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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Wednesday 27 December 2017
Who’s next: End of an era as “Doctor Who” gets a new star
By JILL LAWLESS bly production values and In this undated handout photo, actors David Bradley and Peter Capaldi in a scene from the
Associated Press a 16-year absence from
LONDON (AP) — For mil- screens between 1989 and Christmas episode of the show “Doctor Who“.
lions of Britons, a traditional 2005 to become a child-
Christmas Day includes hood touchstone, an em- Associated Press
turkey, brussels sprouts, blem of British culture, and
Christmas pudding — and a money-making export Many fans were delighted, with Moffat on a new ad- isfied subset of fans “who
a special seasonal epi- for the BBC. Partly, he says,
sode of “Doctor Who.” The it’s due to the Doctor, an though some grumbled at aptation of “Dracula” — will definitely watch it 28
global success of the ven- eccentric and “slightly off-
erable sci-fi series means kilter” hero. Partly it’s “the the idea of a Time Lady. thinks the naysayers come times just to make sure they
that fans around the world randomness of the adven-
will also tune in Monday to tures,” which have sent the Gatiss — currently working mostly from that never-sat- hate it.”q
watch Peter Capaldi’s final Doctor to ancient Rome
adventure as the space- and the Stone Age, dis-
hopping Time Lord known tant galaxies and the end
as the Doctor. (Americans of time. And partly it’s the
can see it on BBC America show’s “slightly ramshackle
at 9 p.m. Eastern). The show Britishness, in the very idea
has had a dozen Doctors of an amazing space-time
over its 54-year history, and machine which looks like a
this is one of those bitter- beaten up old box.”
sweet moments when one “And somewhere deep
lead actor hands over to down in its absolute essen-
another. At episode’s end, tials, something genuinely
viewers will see Capaldi magical,” he added.
transform — through a Time The episode is also the
Lord process known as re- swansong of Steven Mof-
generation — into Jodie fat, who has been the
Whittaker, the first woman show’s executive producer
to play the part. Before and chief writer since 2009.
that comes a rollicking and Moffat, who also co-creat-
poignant adventure that ed detective series “Sher-
moves from the World War I lock” with Gatiss, has no
trenches to the South Pole, doubt about the show’s
features mysterious crea- place in television history.
tures made of glass and He told audience mem-
(of course) involves a jaunt bers at a recent preview
in the Tardis, a time-and- screening that “Doctor
space machine shaped Who” is “the greatest tele-
like an old-fashioned British vision show ever made.”
police phone box. “People change their view
The episode loops back of the world and what they
into the show’s own history, are capable of because of
featuring an appearance a silly show about a man
by the very first Doctor, who travels around in time
a white-haired gent who and space in a police box,”
appeared on TV screens Moffat said. “Count the sci-
in 1963. He was played by entists, the musicians, the
William Hartnell, who died scholars, the writers, the
in 1975; David Bradley fills directors, the actors, who
the role here. became what they are be-
Mark Gatiss, a regular writ- cause of this show. Count,
er for the show who guest as you might say, the hearts
stars in the episode as a that beat a little faster be-
British Army officer ma- cause of ‘Doctor Who.’ I
rooned in time, said there don’t even know what is in
was “a valedictory feel” on second place, but without
the set of the finale. doubt and by that most im-
“The sense of eras ending portant measure ‘Doctor
all over the place was very Who’ is the greatest tele-
profound but at the same vision series ever made.”
time it was actually a very “Doctor Who” fans have
happy experience,” Gatiss become accustomed to
told The Associated Press changes of actor, and the
in an interview. Gatiss has shifts in mood that go with
loved “Doctor Who” since each new Doctor. The an-
childhood and has writ- nouncement that Whittak-
ten for it since 2005. He’s er (best known from detec-
better placed than almost tive series “Broadchurch”)
anyone to explain the en- would be the next oc-
during allure of a show that cupant of the Tardis was
survived early years of wob- front-page news in Britain.
