Episode: The Woman Who Fell to Earth
Airdate: October 7, 2018
Cast: Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor), Tosin Cole (Ryan Sinclair), Mandip Gill (Yasmine Khan), Bradley Walsh (Graham O’Brien), Sharon D. Clarke (Grace O’Brien), Johnny Dixon (Karl), Samuel Oatley (Tim Shaw)
Kleenex Required: Some – probably not a whole box
Anything You Need to Know Going In: There is one on-screen death and an additional one mentioned, depictions of heights, the monster has a thing for teeth.
Earlier today, the BBC released the latest trailer for “Twice Upon a Time,” the Doctor Who Christmas special. It has quips, excitement, two TARDISes, and it hits you right in the heart. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so ready for the Doctor to present as a woman, and I am especially excited about Jodie Whittaker’s casting (I adore her). But I’m also no where near ready to let go of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, or Bill as his companion. I mean, couldn’t a timey-wimey thing happen and we could somehow have both? No? Ugh. Fine.
Before you watch the trailer, there are obvious:
And also, be warned:
Okay, now that you’ve been adequately warned, take a look at the trailer below:
There is a lot going on for such a short trailer. It begins with a clip we have all seen before, the Twelfth Doctor encountering the First, played by David Bradley, who was perfectly cast in the role originally played by William Hartnell. Bradley also portrayed this Doctor in “An Adventure in Time and Space” – another multi-Doctor special.
Personally, I always enjoy multi-Doctor episodes. The dynamic between the versions of the Doctors is always interesting to watch. I’m particularly excited to see how judgmental of one the other is. For example, I love the sunglasses quip – the First Doctor is right, they do look ridiculous indoors.
The fun doesn’t last, and the trailer quickly reminds you that this is the last time we will see Twelve or Bill, in a way that just hurts. She literally tells him to come back alive, to which he responds “be here when I do,” and I sobbed “but he won’t, Bill, he won’t.” To rub salt in that wound, the trailer also gives you a brief glimpse of Capaldi regenerating, with a voiceover reminding us that “the regeneration is coming.”
Bill, the First Doctor, and the Twelfth Doctor are joined by a World War One Captain played by Mark Gatiss (who has appeared in and written several episodes throughout the show’s run). The Captain has been targeted by the Glass People, who freeze time to kidnap their victims.
The Doctor Who Christmas special airs in Canada on Space at 9:00pm Eastern.
BBC
One of the most anticipated casting announcements happened earlier this year, when Jodie Whittaker was confirmed as the next Doctor – becoming the first woman to step into that role in over 50 years. While there was the expected pushback from *ahem* certain fans, others were incredibly excited. Some people even responded by expressing a new, or renewed, interest in the series. It is a huge step in the right direction for representation, and something we should celebrate. As we all impatiently await further details about Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor, it’s the perfect chance to familiarize yourself with the accomplished British actress.
