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Doctor Who returns in Let's Kill Hitler on 27 August -- and we've seen it

"You've got a time machine. I've got a gun. Let's kill Hitler!" With those words, Doctor Who blasts back on to BBC1 this month.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read

"You've got a time machine. I've got a gun. Let's kill Hitler!" With those words, Doctor Who blasts back on to UK TV screens on Saturday 27 August on BBC1 -- and Crave got a sneak preview.

Let's Kill Hitler is the rip-roaring opener to the second half of series 6, featuring the return of Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill as the Doctor, Amy and Rory. Alex Kingston is back as River Song, who makes not one but two personal best entrances.

The Doctor and the Ponds are still searching for their baby daughter, and for answers about the mysterious Silence. And all the while the Doctor gets closer to his death at the hands of the Impossible Astronaut, glimpsed at the start of the series... We're not going to say much more, because we don't want to spoil it for you... but who is that in the bottom left of our picture?

At the press screening -- where we accidentally annoyed series boss Steven Moffat, oops -- a BBC chap joked that the Grand Moff had split the series in two in order to have two series openers and finales.

There's enough crowd-pleasing touches, epic moments and breathless action in this episode to fill an entire series of a lesser show, and if the rest of the series is as mischievous, exuberant and multi-layered as this opener, we're in for a heck of a ride. Our only concern is just how the Who team can keep this up.

Let's Kill Hitler hits the ground running, and doesn't let up the breakneck pace. Jokes and action come thick and fast, as the Doctor and friends are hijacked by a new character and crash-land in 1938 Berlin, where they come face to face with a great evil... and Hitler's there too. It's a romp rather than a history lesson: Inglorious Time Lords for Saturday tea-time.

The episode evolves into something much deeper, too. Despite the energetic opening scenes, acrobatic twists and fizzing comedy, the story is driven entirely by the relationships between the characters we know and love.

And if you've ever wanted to see Amy in a school uniform or Rory punch a Nazi, you're in luck.

Let's Kill Hitler is on BBC1 at 7.10pm on Saturday 27 August. If you can't wait for your fix of the Doctor and Amy, Who game The Mazes of Time is now on Android as well as iPad and iPhone, or you can find out how tall Doctor Who is -- or check out our spoiler-free review of the new series at TV.com, where you can keep up with all the latest Who news.