Doctor Who has its season 9 premiere tonight, and things look to start off with a bang.
We had a brief hint that what is coming tonight is going to be a bit on the darker side if the prologue that was released last week is any indication.
We are used to Peter Capaldi’s rendition of the Doctor being gruff, irascible, and even downright obnoxious. In the prologue though, he seems a bit broodier than usual and rather introspective. It will be interesting to see how his demeanor changes once he encounters the Master in the guise of Missy again.
Tonight’s debut is a two-parter. It’s the first time we’ve had a two-parter that wasn’t the season finale since Amy and Rory were in the TARDIS. The episodes are titled “The Magician’s Apprentice” and “The Witch’s Familiar”.
The official description reads, “Where is the Doctor? When the skies of Earth are frozen by a mysterious alien force, Clara needs her friend. But where is the Doctor, and what is he hiding from? As past deeds come back to haunt him, old enemies will come face-to-face, and for the Doctor and Clara survival seems impossible.”
We know that at least one of the “old enemies” is the Master. Showrunner Steven Moffat teased, “Everybody hide – Michelle Gomez as Missy was an instant hit last year, so she’s straight back to plague the Doctor and Clara in the series opener. But what brings her back into their lives is the last thing they’d expect.”
The other item of note is that the episode was directed by Hettie Macdonald. It has been noted innumerable times that the number of women writers and directors on the series has been seriously lacking during Moffat’s time as showrunner. This season we have a grand total of three women in those roles. Although it’s still abysmally low representation, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
Get ready to step back into the TARDIS and travel all over time and space. Doctor Who airs on BBC America tonight at 9:00 pm.