As we say goodbye to Peter Capaldi on Doctor Who this week, Mark Gatiss has shared a nice behind-the-scenes moment with the Twelfth Doctor.
Gatiss – who starred in Christmas special ‘Twice Upon a Time’ and has written numerous episodes – snapped Capaldi on his last day wearing a piece of Doctor Who history.
“Thanks for all your kind words about ‘Twice Upon a Time’,” he captioned the picture of the star in a purple jacket. “Here’s Peter on his last day, wearing Jon Pertwee’s jacket from ‘Planet of the Daleks’!”
Thanks for all your kind words about 'Twice Upon a Time'. Here's Peter on his last day, wearing Jon Pertwee's jacket from 'Planet of the Daleks'! pic.twitter.com/asBfUsRY6U
Pertwee played the Third Doctor between 1970 and 1974, and sported one of his most iconic looks in the 1973 serial ‘Planet of the Daleks’.
Capaldi has also been giving out emotional advice in the wake of his exit, notably after one young fan expressed concern over his regeneration.
“Even though [regeneration] can be a little icky (like a really bad flu), it has always, always turned out good for Doctor Who,” Peter told young David in his note. “The New Doctor always becomes your favourite and the one that goes… Well, he never really goes.
“He is always there, somewhere in time and space, and if you think about him hard enough, you’ll see him and he’ll see you. It’s like The Doctor says, ‘Everything ends and it’s always sad. But everything begins again and that’s always happy.’ Be happy.”
As Twelve left the universe, we got the chance to say hello to the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.
Doctor Who will continue with its 11th series in 2018 on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US.
Doctor Who named the best TV show of Christmas Day 2017!
Doctor Who has been named the best show on TV this Christmas Day – but the Queen’s Christmas message was the most watched programme on the day.
7.6 million people watched the Queen’s traditional Christmas message on BBC1, ITV and Sky News, but it was Jodie Whittaker’s debut appearance on Doctor Who that really got viewers talking on Christmas Day.
In a poll of over 1000 RadioTimes.com readers, Doctor Who was named the best show on TV this Christmas Day, followed by EastEnders’ festive shocker in second and BBC1 favourite Call the Midwife in third.
“Doctor Who – best programme in time and space for that day,” said Daniel Parrish on the Radio Times Facebook page, while ITV festive special Victoria was also celebrated online.
“Call the Midwife and Victoria were both fantastic on Christmas Day,” said Jennifer Banks, while Richard Burton said it was “hard for me to choose between Doctor Who and Victoria – both were stunning”.
BBC1 comedy Mrs Brown’s Boys was the second most watched show on Christmas Day with an audience of 6.8 million people, followed by Strictly Come Dancing with 6.5 million viewers and Call the Midwife with 6.3 million.
Doctor Who was the sixth most watched show in the UK on Christmas Day with an audience of 5.7 million viewers. EastEnders meanwhile was the fifth most watched programme with just under 6.3 million viewers.
However, all these figures only include people who watched the episode on the day. The number of viewers who recorded their Christmas TV or caught up online afterwards will be released later.
The Doctor Who 2017 Christmas Day special was Peter Capaldi’s final episode on the show, and the final moments saw his Doctor regenerating into Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor.
In a survey of Doctor Who fans, over 70 per cent of respondents said new star Whittaker “nailed” her first appearance as the Doctor.
Mrs Brown’s Boys also saw a ‘regeneration’ of its own, with outgoing actor Rory Cowan replaced by ‘new Rory’ actor Damien McKiernan via a nifty plastic surgery storyline.
Peter Capaldi writes touching letter about regeneration to young Doctor Who fan
Doctor Who regenerations are often traumatic for fans of any ages. The Mad Timelord in a Box who’s taken you travelling across space and time disappears in a flash, replaced by some new face for the next adventure.
This Christmas was no different, since children faced the sadness of saying goodbye to the Twelfth Doctor even as they were surely excited to take journeys anew with Thirteen in the New Year.
Brian McGilloway, the father of one such young face, reached out Peter Capaldi to help him explain regeneration to his boy, but likely didn’t expect to actually receive a genuinely heartwarming response from the outgoing Doctor.
In his letter to young David, Peter explains why he shouldn’t be afraid of what regeneration will mean for The Doctor. Tissues at the ready, you’re going to need them.
