5 Highlights From the 2015 SDCC Panel
Connor Johnston summarises this year’s Comic Con appearance.
Comic Con is well and truly underway ensuring equal levels of insanity and excitement for all Whovians who’ve found themselves awake at ungodly hours, placing immeasurable pressure on the servers of sites like DWTV in the hope of exploiting any inkling of information that came our way. Luckily, the last few days have seen incredible treats surface on the web including a Lego Dimensions trailer, an official airdate for the new episodes and finally THE MAGNIFICENT INSANITY that was the exclusive first look into Series 9.
This morning, video coverage of the SDCC Doctor Who panel surfaced, which provided fans worldwide with brand new insights into the inner workings of the show and the characters we love and adore. As it’s understood that taking an hour out of one’s day to watch the panel may not be the easiest route to information for all, today we’ve chosen to summarise and catalogue some of the most intriguing revelations into 5 conversational highlights. So join us as we dissect and recount highlights from the Official Doctor Who San Diego Comic Con Panel of 2015.
One in Twelve, and Twelve in One (Well… Thirteen Technically)
Being one of the first major conventions Capaldi has attended following Series 8, there was no doubt that great focus was going to be drawn to his Doctor’s characterisation and the way Series 9 would see that evolve further.
On writing for Peter’s Doctor initially, Moffat established that “the difference in how you write different Doctors is not that great; it’s the changes and influences that particular actors bring to it that sets them apart. On paper each Doctor is quite similar, the differentiation relies quite heavily on how Peter and the other amazing actors interpreted it.”
Capaldi then continued to bring to light the nature of regeneration being as much as a shock to the Doctor as it is to anyone else. “He doesn’t know who he is, so he spends a lot of his time scrambling around and trying to find out his own characteristics. In Series 8 he struggled because he know above all he needed to peruse to the greater good which consequentially means sometimes leaving wreckage in his path – which I think was the main factor he wasn’t comfortable with.”
It’s through this panel that Capaldi established that the Doctor is a character that is constantly evolving and changing, rarely remaining stationary in his mindset. “I first really felt like Doctor Who when they threw a rubber spider in my face and said … fight it. And I said doesn’t it work? Where’s the operator? They said there is no operator…fight it” jiggled Capaldi on working with the prosthetic monsters in ‘Kill the Moon’. On the Doctor’s fondness of humans, Capaldi initially jested it was due to budget restrictions, before revealing that Series 9 will see Clara help train the Doctor on how to interact with humans in a less alien and awkward way – drawing focus to 12’s “Open Door Policy” when it came to inviting people to board the TARDIS.
#BFFS4EVA
With the series opener of Series 9 also seeing the return of Michelle Gomez’s Mistress – the relationship between her character and the Doctor is still one shrouded with mystery. On Missy’s return, Michelle Gomez maintained that she was coming at how to approach the Doctor via a very different angle “which creates a really diverse dynamic to their relationship.”
Gomez continued to go on and describe the Master as the perfect villain – being “the best friend that you love to hate” with an openness and an attitude that can best be articulated as #nofilter #breaktherules. “If you break it down their relationship is just a great friendship that just went wrong, and it’s almost become their life’s purpose to try and work it out” – which has obviously been quite difficult given how entertainingly stubborn both characters are.
“They are friends” added Moffat, “They’re not enemies at all, it’s a friendship between a vegetarian and a hunter. Both the Doctor and the Master kill lots of people, it’s just he feels bad about it and she really doesn’t!”
Clara and the Doctor’s Relationship
Naturally, given how instrumental the plot was in last series, conversation eventually progressed to the ever-changing dynamic between the Doctor and Clara. It’s here we discovered some interesting hints on how the duo will interact come September. “I think there was definitely a point where she felt scared and unfamiliar after losing the Eleventh Doctor (whom she was used to…) Who just all of a sudden changes his face” explained Jenna on the trust issues that haunted the Doctor and Clara in Series 8 and led to their eventual ‘almost-breakup’.
However, as much as all the tension fuelled the encompassing dynamic between the Doctor and Clara in Series 8 – both Jenna and Peter maintained that the pair of characters have reached the pinnacle of their relationship and “finding their groove”. “We saw the school teacher inside Clara come out more during their relationship in Series 8, but that’s slightly toned down next series” continued Jenna. “They’re very united in the TARDIS and it’s a real joy” … to which Steven Moffat chimed in teasing “What could go wrong? **Cough** Finale!” – cue speculation now.
