Doctor Who season 12 episode 4 preview: “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror”

Doctor Who season 12 continues with “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror,” as Team TARDIS journeys to 1903 to meet the famous inventor in Niagara Falls.

Period stories have been some of the strongest offerings of showrunner Chris Chibnall’s Doctor Who era thus far. (Looking at you, “Rosa” and “The Witchfinders”!) So, it stands to reason the same will hold true for this next installment, which sends Team TARDIS back to the early twentieth century where they get to…fight robotic aliens with one of history’s most famous inventors.

Allrighty then.

So, apparently “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror” isn’t going to be the most historically accurate of tales. That said, we’re still going to get to see Thirteen hang out with Nikola Tesla, which in and of itself feels as though it ought to be worth the price of admission.

Particularly when Timeless alum Goran Visnjic is guest starring as the famous inventor. (I”m sure that there’s some crossover fanfiction being written at this very second, and I’m extremely here for it.)

The official synopsis is as vague as these things usually are, but does at least give us a little sense of time and place, as well as a tiny hint about what the story might involve.

"1903. Who or what is sabotaging Nikola Tesla’s generator plant at Niagara Falls? And has this maverick inventor really received a message from Mars?"

Cool. Tesla and aliens is a thing I’m fine with, btw.

The episode preview indicates that said aforementioned aliens are either some kind of shapeshifters or also robotic spiders and possibly both at the same time. (It’s Doctor Who, you never know.)

Watch for yourselves below.

Unfortunately, however, this once again doesn’t seem as though it’s going to be an episode that moves the proverbial needle much on the whole destruction of Gallifrey subplot the series set up in the two-part season premiere. That’s probably not an accident, and to be honest it’s not unexpected, but it’s also just kind of a let down at the same time.

Doctor Who season 12 airs Sunday at 8pm ET on BBC America.