#PeterCapaldi is my 9 year old son’s fav #DoctorWho and he was dreading his regeneration. And then he got this letter with some words of comfort from the Doctor himself among his Santa presents. Such a kind man. pic.twitter.com/Dki37Wt6Er
“Even though [regeneration] can be a little icky (like a really bad flu), it has always, always turned out good for Doctor Who,” Peter assures David in his note. “The New Doctor always becomes your favourite and the one that goes… Well, he never really goes.
“He is always there, somewhere in time and space, and if you think about him hard enough, you’ll see him and he’ll see you. It’s like The Doctor says, ‘Everything ends and it’s always sad. But everything begins again and that’s always happy.’ Be happy.”
See, we told you that you’d need those tissues! This moving fan letter echoes the Twelfth Doctor’s own final monologue from ‘Twice Upon a Time’, which was actually inspired by another young fan.
Watch the Twelfth Doctor say goodbye… and the Next Doctor arrive below:
Much as Peter assured David, fans all across the galaxy have paid tribute to Twelve while celebrating the arrival of Thirteen — and the new era that Jodie Whittaker ushers in.
Doctor Who will continue with its 11th series in 2018 on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US.
Fans rejoice as Jodie Whittaker makes her debut as the Thirteenth Doctor
It was a momentous occasion in the closing moments of tonight’s Christmas Day (December 25) episode of Doctor Who – as Jodie Whittaker made her first on-screen appearance as the Doctor.
Whittaker was announced back in July, and as the first female incarnation of the infamous Time Lord, we’ve all been on tenterhooks to see the grand reveal.
And with just two words and a massive explosion, it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Fans were positively shook at the new arrival in the TARDIS:
Moffat & Gatiss just had to give the one last gut punch before they left! What a lovely episode reminding us all to be kind and always choose love over hate! #DoctorWho
Moffat & Gatiss just had to give the one last gut punch before they left! What a lovely episode reminding us all to be kind and always choose love over hate! #DoctorWho
The Doctor turned into a woman. Then there was a joke, some explosions and a cliffhanger. Everything’s changed. Nothing’s changed. Merry Christmas and a brilliant 2018 to you, #DoctorWho.
The addition of Whittaker heralds a new era for Doctor Who.
The Thirteenth Doctor’s new companions have been revealed, her outfit has been unveiled, and plenty of stars have come forward to offer their support to Jodie in her new role.
Doctor Who returns in 2018.
MARK GATISS TRIED TO GET JON PERTWEE’S JACKET IN TO DOCTOR WHO CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
The latest episode of The Fan Show – The Aftershow takes an in-depth look at this year’s Doctor Who Christmas Special with its stars Mark Gatiss and David Bradley, and its writer Steven Moffat.
Gatiss, who has previously starred in the episodes The Lazarus Experiment and The Wedding Of River Song, as well as writing numerous stories since 2005, spoke about the experience of starring in the show’s latest instalment. Mark told The Fan Show it was:
“… like being in my memory of Doctor Who – in a Doctor Who annual, and The War Games and The Tenth Planet all at the same time.
It’s Christmas, isn’t it!”
The War Games was the final story for Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor and also featured scenes with battling armies and a regeneration.
Gatiss is also well-known for penning the 2013 drama, An Adventure in Space and Time, which looked at the genesis of Doctor Who as a television show. In a behind-the-scenes moment, the actor donned Jon Pertwee’s actual Third Doctor jacket for a photoshoot with the production’s First and Second Doctors (David Bradley and Reece Shearsmith respectively), as you can see above.
Mark was keen to get the item of clothing in the final outing for Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. He said:
“I own Jon Pertwee’s jacket from Planet of the Daleks and I said to Peter a long time ago that I own this.
And I said, ‘I’ll bring it down if you like?’”
Pertwee can be seen as the Third Doctor wearing said item in a scene from 1973’s Planet of the Daleks below.
Gatiss continues:
“So I did, on the last day and we got it into the shot; hanging off the hatstand as Peter is giving his final speech to the future Doctor.
This might not be in the final cut but there was one take where he sort of trailed his hand along the sleeve that made me go a bit funny.”
You can watch latest episode of the Doctor Who: The Fan Show – The Aftershow, featuring former showrunner Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and David Bradley, below.
Jodie Whittaker’s first few moments as The Doctor!
The Doctor Who Christmas Special: Twice Upon A Time attained an unofficial average overnight rating of 5.7 million viewers a share of 29.1% with Jodie Whittaker’s first few moments getting around 5.9 million. This figure of course does not taken into account viewers which will watch the programme on catch up services including the BBC iplayer. The final consolidated rating will be available in two weeks time.
Doctor Who: Twice Upon A Time – What The Papers say….
