Last year came word that the BBC was creating a ‘Doctor Who’ spinoff show ‘Class’ which would focus on Coal Hill School, an institute introduced in the very first episode of ‘Doctor Who’ way back in 1963. The episode was entitled “An Unearthly Child” and featured the grandchild of the first Doctor attending school while her grandfather repaired the TARDIS.
Now comes word that Peter Capaldi, the 12th and current Doctor, is “understood” to appear in the pilot episode. ‘Class’ is due to begin production in about a month. With no new ‘Doctor Who’ episodes coming this year, ‘Class’ may make a decent substitute for fans.
‘Class’ is expected to run for eight episodes initially. The show is produced by Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin and YA author Patrick Ness, who is making his first foray into writing for television.
After premiering in 1963, the Coal Hill School popped back up 25 years after its first appearance in the episode “Remembrance of the Daleks” and has factored in periodically since. Recently departed companion Clara Oswald was a teacher at the school and it factored more heavily into the series after that revelation.
Here is the show’s description:
‘Class’ is a YA series set in contemporary London. Incredible dangers are breaking through the walls of time and space, and with darkness coming, London is unprotected. With all the action, heart and adrenalin of the best YA fiction (‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ ‘The Hunger Games’), this is Coal Hill School and ‘Doctor Who’ like you’ve never seen them before.
‘Class’ certainly isn’t the first ‘Doctor Who’ spinoff. 2006 saw the debut of ‘Torchwood’ featuring former companion Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) leading a team of paranormal investigators, while in 2011, ‘The Sarah Jane Chronicles’ aired, featuring another companion Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) solving mysteries with a group of teenagers, which may give fans an idea of what to expect from ‘Class’.
Moffat previously declared:
“No one has documented the dark and exhilarating world of the teenager like Patrick Ness, and now we’re bringing his brilliant story-telling into Doctor Who. This is growing up in modern Britain – but with monsters!… Patrick understands young audiences and I’m delighted he will use his incredible skills as a storyteller to delight audiences on BBC Three.”
There’s no word yet as to how Doctor Who factors into the story, but it should serve as a nice kickoff for this new series.
Are you excited to see ‘Class’? What do you think of a YA adjunct to ‘Doctor Who’?
Source: Cinema Blend
