This Christmas is a big one for ‘Doctor Who’. Not only will the traditional special episode feature the return – after a fashion – of the First Doctor, it will also see the program bid farewell to Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi and Executive Producer Steven Moffat, even as it welcomes Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. With all of that significance in addition to the usual excitement that comes with the first bit of new ‘Doctor Who’ in months, the BBC has wasted no time in hyping the special. And indeed, while that buildup has been ongoing for the past few weeks, it seems to have reached a fever pitch today. Not only did the day bring with it a new trailer, but also a pair of announcements, which we’ll detail below.
Of the two, the biggest might be the announcement of a massive ‘Doctor Who’ marathon leading up to the premiere of ‘Twice Upon A Time’. Described as a “24-hour full takeover marathon,” it will run for seven days beginning on Tuesday, December 19th. Though the marathon’s exact lineup has not been announced, it will feature episodes starring David Tennant, Matt Smith, and of course, Peter Capaldi. All in all, it sounds like a great way to get into the holiday spirit of ‘Who’, though at the risk of sounding ungrateful, there are twelve Doctors and twelve days of Christmas. Sounds like a missed opportunity to me…
But of course, it doesn’t end there. With Capaldi turning over his TARDIS key to Jodie Whittaker in the special, you may be thinking that it’s the perfect time to take a look back at his tenure as the Doctor. Once again, BBC America has you covered:
Immediately following ‘Twice Upon A Time’, BBC America will premiere the all-new special ‘Doctor Who: Farewell to Peter Capaldi’. Narrated by actor Colin McFarlane (‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Doctor Who’), the episode, featuring archive footage and interviews, looks back at Peter Capaldi’s era as the Twelfth Doctor – from his very first script read through to his very last. It also features Steven Moffat reflecting upon his time as a writer and then later as Executive Producer, revealing some of his very best and very worst moments from his tenure, as well as his favorite episodes.
‘Doctor Who’ will return this Christmas for the broadcast of ‘Twice Upon A Time’. The special, which will culminate in the regeneration of Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor, is also set to feature Pearl Mackie, David Bradley, and Mark Gatiss. In addition to Capaldi, producer Steven Moffat will also be bowing out at Christmas. The outgoing star and showrunner will be succeeded by Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall, respectively.
Be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more news on both ‘Twice Upon a Time’ and the upcoming eleventh season of ‘Doctor Who’ as it becomes available!
