View source for Not likely to find much peace in this universe

{{article
| publication = The Record
| file = 2014-12-24 Record.jpg
| px = 750
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| date = 2014-12-24
| author = Tish Wells
| pages = BL-3
| language = English 
| type = 
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| text = 
"Do you believe in Santa Claus?" You may have an opinion after this year's "Doctor Who" Christmas special.

Like all of Steven Moffat's best writing, it's a multilayered episode to be enjoyed by children and discussed among adults. There are moments when you'll laugh at the humor and moments when you'll cry over the pathos.

It will be broadcast on Christmas on [[broadwcast:BBC America|BBC America]] and available online Friday.

Moffat said cheerfully during a media-conference call that he defines the special, titled "Last Christmas," as a "big, optimistic show that does, of course, have monsters that want to commit genocide on the entire universe."

Who is The Doctor? He's an alien Time Lord from Gallifrey who runs about the universe in a TARDIS time machine. He regenerates into a new body (whenever the show needs a new actor), which also brings a different version of the character. This will be Peter Capaldli's first official Christmas since he took over the part in the last few seconds of 2013. Capaldi's Doctor is older, grumpier and a disbeliever in myths and legends — including Santa Claus.

By the end of the latest series, Doctor Who has broken up with his latest traveling companion, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), leaving them both unhappy and misunderstanding each other. Clara is also grieving for the loss of her boyfriend, Danny Pink.

Hardly spoilers since it's in the YouTube trailers, Santa and his two snarly elves land their sleigh on Clara's rooftop. The doctor appears, sneers at Santa and takes Clara to a scientific base at the North Pole, where aliens are threatening the world in typical "Doctor Who" fashion.

There are overtones of "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry, a rearing reindeer (hi-yo, Silver!), a touch of classic Daoism, a song from the glam-rock '70s, and a stellar score from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

"I wrote the last third of this Christmas special on the World Tour with Peter and Jenna," Moffat said of the international publicity tour of August 2014. "So, my principal memory of that, which is now fond but at the time I slightly resented, was I'd be watching them all having a high old time in bars and pubs and cafés, and I'd be sitting by myself at a table in the corner trying to write "Doctor Who."

Insofar as writing is ever enjoyable, Moffat concluded, "I think being able to write dialogue between the Doctor and Santa Claus is as good as it gets."

DOCTOR WHO 9 p.m. Thursday, BBC America


Caption: Nick Frost plays Santa and Peter Capaldi is the main character in the latest "Doctor Who" Christmas special.

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