This year’s Doctor Who Christmas special was chock-full of massive moments, from the return of the First Doctor and Bill to the Twelfth Doctor’s final regeneration speech and the debut of Jodie Whittaker – but perhaps some of the most crowd-pleasing scenes came from the return of some fan-favourite characters in special cameos towards the end of the episode, that followed months of speculation about their return.
Look away now if you haven’t seen Twice Upon a Time, or risk having it spoiled forever…
Still here? Then you’ll have been one of the millions of Doctor Who viewers delighted to see the return of Jenna Coleman’s longtime series companion Clara Oswald tonight, with the erstwhile Who character back in action thanks to memory-storing aliens Testimony, who recreated a version of her (wearing the same outfit she had on at the time of her death) to allow Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor one final goodbye.
“Merry Christmas Doctor,” Coleman says in the episode as the Testimony glass woman takes her shape. “Hello. You stupid old man.”
“You’re back,” Capaldi’s Doctor replies, with the scene also serving to undo the events of series 9 finale Hell bent (when all the Doctor’s memories of Clara were wiped).
“You’re in my head. All my memories… are back.”
“And don’t go forgetting me again, because, quite frankly, that was offensive,” Clara concludes before the glass woman changes again – and now episode writer (and departed series showrunner) Steven Moffat has explained exactly how he managed to get Coleman back in the BBC sci-fi series.
“I had to phone Jenna, who was incredibly busy on [ITV’s] Victoria,” Moffat said at a recent screening for the Christmas special. “INCREDIBLY busy. A ridiculous schedule. I mean she was well up for it, but it was complicated to arrange.”
To accommodate Coleman’s schedule, the long-rumoured cameo was shot separately to the rest of the special and inserted using special effects, with Coleman actually filming her scene after Peter Capaldi and the rest of the cast had already wrapped.
Jenna Coleman makes a welcome cameo in this years festive episode
“Actually, the very very last thing I shot of Doctor Who was in fact Jenna’s bit,” Moffat said. “So many times have I killed that girl off, and she was right there in my last shot! It’s absolutely extraordinary. The unkillable Coleman!”
But of course, Clara wasn’t the only former companion to make an appearance, with series 10’s Nardole (as played by Matt Lucas) also brought back for one last “cuddle” with the Doctor and Bill (even if he was a little upset to lose his “invisible hair” in this new glass iteration).
Matt Lucas as Nardole in Doctor Who (BBC)
And Moffat had some difficulties explaining to one young fan at the screening how the partially cybernetic Nardole would have actually been able to be replicated from his memories, considering that subjects had to actually be dead prior to the Testimony process…
“In a complicated way…we do not know!” Moffat replied. “Remember, all those characters are still out there in the Doctor Who universe, and now under the control of our new overlord Chris Chibnall, to whom I give all respect. So it’s up to him what happens.
“At some point in the future, like everybody Nardole will die, and when Nardole dies Testimony turns up to scoop out his memories from his half-machine head, and puts them in a glass avatar.
“I thought of all that one day, that’s ridiculous! So, we don’t know. Who knows? It’s up to wiser people than me.”
Watch this space, Nardole fans – this might not be the last we see of him.
Doctor Who returns to BBC1 in autumn 2018
Viewers are saying goodbye to a brilliant Doctor, which is what Capaldi has been – warm, wise, kind, funny and human. Photograph: Simon Ridgway/BBC/BBC Worldwide
Aw brilliant!” she says, Yorkshire-ness present and correct and looking chuffed to bits. It’s hard to disagree. Jodie Whittaker becomes the Thirteenth Doctor – not unluckily, for her, or for the universe let’s hope. Though then things don’t go well, with the Tardis.
Anyway, that’s all to come and to look forward to. First there was a goodbye, a final adventure for the Twelfth Doctor, and for the First.
They meet at the South Pole, both fighting their own regeneration, Peter Capaldiand David Bradley – who takes on the William Hartnell role, is cleverly morphed into Hartnell in fact – a leap of hundreds of episodes and from flickery black and white to super HD colour.
It takes a little getting one’s head around: two dying characters meeting each other, meeting themselves because they’re the same character, frozen in time and in a frozen landscape, three actors, one actually deceased.
“You know, I really don’t think I’m following,” says the Captain (Mark Gatiss), and it’s hard not to sympathise. But it doesn’t really matter if you can’t quite place everything on a timeline (if indeed time is a line) or see how this episode, Twice Upon a Time, actually takes place during another episode, the Tenth Planet, that went out in 1966. There’s so much for the non fundamentalist Whovian to engage with and enjoy as well.
