Doctor Who is back on the telly…

Peter Capaldi as the Doctor

Let’s just say I am not the biggest Doctor Who fan out in the known universe. “Blasphermy” I hear you say, and, “Where are your loyalties, goddamn it man!” But truth be, “I was a fan, once!” don’t get me wrong, though; The old Doctors were a little before my time, but watching the way Christopher Eccelston and David Tennant with their individual personalities and ticks were faboulous in the roles, but for some reason, I have just missed the latest incarnation of the Doctor. Be it, that I was suspended in space stuck on a planet, or just snowed under trying to finish my manuscripts. But I have seen fleeting moments of the 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi) in action, and the man behind the character is fast becoming a hero.

Now, here we are after a 12-month break. Doctor Who is back on our screens just in time for the festive fun.

In a recent interview, Peter Capaldi admitted he felt a little bit lonely coming onto a Doctor Who set without his usual ‘companion’ Jenna Coleman. He felt like the 30-year-old had “looked after him” right from the start. Coleman who left the show last year to pursue other acting roles.

“She’s always been there – she was my chum, my pal,” Capaldi added. “I felt odd without her by my side. Exactly how the Doctor feels when he on screen, so fitting really, so that was quite useful.”

But don’t fret folks, the Doctor has made some nice chums. A new companion, Bill Potts (Pearl Mackie) will be introduced when the latest full season debuts early next year, but in the meantime, we have a trio of new characters on board the Tardis and the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

The Return of Doctor Mysterio involves Nardole (Matt Lucas’ character, who was introduced in last years Christmas Special). Journlist Lucy Fletcher and a superhero called The Ghost (Orphan Black’s Justin Chatwin) to battle brain-swapping aliens in New York.

Justin Chatwin and Charity Wakefield brought just the right amount of satire to their roles in the Doctor Who Christmas Special

The Christmas Specials above all other episodes give the actors a increased license to play for laughs due to the lighter tone and increased comedy in the episodes, and that’s why we love em’ for!

Exciting, hey!

While it’s our first glimpse of The Doctor in a year, Peter Capaldi has been hard at work filming upcoming episodes for the past half a year back in the studies of old Blighty.

As for relationships, we now have The Doctor and Lucas’ Nardole, something that will be greatly explored during the 2017 season. Capaldi describes it as “interesting” and “complicated”. Matt Lucas is a great comedic actor, even when he’s got all the alien make-up on, and Lucas brings anotheraspect to the show that is good.

With Chatwin and Wakefield, Capaldi says they were both able to hit the right tone of satire needed for this roles. Charity is British, so satire runs through her genes.

So the Christmas Special happens to fall in America (not because the shows bloating popularity in the US) but remember, its not the firs time The Doctor has visited the Big Apple.

“Its just a very exciting city that has a place in popular culture that is very strong,” Capladi says in the interview. Its a place that can be a very evocative setting for almost anything and it brings an energy or filmic quality to whatever you are doing.”

With filming on other projects as well as 2013s smash-hit (next years – Paddington’s Mr Curry) Capladi is delighted to be jumping on board for the celebrated film. As for his future as The Doctor, Capladi will not be drawn into answering that certain question. But the fact is, The Doctor knows more than he ever lets on.