Jenna Coleman, Peter Capaldi, Michelle Gomez and Steven Moffat were on top form at the Doctor Who Comic-Con 2015 panel, but before you read about that, here's the new series 9 trailer for you to watch, which is *much *more important. Onwards!
Did you watch all the way to the end? Good. Then you'll have seen Game Of Thrones veteran Maisie Williams, and know that her character has... history with The Doctor. Then there is more of Missy, grumpy ol' Capaldi, a Zygon, those darn Daleks, particularly spooky corridors, a lot of black make-up and the delightful Clara.
The Brits assembled in San Diego were on great form: chatty and funny, silly and generous. Naturally, every one of them revealed a lot of not a lot when it comes to what to expect from the ninth season - aside from this from Moffat: "The way Missy comes back into The Doctor’s life is not one you’re going to be able to predict..." - but here are some edited highlights from the very enjoyable back-and-forth between host Chris Hardwick and the darstardly double act of Gomez 'n' Capaldi. Apologies for the lack of Coleman, as she couldn't always get a word in edgeways, and know this about Moffat: he was talkative, but admirably circumspect.
Peter Capaldi:
"I’ve never been in front of 7000 people before in my life. It’s cosmic."
"I remember saying when I first came on set, asking 'Where’s the TARDIS?' I got quite teary."
"The Doctor? He’s fabulous! He’s a wonderful guy! Someone you really want to hang out with! He’s a laugh and great looking and terrifically lithe for his age! He’s a special… creature! If he was a 'guy' he’d have my face and be a really nice person."
"Regeneration is a shock to the incumbant as well as every one else. He's scrambling around to find out what his nature is. He’s compelled to do the greater good, and often leaves wreckage in his path."
"I felt I was really ready to be The Doctor when they threw a rubber spider in my face and said ‘Fight it!’"
“I think I should do a drag episode at one point. The Doctor’s ‘sister’ should appear.”
Why is The Doctor so enamoured of humans? “Budgetary reasons.”
What would happen if Sherlock met The Doctor? “I’d react more cleverly.”
“I got a fabulous badge yesterday saying ‘Not a hugger.’”
Michelle Gomez:
"I never know why I am saying what I am saying. It’s one of the easiest jobs I’ve ever had. This opportunity to be the master! It’s pinch me stuff, really. We’re really lucky the dynamic between the three of us really works."
"The master (or mistress) – he or she or it – is the idea of the best villain you can have. The best friend you love to hate. The rules don't apply to her, and that makes her really fun to play."
"She has to come at it from a different angle. It’s surprising and exciting to play. There’s a slightly different dynamic to her. I can’t quite believe they’ve asked me back so I am relishing that. What she’s been doing between the two series I can’t say, it could be anything: could it having tea with the queen? She does like tea."
"We both do the same thing: kill a lot of people. He feels bad about it, I don’t."
"It’s this great friendship that just went wrong. 'You started it, I’m right! You’re also getting in the way of me destroying the universe.' The Doctor is a hindrance to that.”
The ninth series of Doctor Who - or as they say in San Diego, the ninth season of Doctor Who - premieres on September 19, 2015.