Series 9 (Doctor Who)

Series 9 of Doctor Who began filming on 5 January 2015, for an airdate on 19th September, 2015. The regular series will consist of 12 episodes. This will be Peter Capaldi's second series as the Twelfth Doctor and Jenna Coleman's third (although only second full) series as Clara Oswald, making her the longest running companion of the BBC Wales series to date. Series 9 will be Coleman's last. She said about the matter: "I have left the TARDIS and I’ve filmed my last scenes. It has been in the works for a very long time, Steven and I sat down a year ago, a year and a half ago and tried to work out the best place to do it and the best place in which to tell a really good story. So hopefully that’s what we’ve done. I think it’s really, really cool. Obviously we’re not going to give away any details but it will happen at some point this season."

Series 8 episodes Dark Water and Death in Heaven were shown in cinemas in 3D as a two-night event on the 15th and 16th September as a run-up to prepare for Series 9. A prequel scene to this series was shown at the end of this event. This screening was only shown in Russia, Canada, America and Denmark. The special prequel was entitled The Doctor's Meditation. A Prologue was also released online.

The series saw Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor maintain the new outfit seen in Last Christmas, wearing a dark blue hoodie over a black jumper, along with his coat and shoes from the previous series. Episodes 1 and 2 featured the Doctor wearing a t-shirt in place of his shirt and hoodie, and a pair of plaid trousers. Episode 10 will see the Doctor wearing a red velvet jacket. The series also featured the Doctor replacing his sonic screwdriver with a pair of sonic sunglasses. The last time the Doctor ceased to use the screwdriver was in his fifth incarnation.

Toby Whithouse returned to the series, writing episodes 3 and 4, described by executive producer and showrunner Steven Moffat as "a brilliantly creepy two-parter". New to Doctor Who, but not the DWU, was Catherine Tregenna; the Torchwood writer penned the sixth episode of the series. Tregenna contributed the first Who story written by a female writer since Helen Raynor's two-parter in Series 4. Sarah Dollard will be the third female writer since 2005 and second under Steven Moffat, penning the tenth episode of the series. It will be the first time more than one woman has written for the show in the same season or series.

In DWM 480, Michelle Gomez confirmed that she would return in Series 9 as, the latest incarnation of the Master who served as the central villain in Series 8. Moffat had previously teased details in DWM 475, stating "I've figured out the cliffhanger to the penultimate episode of [series 9]. And it's a whopper. Ohh, I don’t think you'll see this coming!" On 19 February 2015, it was announced that Gomez would return for the opening episode.

On 17 December 2014, at a press conference for the Christmas special Last Christmas, Steven Moffat revealed the title of the first episode of the regular series to be The Magician's Apprentice. The title was additionally revealed on-screen, at the end of Last Christmas. The second episode was revealed to be titled The Witch’s Familiar. "The Magician's Apprentice" premiered at the Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh on 27 August, as a part of the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival.

Prior to the airing of Last Christmas, there had been speculation about whether Jenna Coleman would stay on the show. After speaking at a press launch for the Christmas special at London's BFI in December, Jenna revealed: "It's wonderful – I've got another series of stories with the Doctor." She added, "I couldn't walk away with the story being unresolved and there's so much more to do – I think they've finally just reached a point where they really understand each other!" and executive producer Steven Moffat confirmed this: "Jenna is obviously in all of the next series. There was a certain amount of toing and froing, wasn't there, Jenna? It occurred to us all that we don't start filming until January, so we could keep it a proper secret." Jenna also hinted at what would occur in Series 9: "Just when Clara was feeling more comfortable in the relationship, it's thrown something totally new up." The season will be Coleman's last, and she will depart at the end of the season.

Hettie MacDonald directed the two-part series opener, making her the only woman to direct a series opener following Doctor Who's return to television in 2005 and one of only four women to direct Doctor Who television openers in the show's history, the last being Fiona Cumming in 1982. MacDonald had not directed an episode since Blink. Joining her was Daniel O'Hara, who directed the third and fourth episodes of the the series.

Regular writer Mark Gatiss also contributed an episode, stating in an interview with the Telegraph that he was "in the midst of that right now – I broke off to come here today, in fact, but I'm hoping to finish the script tonight," and added, “It has been a tough nut to crack, but I'm delighted with how scary it is. I can't say any more than that." It will be a special story which features only old phone and camcorder footage showing the Time Lord's followers filming their attempts to fight a monster. Executive producer Brian Minchin said about the episode: "We're considering not even having opening titles and just running the footage."

On Monday the 30th of March BBC revealed the title of two episodes; Jamie Mathieson and Steven Moffat's The Girl Who Died and Catherine Tregenna's The Woman Who Lived. The two episodes were revealed to be two linked episodes rather than a conventional two-parter, being set in two time periods, the Viking era and 17th century, respectively.

