Doctor Who Series 10: What We Know So Far
A compilation article of everything we know about Doctor Who Series 10 so far. This will be continually updated as more info emerges over the coming months until broadcast.
Note: Spoilerphobes read at your own risk!
LAST UPDATED: 8 April 2017
Filming
- 20 June 2016 – 7 April 2017
Airdate(s)
- Main: 15 April 2017
- Specials: 25 December 2016 /2017
Format
- 12 episodes, 2 Specials
Other notes: Moffat said that “We’re going back to more single parters … with the new companion, you want the simpler version of the show.”
Main Cast
- Peter Capaldi – The Doctor
- Pearl Mackie – Bill
Recurring Cast
- Matt Lucas – Nardole
- Michelle Gomez – Missy
- John Simm – The Master
Guest Cast
- Justin Chatwin – Grant “The Ghost”
- Charity Wakefield – Lucy Fletcher
- Tomiwa Edun – Mr Brock
- Aleksandar Jovanovic – Dr Sim
- Logan Huffman – Young Grant
- Stephanie Hyam – Heather
- Mina Anwar – Goodthing
- Ralf Little – Steadfast
- Kaizer Akhtar – Praiseworthy
- Jennifer Hennessy – Moira
- Kalungi Ssebandeke
- Kiran Shah
- Craig Garner – Robot Operator
- Kiran Dadlani – Katya
- Peter Singh – Mr Pieman
- David Suchet – The Landlord
- Tate Pitchie-Cooper – Young Landlord
- Tomislav Stojanovic – Tomi May
- Kieran Bew
- Justin Salinger
- Peter Caulfield
- Mimi Ndiweni
- Karen Brayben
- Rebecca Benson
- Daniel Kerr
- Juwon Adedokun
- Brian Vernel
- Ben Hunter
- Aaron Phagura
- Sam Adewunmi
- Billy Matthews
Monsters & Villains
- The Daleks
- Emojibots
- Ice Serpent
- Giant Woodlice
- Missy / The Master
- Monks
- Ice Warriors
- Eaters of Light
- Cybermen
Writers
- Steven Moffat
- Frank Cottrell-Boyce
- Sarah Dollard
- Mike Bartlett
- Jamie Mathieson
- Rona Munro
- Toby Whithouse
- Peter Harness
- Mark Gatiss
Directors
- Edward Bazalgette
- Lawrence Gough
- Bill Anderson
- Charles Palmer
- Wayne Yip
- Daniel Nettheim
- Rachel Talalay
2016 Christmas Special
The Return of Doctor Mysterio
Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by Edward Bazalgette.
The Christmas special is the only Doctor Who episode to air in 2016. The festive outing will not feature Pearl Mackie as new companion Bill. Matt Lucas instead will fill the void returning to the show as Nardole, last seen in The Husbands of River Song. In the story the Doctor joins forces with an investigative journalist, played by Charity Wakefield, and a superhero, played by Justin Chatwin, to save New York from a deadly alien threat.
2017 Episodes
1. The Pilot
Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by Lawrence Gough.
The opening episode of Series 10 marks the introduction of new companion Bill, played by Pearl Mackie. Matt Lucas will also once again reprise his role as Nardole. Stephanie Hyam will guest as Bill’s friend Heather. Features “killer puddles” and Daleks.
2. Smile
Written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce. Directed by Lawrence Gough.
The second episode, from In The Forest of the Night writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce, was part filmed overseas in Spain, which will be serving as a futuristic city in the story. Features killer robots that have emoji faces. They like to give hugs, then reduce their victims to skeletons.
3. Thin Ice
Written by Sarah Dollard. Directed by Bill Anderson.
The Doctor and Bill take a trip back into the Regency era in Sarah Dollard’s second script following Face the Raven. Features a serpent-like monster that lurks under the frozen Thames.
4. Knock Knock
Written by Mike Bartlett. Directed by Bill Anderson.
Veteran actor David Suchet leads the guest cast as “the Landlord” in Who newcomer Mike Bartlett’s debut story. Suchet has said he is not playing a Time Lord. Reportedly we find out why the floorboards squeak – there are giant woodlice in there.
5. Oxygen
Written by Jamie Mathieson. Directed by Charles Palmer.
A space based story. Mathieson described his episode as “Very, very scary. Like, seriously so. ‘Let’s go behind the sofa and just stay there until it’s over’ scary. It’s got more shocks and tense scenes than anything I’ve ever written. It’s also a taut thrill ride, a gag test, a pitch black satire and, for the first time I’m writing for Bill and Nardole!”
6. Extremis
Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by Daniel Nettheim.
Steven Moffat’s mid-series episode will mark the beginning of a three-parter, an Earth-invasion story featuring monks as the threat. Michelle Gomez will also return as Missy.
7. The Pyramid at the End of the World
Written by Peter Harness. Directed by Daniel Nettheim.
The middle section of a three-part story. Filming took place in Tenerife, the location previously used to depict Skaro and Gallifrey.
8. The Lie of the Land
Written by Toby Whithouse. Directed by Wayne Yip.
The finale of the 3-part story.
9. The Empress of Mars
Written by Mark Gatiss. Directed by Wayne Yip.
The Ice Warriors return in a Mars-based story. Writer Mark Gatiss, following up 2013’s Cold War, promised we’ll see a new type of Ice Warrior this time around.
10. The Eaters of Light
Written by Rona Munro. Directed by Charles Palmer.
Classic series writer Rona Munro returns, who previously wrote the 1989 Seventh Doctor adventure Survival. The episode is said to be “haunting”. Features Romans soldiers.
11-12. Untitled
Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by Rachel Talalay.
The Mondasian Cybermen are back in the two-part finale – the original version of the Doctor’s deadly enemies who hail from the planet Mondas and have not been seen in the show for over fifty years. Michelle Gomez will also be back once again causing trouble as Missy.
2017 Christmas Special
Written by Steven Moffat. Directed by TBC.
Steven Moffat and Peter Capaldi’s final episode as Doctor Who showrunner and the Doctor, respectively. On approaching his last story Moffat said: “The departure of a showrunner doesn’t mean anything to the audience. Most of the audience doesn’t know that I exist, so they’d go blank if I attempted to wave goodbye to them. Oh, the embarrassment that would be. So I’m damned if I’m imposing my departure on the show. I just want to do a good one, before I hand over to Chris [Chibnall].”
[For the Series 10 post archive, head to the next page…]
