal Hill School]] [[student]] [[Courtney Woods]] on a trip to [[the Moon]] following her discovery of his true nature in [[The Caretaker (TV story)|the previous episode]]. It also revealed the true nature of the [[Earth]]'s natural satellite, which had been a fixture of [[The Moon - list of appearances|many previous stories]].
|thwr=153}}
'''''Kill the Moon''''' was the seventh episode of [[Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 8]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]''.
 
Narratively, it saw the Doctor take [[Coal Hill School]] [[student]] [[Courtney Woods]] on a trip to [[the Moon]] following her discovery of his true nature in the previous episode. It also revealed the true nature of the [[Earth]]'s natural satellite, which had been a fixture of many previous stories.


It revisited the Earth's environmentally disastrous mid-[[21st century]] as well as the concept of [[Fixed points in time|time in flux]], with the Doctor choosing to take a step back and leaving the future in the hands of his [[human]] company, a choice that would lead to a divide between the Doctor and [[Clara Oswald|Clara]].
It revisited the Earth's environmentally disastrous mid-[[21st century]] as well as the concept of [[Fixed points in time|time in flux]], with the Doctor choosing to take a step back and leaving the future in the hands of his [[human]] company, a choice that would lead to a severe divide between him and Clara.


''Kill the Moon'' was also notable from a production standpoint. [[Lanzarote]] was utilised as a filming location for the first time since [[1984 (production)|1984]] when it stood in for ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]<nowiki>'</nowiki>''s [[Sarn (planet)|Sarn]]. The production team played upon this — early drafts of the script were titled ''Return to Sarn'' just to mislead those who theorised that this story would feature the return of [[the Master]].
The concept behind the episode came to writer [[Peter Harness]] in [[2011 (production)|2011]], so initially, it was written for [[Matt Smith]]. Harness expressed a belief that the script suited [[Peter Capaldi]] more with the Doctor-Clara dynamic playing out better. ([[DWM 478]])


The concept behind the episode came to writer [[Peter Harness]] in [[2011 (production)|2011]], so initially it was written for [[Matt Smith]]. Harness expressed a belief that the script suited [[Peter Capaldi]] more with the Doctor-Clara dynamic playing out better. ([[DWM 478]]).
''Kill the Moon'' was also notable from a production standpoint. [[Lanzarote]] was utilised as a filming location for the first time since [[1984 (production)|1984]] when it stood in for ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]''{{'}}s [[Sarn (planet)|Sarn]].


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
Line 42: Line 46:


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
In [[Coal Hill School]], Clara tells the Doctor [[Courtney Woods|Courtney]] has become self-destructive as a result of the Doctor telling her she isn't special. Entering the TARDIS, Courtney's already there, and has bought travel sickness bracelets in preparation for her travels, which Clara tells her won't happen. Pestering the Doctor about the effect of his comments, the Doctor offers to make Courtney the first woman on the [[Moon]].
In [[Coal Hill School]], Clara tells the Doctor that her troublesome student [[Courtney Woods]] has become worse thanks to meeting him. She's even stolen his [[psychic paper]]; the Doctor wonders if it's to get into museums. However, Clara tells him Courtney has been using it to get into clubs. And all of this started when the Doctor told her that she wasn't special; it's very damaging to a teenager's psyche.


The TARDIS arrives on a [[space shuttle]] carrying nuclear bombs, about to arrive on the lunar surface in [[2049]]. The astronauts, [[Lundvik]], [[Duke (Kill the Moon)|Duke]] and [[Henry (Kill the Moon)|Henry]] discover them, whereupon the Doctor deduces the Moon's increased gravity's been caused by added mass. The astronauts have travelled to destroy the Moon with the bombs. Investigating a disused [[Minera Luna San Pedro|mining base]] from a previous, Mexican, mission, they find corpses preserved in webs and research photos showing deformed landmasses; the Moon is disintegrating.
Entering the TARDIS, Courtney's already there and has bought travel sickness bracelets in preparation for her travels, which Clara tells her won't happen. After much pestering, the Doctor offers to let Courtney be the first woman on the [[Moon]]. When asked if it would make her feel special enough, Courtney excitedly tells him yes.
 
The TARDIS arrives in the cargo bay on a [[space shuttle]], with the trio exiting in spacesuits. Courtney is not pleased; however, the Doctor notes from the window that they are on their way to the Moon, so he didn't go too far off course. He examines the cargo, explaining the objects around them are nuclear bombs, about to arrive on the lunar surface in [[2049]].
 
Three astronauts, [[Lundvik]], [[Duke (Kill the Moon)|Duke]] and [[Henry (Kill the Moon)|Henry]] discover them, and, introducing himself as an intelligent and benevolent alien, the Doctor asks if they will still shoot them, but Lundvik says no. The Doctor is glad to hear it, and asks what is wrong the yo-yo he is playing with; Clara tells him it goes up and down, prompting him to congratulate her. The gravity on the moon has likely increased; they should all be floating around the room. Lundvik explains the Moon has put on weight, and it's causing havoc on Earth.
 
The shuttle lands, and everyone dons their helmets. Courtney exits first, reciting rather poorly [[Neil Armstrong]]'s speech. Lundvik explains that Mexicans were previously sent to investigate the possibility of minerals on the Moon, but all that was sent back were screams over the radio. The Doctor wonders if they are a rescue team, prompting Lundvik to reveal that this happened years ago; humanity lost its interest in going into space. Even the shuttle had to be put back together from being a museum ride. Her two companions are "third-rate" astronauts.
 
