With a small snippet at the end of ‘Legend of the Sea Devils’, what do we know about the Doctor Who centenary special?
To celebrate 100 years of the channel, the BBC has commissioned content across TV, radio and online. Specials from shows such as The Apprentice, Master Chef, Strictly Come Dancing, and many more will air this autumn. The BBC Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, has promised ‘a huge treat for audiences of all ages‘.
Most anticipated by sci-fans is the Doctor Who Centenary Special.
While ‘Legend of the Sea Devils’ isn’t the most memorable episode, the ‘Coming Soon’ trailer at the end left fans buzzing for thirteen’s final instalment in the autumn. But what do we know?
Who’s in it?
Of course, the time-lord herself, Jodie Whittaker, is along for the ride in her swansong, as well as companions Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop). But they were obvious! The teaser revealed a few other surprises for the centenary special.
Vinder
Fan favourite from Doctor Who: Flux (or series 13), Inston-Vee Vinder (Jacob Anderson) has been confirmed to return for the feature-length special.
It’s not known in what capacity, or if his “life-partner” Bel (Thaddea Graham) or Karvanista (Craige Els), will be returning too. Nevertheless, fans are excited to see him on our screens again!
Kate Stewart
Kate Stewart, daughter of classic series companion Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, will be making an appearance too. After Flux revealed she’d been on the run for four years, fans are hoping the UNIT officer’s appearance in the special will be longer than last time.
Tegan and Ace
‘I haven’t heard from the Doctor in nearly four decades’
‘Just cause it’s only three decades for me.’
That’s right, Tegan, companion to the fourth and fifth Doctor and Ace, companion to the seventh, are making a long-awaited return! The first classic companions to return to Doctor Who since Sarah Jane in 2006, fans are beyond themselves at what they’ll be up to in the special.
With Russel T. Davies making Tegan and Nyssa – another companion to the fourth and fifth Doctor – a couple in ‘Farewell, Sarah Jane‘, will Nyssa be appearing too?
Who Are They Fighting?
Now that we’ve covered all of the Doctor’s friends set to return, who is the big bad? Well, there’s more than one.
Daleks
Would it be a thirteen special without them? After appearing in all three of Whittaker’s New Year’s Day specials, it’s only right that the Daleks are here for her last one.
Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that they look different to the last time we saw them (eye-stalk in particular), but will there be any other changes?
Ashad/Cybermen
What’s this? A Dalek and Cybermen story? Even though the villains have appeared together briefly in numerous other stories, the Centenary Special boasts ‘Army of Ghosts/Doomsday’ levels of appearances from the timelord’s biggest foes. What’s worse for the Doctor, this time they’ve got Ashad (Patrick O’Kane) – the ruthless incomplete Cyberman who first appeared in ‘The Haunting of Villa Diodati’.
The last time we saw the Cybermen they were seemingly blown up, along with the Master on Gallifrey, and Ashad had been shrunk! How did they escape, and what do they have planned now?
The Master
My personal favourite incarnation returns! The Master (Sacha Dhawan) has finally been confirmed! Possibly the most rumoured character to return in the Doctor Who centenary special, it’s good to know he’s back. Telling the Doctor ‘this is the day you die’ in the trailer, and glimpses of him looking, well, a tad worse-for-wear, some fans believe he’s after the Doctor’s regenerations. Whatever he’s up to, it’s no wonder the Doctor is regenerating facing THREE villains all at once.
Chris Chiball, the era’s showrunner also departing, told Radio Times: ‘Jodie’s final feature-length story contains a plethora of treats and surprises for audiences and fans.’
However excited we are, we still have a little while to wait. Although we know the special is airing in autumn, the exact date is yet to be returned! And who Jodie will be regenerating into? Well, that’s another question entirely.
Feel like rewatching the teaser? Me too, who knows how long it will be until we get anything else.