The Captain? A charming British soldier plucked from a bomb crater at Ypres in 1914 at the moment of his death. There’s a lot of death in the episode, as you would expect, but it’s far from pessimistic; the opposite in fact.
Doing the plucking are Enchanted Glass People from the distant future. You’ll see, they’ll be waiting for you at the end of your life, too, to lift you gently from your timestream and without pain or distress, duplicate your memory, so that your testimony can live on and the dead can be heard among the living. Ooh, that’s good isn’t it?
There’s so much that is good about the episode. Good jokes – mainly about the First Doctor’s embarrassing un-PC old-fashioned attitudes (“Aren’t all ladies made of glass, in a way?”). I like the second world war spoiler too. “Yes, but what do you mean, [world war] one?” asks the Captain, not understanding the unthinkable. I like Twelve’s “over to you Mary Berry” to One, just because he’s old, I think. Anyway, it’s funny.
And I like Bill Potts saying arse (she calls the Doctor a stupid bloody one) in the nation’s family living room at 6pm on Christmas Day – though some won’t, there may be complaints.
She – Bill (Pearl Mackie) – is here, to say goodbye to the Doctor, with a tender kiss. Nardole (Matt Lucas) too. And Clara – Jenna Coleman dropping in before dashing off to be Victoria at Christmas on the other side. “Hello, you stupid old man,” Clara says. Hello, and goodbye.
It’s sad, so sad. If you don’t have a lump or shed a tear too then you’re a probably a Cyberman. Because the Twelfth Doctor’s companions and friends – I include myself, that’s what he’s become over the past four years – are saying goodbye to a brilliant Doctor, which is what Capaldi has been – warm, wise, kind, funny, human.
He does get to go out in style though. Steven Moffat – also checking out (he will regenerate, less spectacularly, into Chris Chibnall, who has written for Whittaker of course, on Broadchurch) – has given him a spectacular, moving send-off. It’s not just about goodbye, and death and the fear of death, but also memories and a reminder that there can be hope even in humanity’s darkest hours. Like at the Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides – including the Captain – emerged from their trenches, laid down their weapons, played football together and sang.
Capaldi gets a barnstorming valedictory speech. “Time to leave the battlefield,” the Doctor at last accepts – the battlefield of his life as well as this one on the western front. He steps inside the Tardis for the last time, where he has some advice, for himself, for his successor, for everyone. “Hate is always foolish, love is always wise,” he says, borrowing from Bertrand Russell. “Always try to be nice.”
Naive? No! Important, more so than ever right now. Have you seen what’s going on out there? And finally: “Laugh hard, run fast, be kind,” he says. And: “Doctor, I let you go.”
Over to you, Jodie, you’re on.
Doctor Who: Twice Upon A Time (2017)
K E Y P O I N T S
The 12th Doctor’s final episode began in the South Pole, where he met his former self, the First Doctor, who was also reluctant to regenerate
A glitch in time left a Captain from WWI marooned with them
The episode ended with his return to the battlefield for the Christmas truce of 1914
Bill Potts returned and was revealed to be working for Testimony, a kind-hearted project that uses memories and time travel to “help the dead speak again”
A visit to Rusty, “the good dalek”, uncovered Bill’s secret role and it was up to her to persuade both Doctors to regenerate
The Captain (Mark Gatiss) was later revealed to be Archibald Hamish Lethbridge-Stewart, who must be a relative of Alistair Gordon, one of the Doctor’s greatest friends
Clara Oswald and Nardole (Jenna Coleman and Matt Lucas) reappeared to say goodbye to the 12th Doctor
The closing seconds saw Capaldi regenerate into the 13th Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker.
S N A P V E R D I C T
With the first ever female Doctor incoming, plenty of fresh eyes will have been on the Christmas special, but longtime fans weren’t forgotten.
An appearance from Rusty, goodbyes from former companions – “Hello, you stupid old man” – and The Captain’s identity added an extra layer of emotion for the show’s devotees, while the central story provided a reminder that it is Christmas after all.
There were plenty of highlights, though these took the form of small comments and asides rather than spectacular battles. ‘Twice Upon A Time’ – to use the episode’s full title – was a fitting reminder of why Capaldi’s Doctor is one of the best as he swerved between dark-yet-humourous comments, contemplating the past and learning a final, vital lesson from Bill Potts.
The Doctor also chastised his predecessor for sexist comments, with his rebuttals also sending a clear message to any viewers who remain uncomfortable with the fact a woman will take control of the TARDIS next year.