They find the [[Minera Luna San Pedro|mining base]], and enter; the Doctor tells them that [[oxygen]] is still in there, so they can take off their helmets to conserve their suits' supply. However, they soon discover the corpses of the crew preserved in webs and research photos showing deformed landmasses; the Moon is disintegrating.
 
Henry investigates a cave outside the base and is killed by a large spider, another of which then enters the base and begins menacing the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik, and kills Duke. Courtney kills it with a detergent and the Doctor works-out that they're germs. Courtney asks to return home out of fear.


Henry investigates a cave outside the base, and is killed by a large spider, one of which then enters the base and begins menacing the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik, and kills Duke. Courtney kills it with a detergent, and the Doctor works-out that they're germs. Courtney asks to return home out of fear.
[[File:Courtney uses Tumblr.jpg|left|thumb|Courtney has uploaded pictures of the Doctor to [[tumblr]].]]
[[File:Courtney uses Tumblr.jpg|left|thumb|Courtney has uploaded pictures of the Doctor to [[tumblr]].]]
Courtney's taken back to the TARDIS, and Clara tells the Doctor she knows the Moon isn't destroyed, having seen it above Earth in the future, but the Doctor's open to the possibility of it being a hologram or something similar. The events happening on the moonbase are a [[Fixed point|fluxed point in time]] — he doesn't know what happens, so the moon could be destroyed, affecting humanity's future.
Courtney is taken back to the TARDIS, and Clara tells the Doctor she knows the Moon isn't destroyed, having seen it above Earth in the future, but the Doctor's open to the possibility of it being a hologram or something similar. The events happening on the moonbase are a fluxed point in time — he doesn't know what happens, so the moon could be destroyed, affecting humanity's future.
 
Going to analyse one of the crevices caused by the corrosion, the Doctor, Clara and Lundvik find Henry's corpse, where they are attacked by another spider, which is repelled by the deterring effects of sunlight. The Doctor jumps down the crevice to gather a sample. The Moon shakes and sheds more of itself.


Going to analyse one of the crevices caused by the corrosion, the Doctor, Clara and Lundvik find Henry's corpse, where he's attacked by another spider, which is repelled by the deterring effects of sunlight. The Doctor jumps down the crevice to gather a sample. The Moon shakes, and sheds more of itself. Based on the seismic activity and the amniotic fluid the Doctor finds, he determines that what everyone calls "the Moon" is the egg of the real Moon: the creature within. In 2049, it's hatching, after growing for millions of years. Lundvik wants to know how to kill the moon. The Doctor puts her plan in context — to blow up a new creature with nuclear bombs, something they'll have to explain to their descendants. Lundvik reasons that the Moon's disintegration is causing catastrophic weather effects on Earth, and needs to be destroyed to save the world. Not being from Earth or the Moon, the Doctor chooses not to interfere, insisting that only Humans can decide the future of their planet. Courtney wants to return to be a part of the debate, and the Doctor instructs her over her phone how to bring the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] to him. As soon as she does so, the Doctor departs — leaving only Clara, Courtney and Lundvik to make the choice.  
Based on the seismic activity and the amniotic fluid the Doctor finds, he determines that the Moon is actually an egg and, after growing for millions of years, it is now hatching. Lundvik wants to know how to kill the creature inside the egg. The Doctor puts her plan in context — to blow up a new creature with nuclear bombs, something they'll have to explain to their descendants. Lundvik reasons that the Moon's disintegration is causing catastrophic weather effects on Earth, and needs to be destroyed to save the world. Not being from Earth or the Moon, the Doctor chooses not to interfere, insisting that only humans can decide the future of their planet. Courtney wants to return to be a part of the debate, and the Doctor instructs her over her phone how to bring the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] to them. As soon as she does so, the Doctor departs — leaving only Clara, Courtney and Lundvik to make the choice.


Clara thinks they should take the risk, and deal with any possible consequences if/when they happen. Lundvik has only humanity's interests to mind, and is prepared to kill the creature to stop the destruction. She activates a timer, after which, she'll detonate the bombs. Ground Control speaks to them over a screen, informing them that Earth's situation is "pretty bad". Clara broadcasts to Earth over the screen, telling them to give their vote. Turning their lights off votes "kill" and keeping their lights on votes "don't kill".
Clara thinks they should take the risk, and deal with any possible consequences if/when they happen. Lundvik has only humanity's interests in mind and is prepared to kill the creature to stop the destruction. She activates a timer, after which, she'll detonate the bombs. Ground Control speaks to them over a screen, informing them that Earth's situation is "pretty bad". Clara broadcasts to Earth over the screen, telling them to give their vote. Turning their lights off votes "kill" and keeping their lights on votes "don't kill".


After the timer has elapsed, Earth has voted "kill". Lundvik primes the detonator, but Clara intercepts at the last second and overrides the command, just as the Doctor returns.
After the timer has elapsed, Earth has voted "kill". Lundvik primes the detonator, but Clara intercepts at the last second and overrides the command, just as the Doctor returns.


