Dark Water TV Trailer Breakdown
Connor Johnston takes an in-depth look at the second trailer and promo pics for the Series 8 finale.
As the countdown to the finale gets closer and closer, the wait has never seemed so far away… To slightly satisfy our yearning for answers publicity is brewing up a storm throwing teasers, trailers, promo pics and everything in between our way. Following on from last weekend’s next time trailer breakdown, join us today on Doctor Who TV Missy Who TV as we take an in-depth look at both the new TV trailer and publicity photos to pick up both clues and hints to what Saturdays revelations may hold.
Note: The following will be based on casting, filming, rumors and plain old speculation. In other words if you’ve been reading our “What We Know” post all year, you can safety read on. Please be advised that, as per DWTV tradition, this breakdown will only focus on new pieces of footage.
The scene opens with a smokey, fiery and explosive atmosphere – seemingly the same location from the earlier next time trailer. Looking at it from a different angle it seems less likely that we have ventured back inside the Doctor’s time stream, though a mere second of added material is still rich cause for new theories. Given the arc’s emphasis on idea of a “Promised Land” or “Heaven” type place it wouldn’t be illogical to say the Doctor may find himself venturing into the afterlife counterpart of “Paradise” in the form of “The Underworld” or “Hell”. Perhaps it is in fact a different location all together? Could it be that Capaldi’s past appearance in “The Fires of Pompeii” may play a larger part than first thought given then clear parallels between this mysterious environment and the volcanic Mount Vesuvius?
Recovering from “Dark Water’s” Next Time Trailer, The Doctor wakes in shock at his current vulnerable position. In this slightly extended clip we see the TARDIS just as exposed as the Doctor. Already released footage of a suspicious looking Miss Oswald follows with the Doctor and Clara’s narration over the top of the clip stating: “This is it Clara…. One of those moments….” – “What moments” – “The Darkest Day….”
“…. The Blackest Hour” continues the Doctor. Notice Capaldi’s delivery is somewhat reserved hinting that the Doctor and Clara have just witnessed something potentially destroying. However, thanks to an enormous amount of willpower and an inspiring Green Lantern speech from the Doctor, it seems our heroic duo will still strive to go on.
Moffat has constantly hinted that in the finale, death is depicted as” shocking, uncompromising, gruesome and surprisingly grown up” putting some weight on the idea that Clara and the Doctor may have just lost one of their closest friends. With a strong guest cast of returning characters including Clara’s Gran (Sheila Reid), Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), Osgood (Ingrid Oliver), Fleming (Bradley Ford) and Mr. Armitage (Nigel Betts) there no shortage of choices for whose name could find its way on the death toll. Who are you betting on not surviving the 2 parter? Let us know in the comments below.
Lending some weight to the mind control/body swap theories, it seems Jenna is NOT portraying sly-evil-anti-TARDIS-Clara for the entire 2 parter. “Let’s see what we’re made of… you and I” concludes Capaldi, once again set to deliver a stunning performance in an motivating speech, somewhat subtler to this early Who example.
Michelle “Missy” Gomez, once again nailing the sinister Poppins character who’s just thrilled to be here!
“These are tombs… why would anyone go to so much trouble just to keep watch on the dead?” questions the Doctor over the top of already released footage overlooking what we, in the previous trailer breakdown, labelled “Grave-Cells”… score 1 speculation! Answering the Doctor’s question we see a chilling skeleton arm reach out to activate some kind of communication device suspiciously engraved with the words: “REST IN PEACE”. The device flashes the word “Active” when triggered.
“The Dead don’t come back” states the Doctor to Clara whose reacting to something moving in the distance.
Something tells me that the dearly deceased rising behind you might want a second opinion on that definite diagnosis, Doctor!
We flash to this tantalising shot of a city at night on the waterfront, giving some purpose to the episode’s title besides sounding freaking awesome! Could this be a link to the River Styx of from Greek mythology that formed the boundary between Earth and the Underworld? Something about the proportions definitely seem a little off. This city is definitely not of earthy origins… could this be our first peek at the Sci-Fi inspired afterlife? Notice the Doctor peering through a circular window in the middle ground – Possibly the same window as the Police Officer in the caretaker?
The Cybermen continue their nostalgic yet threatening stalk through the streets of London as we hear what logically could be one of the first interactions between the Timelord and the Gatekeeper: “Who are you?” asks the Doctor. “You know who I am” teases Missy.