A question that had been brought up in Series 8 opener Deep Breath was the reason behind the Doctor's newest face and where he had seen it before. In DWM 486 Steven Moffat confirmed that the truth would be discovered.

Peter Harness revealed that his two-part story, Episodes 7 & 8, featuring UNIT and the Zygons, would have the key theme "consequences" and would be a sequel to the 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor.

For the first time in the show's history, there will also be an episode which features only the Doctor for the entire episode. About the episode Minchin said: "Doctor Who has always been about taking risks. It's never sat down and done a normal episode. It's always done something extraordinary. Our audience likes to be challenged."

The TARDIS console room set was modified, with circle-lit roundels becoming a prominent feature.

Peter Capaldi stated that he thinks "the Doctor has realised that, even at two and a half thousand years of age, life is short. And he's in a great position and he should enjoy it. But, at the same time, there's something stalking him that will make life less pleasant for him." He also claimed that there would be a monster that would "make you think carefully about regeneration", and that the series will feature "a couple" of monsters from the original series' run.

Moffat stated in issue 490 of Doctor Who Magazine that the opening story of Series 9 would be a "movie-sized" story and a "blockbuster."

Speaking at a convention, Sarah Dollard revealed that her story, entitled Face the Raven, will feature Maisie Williams' Ashildr, but not the Doctor's guitar.

Capaldi suggested that the series will not end happily, stating: "The Doctor and Clara are excited about the idea of having adventures this series, but that’s a dangerous thing to do. They can't have a good time for too long. They have to pay for it. The Doctor has a profound knowledge of the past and future and he knows how things will come off in the end. He is aware darkness will fall."

Recurring

 * The Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi
 * Clara Oswald - Jenna Coleman
 * Ashildr - Maisie Williams
 * - Michelle Gomez
 * Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
 * Osgood - Ingrid Oliver
 * Jac - Jaye Griffiths
 * Danny Pink - Samuel Anderson
 * Santa Claus - Nick Frost
 * Davros - Julian Bleach, Joey Price
 * Ohila - Clare Higgins
 * Shadow Architect - Kelly Hunter
 * Bors - Daniel Hoffmann-Gill
 * Rigsy - Joivan Wade

Guest

 * Colony Sarff - Jami Reid-Quarrell
 * Cass - Sophie Stone
 * Alice O'Donnell - Morven Christie
 * Mason Bennett - Arsher Ali
 * Tim Lunn - Zaqi Ismail
 * Jonathan Moran - Colin McFarlane
 * Richard Pritchard - Steven Robertson
 * Albar Prentis - Paul Kaye
 * Fisher King - Neil Fingleton, Peter Serafinowicz, Corey Taylor
 * Odin - David Schofield
 * Sam Swift - Rufus Hound
 * Leandro - Ariyon Bakare
 * Colonel Walsh - Rebecca Front
 * Azi Kashani - Shanaya Rafaat
 * "Chronolock Guy" - Robin Soans
 * "Police officer" - Ben Nash
 * Jen - Naomi Ackie
 * Habbrian - Caroline Boulton
 * Kabel - Simon Manyonda
 * Alien Woman - Angela Clerkin
 * Elderly Woman - Jenny Lee
 * Rasmussen - Reece Shearsmith
 * Nagata - Elaine Tan
 * Chopra - Neet Mohan
 * 474 - Bethany Black
 * Deep-Ando - Paul Courtenay Hyu
 * Morpheus Presenter - Zina Badran
 * Hologram singers - Natasha Patel, Elizabeth Chong, Nikkita Chadha, Gracie Lai

Aliens/Enemies

 * Santa Claus
 * Elves
 * Dream crabs
 * Handmines
 * Colony Sarff
 * Ood
 * Blowfish
 * Sycorax
 * Skullions
 * Kahler
 * Hath
 * Judoon
 * Shadow Architect
 * Dalek puppets
 * Davros
 * Daleks
 * Vampire monkeys
 * Android Assassins
 * Ghosts
 * Tivolians
 * The Fisher King
 * The Mire
 * Leonians
 * Zygons
 * Sandmen
 * Weeping Angels
 * Cybermen
 * Cybermen

Rumours

 * It is rumoured this series will feature Clara Oswald's death.
 * Peter Capaldi has hinted at a return for in the series finale.
 * Capaldi also hinted at his Doctor's debut scene in The Day of the Doctor being revisited in this series.
 * Michelle Gomez has claimed that the location seen in the scene where she made her debut as Missy in Deep Breath, previously seen in The Girl Who Waited, may return this series, and that its recurring appearance is possibly more than "coincidence".
 * The presence of both David Tennant and Russell T Davies in Cardiff during filming has given rise to speculation on their involvement in the series.
 * One site also rumoured the presence of Paul McGann at the filming and a "degeneration" scene: a flashback to previous Doctors.