Returning to Earth, the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik watch from a beach as the Moon disintegrates in space, while the creature it hatched (a massive butterfly-like creature) flies away — but not before it lays an egg, which has become a replacement Moon. The Doctor tells Lundvik that humanity from this point spreads into space, enduring to the end of the Universe, because they chose not to kill. Courtney realizes how special she now is, being one of the three people to allow Humankind to continue.
Returning to Earth, the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik watch from a beach as the Moon disintegrates in space, while the massive butterfly-like creature that hatched from it flies away — but not before it lays an egg, which has become a replacement Moon. The Doctor tells Lundvik that humanity from this point spreads into space, enduring to the end of the Universe because they chose not to kill. Courtney realises how special she now is, being one of the three people to allow Humankind to continue. Lundvik is left to make her own way back to [[NASA]].
 
[[File:Tearful Clara.jpg|thumb|left|Angry and hurt, a tearful Clara tells the Doctor to go away and never come back.]]
The Doctor takes Courtney back to Coal Hill School, with her now happy to have had an important moment in her life. The Doctor prepares to take off on another adventure with Clara, but she parks the TARDIS, stopping him. She demands to know what the Doctor knew. The Doctor says he knew nothing, but Clara demands a truthful answer, threatening she'll smack him so hard he'll regenerate.


[[File:Tearful Clara.jpg|thumb|Angry and hurt, a tearful Clara tells the Doctor to go away and never come back.|left]] With Lundvik having been left safely back on Earth in 2049 (though she will have to make her own way back to [[NASA]]), the Doctor takes Courtney back to Coal Hill School, and Clara demands to know what the Doctor knew in order to leave them with such an important decision, threatening him that she will smack him so hard, he'll regenerate. When the Doctor explains why he abandoned her, Clara strikes out and stands up to him. She expresses her anger for him leaving them behind on the Moon, and becomes tearful, then even more angry when the Doctor gives patronizing responses to her feelings. The Doctor tries to make it up to her, but Clara is too furious to listen. She tells him that she never wants to see him again or travel through time and space with him again and ends their friendship, leaving the Doctor all alone.
The Doctor explains that he knew the egg was harmless, but it wasn't his place to choose the fate of humanity. Clara expresses her anger at him for leaving them behind on the Moon, and becomes tearful, then even angrier when the Doctor gives patronising responses to her feelings. The Doctor tries to make it up to her, but Clara is too furious to listen. She tells him that she never wants to see him again and ends their friendship, leaving the Doctor all alone.


Clara storms out of the TARDIS, which dematerializes. [[Danny Pink|Danny]] finds her in her classroom, and as he comforts her, she recounts the story to him. Danny tells Clara her relationship with the Doctor isn't over, because he can still make her angry. Clara asks him how he became so wise, and he tells her that he left the army under circumstances that he only refers to as a "really bad day".
Clara storms out of the TARDIS, which then dematerialises. [[Danny Pink|Danny]] finds her in her classroom, and as he comforts her, she recounts the story to him. Danny tells Clara that her relationship with the Doctor isn't over, because he can still make her angry. Clara asks him how he became so wise, and he tells her that he had a "really bad day".


Returning home, Clara goes into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of red wine. She then gazes out of her window at the Moon.
Returning home, Clara goes into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of red wine. She then gazes out of her window at the Moon.
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* [[Danny Pink|Danny]] - [[Samuel Anderson]]
* [[Danny Pink|Danny]] - [[Samuel Anderson]]
* [[Courtney Woods]] - [[Ellis George]]
* [[Courtney Woods]] - [[Ellis George]]
* [[Lundvik]] - [[Hermione Norris]]  
* [[Lundvik]] - [[Hermione Norris]]
* [[Duke (Kill the Moon)|Duke]] - [[Tony Osoba]]  
* [[Duke (Kill the Moon)|Duke]] - [[Tony Osoba]]
* [[Henry (Kill the Moon)|Henry]] - [[Phil Nice]]
* [[Henry (Kill the Moon)|Henry]] - [[Phil Nice]]
* [[McKean]] - [[Christopher Dane]]
* [[McKean]] - [[Christopher Dane]]
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|LineProducer = Tracie Simpson
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== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* The orange [[spacesuit]]s worn by the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Clara Oswald|Clara]], and [[Courtney Woods|Courtney]] on [[the Moon]] are nearly identical to the [[Sanctuary Base 6]] spacesuits ([[TV]]: ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]''/''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]''), one of which was shown to be taken by the [[Tenth Doctor]] and worn again by the Tenth Doctor in [[TV]]: ''[[42 (TV story)|42]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'', and by the [[Eleventh Doctor]] in [[TV]]: ''[[Hide (TV story)|Hide]]''. This time, however, the insignia of Sanctuary Base 6 is not present, unlike [[Orson Pink]]'s spacesuit in [[TV]]: ''[[Listen (TV story)|Listen]]''.
 
* Locations on the (first) Moon are [[Mare Fecunditatis]], [[Sea of Tranquility]], [[Sea of Nectar]], [[Sea of Ingenuity]] and [[Sea of Crises]].
=== The Moon ===
* Locations on the first Moon are the [[Mare Fecunditatis]], the [[Sea of Tranquility]], the [[Sea of Nectar]], the [[Sea of Ingenuity]] and the [[Sea of Crises]].
* Prior to [[2039]], [[Minera Luna San Pedro]] was established to search for minerals.
* Prior to [[2039]], [[Minera Luna San Pedro]] was established to search for minerals.
* The Moon's egg weighs [[1300000000 (number)|1.3 billion]] [[ton]]nes.
=== Individuals ===
* The secretary at Coal Hill School thinks that Clara gave her a [[TENA Lady]] as a "[[secret Santa]]".


=== Cultural references from the real world ===
=== Cultural references from the real world ===
* Clara had given a lesson about [[Charles Dickens]] and ''[[David Copperfield]]'' at Coal Hill School before she and Courtney travelled to the Moon.
* Clara had given a lesson about [[Charles Dickens]] and ''[[David Copperfield]]'' at Coal Hill School before she and Courtney travelled to the Moon.
* Courtney has a [[Tumblr]] account, from where she uploads pictures she's taken during her trip; not surprisingly, the Doctor is furious. [[Lundvik]] says that she remembers her grandmother uploading stuff to [[Tumblr]].
* Courtney has a [[Tumblr]] account, from where she uploads pictures she's taken during her trip. [[Lundvik]] says that [[Lundvik's granny|her grandmother]] had a Tumblr.


== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* This episode's original broadcast was followed by a teaser for the [[w:c:atlantis:Series Two|second series]] of fellow [[BBC]] [[Saturday]] night drama, ''[[Wikipedia:Atlantis (TV series)|Atlantis]]'', confirming that it would premiere on [[15 November (releases)|15 November]], the week following the Series 8 finale of ''Doctor Who''. ''Atlantis''<nowiki/><nowiki>' first episode, </nowiki>''The Earth Bull'', was bookended by the initial stings promoting ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]''.
* This episode's original broadcast was followed by a teaser for the {{iw|atlantis|Series Two|second series}} of fellow [[BBC]] [[Saturday]] night drama, {{wi|Atlantis (TV series)|Atlantis}}, confirming that it would premiere on [[15 November (releases)|15 November]], the week following the Series 8 finale of ''Doctor Who''. ''Atlantis''{{'}} first episode, ''The Earth Bull'', was bookended by the initial stings promoting ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]''.
*During the writing process, showrunner [[Steven Moffat]] told writer [[Peter Harness]] to "[[Philip Hinchcliffe|Hinchcliffe]] the s**t out of it", in particular the first half. ([[DWM 478]]) This referred to the period when [[Philip Hinchcliffe]] was series producer (1975-77), which is remembered {{by whom}} as especially frightening.
* During the writing process, showrunner [[Steven Moffat]] told writer [[Peter Harness]] to "[[Philip Hinchcliffe|Hinchcliffe]] the s** t out of it", in particular, the first half of the episode. ([[DWM 478]]) This referred to the period when Philip Hinchcliffe was the series producer (1975-77), which is remembered by fans as especially frightening.


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
6.91 million ([[DWM 480]])
* 6.91 million ([[DWM 480]])


{{Discontinuity}}
==== Myths and Rumours ====
* The Doctor will return to [[Sarn (planet)|Sarn]]. ''The was speculation following the announcement that series 8 would film in Lanzarote, which was the same country used to represent Sarn in ''[[Planet of Fire (TV story)|Planet of Fire]]''. Lanzarote instead doubles as the surface of the Moon.''


=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
Line 181: Line 255:


=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
''to be added''
{{Discontinuity}}''to be added''
 
== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The Doctor refers to his new cycle of [[regeneration]]s, granted by the [[Time Lord]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor refers to his [[regeneration cycle]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of the Doctor (TV story)|The Time of the Doctor]]'')
* As he often said in his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]], the Doctor says "When I say 'run', run". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Power of the Daleks (TV story)|The Power of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Faceless Ones (TV story)|The Faceless Ones]]'', ''[[The Evil of the Daleks (TV story)|The Evil of the Daleks]]'' etc.)
* The Doctor says "When I say 'run', run", a saying favoured by his [[second incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Power of the Daleks (TV story)|The Power of the Daleks]]'' et al.)
* The [[Twelfth Doctor]] again shows aloof practicality when somebody dies. ([[TV]]:  ''[[Into the Dalek (TV story)|Into the Dalek]]'', ''[[Time Heist (TV story)|Time Heist]]'')
* The Doctor uses not killing [[Hitler]] as an example of not interfering with the course of history. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Timewyrm: Exodus]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Let's Kill Hitler (TV story)|Let's Kill Hitler]]'')
* The Doctor previously propounded upon the life-producing qualities of [[amniotic fluid]] in his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[City of Death (TV story)|City of Death]]'')
* The Doctor previously propounded upon the life-producing qualities of [[amniotic fluid]] in his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[City of Death (TV story)|City of Death]]'')
* [[Earth]] of the mid-[[21st century]] is worse for wear enviromentally compared to the start of the century. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'', ''[[Aeolian (TV story)|Aeolian]]'')
* [[Earth]] of the mid-[[21st century]] is worse for wear environmentally compared to the start of the century. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'', ''[[Aeolian (TV story)|Aeolian]]'')
* This is not the first time the Doctor faced a terrible choice about millions of innocent humans or an innocent alien lifeform. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Beast Below (TV story)|The Beast Below]]'') This time he decides not to be involved. As happened previously, his companion solves the dilemma.
* This is not the first time the Doctor has faced a terrible choice about millions of innocent humans or an innocent alien lifeform. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Beast Below (TV story)|The Beast Below]]'')
* The [[Seventh Doctor]] previously encountered the [[Process]], another creature that hatched from an egg resembling a moon. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'')
* The [[Seventh Doctor]] previously encountered the [[Process]], another creature that hatched from an egg resembling a moon. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'')
* The Doctor deliberately chooses to take a step back in the face of a potentially apocalyptic event, leaving [[human]]ity to choose the future. The [[Ninth Doctor]] initially took a similar approach upon witnessing what appeared to be humanity's [[first contact]] with alien life. ([[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'')
* The Doctor deliberately chooses to take a step back in the face of a potentially apocalyptic event, leaving [[human]]ity to choose the future. The [[Ninth Doctor]] initially took a similar approach upon witnessing what appeared to be humanity's [[first contact]] with alien life. ([[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'')
* The Doctor previously used a [[yo-yo]] to assess the gravity in his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]'' et al.)  
* The Doctor previously used a [[yo-yo]] to assess the gravity in his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]'')
* The Doctor spied a prototype version of the [[Bennett oscillator]], using it to deduce that the year was 2049. He has previously indicated that a modified version of the Bennett oscillator was from the late 29th to early 30th century. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]'')
* The Doctor spies a prototype version of the [[Bennett oscillator]], using it to [[deduce]] that the year is 2049. He has previously indicated that a modified version of the Bennett oscillator was from the late 29th to early 30th century. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ark in Space (TV story)|The Ark in Space]]'')
* Clara mentions the previous time the TARDIS disappeared and the Doctor said it would "turn up". ([[TV]]: ''[[Cold War (TV story)|Cold War]]'')
* Clara mentions the previous time the TARDIS disappeared and the Doctor said it would "turn up". ([[TV]]: ''[[Cold War (TV story)|Cold War]]'')
* The publication date of ''David Copperfield'' is written on the whiteboard as 1850. This date is correct, but Clara had previously argued with the Doctor over the date of ''Pride and Prejudice''. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'')
* Also harking back to Cold War, Clara made a presumption about the future as she says that the Earth does not end in 1983 as she is from the 21st century. In Kill the Moon she again makes a presumption about the future this time about the Moon.
* Courtney suggestively teases "Mr. Pink," referring to her knowledge of Clara's relationship with [[Danny Pink]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'')
* When Clara is asked if she has loved ones on Earth, Courtney suggestively teases "Mr Pink," referring to her knowledge of Clara's relationship with [[Danny Pink]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'')
* The Doctor erroneously thinks Courtney has [[vortex manipulator]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Empty Child (TV story)|The Empty Child]]'', et. al.)
* Lundvik likens the chunks of falling rock from the moon to "whatever killed the dinosaurs". What killed the dinosaurs was, in fact, a [[Briggs' freighter|freighter]] from the [[26th century]], which had been warped back in time 65 million years before crashing into the Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'')
* The Doctor is concerned that Courtney has posted pictures of him on Tumblr. ([[TV]]: ''[[Asylum of the Daleks (TV story)|Asylum of the Daleks]]'')
* The Doctor tells Courtney where to find a pile of DVDs in the TARDIS, and that putting one into the console will bring the TARDIS to him. He also states that if Courtney doesn't hold onto the TARDIS console, it will leave her behind. ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'')
* Clara believes that the Moon can't be destroyed in 2049 because she knows of its existence in the future. [[Sarah Jane Smith]] once made a similar comment about the impossibility of Earth being laid waste by [[Sutekh]] in [[1911]]; [[Martha Jones]] thought that the world couldn't be destroyed in Shakespeare's time; and [[Donna Noble]] said as much about the possibility that [[Agatha Christie]] died in [[1926]]. In all of these cases, the Doctor explained that time was in flux, and the future beyond that point was uncertain. ([[TV]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars (TV story)|Pyramids of Mars]]'', ''[[The Shakespeare Code (TV story)|The Shakespeare Code]]'', ''[[The Unicorn and the Wasp (TV story)|The Unicorn and the Wasp]]'')
* Lundvik likens the chunks of falling rock from the moon to "whatever killed the dinosaurs." What killed the dinosaurs was in fact a [[Briggs' freighter|freighter]] from the [[26th century]], which had been warped back in time 65 million years before crashing into the Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'')
* The Doctor tells Courtney where to find a pile of DVDs in the TARDIS, and that putting one into the console would bring the TARDIS to him. He also states that if Courtney doesn't hold onto the TARDIS console, it will leave her behind. ([[TV]]: [[Blink (TV story)|''Blink'']])
* Humanity had lost interest in space travel by the middle of the [[21st century]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]'')
* Humanity had lost interest in space travel by the middle of the [[21st century]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]'')
* Danny understands the Doctor "pushed Clara too far", as he said the army did with him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'')  
* Danny understands the Doctor "pushed Clara too far", as he said the army did with him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'')
* The Doctor tells people to watch their language after using the word "bloody", including his companion. The [[Tenth Doctor]] told [[Wilfred Mott]] not to swear when he said this word in front of him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')  
* The Doctor tells people to watch their language after using the word "bloody", including his companion. The [[Tenth Doctor]] told [[Wilfred Mott]] not to swear when he said this word in front of him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') In the U.K., the word is considered a mild profanity; in other countries including the U.S. and Canada, however, it is not.
* The [[Tenth Doctor]] previously intended to take [[Rose Tyler]] to the Moon so that she can become the first woman to step on its surface. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[I am a Dalek (novel)|I am a Dalek]]'')  
* The [[Tenth Doctor]] previously intended to take [[Rose Tyler]] to the Moon so that she could become the first woman to step on its surface. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[I Am a Dalek (novel)|I Am a Dalek]]'')
* In his [[Tenth Doctor|tenth incarnation]], the Doctor took [[Martha Jones]] in [[1969]] to see the [[Apollo 11]] moon landing. ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'') Martha had once been taken to the Moon along with the rest of the hospital in which she worked. ([[TV]]: ''[[Smith and Jones (TV story)|Smith and Jones]]'')
* The Doctor says he's "never killed Hitler". ([[TV]]: ''[[Let's Kill Hitler (TV story)|Let's'' ''Kill Hitler]]'') Peter Capaldi himself had been in the mini-series Selling Hitler.
* In his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]], the Doctor took his companions [[Ben Jackson|Ben]], [[Polly Wright|Polly]], and [[Jamie McCrimmon]] to the Moon. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Moonbase (TV story)|The Moonbase]]'')
** The Doctor and Jamie later returned to the Moon along with [[Zoe Heriot]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Seeds of Death (TV story)|The Seeds of Death]]'')
* The Doctor claims that Courtney will eventually become the President of the United States after marrying a man called [[Aaron Blinovitch|Blinovitch]], implying the man who created the theory of the [[Blinovitch Limitation Effect]] on time travel. ([[TV]]: ''[[Day of the Daleks (TV story)|Day of the Daleks]]'')
**''Unless the American Constitution is amended between now and 2049, however, Courtney becoming the US President is at best unlikely. This states specifically that a US President must be a native-born citizen (for example, the Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger is not eligible, despite his popularity), and both Courtney's parents seem very English''[[TV]]: ''[[The Caretaker (TV story)|The Caretaker]]'').


