New Doctor Who premieres April 17

Matt Smith as the new Doctor in "Doctor Who."

Matt Smith as the new Doctor in "Doctor Who."

According to a release from the BBC, “Doctor Who” returns for a new series from writer Steven Moffat on April 17.  The premiere will air at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is an extended version with limited commercial interruption.

The episode is described as follows: With his time machine, the TARDIS, wrecked and the sonic screwdriver, his most crucial device destroyed, the new Doctor has just 20 minutes to save the whole world – and only Amy Pond to help him.

Steven Moffat, who created the BAFTA-winning “Doctor Who” episode “Blink,” which starred Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan, takes over as lead writer and executive producer.

“Doctor Who is the adventures of an entirely mysterious stranger from outer space. With a time and space machine that can go absolutely anywhere,” Moffatt said in a news release. “It’s literally a television show set in everyplace in the universe, every point in history and in every style and every genre. It’s all the other shows in one. You don’t have to watch the rest of television – this is it.”

“Doctor Who” fans will get a chance to see the premiere early at special screenings at WonderCon in San Francisco on April 3 and C2E2 in Chicago on April 16.

For more on Doctor Who, please visit http://bbcamerica.com/doctorwho.

- Matt Price