Doctor Who (series 9)

This article is about the 2015 series. For the 1972 season, see Doctor Who (season 9).
Doctor Who series 9
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of episodes 12[1]
Broadcast
Original channel BBC One
Original airing Autumn 2015[2]

The upcoming ninth series[3][4][5] of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who began filming in January 2015,[6][7] for an airdate of 2015. The series will be the ninth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, and will be the thirty-fifth season overall.

This is the second series starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside. Jenna Coleman will return as the Doctor's companion, Clara Oswald for her third series in the role.

List of episodes

The series will open with a two-parter for the first time since the sixth series.[8]

Story Episode Title Directed by Written by UK viewers
(million)[9]		 AI[9] Original air date
253–"Last Christmas"Paul WilmshurstSteven Moffat8.288225 December 2014
Clara is awakened and discovers Santa Claus on her rooftop. As she tries to deny his existence, the Doctor arrives and takes her away in the TARDIS. At the North Pole, a group of scientists work on trying to save their fellow base personnel who have been taken over by crab-like creatures. The Doctor and Clara arrive at the base and come under attack from the crabs, only to be rescued by Santa. The Doctor realizes the creatures are Dream Crabs, alien crabs that induce a dream state while devouring a person's brain. The Doctor realizes everyone is in a dream, with Santa being part of it. They escape by dreaming Santa is flying them home. One by one they wake up and their crabs die, until only Clara is left. The Doctor awakens and removes the crab from Clara, only to discover that it has been 62 years for her since they last met. Santa appears and the Doctor realizes he is still dreaming. Back in reality, the Doctor finds Clara at her normal age. He asks Clara if she wants to rejoin him aboard the TARDIS, and she accepts.
254a1"The Magician's Apprentice"[10]Hettie MacDonald[11]Steven Moffat[12]TBATBAAutumn 2015[2]
254b2"The Witch's Familiar"[8]Hettie MacDonald[8]Steven Moffat[8]TBATBATBA
255a3TBADaniel O'Hara[2]Toby Whithouse[13]TBATBATBA
255b4TBADaniel O'Hara[2]Toby Whithouse[13]TBATBATBA
256a5"The Girl Who Died"[14]Ed Bazalgette[14]Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat[14]TBATBATBA
256b6"The Woman Who Lived"[14]Ed Bazalgette[14]Catherine Tregenna[14]TBATBATBA

Casting

Peter Capaldi will reprise the role of the Doctor for a full second series.

The ninth series will be the second starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, and the third starring Jenna Coleman as the Doctor's current companion Clara Oswald.

In Doctor Who Magazine, Michelle Gomez confirmed that she will return as Missy, the latest incarnation of the Master who served as the central villain in series 8.[15] In February 2015, it was confirmed that Missy would return in "The Magician's Apprentice" / "The Witch's Familiar", the opening episodes of the ninth series.[16]

In January 2015, it was announced that actor Paul Kaye had a guest role in the first production block.[17] It was later announced that other guest actors featuring in the first block include Arsher Ali, Morven Christie, Neil Fingleton, Colin McFarlane, and Steven Robertson.[2]

Jemma Redgrave will have a recurring role in the series as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. First she will reprise her role in the opening two-parter, "The Magician's Apprentice" and "The Witch's Familiar", then return in the seventh and eighth episodes.[18] Kelly Hunter was also confirmed to be appearing in the open story, alongside Jaye Griffiths and Clare Higgins.[8][19] Hunter previously appeared as the Shadow Architect for the Shadow Proclamation in "The Stolen Earth", while Higgins appeared in "The Night of the Doctor" as Ohila, High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Karn.

