When Doctor Who launched its 37th season earlier this year, there was far more change than initially met the eye. Yes, Jodie Whittaker starred as the first-ever woman to play the iconic sci-fi role while, behind the scenes, Chris Chibnall took over the ship as showrunner. Longtime fans will have noticed a number of other changes including a New Years Day special replacing the usual Christmas event. But a brief new promo for the 2019 special episode indicates that Chibnalls experimental tenure may already be returning to something more familiar.
Among the other Who changes, the traditional “companion” role was expanded to make the show feel more like an ensemble with Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, and Mandip Gill seemingly picked to represent the broadest possible swath of age, gender, and racial demographics on the show. In fact, the word “companions”—with all its Bond Girl–esque associations—was gently replaced in all cast interviews with the more neutral “friend.” Representation dramatically increased behind the camera with a bench of writers and directors that, finally, reflected the diverse culture of the U.K. in 2018. But, perhaps most defiantly of all, Chibnall and his team refrained from leaning on the most consistent aspect of Doctor Who: the villains. The face of the Time Lord may always be changing, but the metal facades of his most enduring foes—the Cybermen and the Daleks—have largely stayed the same. But of his first year at the helm, Chibnall vehemently swore: “There are no [Daleks]! I dont know how many times I need to say it. There are no old monsters this series. Okay?”
He kept his word, but only just. In the new promo for Doctor Whos New Years Day special, the Daleks are back. Newcomers to the series may not know what to look out for, but any Who vet can tell you theres no mistaking that distorted cry of “Exterminate!” The official description of the episode is even more tantalizing:
As the New Year begins, a terrifying evil is stirring from across the centuries of Earths history. As the Doctor, Ryan, Graham and Yaz return home, will they be able to overcome the threat to planet Earth?
The New Years special was filmed at the same time as Whittakers initial 10-episode run, so its not as if the return of the Daleks here are a direct reaction to audiences disappointed by all the changes afoot with the long-running BBC series. Despite some spurious claims from at least one British tabloid complaining of the shows “PC plots,” ratings for Chibnalls first season of Who have soared in both America and the U.K., even without the more familiar villain to anchor it with audiences.
Still, there were unsubstantiated rumors of behind-the-scenes tensions between Chibnall and the BBC with the showrunner, reportedly, not feeling as though it were reasonable to produce 10 new episodes of the show every year. Related or no, Doctor Whos next full season will not air until 2020.
Theres also a possibility that the Daleks will not appear exactly as fans remember them. Perhaps, like the scarf Whittaker is sporting in all the New Years special promos—a little bit of the 13th Doctors rainbow obsessions combined with the fourth Doctors iconic neckwear—Chibnalls take on the classic threat will be a blend of the old and the new.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Joanna RobinsonJoanna Robinson is a Hollywood writer covering TV and film for VanityFair.com.
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