Doctor Who Christmas special preview: What to expect from Twice Upon a Time
By Lacy Baugher
It’s finally happening: Peter Capaldi’s last episode of Doctor Who airs this Christmas, as the Twelfth Doctor faces down regeneration alongside a much older version of himself.
It’s finally here. Whether we’re ready or not, Peter Capaldi’s last episode of Doctor Who is upon us. The Christmas special “Twice Upon a Time” airs in mere days. It’s both the end of an era and the beginning of something entirely new and amazing. To say we’re all a little bit emotional about it would be quite the understatement.
What a bittersweet time to be a Whovian, huh?
We’re about to get a female Doctor for the first time ever, since Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteen will make her first official appearance at the end of this year’s holiday outing. But we also have to say goodbye to Peter Capaldi’s grumpy rock-star Doctor with the amazing hair. And to Steven Moffat, the headwriter and showrunner who’s been responsible for some of Doctor Who’s most popular stories and who shepherded the show into what is probably the biggest mainstream success it’s ever known. (Sure, some of his stories were straight up clunkers. And he went to the well of killing people off only not really killing them off too many times. But Who fans owe him a debt, no matter how ready some might be for a new hand on the proverbial reins.)
“Twice Upon a Time” certainly looks as though the Moffat/Capaldi eras plan to go out with a bang. The episode features An Adventure in Space and Time star David Bradley as the First Doctor, in a story that sees Twelve somehow running into his original incarnation during a fairly pivotal moment in both their timelines. Somehow or other, Bill Potts is back. And there appears to be something wrong with time.
The official BBC synopsis reads as follows:
"Two Doctors stranded in a forbidding snowscape, refusing to face regeneration. A British army captain, seemingly destined to die in the First World War but taken from the trenches to play his part in the Doctor’s story. In the final chapter of the Twelfth Doctor’s epic adventure, he must face his past to decide his future. Along the way he realises the resilience of humanity, discovering hope in his darkest frozen moment. It is the end of an era, but the Doctor’s journey is only just beginning."
It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the episode synopsis officially confirms a theory many of us had at the end of season 10. We all assumed that for the First Doctor the events of “Twice Upon a Time” must happen somewhere around the end of classic story “The Tenth Planet”. The snowy setting at the end of “The Doctor Falls” certainly looks as though it’s meant to be the South Pole in 1986, and the hint about both Doctors facing regeneration seems to confirm it. Best guess? The entire episode will take place during the ending of “The Tenth Planet.” It will occur between the moment when a weakened First Doctor rushes out of the Cybermen’s ship and Ben and Polly returning to the TARDIS and find him about to regenerate into Patrick Troughton.
Easy, and oddly perfect.
The fine folks over at Doctor Who TV have a bit of a lengthier description up, which confirms companion Pearl Mackie’s return and hints that Mark Gatiss’ mysterious Captain figure has a significant role to play.
"The magical final chapter of the Twelfth Doctor’s journey sees the Time Lord team up with his former self, the first ever Doctor and a returning Bill Potts, for one last adventure.Two Doctors stranded in an Arctic snowscape, refusing to face regeneration. Enchanted glass people, stealing their victims from frozen time. And a World War One captain destined to die on the battlefield, but taken from the trenches to play his part in the Doctor’s story.An uplifting new tale about the power of hope in humanity’s darkest hours, Twice Upon A Time marks the end of an era. But as the Doctor must face his past to decide his future, his journey is only just beginning…"
Personally, I’m emotional just reading these descriptions. So everyone please make sure to pack lots of tissues for Monday. (I am, admittedly, intrigued about what the “enchanted glass people” turn out to be. And whether any familiar faces from either Doctor’s past might make appearances.)
Watch the trailer for “Twice Upon a Time” for yourselves:
We all know where this episode is going. But it doesn’t mean it won’t be fun – and probably heartrending – along the way. There’s so much to speculate about. How will Twelve’s regeneration happen? What will Thirteen’s first words be? Will be see Clara again? Or a glimpse of the Second Doctor?
Anything could happen. And probably will.
All we can do is wait, and remember what the Doctor told us last Christmas.
"Things end. That’s all. Everything ends and it’s always sad. But everything begins again too and that’s always happy. Be happy. I’ll look after everything else."
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Doctor Who Christmas special “Twice Upon a Time” airs Monday, Dec. 25 at 9pm on BBC America.