'Doctor Who' Festive Special Trailer Features Dame Harriet Walter

The old saying goes, "Christmas Comes But Once a Year." So too does the Doctor Who holiday special. A dose of Who for the holidays has been a staple of the franchise since the mid-aughts reboot. Under the direction of showrunner Chris Chibnall, the Christmas specials have migrated off the Christian holiday down the calendar to New Year's Day, creating a new tradition. Heading into 2021 won't change that either, as this year's "Festive Special" will debut on New Year's Day, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, on both BBC One and BBC America.

The "Festive Special" has been teased since the Season 12 finale, with a promise that the Doctor would return in the very Whovian named "Revolution of the Daleks." But there's been little in the way of spoilers, other than it being "an epic and emotional feature-length episode." All fans have known for most of the year is the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) will still be locked away in the Judoon prison, while her fam — Yaz (Mandip Gill), Ryan (Tosin Cole), and Graham (Bradley Walsh) — will be back on Earth, wondering if she'll ever return.

The good news was that fan favorite character Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) would return as a catalyst, taking on a Torchwood-like role to help bring the Doctor and her fam back together. But wait, there's more. The new, full-length trailer has arrived, stuffed with guest stars and plot points. And Daleks, natch.