| 261 – "Heaven Sent" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Who episode | |||
| Cast | |||
Others | |||
| Production | |||
| Directed by | Rachel Talalay | ||
| Written by | Steven Moffat | ||
| Script editor | Nick Lambon | ||
| Produced by | Peter Bennett | ||
| Executive producer(s) | Steven Moffat Brian Minchin | ||
| Music by | Murray Gold | ||
| Series | Series 9 | ||
| Running time | 54 minutes | ||
| First broadcast | 28 November 2015 | ||
| Chronology | |||
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"Heaven Sent" is the eleventh and penultimate episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 28 November 2015. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay.
In the episode, the alien time traveller the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is imprisoned in a waterlocked castle by his people, the Time Lords. A shrouded creature (Jami Reid-Quarrell) pursues the Doctor in an attempt to interrogate truths from him. The episode is unique in that it primarily features the Doctor without a companion or any guest speaking characters. It was watched by 6.19 million viewers in the United Kingdom.
"Heaven Sent" received universal acclaim, with praise for Capaldi's performance, Moffat's script, and Talalay's direction. Many labelled the episode the strongest of the ninth series and one of the strongest of the show overall. It was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form). In 2023 the episode was voted the best Doctor Who story ever by readers of Doctor Who Magazine.