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Series 8 of Doctor Who, consisting of 12 episodes, began airing on 23 August 2014, and ended on 8 November 2014. Filming began on 6 January 2014,[1] and ended on 7 August of the same year.[2] This was the first full series to feature the Twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi; he was joined by Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald as primary companion throughout the entire run.[2] Series 8 was the first series since Series 5 to be broadcast straight with no series split halfway through it and the first series of the revival not to consist of 13 episodes (excluding Christmas and other specials), instead consisting of 12 episodes. Executive producer and showrunner Steven Moffat revealed that this will be the normal format for all future series.
Cast
Series 8 saw the debut of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. Capaldi was announced in a live television special, Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, on 4 August 2013.[3] The previous Doctor, Matt Smith, announced he was leaving on 1 June of the same year.[4]
The new Doctor was joined by Series 7, Part 2's companion, Clara Oswald, as played by Jenna Coleman, in her first full series.[5]
Samuel Anderson joined the cast as a new recurring character, Danny Pink, a fellow teacher at Coal Hill School.[6] Although initially reported by media as being a new companion for the Doctor, in fact the character never actually took on an official companion role during the course of the season.
The Paternoster Gang returned, as well[7][8] and they each used a sonic device designed in a Blue Peter competition in the series.[9] Kate Stewart, Osgood and UNIT also appeared.[10]
This series also saw the return of the Master, now in a female incarnation known as Missy.
Main
recurring
- Danny Pink - Samuel Anderson
- Courtney Woods - Ellis George
- Missy - Michelle Gomez
- Vastra - Neve McIntosh
- Jenny Flint - Catrin Stewart
- Strax - Dan Starkey
- Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
- Osgood - Ingrid Oliver
- Mr Armitage - Nigel Betts
- Seb - Chris Addison
Guest
- Half-Face Man - Peter Ferdinando
- The Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith
- Journey Blue - Zawe Ashton
- Morgan Blue - Michael Smiley
- Gretchen Carlisle - Laura Dos Santos
- Robin Hood - Tom Riley
- Sheriff of Nottingham - Ben Miller
- Psi - Jonathan Bailey
- Saibra - Pippa Bennett-Warner
- Ms Delphox/Madame Karabraxos - Keeley Hawes
- Lundvik - Hermione Norris
- Perkins - Frank Skinner
- Maisie - Daisy Beaumont
- Captain Quell - David Bamber
- Singer - Foxes
- Rigsy - Joivan Wade
- Fenton - Christopher Fairbank
- Maebh Arden - Abigail Eames
- Samson - Jaydon Harris-Wallace
- Bradley - Ashley Foster
- Ruby - Harley Bird
Production
Brian Minchin, the new producer of the series, explained in the July 2013 issue of Doctor Who Magazine that "I have just spent a very happy few days meeting some scarily clever writers, and we have an incredible set of stories to work on. More adventures ahead!". In a May 2013 interview, Steven Moffat claimed that "the next season is plotted out."[11]
The first readthrough for Series 8 was held on 17 December 2013[12]. This was an unusually long lead time, as actual filming for the first episodes of Series 8 did not commence until 6 January 2014, with Capaldi filming his first scenes the next day. In a break from what was done with Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith and several Classic era Doctors, the first episode filmed by Capaldi is also to be the first episode to be broadcast.[13]
Crew
Producers
Series 8 is co-executive produced by Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin. (DWM 460) Series 7's producer, Caroline Skinner, officially stepped down on 13 March 2013, [14] and Minchin was announced as her replacement on 30 April. [15]
Producer Marcus Wilson stepped down following production of The Time of the Doctor. His role is filled by former producers Nikki Wilson and Peter Bennett. [16]
Writers
Steven Moffat has penned both the series opener, episode 4, and the two-part series finale, as well as co-writing on episodes 2, 5 and 6. Phil Ford wrote episode 2, Mark Gatiss wrote episode 3, Steve Thompson's script is for episode 5, and Gareth Roberts wrote episode 6 of the series.
Three new writers joined the series: Peter Harness (episode 7), Jamie Mathieson (episodes 8 and 9) and Frank Cottrell Boyce (episode 10).
