Watch the Prequel and Trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas Special

This weekend, the BBC announced the title of the new Doctor Who Christmas Special, coming up in a little over a month— The Snowmen. Great, something else to add to the growing list of things my kids will scream in abject terror at when they see: mannequins… gas masks… Father Christmas… stone statues… water… now snowmen. And these are no ordinary snowmen: imagine Calvin's snowmen (of Calvin and Hobbs fame) come to life!

But it looks like a fun episode, bringing back Madam Vestra, Jenny, and Commander Strax — some of my favorite characters from the episode a A Good Man Goes To War. My Christmas wish is that these three get their own series!

The episode also features a villain played by Richard E. Grant — an interesting choice, since he played an "unofficial" incarnation of the Doctor in the audio drama Scream of the Shakra.

From the press release BBC America sent us:

The Doctor at Christmas is one of my favorite things - but this year it’s different. He’s lost Amy and Rory to the Weeping Angels, and he’s not in a good place: in fact, he’s Scrooge. He’s withdrawn from the world and no longer cares what happens to it. So when all of humanity hangs in the balance, can anyone persuade a tired and heartbroken Doctor that it’s time to return to the good fight. Enter Jenna-Louise Coleman…

Steven Moffat

For this year’s Christmas special we have the wonderfully villainous Richard E Grant as Doctor Simeon. As well as lizards, Victorian assassins and deranged warriors from the future, who all return to convince the Doctor that he should board the TARDIS again and save the world. Add to that Jenna-Louise Coleman and so begins the Christmas Special 2012. I hope everyone enjoys it!

Matt Smith

Let’s take a look a “minisode” preview to set the stage:

Next the first trailer for the episode:

This year’s Doctor Who Christmas special premieres, The Snowmen, Tuesday, December 25, 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC AMERICA.