“This Christmas, the Earth will face a terrible, terrible danger. But as all humanity hangs in the balance, will anyone be able to persuade the Doctor to save the day?” asks series star Matt Smith in the first of two new promos for Doctor Who‘s 2012 Christmas Special.

“Yes,” grins Jenna-Louise Coleman, who’ll be costarring in the special, then somehow taking over as the Doctor’s new companion, despite the fact that things didn’t end so well for her when last we saw her in “Asylum of the Daleks,” the Season 7 premiere.

If you want to poke around in closets and cupboards to get a sneak peek at what executive producer Steven Moffat will be leaving under the tree, press play on the minisode/prequel embedded below, and then follow it up with the trailer for the full-length Christmas special. Not only do we have our titular hero in a funk after bidding farewell to his old pals Rory and Amy, but there are also children in peril, snarling beasts, a screaming maid, a couple of returning fan favorites and some seriously unfriendly snowmen. In other words, it’s going to be awesome.

The Doctor Who Christmas special premieres December 25 on BBC America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G17_B4uACgg&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3KVpvEUTns&feature=player_embedded