Directors
Ben Wheatley directed episodes one and two. Paul Murphy directed episodes 3 and 6, Douglas Mackinnon directed episodes 4, 5 and 9, Paul Wilmshurst directed episodes 7 and 8, Sheree Folkson directed episode 10, and Rachel Talalay directed the two-part finale.
Television stories
| Episode Number |
Title | Writer | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deep Breath | Steven Moffat | Ben Wheatley | First full story featuring the Twelfth Doctor. Return of the Paternoster Gang. Reappearance of the Clockwork Droids. First appearance of Missy and Courtney Woods. |
| 2 | Into the Dalek | Phil Ford Steven Moffat |
Ben Wheatley | Return of the Daleks. First appearance of Danny Pink and Mr Armitage. Reappearance of Coal Hill School, Courtney Woods and Missy. |
| 3 | Robot of Sherwood | Mark Gatiss | Paul Murphy | Contains a scene removed from the final broadcast due to resemblance of recent violence in the Middle East. |
| 4 | Listen | Steven Moffat | Douglas Mackinnon | Reappearance of Danny Pink. A young First Doctor is featured. |
| 5 | Time Heist | Steve Thompson Steven Moffat |
Douglas Mackinnon | Narratives introduce the original-to-comics character Abslom Daak into Doctor Who televised story canon. |
| 6 | The Caretaker | Gareth Roberts Steven Moffat |
Paul Murphy | Reappearance of Missy and the Promised Land, now called the Nethersphere. Reappearance of Danny Pink, Courtney Woods and Mr Armitage. First appearance of Seb. |
| 7 | Kill the Moon | Peter Harness | Paul Wilmshurst | Reappearance of Coal Hill School, Courtney Woods and Danny Pink. |
| 8 | Mummy on the Orient Express | Jamie Mathieson | Paul Whimshurst | Reappearance of Danny Pink. Explores a narrative left unresolved at the end of the Series 5 finale, The Big Bang. |
| 9 | Flatline | Jamie Mathieson | Douglas Mackinnon | Reappearance of Danny Pink and Missy. Doctor-lite episode. |
| 10 | In the Forest of the Night | Frank Cottrell Boyce | Sheree Folkson | Reappearance of Danny Pink and Missy. |
| 11 & 12 | Dark Water / Death in Heaven | Steven Moffat | Rachel Talalay | Reappearance of Danny Pink, Clara's Gran, Missy, Seb, Mr Armitage, the Cybermen, UNIT, Kate Stewart and Osgood. Missy is revealed to be the Master. First story to confirm Time Lords can change genders. Deaths of Danny, Osgood, Seb and Missy. Posthumous appearance of Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, reanimated as a Cyberman. |
Episode notes
- This is the first series of the revived series that does not consist of 13 episodes (excluding Christmas and other specials), although Deep Breath and Death in Heaven were extended episodes at 76 and 57 minutes respectively.
- This is the first series since Series 5 to be broadcast straight with no split.
- Deep Breath, Into the Dalek, The Caretaker, Flatline and In the Forest of the Night all feature the appearance of a mysterious character known only as "Missy". This is analogous to the early appearances of Madame Kovarian in Series 6, and is the overall arc for the series. In Dark Water, Missy is revealed to be The Master.
- This is the first series since Series 5 to end with a two-part story, and the first since Series 6 to have an officially-designated two-parter.
- Two episodes experienced censorship issues during the series. BBC Entertainment serving SouthEast Asia announced it was required to delete a brief sequence from the region's broadcasts of Deep Breath showing Vastra and Jenny transferring oxygen by way of a kiss due to some jurisdictions prohibiting the depiction of same-sex kissing. On 4th September 2014, BBC One announced that a brief sequence in Robot of Sherwood was to be deleted from its broadcast on 6th September out of concern it might offend viewers in the wake of the recent execution of two Western journalists by terrorists.[17]
- This is the first full Doctor Who series in Australia to be rated M (for mature audiences) [18]. This rating was previously given to The Waters of Mars (before being re-rated to the family-friendly PG), The TV Movie, Attack of the Cybermen & The Ambassadors of Death.
- This series is the first series since Series 3 not to feature River Song.
- Counting The Day of the Doctor as part of series 7, this is the first series in which the 9th and 10th Doctor TARDIS interior does not appear.
