Closing Time (Doctor Who)

223 – "Closing Time"
Doctor Who episode
The Doctor holds up a Cybermat. The creature was given a more high-tech redesign. The teeth were added to suggest it had once been an animal.
Cast
Others
Production
Directed bySteve Hughes
Written by
Produced by
  • Denise Paul
Executive producer(s)
Music byMurray Gold
Production code2.12
SeriesSeries 6
Running time45 minutes
First broadcast24 September 2011 (2011-09-24)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"The God Complex"
Followed by →
"The Wedding of River Song"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"Closing Time" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, and was first broadcast on BBC One on 24 September 2011. It was written by Gareth Roberts and directed by Steve Hughes. It is a sequel to "The Lodger", an episode Roberts wrote for the previous series.

In the episode, alien time traveller the Doctor (Matt Smith) is going on a "farewell tour" before his impending death and visits his friend Craig Owens (James Corden) in present-day Colchester, who has a new baby son, Alfie. Though not initially intending to stay, the Doctor becomes intrigued by a Cybermen invasion at a local department store.

Roberts and showrunner Steven Moffat wanted to bring Craig back, having enjoyed "The Lodger" and Corden's performance. Though "Closing Time" was designed to be fun, with comedy built around the double act of Smith and Corden, it contains themes and an epilogue that lead into the finale. The episode marks the first appearance of the Cybermats in the revival of Doctor Who, and they were appropriately redesigned. Much of the episode was filmed in a department store and a private home in Cardiff at night, with shooting going early into the morning. "Closing Time" was watched by 6.93 million viewers in the UK and received generally positive reviews from critics; while the performances, comedy, and emotional moments were praised, many critics were not pleased with the usage of the Cybermen.

  1. ^ Gareth Roberts (24 September 2011). "Open All Hours". Doctor Who Confidential. Series 6. Episode 12. 4:52 minutes in. BBC. BBC Three. The Doctor allows Craig to come along and play the part of his companion [...]
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference brilliant book was invoked but never defined (see the help page).