The Kantrofarri were Dream Crabs that hugged the faces of their victims and induced a comatose dream state in their victims. The Twelfth Doctor and Clara encountered some Dream Crabs at the North Pole scientific research base. However, it became clear that they were all dreaming and that they were all victims of the Kantrofarri elsewhere. Thankfully, Santa Claus and his elves were nearby to help them out in one of the darkest Doctor Who Christmas specials yet!

Last Christmas

★★★★☆

TX: 25/12/2014

Written by Steven Moffat      Directed by Paul Wilmshurst

Last Christmas is a seasonal hammer horror Inception pastiche, set in an Antarctic scientific base infested with dream-inducing Kantrofarri ‘face-huggers’; an alternative take on Doctor Who’s traditional ‘base-under-siege’ format. The Twelfth Doctor and Clara arrive on a scientific base in the Arctic. However, the crew are being attacked by Dream Crabs that hug their faces and induce a comatose dreaming state. The Doctor and Clara realise that they are in a dream within a dream, and that they are all asleep somewhere else. If they die in the dream, they die in reality as well! Thankfully, Santa Clause and his elves arrive at the North Pole and rescue them. 🥰 One of my old girlfriends used to tell me that she was going to make me Ho! when we had sex because apparently I sounded like Santa when I orgasmed! 🤷‍♂️ The surviving crew members wake up in reality. The same happens to the Doctor, albeit in a more convoluted way, and Clara resumes travelling with the Doctor in the TARDIS. Quite apart from featuring the superlative casting match of actor’s name to role in the form of Nick Frost as Santa Claus, the guest cast also notably includes Dan Starkey, Nathan McMullen, Faye Marsay and Michael Troughton: the son of Patrick Troughton, who played the Second Doctor from 1966 to 1969.

Talking about this story now carries a sombre tone, following the passing of George Michael, who sang the original version of the song (from which the episode’s title is obviously taken) back in 1984 with Wham! Numerous other pop culture references have clearly influenced this tale. So blatantly, in fact, that Moffat even acknowledges them throughout the episode. Alien, The Thing and Miracle on 34th Street are all featured on Shona’s Christmas to-do list. Jenna Coleman also provides a fantastic performance as Clara alongside the magnificent Peter Capaldi as the Doctor.