And it isn’t just Capaldi who was taking his final bow either, as Pearl Mackie’s appearance as Bill was her last, though her Testimony role means there’s every chance we may see her again in the future.
Showrunner Steven Moffat handed over the reins at the exact moment the regeneration took place and will surely be delighted with his final decisions in the writer’s room. The countdown to series 11 can officially begin.
B E S T L I N E S
The 12th Doctor:
We have a choice. Either we change and go on, or we die as we are.”
Peter Capaldi’s final words:
Laugh hard, run fast, be kind. Doctor, I let you go.”
Jodie Whittaker’s first line:
Oh brilliant.
W H A T ′ S N E X T ?
Fans are in for a long wait before Jodie’s first full season of ‘Doctor Who’, as it’s not set to air until Autumn 2018.
When the Doctor does return, she’ll have three companions alongside her in the TARDIS, played by Mandip Gill, Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh.
The series will consist of one 60-minute instalment, followed by nine 50-minute
Peter Capaldi and David Bradley as The Doctor 1 and 12.
It wasn’t so much Doctor Who (BBC One) as Doctor What-Is-Going-On? One of Christmas’s most eagerly awaited programmes turned into a turkey: overcooked, disappointing and destined to be chewed over for days.
This seasonal special, titled Twice Upon a Time, saw the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) meeting his original self, the First Doctor (David Bradley, doing a magical tribute to the late William Hartnell) in an Antarctic snowscape.
Cue an unholy mess involving frozen time, a First World War army captain (Mark Gatiss), memory-stealing glass avatars and a comeback of sorts for companion Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie).
It even threw in a gratuitous Dalek and a random swear-word for no apparent reason, before disappearing up its own space-time continuum. At least after an hour of confused plotting, Capaldi regenerated into the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, to offer us some respite.
“Oh, brilliant!” were Whittaker’s feverishly anticipated first words. If only the episode building up to this point had been brilliant too.
The Christmas special should be a chance for generations to sit down together, stuffed with seasonal cheer. While their grandparents nod off in armchairs, children get to enjoy this precious 54-year-old institution.
However, any Who newcomers or casual viewers expecting an escapist adventure would have been left scratching their heads in bafflement. It was self-indulgent, overcomplicated and, most unforgivably, frequently boring.
Heavy on stagy dialogue and light on action, the narrative got mired in its own mythology, too busy making knowingly nerdy references to construct a coherent adventure. Ultimately, even the hero admitted there wasn’t a villain.
As the outgoing episode not just for Capaldi but also Mackie and showrunner Steven Moffat – not to mention a Christmas special climaxing in a landmark gender change for the lead character – this episode left itself with a lot to do. Perhaps trying to fulfil too many functions is why it got so confused and fell as flat as a trodden-on sprout.
It wasn’t without its pleasures: the bickering interplay between the two Time Lords had snap and wit, with a smart running gag about the Sixties incarnation saying un-PC things. The wartime trenches were poignantly evoked and the regeneration scene was shiver-inducingly thrilling.
Sparks flew in the Tardis before Whittaker emerged from Capaldi’s dying golden glow. She immediately slid out of the blue police box’s doors and fell through space, surrounded by fluttering sheets of paper.
This hopefully symbolised the end of overly wordy scripts and a new beginning of exciting escapades.
Frustratingly, it wasn’t enough. At the end of the Moffat-steered era, the wheels came off this venerable vehicle. Let’s hope that Whittaker and new head honcho Chris Chibnall can steer it back on course.
Steven Moffatt admits Clara’s Doctor Who return was ‘complicated’ to arrange
A very special character returned to Doctor Who for Peter Capaldi’s final episode. Clara Oswald, who was last seen in December 2016’s episode Hell Bent, appeared in front of the Doctor as he prepared to regenerate. But thanks to actress Jenna Coleman’s insanely busy schedule, the companion’s presence almost didn’t happen. At a special screening of Twice Upon A Time, the Doctor Who Christmas special, earlier this month at London’s Science Museum, showrunner Steven Moffat explained that the return of Clara was rather tricky thanks to Jenna’s busy filming schedule for ITV’s Victoria. Moffat said: ‘I had to phone Jenna, who was incredibly busy on Victoria … incredibly busy.
‘It was a ridiculous schedule. She was well up for it but it was complicated to arrange.’ And Moffat – who also bows out of Doctor Who with the Christmas special – revealed Clara’s return was actually his final scene on the BBC sci-fi-show. He said: ‘The very, very, very last thing I ever shot on Doctor Who was in fact Jenna’s bit … how many times have I killed that girl off and she was right there in my last shot. ‘It’s absolutely extraordinary.’
