'Children in Need': 'The Great Detective' by Steven Moffat

“I’ve told you. I keep telling you. I don' t do this anymore. I've retired.” – The Doctor

Victorian London: a time when tales abound of the Great Detective Madame Vastra – otherwise known as the Lizard Woman of Patanostra Row. Together with her assistant, Jenny Flint and her henchman, Drax, Vastra solves strange and unusual cases; and some say there is a fourth member of the Patanostra gang, a shadowy figure in a top hat…

Madame Vastra, Jenny and Commander Strax meet up with the Doctor, to tell him of a number of cases that they are investigating, including a meteor shower, a mad professor with a plan to drill into the Earth’s core, a man with an invisible wife, and the fact that Strax has declared war on the moon. However, the Doctor is not interested – he has retired from a life of adventures. As the Doctor walks away from them, his friends worry that he really means what he says…

Matt Smith (The Doctor), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny Flint), Dan Starkey (Commander Strax)

Directed by Saul Metzstein
Produced by Marcus Wilson
Executive Producers Steven Moffat, Caroline Skinner and Katy Jones
A BBC Wales production

TX (BBC 1 & BBC 1 HD):
16th November 2011 @ 7.39 pm

Notes:
*Featuring the Eleventh Doctor, Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint and Commander Strax

*This special three-minute prequel 'minisode' was shown during the transmission of the BBC's 'Children in Need' appeal; it was introduced by Matt Smith and Jenny Louise Jenna-Louise Coleman

*Later that evening, at 8.30 pm, 'CiN' also showcased a sneak peak trailer for the new 'Doctor Who' Christmas Special, 'The Snowmen'