Last Christmas (Doctor Who)

253 – "Last Christmas"
Doctor Who episode
The Doctor, with Clara as an elderly woman. Jenna Coleman's reversal of her decision to leave the series determined the ending of the episode.
Cast
Doctor Peter Capaldi – Twelfth Doctor
Companion Jenna Coleman – Clara Oswald
Others Nick Frost – Santa Claus Samuel Anderson – Danny Dan Starkey – Ian Nathan McMullen – Wolf Faye Marsay – Shona Natalie Gumede – Ashley Maureen Beattie – Bellows Michael Troughton – Professor Albert
Production
Directed by	Paul Wilmshurst
Written by	Steven Moffat
Script editor	David P Davis
Produced by	Paul Frift
Executive producer(s)	Steven Moffat Brian Minchin
Music by	Murray Gold
Running time	60 minutes
First broadcast	25 December 2014 (2014-12-25)
Chronology
← Preceded by "Death in Heaven" Followed by → "The Magician's Apprentice"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"Last Christmas" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who that was first broadcast on 25 December 2014. It is the tenth Christmas special since the show's revival in 2005. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Paul Wilmshurst.

In the special, the alien time traveller the Doctor is reunited with his companion Clara Oswald as they try to save a North Pole science base from creatures called dream crabs that induce dream states whilst killing their victims, with the help of Santa Claus.

"Last Christmas" was viewed by 8.28 million in the United Kingdom and received positive reviews from critics, particularly for Capaldi and Coleman's performances, and for the "clever" spin on the usual Christmas atmosphere.