Doctor Who season 12 premiere preview: “Spyfall”
By Lacy Baugher
Doctor Who returns on New Years Day for its twelfth season with the first episode of a two-part premiere that promises to be one of the series’ biggest stories yet.
After over a year of waiting, the Doctor is finally in. Doctor Who will kick off its twelfth season – and second featuring Jodie Whittaker’s first ever female Doctor – on Wednesday, January 1.
“Spyfall” is a two-part premiere spread over four days – the first multipart episode of showrunner’s Chris Chibnall tenure at the head of the show. (Season 11 featured solely standalone episodes.)
The first installment will air on New Year’s Day, continuing Chibnall’s new trend of New Year’s rather than Christmas specials. The second episode will air four days later on Sunday, January 5 in the series’ regular timeslot, where season 12 will continue through the spring.
The season 12 premiere will allegedly be the series’ “biggest and most ambitious” to date. What that means, precisely, is unclear, but since a bunch of the early promotional materials seem to be leaning into the idea of some sort of James Bond-esque homage. Thirteen’s sporting a tux, introducing herself as though she’s 007 and generally looks every inch the action hero herself as the TARDIS team heads to a casino.
The official BBC synopsis for the premiere is as vague as these things ever are, but plays right into the premiere’s whole Bond-ish theme.
"Intelligence agents around the world are under attack from alien forces, so MI6 turn to the only one who can help: the Doctor."
The corporation has also released a synopsis for “Spyfall, Part 2,” which reveals what we’ve all probably guessed already – the Doctor and her friends are going to have to save humanity. Again.
"In part two of this epic spy thriller, a terrifying plan to destroy humanity is about to reach fruition. Can the Doctor and her friends escape multiple traps and defeat a deadly alliance?"
If the trailer for the new season is anything to go by, this won’t be the only potentially world ending threat Team TARDIS has to face this season. A crisis is brewing, and something’s coming for the Doctor.
Sidebar: Wow, Team TARDIS looks great in tuxes and lady suits, and here’s hoping that’s a trend that season 12 fully embraces as it goes on.
As for what else we can expect from the new season? Well, to be honest, nobody knows for sure. Chibnall and his behind-the-scenes crew are notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to the show, and don’t even release things like episode titles very far in advance. But at least we only have a few more days to find out!
dark. Next. 5 things we need to see in Doctor Who season 12
Doctor Who season 12 begins January 1, 2020 at 8pm ET on BBC America. Join us here at Culturess for reviews and discussion following