Doctor Who #1068: Dermot and the Doctor

"We're heading for some vast and terrible arena full of insane shrieking banshees thirsting for blood and conquest."

TECHNICAL SPECS: First aired Jan.26 2011. Available on YouTube.

IN THIS ONE... The Doctor tries to get Dermot O'Leary to the 2011 National Television Awards on time.

REVIEW: Essentially a bunch of jokes and cameos related to British television, this short introduction to the NTAs was at least written by Steven Moffat, which means it has some claims to canonicity. The 11th Doctor has a LOT of space in his timeline to fit such shenanigans, and a lot of the silly side-adventures we're actually privy to have this kind of vibe (hanging out with celebs, the Doctor spouting nonsense because "he lies" or "is only kidding").

The jokes may be lost on non-British (or non-2011) audiences. It involves a drop into Eastenders, confirming its existence in the Whoniverse (as per Dimensions in Time and Wish World, and despite its real-world appearance in Army of Ghosts), but throws in Coronation Street as well! Fair enough. I imagine the bit about John Forsyth still being a working presenter in 2111 is because he's been on telly forever. I don't really know who he is, but he did pass away in 2017, so maybe the Doctor was right that the award show was a tipping point in history. Maybe this is why the 2012 of the short didn't come about, with Graham Norton reading the news (from his set, kinda naff, that) and a Britain's Got Talent judge becoming Prime Minister (hey, as a result we get David Hasselhoff's only Doctor Who appearance, so). The other stuff I understand even less. Comedians joined at the hip by invisible handcuffs? I'm sure that makes sense if you know the performers.

Bottom line, it's just a spoof, and Matt Smith gives it his all, as usual.

REWATCHABILITY: Medium - I don't get half the jokes except through context, but it's an amusing whirl-around anyway.