- The title sequence of Death in Heaven has Jenna Coleman credited before Peter Capaldi and Clara's eyes appear instead of the Doctor's, thus marking the first time for a companion both being credited before the Doctor and replacing the Doctor's face in the opening credits.
Aliens and enemies
Adaptations and merchandising
Home media
DVD / Blu-ray
| Title | Number and duration of episodes |
R2 release date | R4 release date | R1 release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Who: Deep Breath Deep Breath |
1 × 76 min. | 8 September 2014 | 10 September 2014 | 9 September 2014 |
| Doctor Who: The Complete Eighth Series Deep Breath Into the Dalek Robot of Sherwood Listen Time Heist The Caretaker Kill the Moon Mummy on the Orient Express Flatline In the Forest of the Night Dark Water / Death in Heaven |
1 × 76 min. 10 × 45 min. 1 x 60 min. |
24 November 2014 | 19 November 2014 | 9 December 2014 |
Novels
Notes
- The box set was previewed in DWM 480.
Footnotes
- ↑ Varney, Bertena (6 January 2014). Series 8 of 'Doctor Who' begins filming today. Examiner.com. Retrieved on 6 January 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Interview with Steven Moffat on BBC Radio Wales, 7 August 2014: recording of the event can be found here
- ↑ The Doctor Who Team (12 March 2013). Peter Capaldi exclusively revealed to the nation as the Twelfth Doctor. BBC. Retrieved on 7 December 2013.
- ↑ The Doctor Who Team (1 June 2013). Matt Smith announces he is to leave Doctor Who. BBC. Retrieved on 7 December 2013.
- ↑ Susanna Lazarus (12 March 2013). Doctor Who: Jenna-Louise Coleman confirms her return for series eight. Radio Times. Retrieved on 1 June 2013.
- ↑ The Doctor Who Team (24 February 2014). Rising Star Joins Doctor Who for Peter Capaldi’s First Series. Doctor Who website. Retrieved on 24 February 2014.
- ↑ Mellor, Louisa (14 October 2013). Doctor Who: returning characters confirmed for series 8. Den of Geek. Retrieved on 2 January 2014.
- ↑ Martin, William (13 October 2013). 'Doctor Who': Vastra, Jenny and Strax back in series 8. CultBox. Retrieved on 2 January 2014.
- ↑ Blue Peter: Doctor Who Competition: Design a Sonic Device. CBBC. Retrieved on 2 January 2014.
- ↑ Williams, Kathryn and Meville-Smith, Alicia (30 June 2014). Doctor Who films in Cardiff city centre as the Cybermen take over. Wales Online. Retrieved on 30 June 2014.
- ↑ Jordan Zakarin (21 May 2013). Storyline For The Next "Doctor Who" Season Already Written. BuzzFeed. Retrieved on 1 June 2013.
- ↑ BBC (17 December 2013). Doctor Who Official Twitter announcement. Twitter. Retrieved on 7 January 2014.
- ↑ BBC (7 January 2014). Peter Capaldi begins filming on Doctor Who. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 7 January 2014.
- ↑ The Doctor Who Team (13 March 2013). Doctor Who: Executive Producer Moves On. BBC - Blogs - Doctor Who. Retrieved on 14 December 2013.
- ↑ The Doctor Who Team (30 April 2013). Brian Minchin confirmed as New Executive Producer of Doctor Who. BBC - Blogs - Doctor Who. Retrieved on 14 December 2013.
- ↑ Peter Capaldi begins filming on Doctor Who. BBC Media Centre (7 January 2014). Retrieved on 7 January 2014.
- ↑ Radio Times (4 September 2014). BBC makes edit to Doctor Who Robot of Sherwood "out of respect" after two journalists are killed. Radio Times.com. Retrieved on 5 September 2014.
- ↑ Australia's Classification website (Doctor Who Series 8) http://www.classification.gov.au/Pages/View.aspx?sid=69RopHhhBWvUbT%252fpWbFxFw%253d%253d&ncdctx=CS%2bmGrIk86InRL%2bTUFqPefzY4hRzQs24Ci%2bbEv0WqasqB6llZOIGTxb%252fMQecAI5FChov8be%252f5GGazzHQh2s9jDJkREdcr6K27nDctGfCTEk%253d