“Face the Raven” is episode ten of season nine of the new Doctor Who.
Clara’s friend Rigsy (last seen in “Flatline”) rings the TARDIS, saying he has an emergency. Apparently he’s forgotten an entire day after going out in the morning, and woken up with a tattoo he doesn’t remember getting. Admittedly, that’s not something that sounds like an emergency – more like the result of too much alcohol. Except the tattoo is a number, and it’s counting down every minute. It will eventually reach zero, which will probably be bad.
The Doctor, Clara and Rigsy wind up in a hidden street in London (echoes of Diagon Alley?). This is a refuge for many different types of alien, who are seeking sanctuary. They all look human, but there is an occasional glimpse of their true selves, so there are cameos from a bunch of different species, including some who would normally be enemies.
Rigsy has been sentenced for murdering one of the residents, and he will die when his tattoo reaches zero. The sanctuary is run by the immortal Ashildr.
Clara makes a decision that may turn out to be rather poor.
The story continues in the next episode, “Heaven Sent”.