Closing Time (Series 6, Episode 12)

Series 6, Episode 12 | 1 part | First broadcast: 24 September 2011 | Writer: Gareth Roberts | Director: Steve Hughes

Cast

  • Matt Smith as the Doctor
  • James Corden as Craig Owens
  • Arthur Darvill as Rory Williams (uncredited cameo)

Summary

Believing his time may be running out, the Doctor pays one last visit to his old friend Craig Owens, now a new father overwhelmed by parenthood, only to stumble into a department store haunted by a stranded, desperate band of Cybermen rebuilding their strength from the shadows. Balancing baby-minding with saving the world, the Doctor discovers unexpected heroism in his ordinary human friend when it matters most.

Interesting Facts

  • This is a direct sequel to “The Lodger,” once again pairing the Doctor with James Corden’s Craig Owens in a comedic domestic setting.
  • The story quietly continues the season’s darker arc, showing a Doctor increasingly withdrawn and preparing his friends for a future without him.
  • Craig’s paternal love for his baby son proves capable of overriding the Cybermen’s conversion process, a rare instance of human emotion literally defeating the technology.
  • The episode ends with the Doctor apparently walking to his death at Lake Silencio, tying directly back into the season’s opening two-parter.

References

No Responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *