River Song returns to ‘Doctor Who’

Spoilers! The Doctor is about to be reunited with longtime “Doctor Who” character River Song. But how will the new Peter Capaldi Doctor interact with the incredibly clever, delightfully flirtatious Professor River Song? And at what point in the Doctor’s timeline will they actually be meeting?

BBC America just released the news that Professor River Song will return for the “Doctor Who” Christmas special. This will be the first time (as far as the audience has seen) that new Doctor Capaldi and actress Alex Kingston will share the Whovian screen together.

The only plot detail in the news release announcement is that it’s set (once again) on Christmas Day in the future.

Executive producer Steven Moffat who penned the special, commented on the quandary of River’s sudden reappearance: “Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who - and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song.” Moffat said via news release. “The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time ...”

As for Kingston, it sounds like the actress is just as shocked as the fans at her return. “To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show, but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special,” reads Kingston’s statement. “Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humor and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read-through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September?, why not!”

While it’s very exciting to join up with River Song one more time, we have to pump the brakes on the comfort and joy aspect, because almost all the “Doctor Who” Christmas specials are tinged with a bit of sadness.

The episode will air Christmas Day on BBC America.