Around October 31st, the BBC released a cryptic poster with the phrase "Watch This Space" and then in early November, fans were warned of a trailer for the twelfth series due to be released on the 23rd November to mark the show's anniversary. Days building towards that, we were given some casting announcements for guest actors as well as the above promo picture featuring the 13th Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and her companions, Graham O'Brien (Bradley Walsh), Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill) and Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole). After months of nothing, promotion was finally coming and to give some credit, some of the stuff we've gotten over the last few days have been interesting to see unfold.
So let's break things down a bit as to what people can expect to see in the next series.
The Monsters: Series 11 was shockingly bad on this front with very few of the new ones making any real impression, though the Dalek return in Resolution was a decent enough effort. Series 12 seems to have a few tricks up it's sleeve there with a rustic look for the Cybermen, the return of the Judoon, a race of Scorpion like monsters led by Queen Skithra (Anjli Mohindra), aliens with gas masks and strange guns. Oh and the Daleks themselves will be reappearing in the Christmas 2020 special, the last thing filmed for the current series. There's also been some rumblings that a certain renegade might be appearing yet again, albeit in a different form this time around.
The Guest Stars: Last series certainly boasted an impressive guest cast, even if some players were better utilised than others. This series will be no exception as both Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry will be appearing in the opening episode. Throughout the series though, audiences can expect the likes of Aurora Marion, Goran Višnjić, Robert Glenister, Anjli Mohindra, Maxim Baldry, James Buckley, Jo Martin, Neil Stuke, Nicholas Briggs, Michael Begley and Julia Harris to name but a few. Sacha Dhawan has also been rumoured for a prominent recurring role and it's one character I will be more than glad to see return as they haven't been on screen since 2017. A rumour has also emerged that Jemma Redgrave might be reprising her role of Kate Stewart for the opening episode but it's not been confirmed yet.
The Stories Themselves: Even now, not a great deal has been revealed on this front but the details that have slipped out are interesting enough. The opening episode will be something a spy thriller while episode 2 will be set in 1943 Paris. An episode will feature Noor Inayat Khan (Aurora Marion) and Nikola Tesla (Goran Višnjić). Other historical figures rumoured for the series include Florence Nightingale and Mary Shelley (her episode will factor in the new-ish Cybermen) with Maxim Baldry alleged to be playing writer John Polidari. There will also be visits to alien worlds, contemporary Earth and that Timeless Child mention from last series might actually be relevant this series as the Doctor cryptically mused about something coming for her in the trailer.
The Writers, Directors And The Future: Easy to break down here. On the writer front, Chris Chibnall will be writing four episodes of the new series. Returning from the previous series are Vinay Patel, Pete McTighe and Ed Hime and joining the series are Maxine Alderton, Charlene James and Nina Métivier. Alderton has also been confirmed as a core writer for the series after this one. In terms of directors we have Jamie Magnus Stone (episodes 1,5, 9 &10), Lee Haven Jones (episodes 2, 3 & Christmas 2020), Nida Manzoor (episodes 4 & 6) and Emma Sullivan (episodes 7 & 8). As for the show's future, a recent deal with HBO Max has ensured it's going nowhere but Chris Chibnall confirmed that both himself and Jodie Whittaker will be back for Series 13, which is being mapped out and will go into production next year. After months of nothing, it's nice to finally have some solid information to work with and hopefully this upcoming series will be a marked improvement on what we had in 2018.
Series 12 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkEB0ysv7sM
Series 12 of Doctor Who will air on BBC1 and BBCAmerica in early 2020.
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