== Home video releases ==
== Home video releases ==
=== DVD releases ===
=== DVD & Blu-ray releases ===
* Doctor Who: Series 8 Boxset
[[File:Complete 8th Series UK Cover.jpg|thumb|Series Full Box-set Region 2]]


=== Blu-ray releases ===
* ''Kill the Moon'' was released as part of [[Series 8 (Doctor Who 2005)|the Complete Eighth Series]] DVD and Blu-ray boxsets in region 1/A on [[9 December (releases)|9 December]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]], in region 2/B on [[24 November (releases)|24 November]] 2014 and in region 4/B on [[19 November (releases)|19 November]] 2014.
* Doctor Who: Series 8 Blu-ray Boxset
* It was later included in the Series 8, Part Two DVD boxset in region 1 on [[13 December (releases)|13 December]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]].


=== Digital releases ===
=== Digital releases ===
* The episode was released on Google Play, iTunes and Amazon Instant Video in HD or SD, also available as part of the Series 8 digital boxset. The digital boxset contains various features: trailer, interviews, ''The Ultimate Companion, The Ultimate Time Lord, Inside the World Tour ''and ''[[Doctor Who Extra]] ''episodes for each episode.
* The episode was released on Google Play, iTunes and Amazon Instant Video in HD or SD, also available as part of the Series 8 digital boxset. The digital boxset contains various features: trailer, interviews, ''The Ultimate Companion, The Ultimate Time Lord, Inside the World Tour'' and ''[[Doctor Who Extra]]'' episodes for each episode.
* In the US, the series was released through digital streaming services Hulu and Netflix with a subscription.
* In the United Kingdom, this story is available on [[BBC iPlayer]].


== External links ==
== External links ==
''to be added''
''to be added''


== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}
{{DWTV}}
{{DWTV}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:Series 8 (Doctor Who) stories]]
[[Category:Television stories set on the Moon]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (2005) television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2049]]
[[Category:Stories set at Coal Hill School]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 2010s]]
[[es:Kill the Moon]]
[[es:Kill the Moon]]
[[fr:Kill the Moon (TV)]]
[[he:להרוג את הירח (סיפור טלוויזיה)]]
[[pt:Kill the Moon]]
[[pt:Kill the Moon]]
[[Category:Twelfth Doctor television stories]]
[[Category:Series 8 (Doctor Who) stories]]
[[Category:2014 television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set on the Moon]]
[[Category:Doctor Who (2005) television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 2040s]]

Latest revision as of 02:07, 4 November 2024

RealWorld.png

Kill the Moon was the seventh episode of series 8 of Doctor Who.

Narratively, it saw the Doctor take Coal Hill School student Courtney Woods on a trip to the Moon following her discovery of his true nature in the previous episode. It also revealed the true nature of the Earth's natural satellite, which had been a fixture of many previous stories.

It revisited the Earth's environmentally disastrous mid-21st century as well as the concept of time in flux, with the Doctor choosing to take a step back and leaving the future in the hands of his human company, a choice that would lead to a severe divide between him and Clara.

