| 255b – "Before the Flood" | |||
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| Doctor Who episode | |||
| Cast | |||
Others
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| Production | |||
| Directed by | Daniel O'Hara | ||
| Written by | Toby Whithouse | ||
| Script editor | Nick Lambon | ||
| Produced by | Derek Ritchie | ||
| Executive producer(s) | Steven Moffat Brian Minchin | ||
| Music by | Murray Gold | ||
| Series | Series 9 | ||
| Running time | 2nd of 2-part story, 42 minutes | ||
| First broadcast | 10 October 2015 | ||
| Chronology | |||
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"Before the Flood" is the fourth episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Toby Whithouse and directed by Daniel O'Hara. It was first broadcast on 10 October 2015, and is the second part of a two-part story; the first part, "Under the Lake", aired on 3 October.
Set in Scotland in 1980 and 2119, the episode is a "bootstrap paradox" where the alien time traveller the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) prevents the invasion plot of an alien called the Fisher King (Neil Fingleton and Peter Serafinowicz) while also saving the life of his companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) in the future through the use of information the Doctor received that he would later send to himself.
The episode was watched by 6.05 million viewers and received positive reviews, who praised Capaldi’s performance, but criticised the utilisation of the Fisher King.