Other confirmed guests include India Ria Amarteifio, Dasharn Anderson, Harki Bhambra, Daniel Hoffmann-Gill, Aaron Neil, Demi Papaminas, Joey Price and Jami Reid-Quarrell.[19] On 30 March 2015, Maisie Williams, Rufus Hound, Tom Stourton, Ariyon Bakare, Simon Lipkin, Ian Conningham, Murray McArthur, Barnaby Kay, John Voce, and Struan Rodger were announced to be appearing.[14] On 19 April 2015, David Schofield was announced to be playing Viking god Odin.[20]

Production

Writing and development

Steven Moffat will write the opening story, which has been confirmed as a two-parter, and Catherine Tregenna will write an episode. Tregenna is known for her earlier involvement in Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood.[12][21]

Before series 8 began, Moffat promised a cliffhanger for the series 9 finale,[22][23] and teased in DWM 475, "I've figured out the cliffhanger to the penultimate episode of series 9. And it's a whopper. Ohh, I don’t think you'll see this coming!"[24]

As the series coincides with the 10th anniversary of the show's revival, the BBC asked former showrunner and head writer, Russell T. Davies to return, along with Steven Moffat who asks Davies every year.[25] He replied with a polite "thanks but no thanks". A BBC source says that plans for the revival anniversary were still to be decided, despite Davies' reluctance to return.[26] He also believed that the success of the revived show meant that "It’s now impossible for it to ever be axed."[27] However, despite the comments made to Radio Times, an interview with BBC Radio 2 a week later, Davies revealed he would love to write more Doctor Who, specifically a movie.[28]

In January 2015, the Doctor Who Twitter page reported that filming had begun on episodes written by Toby Whithouse, who has previously contributed episodes "School Reunion", "The Vampires of Venice", "The God Complex" and "A Town Called Mercy".[29] On 16 March 2015, Mark Gatiss confirmed he would be writing an episode for the series.[30] On 30 March 2015, it was confirmed Jamie Mathieson, who previously wrote "Mummy on the Orient Express" and "Flatline" for series 8, would write a new episode called "The Girl Who Died" with Moffat.[14]

In April 2015, Steven Moffat confirmed that Doctor Who would run for at least another five years, extending the show until 2020.[31]

Filming

Filming and principal photography for the ninth series began on 5 January 2015 in Cardiff,[6][7] with episodes 3 & 4 making up the first production block.[32] The read through for the first block took place on 18 December 2014.[33]

According to his online C.V., Being Human director Daniel O'Hara will direct two sixty-minute long episodes for the series.[34][35] This was confirmed by the BBC on 14 January 2015.[2]

On 30 January 2015, Steven Moffat confirmed the second production block would consist of two of his episodes, the opening two-parter.[36][8] Filming for the story took place in Tenerife, Spain in February 2015, directed by Hettie MacDonald, who directed the 2007 episode "Blink".[37][11]

On 30 March 2015, it was revealed Ed Bazalgette would direct two episodes.[14]

Production blocks are arranged as follows:

Block Episode Title Director Writer Producer
X "Last Christmas" Paul Wilmshurst Steven Moffat Paul Frift
1 "Episode 3"
"Episode 4"[32] 		Daniel O'Hara[2] Toby Whithouse[13] Derek Ritchie[2]
2 "The Magician's Apprentice"
"The Witch's Familiar"[8] 		Hettie MacDonald[11] Steven Moffat[36] Peter Bennett[38]
3 "The Girl Who Died"
"The Woman Who Lived"[39]		 Ed Bazalgette[14] Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat
Catherine Tregenna[14] 		Derek Ritchie[40]

Broadcast

DVD and Blu-ray releases

"Last Christmas" was released as a standalone DVD and Blu-ray on 26 January 2015 in Region 2.[41]

A complete series 9 box set is likely to be released in late 2015.

