It feels like only yesterday Doctor Who celebrated its 50th anniversary, but a lifetime since season nine concluded in December 2015. Now the show is in a new phase of transition as both the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi, and long-time showrunner Steven Moffat have announced the 10th season will be their last. The April 15th premiere is a little more than a month away and BBC America is ramping up its promotional campaign with the release of a one-minute official trailer.
The video builds on the previous two teasers, repeating some of the footage but revealing a whole host of old and new characters. As no Doctor is left on his own for an extended period, it was announced newcomer Pearl Mackie will play the time traveller’s latest sidekick, Bill Potts. As previously released footage already introduced the new companion, this trailer focuses on the adventures they will have together.
Missy (Michelle Gomez) a.k.a. “Mistress” a.k.a. “The Master” is back, though it looks like her sassiness may be contained behind bars. The Daleks also return, though even more intriguing is the eerie human-looking girl crying “Exterminate!” And then there’s the uber-creepy cloth-faced Cyberman that pops its head into a scene. But there’s also a familiar ally who will have a recurring role this season: River Song’s former employee, Nardole (Matt Lucas), who will serve as the Doctor’s first alien companion. Fresher faces include a wooden person, an emoji-emoting robot, long-fingered aliens and a reptilian creature.
No one’s ever compared the TARDIS to a kitchen before, so Bill is sure to be an interesting companion who will undoubtedly keep the Doctor on his toes. She’s young and brimming with enthusiasm, which will infuse the show with a livelier dynamic — though the actual effect of her energy, particularly on his grief, remains to be seen. Meanwhile, it will be Nardole’s job to keep the Doctor on the straight and narrow as he saves the world time and again because “something’s coming Bill, and I have the feeling that we’re going to be very busy.”
