Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has discussed what series 8 will hold for fans, promising to shake things up…
In a new clip of his appearance at Hay Festival (released by the Doctor Who website), the Doctor Who head writer and Sherlock co-creator spoke about the casting process for incumbent Doctor Peter Capaldi as well as what we can expect from his début series. Since filming began on the show’s eighth full series, there have been plenty of hints and teases that the show would be heading in a new direction.
In the video, Moffat reiterates the secrecy and necessity of Capaldi’s casting, with auditions being held in the writer’s house. When talk turns to the upcoming series, the writer stresses that things will be a little different: “We haven’t made much change to Doctor Who since it came back in 2005… I just felt it needs to be a bit more different now. It needs to be surprising again!”
Check out the video below!
As usual, Moffat’s comments don’t give too much away. However, when we consider recent announcements and hints from other crew members, there are certainly some solid clues as to where the BBC intend to steer the TARDIS.
First up, new director Ben Wheatley said in March that Capaldi was channeling classic Doctors, with the show in general feeling more similar to its original run than the reboot era.
Then, it was announced that one of the new episodes would return to the scene of an “old adventure.” With filming for that episode taking place in Lanzarote (last used in 1984), many fans have been speculating that we’ll return to the ‘Planet of Fire’ — the titular world used in a Fifth Doctor serial. Others think the hot location will be moonlighting as Pompeii, so Moffat can address (as he promised) why Twelve looks so similar to an old friend.
Doctor Who series 8 will premiere this August, starring Peter Capaldi, returning companion Jenna Coleman, and some new faces, including new companion Sam Anderson and guest stars Foxes, Frank Skinner, and Ashes to Ashes star Keeley Hawes.
In case you missed it, you can check out the tantalisingly short teaser trailer here.