DOCTOR WHO: "The Snowmen" Prequel and Trailer Debut

Almost one month before Doctor Who finally returns for this year's Christmas special, to be called "The Snowmen," the BBC's annual Children In Need charity event debuted a four-minute prequel and one-minute trailer introduced by stars Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman.

Titled "The Great Detective," the prequel opens on a snowy night "in the time of Queen Victoria" with a voiceover narration by Doctor Who writer/actor Mark Gatiss.  We're reintroduced to the female Silurian Madame Vastra, last seen in the 2011 episode "A Good Man Goes to War," along with her assistant Jenny Flint (finally given a last name) and her henchman, the Sontaran named Strax, whose "countenance was too abominable to be photographed."

Their gang has a fourth member, described as a "shadowy figure whose assistance was only sought in the direst of emergencies."  Of course, it turns out to be the Doctor, who appears exceedingly depressed after being separated from his companions Amy and Rory Williams/Pond during the events of "The Angels Take Manhattan."  In an attempt to engage the grumpy Doctor, Vastra brings him news of a meteor shower of "unexpected timing and density" that she presumes is the result of alien intervention.  Jenny suggests investigating a professor threatening to split the world with a drill designed to penetrate the Earth's crust.  Strax, meanwhile, has declared war on the Moon and claims a race known as the Moonites won't suspect his assault.

Unfortunately, Mr. Grumpy Face isn't interested and informs them that "I don't do this anymore. I've retired."  The Doctor walks away and vanishes into the city streets, leaving Jenny to remark "I think he's means it."  "Yes, my dear," replies Vastra.  "I rather think he does."

As for the trailer to "The Snowmen," we open with Coleman's character Clara telling the story of a man known as The Doctor, who "lives on a cloud in the sky and all he does all day -- every day -- is to stop all the children in the world ever having bad dreams."  After a shot of guest star Richard E Grant, we find the now engaged and curious Doctor asking Strax "When you find something brand new in the world, something you've never seen before, what's the next thing you look for?"  "A grenade," suggests Strax.

We then cut to Madame Vastra who says "The Doctor doesn't help people," followed by The Doctor asking Clara her name, Richard E Grant being especially villainish, "Listen to me, the snow's feeding off your thoughts!", the revealed snow monsters with sharp pointy teeth, and ending with "It will build an army of ice.  It will be the last day of humanity on this planet..."

Christmas Day 2012.  As if you can resist this now.

If you'd like to see the prequel and the trailer, you can view them below thanks to the BBC's YouTube account...

"The Snowmen" Prequel: "The Great Detective"



"The Snowmen" Trailer