Jenna also revealed that Clara’s perspective on the universe has changed incredibly since last series as well due to the tragedy of Danny’s death, and has affected the details of her travels with the Doctor. “The idea that life is short and that you need to live life to the fullest and feel alive, eating up time and space and hanging out with her best mate in the TARDIS” was where Jenna placed Clara’s initial mindset. “When you travel in time and space – how do you go back to living on earth and living a normal life? I think it becomes addictive and that sometimes becomes the problem. We saw an earthbound Clara last series trying to live 2 separate lives- she had a rule that she had to be returned 30 seconds after she left” motioned Jenna, before revealing that in Series 9 Clara is much more “headfirst in the TARDIS with the Doctor.”
Hints For The Future…
Of course, the new episodes soon became the main focus of the afternoon – and quite rightfully too! “It’s been a gas” described Capaldi on working on the new season. Given that he’s now had a whole season to establish his own interpretation of the character, Series 9 is offered by writers who now have real substance and experience in scripting the 12th Doctor. For any viewers who felt a little uneasy or unsure of Capaldi’s characterisation in the early half of last series – the overwhelming sentiment of the panel is that the entire creative team has really “found its feet” in solidifying 12’s era and personality into the history of the show and the appreciation of audience.
Capaldi drew mention again to the coherence between the Doctor and Clara in the coming series as a major factor that will affect the tone of the narrative. “They’ve found their groove together, they’re really enjoying being the luckiest people in all of history because they get to play with this immense toy box which is all of time and space, which bubbles down recklessly to this sense of adventure, which is lovely. It’s a whole new tone: It’s daredevil, it’s funny, witty and incredibly clever.” The briefing of an adventure seeking tone was one that was also endorsed by Jenna labelling series 9 “the glory years”. And what hints could Mr. Moffat himself drop on the identity of Maisie Williams’ character? “Well… nothing! No Nothing! It’s going to be surprising what she gets up to trust me, but I can’t say anything without spoiling all of it!”
Constructing the Show
From a personal point of view, the insights into the creation and production of Doctor Who to me are one of the most anticipated factors of the panels, being that it’s always exceedingly fascinating to discover as much as we can about the inner workings of the show and the methods of creating it. This year saw no shortage of behind the scenes insights including the team’s opinions on both the legacy of the show and the possibilities of one day having a female incarnation of the Doctor.
Since the moment he was first announced as the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi has continually stressed the surreal reality that is being cast as the Doctor. “Doctor Who is to me the only show as I child I knew and loved – and even when I did an episode with David Tennant, I was so excited to be there thinking it would be my only contribution to the universe – and when David took me over to the TARDIS I got quite teary” tributed Capaldi, saying that “Doctor Who is the only role that I’ve worked with that I can really feel in bones.”
The debate on whether or not a female actor could one day be cast in the role of the Doctor is one with passionate support from both sides of the spectrum and does seem to be a topic that is constantly lingering in fandom discussion. Regardless of this however, it’s quite rare that members of the creative team have the opportunity to voice their own opinions. While both Capaldi and Gomez seemed quite reserved, but still favourable in their responses it was Moffat himself who broke away more passionately and made the point quite strongly that his opinion on the matter can be seen through the lore he’s established in his writing – i.e. the element of canon that labels all gender to be fluid on Gallifrey. Jenna Coleman also contributed to the debate stating that she believed “it will happen one day, and I remain confident that the right actor or actress for the job will always be cast” – basing her opinion on the merit of the actor’s capabilities rather than their gender.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Finally, one of the undisputed highlights of the panel was one of the more entertaining questions which commissioned Peter, Jenna and Michelle to describe what their character’s “ideal day would be”… hilarity ensured.
CLARA OSWALD: “I suppose I’d start off by teaching some Jane Austen before walking into the stationary cupboard, opening the door to the TARDIS and then jumping off to Uranus (cue Moffat giggle)….. Or Jupiter, lets focus on Jupiter, kill some Octopus shaped aliens, save the world, have some tea with the Doctor and then an early night in.”
THE DOCTOR: “Get up, have a pot of coffee, read the paper and then get really bored… look up into the Night Sky, which would be odd because it’s the morning – A planet with Night Sky in the Morning – Everyday he starts wanting to have a quiet one before realising it’s quite dull, all the adventure is out there – let me go out there and go to the planet Skaro!”
THE MISTRESS: “Squashing Big Bugs is always fun…. Her perfect day would start off with some tea, maybe a little croissant and then slapping Wonder Woman in the face… just whack… crack the jaw!”
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Series 9 of Doctor Who has finally been confirmed by the BBC to premiere 19 September. You can watch the entire comic con panel in full, featuring far more examples of hilarity as well as being jam packed full of exclusive insights here.