Clara appeared as a vision in the Doctor’s final moments, along with his most recent companion Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) and Nardole, played by Matt Lucas. Then, in emotional scenes, Capaldi’s Doctor had his last stand, telling viewers to ‘be kind’ before regenerating into Jodie Whittaker. Elsewhere in the festive episode, there was a treat for diehard Who fans, as Mark Gatiss’s mysterious Captain character was revealed to be the Brigadier’s grandfather. As the Captain was returned to the trenches of World War 1 – incidentally, on the day of the Christmas truce – he told Capaldi’s Doctor and the original Doctor, played by David Bradley, that his name was Lethbridge-Stewart.
Jodie Whittaker as The 13th Doctor!
Jodie Whittaker has made her debut as the first female Time Lord in the Christmas special of Doctor Who.
Given the role in July, the new Doctor succeeds Peter Capaldi to become the 13th Time Lord.
The 35-year-old Broadchurch star said she was “beyond excited” to take up the role and the offer had been “overwhelming, as a feminist”.
Whittaker will fully begin her role next year alongside Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole.
“It’s more than an honour to play the Doctor. It means remembering everyone I used to be, while stepping forward to embrace everything the Doctor stands for: hope. I can’t wait,” she added.
Actress Jenna Coleman returned as Doctor Who companion Clara Oswald in the Christmas programme alongside David Bradley, playing the part of William Hartnell’s first Doctor, Sherlock actor Mark Gatiss and Pearl Mackie as companion Bill Potts.
It was the last episode for Potts and the show also marked the end for the programme’s writer Steven Moffat, who has stepped down after seven years.
He has been replaced by Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall.
‘Twice Upon a Time’ is an odd story. Like an anomaly in time, it shouldn’t really exist.
This year’s festive Doctor Who episode was written, at least in part, out of obligation, as departing showrunner Steven Moffat volunteered to fill the gap between his final series and Chris Chibnall’s debut run in 2018.
‘The Doctor Falls‘ was really Peter Capaldi’s swansong. By Moffat’s own admission, this story is “somewhere between a coda and a drumroll”, and not only does the departure of one Doctor and arrival of another inevitably mean that this episode is strongest at its climax, but the need to keep things relatively light for Christmas Day also means that a lot of what precedes the regeneration feels rather insubstantial.
Having already delivered the twelfth Doctor’s grand final stand-off, Moffat has to do something else here. This isn’t the Doctor’s last stand, this is what happens next. This is what convinces him to keep going.
Oddly enough, the presence of the first Doctor, and their shared conundrum, isn’t what convinces our hero to go through with his latest face-swap. The two Doctors both attempting to end their lives at once is key to the sci-fi gimmick that drives the plot – it’s a paradox that causes time itself to freeze. But they spend barely a couple of minutes together, as a pair, actually discussing their motives for giving up on life. (Too grim for December 25?)
Instead, in line with the frothy feel of much of the episode, the first Doctor mostly serves as comic relief, as Capaldi, the latest model, cringes at the arrogance and old-fashioned attitudes of his younger self.
‘Twice Upon a Time’ milks a good few laughs from their bantering and bickering about everything from the ambience of the TARDIS to wearing (sonic) sunglasses indoors. But it’s disappointing not to dig a little deeper – a chance for self-reflection wasted, especially since David Bradley is so perfectly cast.
His performance really is spot on – a little spiky, pompous, yet warm and humane. Bradley puts his own stamp on the first Doctor, while remaining enough like his predecessor William Hartnell to soothe the Whovian hardcore. You’re left hungry for more – for a story where Bradley’s first Doctor is more than a distraction from the main event.
Because it’s actually the other events that our current Time Lord finds himself wrapped up in, besides meeting his past self, that give him enough hope to carry on. First, there’s Bill’s quasi-return – one last chance to enjoy Pearl Mackie’s winning performance, with Moffat’s script nailing the difficult task of bringing the character back without undoing her original exit.
Then there’s the big plot reveal: Testimony’s lack of a malevolent motive and the scenes of the 1914 armistice that close out the episode. Up until this point, ‘Twice Upon a Time’ has been warm, amusing and engaging enough, but again, it’s mostly felt a little trivial, lightweight and inconsequential.
