The last episode of Doctor Who to air was only back in March, but it seems like an eternity thanks to COVID and everything else 2020 threw at us. However, there’s good news for Doctor Who fans—the shooting of Season 13 is going well and a release date will be announced soon.
In a recent interview in Entertainment Weekly, Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall said the filming is moving forward, despite having to work with strict COVID restrictions in place. “We’re obviously having to work in a very different way, under COVID protocols. So, it’s not without its challenges but every series of Doctor Who has had its challenges.”
Regarding when Season 13 will air, Chibnall said he had an idea of when it would air but couldn’t disclose it at this time. “As soon as we finish it, I promise we’ll put it on telly straight away.”
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM DOCTOR WHO SEASON 13
The next season started shooting in November. And Season 13 will only have eight episodes due to the delays from COVID. The upshot is the new episodes will air sooner since they’re trimming off 2-4 episodes from the normal season run.
Chibnall said that, despite the shortened season, there’s a lot packed into the season to please fans. “We’ve got lots of new characters, new monsters, some old ones coming back. At the moment, everybody’s smiling and what we’ve got so far is really thrilling.”
The biggest change for Season 13 is that two of the three of the Doctor’s crew won’t be returning. Graham (Bradley Walsh) and Ryan (Tosin Cole) are exiting the series after the New Year’s Day special “Revolution of the Daleks.” No official reason has been given by BBC or anyone involved with the production of Doctor Who.
Our best guess is we’ll find out the answer to this and more on New Year’s Day.
REVOLUTION OF THE DALEKS
The Doctor Who holiday special picks up right were Season 12 left off. The Doctor (Jodi Whittaker) is locked up in an alien prison inside an asteroid after being arrested by the Judoon in the Season 12 finale “The Timeless Children.” Meanwhile, Yaz, Graham, and Ryan are stranded on Earth and must deal with a new Dalek threat without the Doctor’s help. They are not completely on their own as fan-favorite character Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) returns.
The official synopsis from the BBC sums up the plot: “The upcoming festive special will see the return of one of the Doctor’s biggest and most feared enemies—the Daleks. The Doctor is locked away in a high-security alien prison. Isolated, alone, with no hope of escape. Far away, on Earth, her best friends, Yaz, Ryan and Graham have to pick up their lives without her. But it’s not easy. Old habits die hard. Especially when they discover a disturbing plan forming. A plan which involves a Dalek. How can you fight a Dalek, without the Doctor?”
The “Revolution of the Daleks” special will also feature Dame Harriet Walter and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as well as Chris Noth as shady American businessman Jack Robertson.
You can check out the trailer below. And let us know what you think on the Warp Gate News Facebook page.
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