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024 AUGUST 2017
T he panel opened with
the trailer for the 2017
Christmas Special, which
will be Capaldi’s final story.
Twice Upon a Time unites the
12 th Doctor with the original,
played by David Bradley. Also
returning is Pearl Mackie’s Bill
Potts, with Mark Gatiss playing
a World War I soldier called The
Captain.
“It’s the 12th Doctor refusing
to regenerate because he
wants to stay Scottish, and
through the snow appears the
first Doctor, who’s also refusing
to regenerate, and 12 says to
number one, ‘you have to or
all of this stuff won’t happen’,”
offered Steven Moffat.
Bradley, who played William
Hartnell in the 50 th Anniversary
drama An Adventure in Space
and Time, is a masterstroke of
casting as the
first Doctor.
“His
recreation
of William
Hartnell is
absolutely
extraordinary,” said
Moffat. “You could put
it in black and white and fool
people. He just captures what
the first Doctor was really like;
not the crotchety old man of
legend, but a much twinklier,
funnier, more engaging man
than that.”
There was a lot of love for
Capaldi in the hall, who
described his time on the
show as remarkable and
amazing and expressed
his gratitude to the fans.
“Time ran away with
me, and I only got here
so quickly. It’s really been
fabulous to work with
such talent and meet you
people and realise the
show is so popular and
beloved around the world. It’s
remarkable to find yourself at
the centre of that, so thank you
for all of your affections.”
The (female) elephant in the
room was finally addressed,
with Moffat vociferously setting
the record straight concerning
the media reports of a fan
backlash over the casting of a
female Doctor.
“There has been no
backlash at all. The story at the
moment is that the notionally
conservative fandom of Doctor
Who has completely and utterly
embraced that change – eighty
per cent approval on social
media, not that I check these
things obsessively. And yet so
many people want to pretend
there’s a problem – there isn’t.
“Doctor Who fans are
more excited about the idea
of a brilliant actress playing
the part than the fact she’s a
woman,” he continued. “It’s
been incredibly progressive and
enlightened and that’s what’s
really happened. I wish every
single journalist who’s writing
the alternative would shut the
hell up!”
Capaldi also endorsed
Whittaker as a great choice.
“I think Jodie is going to be
amazing. I spoke to her the
other day and she’s full of
excitement and passion about
the show. She really loves
the show and she’s a brilliant
actress, so it’s thrilling that it’s
in the hands of somebody who
cares for it so deeply.”
Doctor Who returns on Boxing Day.
Season 10: Part 2 is out now on DVD and
Blu-ray.
It’s the 12th Doctor
refusing to regenerate
because he wants to
stay Scottish...
Interactive attractions on the show floor designed
to immerse fans in their favourite screen universes
are hugely popular, with lines snaking around the
exhibit hall like a human centipede.
As a huge Alien fan, I simply had to submit
myself to Colonist Certification Testing at the Alien:
Covenant Experience, housed in an ominous looking
shipping container emblazoned with the Weyland
Yutani logo. In the San Diego Convention Centre, will
anybody hear me scream?
Once inside this somewhat confined space I am
greeted by a blonde Adonis – who turns out to be a
synthetic named Adam – and instructed to watch a
large wall screen while my vital signs are monitored.
The room is plunged into darkness and a strobing
montage of the goriest and most nightmarish
scenes from Alien: Covenant hits me like an angry
facehugger – aliens erupt from backs, chests and
mouths in a welter of blood and slime, and projectile
jaws snap!
I am then ushered into an adjacent room
where alarm bells suddenly sound, along with the
announcement that there is a Xenomorph on the
loose. Through a small window in the Medical Bay
door behind me, a woman is screaming for help
before being yanked away by the unseen alien. Blood
splatters the glass and the experience ends.
Unlike that unlucky crewmember, I survived. The
experience served to remind me just how much I love
the Alien franchise, and how horrific Alien: Covenant
actually is. Now I can’t wait to revisit it on Blu-ray
on August 16.
Alien: Covenant experience
With no sign of JodieWhittaker’s 13th
Doctor, the Hall H event was both an
emotional farewell and a celebration of
Peter Capaldi’s time as the Doctor.
Doctor Who
DoctorWho
Christmas Special
JodieWhittaker -
the 13th Doctor
Image credit BBC
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