The concept behind the episode came to writer Peter Harness in 2011, so initially, it was written for Matt Smith. Harness expressed a belief that the script suited Peter Capaldi more with the Doctor-Clara dynamic playing out better. (DWM 478)

Kill the Moon was also notable from a production standpoint. Lanzarote was utilised as a filming location for the first time since 1984 when it stood in for Planet of Fire's Sarn.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor, Clara, and Courtney go visit the Moon in 2049, where they discover that the Earth's constant companion is a little more than another mere celestial body.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

In Coal Hill School, Clara tells the Doctor that her troublesome student Courtney Woods has become worse thanks to meeting him. She's even stolen his psychic paper; the Doctor wonders if it's to get into museums. However, Clara tells him Courtney has been using it to get into clubs. And all of this started when the Doctor told her that she wasn't special; it's very damaging to a teenager's psyche.

Entering the TARDIS, Courtney's already there and has bought travel sickness bracelets in preparation for her travels, which Clara tells her won't happen. After much pestering, the Doctor offers to let Courtney be the first woman on the Moon. When asked if it would make her feel special enough, Courtney excitedly tells him yes.

The TARDIS arrives in the cargo bay on a space shuttle, with the trio exiting in spacesuits. Courtney is not pleased; however, the Doctor notes from the window that they are on their way to the Moon, so he didn't go too far off course. He examines the cargo, explaining the objects around them are nuclear bombs, about to arrive on the lunar surface in 2049.

Three astronauts, Lundvik, Duke and Henry discover them, and, introducing himself as an intelligent and benevolent alien, the Doctor asks if they will still shoot them, but Lundvik says no. The Doctor is glad to hear it, and asks what is wrong the yo-yo he is playing with; Clara tells him it goes up and down, prompting him to congratulate her. The gravity on the moon has likely increased; they should all be floating around the room. Lundvik explains the Moon has put on weight, and it's causing havoc on Earth.

The shuttle lands, and everyone dons their helmets. Courtney exits first, reciting rather poorly Neil Armstrong's speech. Lundvik explains that Mexicans were previously sent to investigate the possibility of minerals on the Moon, but all that was sent back were screams over the radio. The Doctor wonders if they are a rescue team, prompting Lundvik to reveal that this happened years ago; humanity lost its interest in going into space. Even the shuttle had to be put back together from being a museum ride. Her two companions are "third-rate" astronauts.

They find the mining base, and enter; the Doctor tells them that oxygen is still in there, so they can take off their helmets to conserve their suits' supply. However, they soon discover the corpses of the crew preserved in webs and research photos showing deformed landmasses; the Moon is disintegrating.

Henry investigates a cave outside the base and is killed by a large spider, another of which then enters the base and begins menacing the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik, and kills Duke. Courtney kills it with a detergent and the Doctor works-out that they're germs. Courtney asks to return home out of fear.

Courtney has uploaded pictures of the Doctor to tumblr.

Courtney is taken back to the TARDIS, and Clara tells the Doctor she knows the Moon isn't destroyed, having seen it above Earth in the future, but the Doctor's open to the possibility of it being a hologram or something similar. The events happening on the moonbase are a fluxed point in time — he doesn't know what happens, so the moon could be destroyed, affecting humanity's future.

Going to analyse one of the crevices caused by the corrosion, the Doctor, Clara and Lundvik find Henry's corpse, where they are attacked by another spider, which is repelled by the deterring effects of sunlight. The Doctor jumps down the crevice to gather a sample. The Moon shakes and sheds more of itself.

Based on the seismic activity and the amniotic fluid the Doctor finds, he determines that the Moon is actually an egg and, after growing for millions of years, it is now hatching. Lundvik wants to know how to kill the creature inside the egg. The Doctor puts her plan in context — to blow up a new creature with nuclear bombs, something they'll have to explain to their descendants. Lundvik reasons that the Moon's disintegration is causing catastrophic weather effects on Earth, and needs to be destroyed to save the world. Not being from Earth or the Moon, the Doctor chooses not to interfere, insisting that only humans can decide the future of their planet. Courtney wants to return to be a part of the debate, and the Doctor instructs her over her phone how to bring the TARDIS to them. As soon as she does so, the Doctor departs — leaving only Clara, Courtney and Lundvik to make the choice.

Clara thinks they should take the risk, and deal with any possible consequences if/when they happen. Lundvik has only humanity's interests in mind and is prepared to kill the creature to stop the destruction. She activates a timer, after which, she'll detonate the bombs. Ground Control speaks to them over a screen, informing them that Earth's situation is "pretty bad". Clara broadcasts to Earth over the screen, telling them to give their vote. Turning their lights off votes "kill" and keeping their lights on votes "don't kill".

After the timer has elapsed, Earth has voted "kill". Lundvik primes the detonator, but Clara intercepts at the last second and overrides the command, just as the Doctor returns.

Returning to Earth, the Doctor, Clara, Courtney and Lundvik watch from a beach as the Moon disintegrates in space, while the massive butterfly-like creature that hatched from it flies away — but not before it lays an egg, which has become a replacement Moon. The Doctor tells Lundvik that humanity from this point spreads into space, enduring to the end of the Universe because they chose not to kill. Courtney realises how special she now is, being one of the three people to allow Humankind to continue. Lundvik is left to make her own way back to NASA.

Angry and hurt, a tearful Clara tells the Doctor to go away and never come back.

