The big questions about Doctor Who series 10
Four-year-old learns to walk again after foot and
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The Doctor is back!
2016 was a lean year for fans of the nation’s favourite police box time traveller. The wait between 2015’s Husbands of River Song and 2016’s Return of Doctor Mysterio was agonising.
But Saturday finally saw the start of a new series of Doctor Who.
Pearl Mackie joins the TARDIS crew as new companion Bill, leading man Peter Capaldi and showrunner Steven “evil eyebrow” Moffat will be bowing out and there’s a new Doctor to be recruited.
(Photo: PA)
Along the way, there’s 12 new episodes and a Christmas special to be watched, rewatched and watched again with subtitles for anything we may miss.
But series 10 (or season 10 for our American Who fans!) also brings new questions, ducking/hunting of spoilers and rampant speculation. Each week, I’ll be updating a list of the big questions I – and other conspiracy theorists in my geeky circles – have about the show.
So don a tin foil hat, prepare yourselves for spoilers and add your theories in the comments section below. In 12 weeks time, we can all look back and enjoy how right or wrong we were.
SPOILERS LURK BELOW
Does Bill have a story arc?
(Photo: BBC)
New companion time. Clara’s dead and gone (or not and still flying a classic TARDIS disguised as an American diner around the universe with the one from Game of Thrones), River Song we think is dead (unless something timey wimey happens…again) and an increasingly lonely Doctor is flying around with one half of Little Britain.
New series, new companion and a chance for a new start.
It’s always great when a new companion comes aboard the TARDIS, as it’s a chance to hit reset and see the show’s basic concepts through new eyes.
But will there be a deeper connection between companion and The Doctor?
Story arcs for the companion(s) have become the norm in the age of post 2005 Who. Rose and The Bad Wolf, Martha and the unrequited love, Donna The Temp becoming another Doctor. Matt Smith’s 11 Doctor saw him travelling with the future parents of his future wife and Clara with her leaf…thing…wimey?
In fact, older viewers will remember making the companion the over arching storyline goes back to the days of Classic Who and the 7th Doctor’s companion Ace – a street smart teen with a love of explosives and a tragic life of being manipulated by gods, monsters and a certain Time Lord.
(Photo: BBC)
It’s been a while since a companion took to the TARDIS and was simply the eyes through which the viewers access this magical life. Will Bill be a woman who just sees a chance for adventure and goes for it? Or will she be tied to events and The Doctor in a more intrinsic way?
Look for the clues, because The Moff will want to have some hints from day one.
What's the deal with Nardole?
(Photo: BBC)
Ah, Nardole.
Matt Lucas delivered the goods as comic addition in 2015’s Christmas special as the ill-fated, decapitated Nardole. Cynics (myself included) rolled eyes when he was oddly back and attached to a body in 2016’s Christmas special.
But Lucas turned in a nuanced performance in Return of Doctor Mysterio last year, balancing some fantastic comedy with a touching final speech that showed he’s able to tackle the serious elements.
That said, his appointment to full time companion is sticking out like a sore thumb. Nardole’s back for a reason – so what is it?
Social media has been speculating about this… a lot. Is he the actual Nardole? Because The Doctor has joked in the past about reattaching heads…
(Photo: BBC)
Avid watchers of the Mysterio episode were speculating whether Nardole is even real. The Doctor was lonely and the TARDIS has sometimes helped him out with holographic projections: past companions and reindeer antlers. Nardole clearly touched objects, flew the TARDIS and spoke to others yet this theory isn’t out of the realm of possibility for the show.
(Photo: BBC)
And then there’s the full on tin foil hat idea… Nardole is John Simm’s Master with a perception filter around him. Wonderfully perverse and evil idea, his nemesis happily sitting right under his nose as they share adventures through time and space.
Nardole... who ARE you?
How will the original Cybermen scare modern audiences?
(Photo: BBC)
Capaldi is a childhood fan of Doctor Who and he knows his stuff. Soon after his first series in the role, he said he wanted to share the screen with classic Daleks… which he then did.
He’s also expressed a desire for his Doctor to meet ‘classic’ Cybermen, which is also happening in series 10. Moffat seems very eager to please his leading man.
For those who may not know, the Cybermen first appeared in 1966 in the 1st Doctor’s final story. Far more basic than the Cybermen modern audiences are familiar with, these versions are early converted humanoids.
Originally from the tenth planet Mondas (technically it would the ninth since Pluto got downgraded!), these stretched mask, bulky equipment and basic robotic voiced aliens sent chills through a nation in the 60’s.
Since then, the Cybermen have had many variations throughout the series up to a self upgrading, super speedy fright fest of silver.
So, with all love and respect to the origins of this iconic enemy – how will modern Who make the Mondasian Cybermen scary? Balaclava and a half a PC on your belly is surely just fancy dress?
Two Masters?
(Photo: BBC)
Okay, let’s steer into it. It was supposed to be a wonderful surprise. It leaked.
John Simm is coming back as The Master. And so too is Michelle Gomez as Missy – another Master.
As much as fans want them, multi-Doctor stories are used sparingly. But a multi-Master story – that’s exciting!
(Photo: BBC)
Credit where credit is due, Big Finish pulled off multi-Master audio adventures to their world of Doctor Who and it worked.
But will The Master actually get along the later incarnation of Missy? Both likes to be the only one in charge, so can they share an evil plan even with themselves?
The vault under the university
(Photo: BBC)
A vault. A mysterious vault. A vault so mysterious, it will probably be referred to for the next 11 weeks.
What we know is that it resides under the university, guarded by a security system and watched over by the Doctor for around 50 years.
It's that important, he has to stay on Earth. Except the times when he doesn't stay on Earth...
The vault is also scrawled with Gallifreyan writing, so there's a connection to the Timelords.
Is it more weapons from the Omega Arsenal? Another bigger on the inside prison box bustling with Daleks? Chris Chibnall safely stored away for next year?
Yes, this one is going to be teased for a while...
How will the 12th Doctor bow out and when will the 13 Doctor be revealed?
Love him or hate him, The Marmite Doctor is signing off. Capaldi’s 12th incarnation is hanging up his sonic screwdriver and the latest trailers tease us with a glimpse of regeneration energy from the Doctor’s hand.
But the 2017 Christmas special is going to be Capaldi’s swansong, isn’t it?
Isn't it?
I would adore this to be the mother of all well kept secrets in some way. Surprise viewers with an early arrival of 13 at the end of series 10. Or let the next Doctor be unveiled on Christmas Day.
Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall is taking the reins and he loves a twist…
But, on behalf of all Who fans, please don’t let the Beeb unveil the new Doctor in an awkward Zoe Ball live fest where One Direction badly attempt to be excited and Rufus Hound worries about what happens when someone knocks three times.
Surprise us.