References

  1. ↑ "Blogtor Who: Doctor Who Series 9 to have 12 eps". Blogtor Who. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The Doctor Who Team (14 January 2015). "Filming Begins on Doctor Who, Series 9". Doctor Who. BBC One. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (9 January 2014). "Doctor Who series 9 to air in 2015, says Steven Moffat". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Martin, William (9 January 2014). "'Doctor Who' Series 9 confirmed for 2015". CultBox. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Uninterrupted Runs for Series 8 and beyond". Doctor Who TV. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fullerton, Huw (5 January 2015). "Doctor Who series 9 filming begins in Cardiff". Radio Times.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Armstrong, Stephen (13 September 2014). "Jenna Coleman on Doctor Who rumours, a "rock star" world tour and the future for Clara Oswald". Radio Times. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 "Doctor Who series 9: opening episode titles revealed, Michelle Gomez and Jemma Redgrave to return". RadioTimes. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Ratings Guide". Doctor Who News.
  10. ↑ Gee, Catherine (18 December 2014). "Doctor Who series 9 first episode title revealed". The Telegraph (London: Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Hettie MacDonald Directing Block 2". Doctor Who TV. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hilton, Marcus (12 November 2014). "Moffat talks Series 8". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "Doctor Who series 9: What do we know so far?". Radio Times. 24 January 2015.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 14.9 14.10 "Game of Thrones Star to Guest in Doctor Who!". BBC Doctor Who. 30 March 2015.
  15. ↑ Swift, Simon. "Doctor Who: Missy will be back as Michelle Gomez confirms she’ll reprise her role as The Master". Metro. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "BBC One - Doctor Who, Did you miss her? Michelle Gomez returns to Doctor Who!". BBC. BBC One. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  17. ↑ "Paul Kaye Cast in Series 9". Doctor Who TV. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  18. ↑ "Kate Stewart Back for Episodes 7 & 8 of Series 9 As Well". Doctor Who TV. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "'Doctor Who' Season 9's two-part opener guest stars revealed - CultBox". CultBox.
  20. ↑ "Blogtor Who: Doctor Who Series 9 casting news [SPOILERS]". blogtorwho.blogspot.co.uk.
  21. ↑ "Torchwood’s Catherine Tregenna Penning Series 9 Story". Doctor Who TV. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  22. ↑ Jenna. "Doctor Who Showrunner Promises "Whopper" Series 9 Cliffhanger". The Gallifrey Times. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  23. ↑ PCJ. "Moffat Promises Cliffhanger "Whopper"". Combom. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Moffat Teases Massive Series 9 Cliffhanger". Doctor Who TV. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  25. ↑ Dowell, Ben. "Doctor Who: Russell T Davies on why he won't be getting involved in NuWho 10th anniversary". Radio Times.
  26. ↑ "Russell T Davies on New Who’s 10th Anniversary". Doctor Who TV. 6 January 2015.
  27. ↑ Dowell, Ben. "Could Doctor Who ever be axed again by the BBC? There would be outrage on the streets and social media would be set on fire if it was, says former showrunner". Radio Times.
  28. ↑ "Russell T Davies Interested in Writing A Doctor Who Movie". Doctor Who TV. 18 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "Filming has begun on #DoctorWho series 9… The episodes currently being filmed are by Toby Whithouse… More very soon!". Doctor Who Official. Twitter. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  30. ↑ "Doctor Who series 9: "scary" Mark Gatiss episode confirmed". Den of Geek. 16 March 2015.
  31. ↑ "Doctor Who 'to remain on-screen until at least 2020'". BBC. 7 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "Doctor Who Magazine Gallifrey Guardian". Doctor Who Magazine (Panini) (482): Page 5. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  33. ↑ McEwan, Cameron K. (19 December 2014). "Doctor Who: 7 things we learned at the Christmas special screening". Metro. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  34. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (5 January 2015). "Doctor Who series 9 hires Being Human director for 2 episodes". Digital Spy (Hearst Corporation). Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  35. ↑ "Being Human Director for Series 9?". Doctor Who TV. 2 January 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Moffat Confirms His Next Two Stories For Series 9". Doctor Who TV. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  37. ↑ "Series 9 Filming in Spain". Doctor Who TV. 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
  38. ↑ http://www.casarotto.co.uk/assets/x/50583.pdf
  39. ↑ "Could Doctor Who series nine be entirely two-parters?". RadioTimes. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  40. ↑ "Ed Bazalgette (Director) and Derek (Producer) at the monitors. #DoctorWho #BTS #behindthescenes". Instagram. BBC.
  41. ↑ "Doctor Who: Last Christmas - 2014 Christmas Special (DVD)". BBC Shop. BBC Worldwide. Retrieved 16 December 2014.