Doctor Who's special episode which will see Jodie Whittaker's final episode as the titular Time Lord has released its trailer. The episode titled The Power of the Doctor is scheduled to be released on October 23 and will coincide with BBC's centenary anniversary.
The minute-long trailer begins with a voice-over by The Master (Sacha Dhawan) and teases the Doctor's regeneration. "This is the day you are erased forever!" The Master is heard telling the Doctor at the start of the preview. The clip also informs viewers that a dozen of the world's leading seismologists, as well as 15 of the world's most valuable paintings, have gone missing, teasing the big mystery that will be featured in The Power of Doctor. The promise of an imminent incursion of Earth is made, and Mandip Gill's Yaz attempts to prevent the Doctor from stepping into a trap. The trailer then segues to the action that will be prominent in the episode before Yaz is seen telling the Doctor, "I don't want it to end", reminding viewers of the impending final bow of Whittaker's Doctor.
The trailer not only sets the thrilling tone to expect from the series but also features the Time Lord's long-time enemies, Daleks, and series regulars, John Bishop's Dan and Jacob Anderson's Vinder, along with Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred, who played the Classic-era companions Tegan and Ace. In the 90-minute-long episode, the Thirteenth Doctor will have to fight for her existence against her biggest rivals, the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Master.
"It was singularly the most emotional day on set I think I've ever had," Whittaker told Entertainment Weekly. "It's a really bizarre feeling, because it's the best time I've ever had on a job, and I made the decision to leave it, so it's a really strange thing to do to yourself. It feels like you're giving yourself stitches — like, 'Why have you done it?' But… it felt right."
Doctor Who follows an extraterrestrial Time Lord called the Doctor who travels the universe in a spaceship, called TARDIS, that can move across space and time. So far, thirteen actors have portrayed the Doctor in the long-running series. Whittaker made history in 2017 when she was cast as the first female Doctor. The transition between actors in the show is made possible through the process of the Doctor's regeneration which is a crucial part of the Time Lord's biology and has been a beloved part of the series. In August this year, it was revealed that Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa had been cast as the next Doctor in the 14th season of the BBC Series, set to air in 2024. Gatwa's casting has been met with excitement from fans, previous Doctor Matt Smith, and even actor Ryan Gosling.
The Power of the Doctor is set to be released on October 23. Until then, check out the trailer and official episode synopsis below:
Action-adventure in space and time for all the family, starring Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill, John Bishop, Sophie Aldred, Janet Fielding and Sacha Dhawan. In this feature-length Special to mark her last adventure, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor must fight for her very existence, against her deadliest enemies: the Daleks, the Cybermen and her arch-nemesis, the Master.
Who is attacking a speeding bullet train on the edges of a distant galaxy? Why are seismologists going missing from 21st century Earth? Who is defacing some of history’s most iconic paintings? Why is a Dalek trying to make contact with the Doctor? And just what hold does the mesmeric Rasputin have over Tsar Nicholas in 1916 Russia?
The Doctor faces multiple threats…and a battle to the death.