Closing Time (TV story)

Closing Time was the twelfth episode in the sixth series of Doctor Who.

Synopsis
In the last few days of his life, the Doctor pays a farewell visit to his old friend Craig, and encounters a mystery. People are going missing, a silver rat scuttles in the shadows of a department store, and somewhere close by the Cybermen are waiting…

Plot
It starts in a department store, where a worker is checking the changing rooms for customers before they close. She hears something in one of the changing rooms and she finds a Cyberman in it, causing her to scream.

Meanwhile, Sophie exits Craig and her house, after making sure that Craig could cope with his son, Alfie. After she leaves, Craig hears a knock on the door and sees the Doctor standing on his doorstep. The Doctor says hello and then tries to leave, but sees the power flickering on Craig's road and he decides to stay.

When Craig meets the Doctor again the next day, he is working in a shop, searching for the cause of the electricity problems. He's noticed that people have been vanishing, and the Doctor's assumes that the electricity problems are to do with it. When the Doctor tries to get Craig and Alfie out of the shop via a lift, they accidently arrive in the Cyber-Ship, where a Cyberman stomps towards them.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Matt Smith
 * Craig Owens - James Corden
 * River Song - Alex Kingston
 * Amy Pond - Karen Gillan
 * Rory Williams - Arthur Darvill
 * Sophie - Daisy Haggard
 * Madame Kovarian - Frances Barber
 * Shona - Seroca Davis
 * Kelly - Holli Dempsey
 * George - Christopher Obi
 * Val - Lynda Baron
 * Cybermen - Paul Kasey
 * Voice of the Cybermen - Nicholas Briggs

Crew
to be added

Story notes

 * Part of the nursery rhyme from DW: Night Terrors is sung by Madame Kovarian, with some new lines added.
 * Closing Time is the first episode produced by Denise Paul who has previously acted as Associate Producer for several Eleventh Doctor stories.
 * This is the first time since the series revival in 2005 that episode 12 has not been the first of a two part episode written by the head writer. The end of this episode does however set up the series finale.
 * This is also the first regular-season episode since the series revival in which the Doctor does not have a regular companion with him.
 * Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill were, however, credited in the opener as they had been during the rest of the season. This marks the first time in the series that any actor's name has appeared in the opening credits for less than one minute of on-screen appearance.

Ratings
to be added

Myths

 * Craig Owens may travel in the TARDIS. This proved false.
 * Craig Owens has had a baby. This proved true.

Filming locations
to be added

Continuity

 * The Doctor can speak baby. (DW:A Good Man Goes to War)
 * Posters seen in the department store indicate that Amy has taking up a modelling career. She is seen advertising a fragrance named "Petrichor" (DW : The Doctor's Wife), which bears the slogan "For the girl who's tired of waiting" (DW : The Girl Who Waited)
 * When the Doctor notices Craig has redecorated, he says that he doesn't like it, similar to the Second Doctor's comments to the Third Doctor about redecorating the TARDIS in DW: The Three Doctors and again when the Second Doctor saw The Brigadier's office in DW: The Five Doctors.
 * The Doctor can make people quiet by simply saying "ssh!". This is not the first time he has used hypnosis. (DW: The Sun Makers, Revelation of the Daleks)
 * Kovarian does not appear to be affected by the Silence's ability to make people forget their existence. (DW: Day of the Moon)
 * The Doctor takes some blue envelopes from Craig's house, and Craig gives him a Stetson as a parting gift. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut)
 * The Doctor tells Craig that he has forgotten his identity before. (DW: Doctor Who)
 * Sean and Melinda are mentioned. (DW: The Lodger)
 * Craig is unfamiliar with the Cybermen, suggesting that either the Battle of Canary Wharf was erased by the cracks and doesn't exist post-Big Bang Two, (DW: The Big Bang) or Craig simply didn't see the Cybermen like Donna. (DW: The Runaway Bride)

Home video releases
The episode will be released on DVD and Blu-ray shortly after the airing of episode 13.