Until its final act (the epilogue’s epilogue) it doesn’t cynically try and wring every last drop of anguish out of you in the way that, say, ‘The End of Time’ did. Only once the adventure is effectively over does ‘Twice Upon a Time’ really make a concerted effort to tug on the heartstrings, and it’s here the episode really comes into its own.
It would’ve been easy to play a baffled, out-of-time World War I soldier as a caricature, but in his own Doctor Who farewell Mark Gatiss mostly resists his natural comic instincts to deliver a more understated, more sympathetic performance.
Moffat also takes a few moments amidst all the earlier explosions and sci-fi silliness to allow the character of the Captain to breathe, which ensures that you care about him even before that first emotional sucker-punch revealing his true identity.
Now, with the race to the climax properly underway, ‘Twice Upon a Time’ doesn’t let up – the Lethbridge-Stewart reveal is followed in swift succession by the “human miracle” of Christmas 1914, the first Doctor’s departure, and then the twelfth Doctor’s companions rallying around, urging him to keep on keeping on.
And if you weren’t already getting choked up, the episode’s last six or so minutes are essentially devoted to one gigantic Capaldi monologue – and if there’s one thing we’ve learnt from his time on the series, it’s that, boy, can that man deliver a speech.
Capaldi didn’t nail his Doctor straight away. He experimented a little, giving us at least three distinct versions of the same character. First there was the tetchy Time Lord, then the ageing alien hipster, but he leaves us the perfect, quintessential Doctor – funny, charming, strange, wonderful.
To quote the man himself, there were a few false starts, but he got there in the end, and we’ll certainly miss him now he’s gone.
Capaldi’s performance in his final scene is a powerhouse, and by the time this Doctor finally bows out, your heart’s shattered like glass. Moffat has acknowledged in interviews that everyone will be watching this episode “for the last two minutes” and he’s sort of right, so it’s just as well that it delivers when it matters the most.
‘Twice Upon a Time’ isn’t perfect, but in terms of its tone and its spirit, it is pretty much a perfect summation of Moffat’s era. There’s time paradoxes, plenty of gags, and, most importantly, a whole lot of heart.
That last point is something Moffat doesn’t get enough praise for – his Who too often (wrongly) dismissed as a cold, intellectual alternative to Russell T Davies’ big, warm, colourful version.
But it’s the pathos, the poignancy, the heart, so evident in this episode’s final scenes that ‘Twice Upon a Time’ will chiefly be remembered for. And never mind your “wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey”, it’s what this era of Doctor Who should be remembered for too.
Stars and writers of Doctor Who pay tribute to Steven Moffat
This year’s Doctor Who Christmas special marks the end of Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi’s reign in the Tardis – but it’s also the end for someone who in many ways has had an even more significant role in the show’s history.
Longtime showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat, who took over the series in 2010 and shepherded it through seven years as well as the landmark 50th anniversary episode in 2013, is stepping down.
Moffat has written more episodes of Doctor Who than any other person, but now, it’s time for him to leave and let new boss Chris Chibnall fill his bigger-on-the-inside shoes.
To mark Moffat’s departure, over the last year or so RadioTimes.com has asked some of the key figures in Moffat’s Doctor Who tenure how they think his legacy will stand up in the years to come.
Peter Capaldi – Doctor Who lead, 2014-2017
“I think Steven will be remembered as probably one of Doctor Who’s greatest writers, because he has such an imaginative take on it which is also popular and emotional,” Capaldi, who makes his last appearance in Christmas Day episode Twice Upon a Time, told us.
“He’s able to create stories that are both deeply emotional and very dramatic and exciting – and he loves monsters. It’s a tricky combination, but one I think he pulls off brilliantly.”
Karen Gillan – Doctor Who companion Amy Pond, 2010-2013
“Steven will be remembered as the greatest Doctor Who writer that ever existed,” Gillan, who was one of the first people Moffat cast alongside Matt Smith for his first Doctor Who series, told RadioTimes.com. “100 per cent, he’s the best.”
She added: “I shouldn’t speak for him, but I think he can’t wait to be a fanboy again.”
Russell T Davies – Doctor Who showrunner, 2005-2010
“Oh, good lord, there’s no doubt about it – he’s been magnificent,” Davies, who handed the reins of Doctor Who over to Moffat seven years ago, said when we asked him about his successor’s legacy.
“I can’t wait for that last episode; I think he’s bound to let rip, don’t you? I think he’ll be as cheeky as all hell, and go a bit mad. He’s wild and dangerous and hilarious at the best of times, and I think if there ever were any stabilisers on that bike, they’re gone now! I really can’t wait for it.”