The Doctor takes Courtney back to Coal Hill School, with her now happy to have had an important moment in her life. The Doctor prepares to take off on another adventure with Clara, but she parks the TARDIS, stopping him. She demands to know what the Doctor knew. The Doctor says he knew nothing, but Clara demands a truthful answer, threatening she'll smack him so hard he'll regenerate.

The Doctor explains that he knew the egg was harmless, but it wasn't his place to choose the fate of humanity. Clara expresses her anger at him for leaving them behind on the Moon, and becomes tearful, then even angrier when the Doctor gives patronising responses to her feelings. The Doctor tries to make it up to her, but Clara is too furious to listen. She tells him that she never wants to see him again and ends their friendship, leaving the Doctor all alone.

Clara storms out of the TARDIS, which then dematerialises. Danny finds her in her classroom, and as he comforts her, she recounts the story to him. Danny tells Clara that her relationship with the Doctor isn't over, because he can still make her angry. Clara asks him how he became so wise, and he tells her that he had a "really bad day".

Returning home, Clara goes into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of red wine. She then gazes out of her window at the Moon.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Moon[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Cultural references from the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This episode's original broadcast was followed by a teaser for the second series of fellow BBC Saturday night drama, Atlantis, confirming that it would premiere on 15 November, the week following the Series 8 finale of Doctor Who. Atlantis' first episode, The Earth Bull, was bookended by the initial stings promoting The Day of the Doctor.
  • During the writing process, showrunner Steven Moffat told writer Peter Harness to "Hinchcliffe the s** t out of it", in particular, the first half of the episode. (DWM 478) This referred to the period when Philip Hinchcliffe was the series producer (1975-77), which is remembered by fans as especially frightening.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Myths and Rumours[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor will return to Sarn. The was speculation following the announcement that series 8 would film in Lanzarote, which was the same country used to represent Sarn in Planet of Fire. Lanzarote instead doubles as the surface of the Moon.

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor refers to his regeneration cycle. (TV: The Time of the Doctor)
  • The Doctor says "When I say 'run', run", a saying favoured by his second incarnation. (TV: The Power of the Daleks et al.)
  • The Doctor previously propounded upon the life-producing qualities of amniotic fluid in his fourth incarnation. (TV: City of Death)
  • Earth of the mid-21st century is worse for wear environmentally compared to the start of the century. (TV: The Waters of Mars, Aeolian)
  • This is not the first time the Doctor has faced a terrible choice about millions of innocent humans or an innocent alien lifeform. (TV: The Beast Below)
  • The Seventh Doctor previously encountered the Process, another creature that hatched from an egg resembling a moon. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible)
  • The Doctor deliberately chooses to take a step back in the face of a potentially apocalyptic event, leaving humanity to choose the future. The Ninth Doctor initially took a similar approach upon witnessing what appeared to be humanity's first contact with alien life. (TV: Aliens of London)
  • The Doctor previously used a yo-yo to assess the gravity in his fourth incarnation. (TV: The Ark in Space)
  • The Doctor spies a prototype version of the Bennett oscillator, using it to deduce that the year is 2049. He has previously indicated that a modified version of the Bennett oscillator was from the late 29th to early 30th century. (TV: The Ark in Space)
  • Clara mentions the previous time the TARDIS disappeared and the Doctor said it would "turn up". (TV: Cold War)
  • Also harking back to Cold War, Clara made a presumption about the future as she says that the Earth does not end in 1983 as she is from the 21st century. In Kill the Moon she again makes a presumption about the future this time about the Moon.
  • When Clara is asked if she has loved ones on Earth, Courtney suggestively teases "Mr Pink," referring to her knowledge of Clara's relationship with Danny Pink. (TV: The Caretaker)
  • Lundvik likens the chunks of falling rock from the moon to "whatever killed the dinosaurs". What killed the dinosaurs was, in fact, a freighter from the 26th century, which had been warped back in time 65 million years before crashing into the Earth. (TV: Earthshock)
  • The Doctor tells Courtney where to find a pile of DVDs in the TARDIS, and that putting one into the console will bring the TARDIS to him. He also states that if Courtney doesn't hold onto the TARDIS console, it will leave her behind. (TV: Blink)
  • Humanity had lost interest in space travel by the middle of the 21st century. (TV: The Seeds of Death)
  • Danny understands the Doctor "pushed Clara too far", as he said the army did with him. (TV: The Caretaker)
  • The Doctor tells people to watch their language after using the word "bloody", including his companion. The Tenth Doctor told Wilfred Mott not to swear when he said this word in front of him. (TV: The End of Time) In the U.K., the word is considered a mild profanity; in other countries including the U.S. and Canada, however, it is not.
  • The Tenth Doctor previously intended to take Rose Tyler to the Moon so that she could become the first woman to step on its surface. (PROSE: I Am a Dalek)
  • The Doctor says he's "never killed Hitler". (TV: Let's Kill Hitler) Peter Capaldi himself had been in the mini-series Selling Hitler.

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD & Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

Series Full Box-set Region 2

Digital releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The episode was released on Google Play, iTunes and Amazon Instant Video in HD or SD, also available as part of the Series 8 digital boxset. The digital boxset contains various features: trailer, interviews, The Ultimate Companion, The Ultimate Time Lord, Inside the World Tour and Doctor Who Extra episodes for each episode.
  • In the United Kingdom, this story is available on BBC iPlayer.

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

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Christmas Special
Regular episodes
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