A new glimpse at Ncuti Gatwa’s FifteenthDoctor Who’s 2024 Christmas special reveals that the episode will feature a number of nods toward Matt Smith’s first episode as the Eleventh Doctor. Titled “Joy to the World”, the episode focuses on a powerful but dangerous piece of technology finding its way to a futuristic time-traveling hotel during the holiday season. WhileMillie Gibson will be absentfrom the episode,Doctor Who’s 2024 seasonal adventure will starBridgertonandDerry Girl’s Nicola Coughlan as one-time companion Joy.
With less than a month untilDoctor Whoreturns to screens on Christmas Day, the cover for the upcoming issue ofDoctor Who Magazinerevealed by the officialDoctor WhoInstagram account has given a new look at the Fifteenth Doctor. While his outfit remains unchanged from past previews, Gatwa’s Time Lord is holding a newspaper with several nods from writer Steven Moffat’s tenure as showrunner. Alongside the return of his “Timey Wimey” phrase from “Blink” in the paper’s title, two nods to Smith’s debut in 2010' “The Eleventh Hour” are featured in the paper.
Alongside an update to the episode’s villain Prisoner Zero’s incarceration status, the paper also highlights a nod to a duck pond mystery, a reference to a conversation between the Doctor and Amy when he asks her why a duck pond is called that when it has no ducks.
What Prisoner Zero’s Surprise Cameo Means For Doctor Who’s 2024 Seasonal Special
The Episode Already Has Several Nods & Connections To Past Adventures
Though it may come as a welcome surprise to many who were introduced toDoctor Whothrough Smith’s era of the series, it is unlikely that Prisoner Zero will make any appearance within the episode. Instead, it is simply an element of Moffat using references to create a more fleshed-out and interconnected canon, something that his era is notable for.
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Steven Moffat’s return to Doctor Who means the resurgence of a presence first introduced to the show by the writer in 2005, extending his era.
While Prisoner Zero may not appear in the episode, there is a key antagonist created by Moffat who will play a key role in “Joy to the World”. As seen in theChildren In Need2024 preview clip, arms manufacturer Villengard are the figures behind the mysterious Star Seed energy source that poses a threat to the universe. Villengard made their last major appearance inDoctor Whoseason 14’s “Boom”, as they are the manufacturers behind the deadly devices used in the episode. As such, there is no shortage to Moffat’s contributions to the series lore within the episode.
Our Thoughts On Doctor Who’s 2024 Special’s Eleventh Doctor Nod
Could More Easter Eggs Be On The Way?
Smith’sDoctor Whodebut in “The Eleventh Hour” remains one of the strongest Time Lord debuts within the series' history, offering a fresh entry point that perfectly highlighted the values of the lead character, the stylistic approach Moffat took to the series, and Smith’s take on the character. As such, it is one ofSmith’s strongest adventures as the Eleventh Doctor.
While it may only be an easter egg to its writer’s tenure as showrunner, “Joy to the World’s” references are sure to leave fans with a smile. Furthermore, with Prisoner Zero having a surprise nod in the episode, many may wonder which otherDoctor Whoreferences audiences may be gifted with in the 2024 seasonal adventure.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 29, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
