This story contains MODERATE SPOILERS for episodes of "Doctor Who" that have not aired in the United States yet.
The final regular episode of "Doctor Who" until 2010 is so big, BBC has had to allot a bunch of extra time to fit it all in.
The fourth season finale is clocking in at 65 minutes, nearly double the length of a normal episode, which will include appearances by actors from two of the "Doctor Who" spinoffs, as well as Billie Piper as Rose Tyler and Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones. "Stolen Earth," which served as the penultimate episode, had the Daleks and their creator, Davros, stealing the planet and then subjugating it.
The Doctor, played by David Tennant, was shot and injured by a Dalek, and was in the process of regenerating when the cliffhanger hit. Although there's been a lot of speculation on what might happen following the regeneration, including a possible split of the Doctor, but whatever that story is, it will take 65 minutes to tell it.
The episode will air at 6:40 p.m. on July 5, which is a slightly earlier time, for the BBC, according to the network. The episode will be longer than the first two Christmas specials, but not as long as the third Christmas special.
It is unclear how SciFi Channel, which is handling the American broadcast of the series about two weeks following its British air, will deal with an extended episode, although it is possible they will split the episode into two, thus making it a four-parter in the United States.
"Doctor Who" airs Saturdays on BBC and Fridays on SciFi Channel.
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Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha and the entire BlipNetwork. He owns Quantum Global Media Inc., the parent corporation of the BlipNetwork. He's a print journalist by day, and lives in Tampa, Fla.
