Ep 3. The Snowmen

In Doctor Who season 1 episode 3, titled "The Snowmen," viewers are reintroduced to the Doctor (played by Matt Smith) in a melancholic state of retreat and isolation. He has moved to Victorian London and taken on the guise of a recluse, wanting nothing to do with the world of other living beings. However, his solitude is interrupted by a chance meeting with a young governess named Clara (played by Jenna Coleman), which sets off a series of events that brings the Doctor out of his shell and back into the world of adventure.

The episode takes place in the Victorian era, specifically the winter of 1892. The opening scenes show a young boy, Walter Simeon, who stumbles upon a strange snow globe that seems to have a mind of its own. The snow globe contains a strange snowman that comes to life and begins to taunt and control Walter, forcing him to promise that he will help the snowman take over the world.

Meanwhile, the Doctor is in a state of deep depression and has retreated from his former life following the loss of his companions Amy and Rory (from the previous season). He is holed up in his TARDIS, which has been disguised as a battered old police box and placed on top of a cloud to keep it hidden. The Doctor has grown a thick beard and long hair and spends his days playing with alien snow that he has collected, which he can make into various creatures.

It is only after Clara makes her entrance that the Doctor begins to perk up and take an interest in the world around him again. Clara is a tough-minded young woman who is determined to make a life for herself as a governess, despite the challenges that might come with being a woman in Victorian times. She is tasked with taking care of two children, whom she quickly grows to love.

However, Clara is suspicious of the strange snowmen that seem to be popping up all over the city. When one of the snowmen attacks her and the Doctor, she begins to believe that something sinister is going on. The Doctor listens to her concerns and begins to investigate.

The Doctor soon discovers that the snowmen are being controlled by the Great Intelligence, an entity that he has encountered before. The Intelligence is using the snowmen to infiltrate the minds of humans and take control of their bodies. The Intelligence is also using Walter, who has grown up to become a very powerful and influential man. Walter has been using his position of power to further the Intelligence's goal of taking over the world.

The Doctor and Clara team up to stop the Intelligence and the snowmen. Together, they develop a plan to use the alien snow that the Doctor has collected to trap the snowmen and cut off the Intelligence's control over them. They also use the snow to create a sentient version of the TARDIS, which is able to transport them to the Intelligence's lair.

Once they reach the Intelligence's lair, the Doctor confronts the entity and manages to defeat it by using a clever trick. Clara plays a vital role in the plan, and the Doctor realizes that she might be more than just a regular human.

"The Snowmen" is a thrilling and suspenseful episode that reintroduces the Doctor and sets the stage for the rest of the season. It also serves as an introduction to Clara, who will go on to become a key companion of the Doctor's. The Victorian setting is beautifully realized, and the snowmen are a fun and visually striking addition to the Doctor Who universe. Fans of the long-running series will love this episode and its many nods to past stories, while newcomers will find it to be an exciting and accessible entry point into the world of Doctor Who.