Pearl Mackie – Doctor Who companion Bill Potts, 2017
“Well, I think Steven is incredible,” Mackie, who departs alongside Moffat and Capaldi this Christmas, told us. “He’s such a talented man, I don’t know where he comes up with all the ideas that he comes up with.
“I feel like he might have some very dark dreams! He’s brilliant, and his writing is fantastic.
“Without him, Bill wouldn’t have been created. He’s created some of the most-watched episodes of Doctor Who ever, and some of the most terrifying monsters have been thought up in his mind.
“I think that’ll be how he’s remembered – a wonderful showrunner and creator of the Weeping Angels.”
“He’s done six seasons of Doctor Who, and that’s no mean feat,” she concluded. “To keep it fresh and keep it interesting, to keep people involved and engaged – I think that’s a fantastic talent, and I hope that’s what people will remember at the end of his tenure.”
Michelle Gomez – Doctor Who villain Missy, 2014-2017
“With Steven Moffat, you never know what’s going to happen next,” Gomez, who played a gender-swapped version of classic Who foe the Master, told RadioTimes.com.
“Even when you’ve been in the show, like I have been for three years, there’s no time to ever get too comfortable or rest on your laurels, because there’s always going to be something. He always pulls the rug from under your feet.
“I’ll miss somebody like Steven Moffat writing me the best lines I’ve ever had in my career,” she concluded.
Mark Gatiss – series writer and actor, 2005-2017
‘Steven had a miserable time doing The Day of the Doctor, he’s on record as saying that,” Gatiss, who has worked closely with Moffat in both Doctor Who and Sherlock, told us.
“But it’s a triumph,” he adds. “I said to him when it was all over, ‘Do you know you’ve actually managed to please everyone? That’s almost inconceivable.’”
He added that despite facing critics during his tenure, Moffat’s legacy is assured.
“I did say, ‘Don’t worry, because soon you will enter sainthood – because you’ll stop.’ As soon as you stop, as soon as it’s the past, you’re fine.
“Then it will be ‘Bring Back Moffat’. Of course it will. ‘Death to Chibnall’. That’s how it goes, isn’t it?
“I’ve seen how much love and care he has put, poured into Doctor Who. It is genuinely the hardest job in showbusiness, if you care. And he really loves the show, and has poured everything into it for so many years now.
“He hasn’t written anything except Doctor Who and Sherlock for seven years or more. And he just wants to do something different. I think obviously he’ll be judged to be one of the greats for this show.”
Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time airs on BBC1 on Christmas Day (Monday 25thDecember) at 5.30pm
Reeltime Pictures have announced that the next MYTH MAKERS will feature writer WALLY K DALY, author of the story THE ULTIMATE EVIL, which would have formed part of the (unmade) 23rd Season of DOCTOR WHO. Hosted by GRANT FOXON, this is a bit of a curiosity piece … but very fascinating!
The Christmas special is a “new Three Doctors”, promises star Mark Gatiss
Fans of classic Doctor Who have a lot to look forward to with this year’s Christmas special ‘Twice Upon a Time’.
Next week’s festive episode is historic for so many reasons, as it’s a swansong for Peter Capaldi and head writer Steven Moffat as well as the first appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.
Not to mention David Bradley returns as The First Doctor and Mark Gatiss joins Pearl Mackie in the TARDIS team as a beleaguered World War I soldier.
Gatiss offered a preview of ‘Twice Upon a Time’ on The One Show on Tuesday (December 19), drawing comparisons between the festive instalment and the 1973 multi-Doctor serial ‘The Three Doctors’.
“It’s a beautiful story, I think,” Gatiss answered. “It’s very touching, very funny. It’s Steven [Moffat’s] last one. Peter Capaldi’s last one. Jodie Whittaker’s first one. David Bradley is back as the First Doctor.
“It’s like a sort of new ‘Three Doctors’. For me, as a lifelong fan, to be in a regeneration story is amazing. To be at the end of so many eras, it’s just fantastic.”
In ‘The Three Doctors’, the Second and Third Doctors (Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee) were guided by the First Doctor (William Hartnell) in a quest to stop the destruction of Gallifrey by the rogue Timelord Omega (Stephen Thorne). Watch a classic clip below:
Much like in the ’70s serial, it’s safe to assume that the First and Twelfth Doctors will definitely butt heads as they both try to stave off regeneration in ‘Twice Upon a Time’ next week.
Doctor Who will air ‘Twice Upon a Time’ on Monday, December 25 at 5.30pm on BBC One.
(@Markgatiss) December 28, 2017
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