The Twelfth Doctor makes his debut in BBC America's time-honored Doctor Who Christmas special. Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and guest star Nick Frost strap in for a dangerous sleigh ride through space and time in the Steven Moffat helmed special.

The TARDIS is hijacked in the vortex by a time sensitive Tharil named Biroc, and brought to a strange white void. Biroc wants to free the others of his race who are being transported in a slave ship, captained by Rorvik, which is also trapped in the void. The only other thing present in the void is an ancient gateway leading to a decrepit banqueting hall.

The TARDIS arrives on the space liner Empress which has become locked together with a private ship, the Hecate, after colliding with it on emerging from hyperspace. The Doctor and Romana meet the scientist Tryst, who has with him a Continuous Event Transmuter (CET) machine containing crystals on which are stored supposed recordings of planets that he and his team have visited.

The hunt for the fifth segment of the Key to Time embroils the Doctor in gunrunning with primitive swamp dwellers.

The Doctor and his companions are caught between Swampies and technicians as the monster Kroll awakes.