Doctor Who (series 12)
The twelfth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 1 January 2020 and aired through to 1 March 2020. It is the second to be led by Chris Chibnall as head writer and executive producer, alongside executive producer Matt Strevens, the twelfth to air after the programme's revival in 2005, and the thirty-eighth season overall. The twelfth series was broadcast on Sundays, except for the premiere episode, continuing on from the eleventh series, after regular episodes of the revived era have previously been broadcast on Saturdays. The series was preceded by a New Year's Day special episode in 2019, "Resolution", instead of the traditional annual Christmas special.
Jodie Whittaker returns for her second series as the Thirteenth Doctor, an incarnation of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, which appears from the outside to be a British police box. It also stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill as the Doctor's travelling companions, Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan, respectively. The series follows the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions as they meet a new incarnation of the Master and his destruction of Gallifrey, the return of Jack Harkness, the appearance of an unknown incarnation of the Doctor from before the Time War, the Cybermen, and the secret of the "Timeless Child".
The ten episodes were directed by Jamie Magnus Stone, Lee Haven Jones, Nida Manzoor and Emma Sullivan. Alongside Chibnall, who wrote four of the scripts and co-wrote a further three, the writers include Ed Hime, Pete McTighe and Vinay Patel, who return from writing the previous series, as well as new contributors Nina Metivier, Maxine Alderton and Charlene James. Filming commenced in January 2019 and concluded by November of that year. The series will be followed by a festive special episode.
Episodes
The twelfth series included two-part stories for the first time since the tenth series, and more than one two-part story for the first time since the ninth series. "Spyfall" is the first two-part episode not to use separate titles for its episodes since "The End of Time".Casting
The series is the second to feature Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill also reprise their roles as Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin Khan, respectively.Stephen Fry appeared in the first part of the two-part episode "Spyfall", with Lenny Henry appearing in both parts. Dominique Maher and Darron Meyer portrayed Agent Browning and Seesay respectively in "Spyfall, Part 1". Sacha Dhawan appeared unannounced in "Spyfall, Part 1", and was revealed at the end of the episode to be the Master. Aurora Marion portrayed Noor Inayat Khan in "Spyfall, Part 2". James Buckley appeared in "Orphan 55" as Nevi. Laura Fraser also appeared in "Orphan 55" as Kane, as did Julia Foster as Vilma. Goran Višnjić and Robert Glenister have also been cast as Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison respectively, and appeared in "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror". Anjli Mohindra, who had previously portrayed Rani Chandra in the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, played Queen Skithra in "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror".
John Barrowman returned to his role as Jack Harkness in "Fugitive of the Judoon". This is his first appearance on the show since "The End of Time - Part Two" in 2010. Jo Martin appeared as a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor using the alias 'Ruth Clayton' in "Fugitive of the Judoon". Neil Stuke appeared in "Fugitive of the Judoon", and Nicholas Briggs provided the voice of the Judoon. Molly Harris appeared as Suki Cheng in "Praxeus". Warren Brown was also cast in that episode.
Sharon D. Clarke reprises her role as Graham's late wife, Grace, in "Can You Hear Me?". Maxim Baldry appeared as Dr John Polidori in "The Haunting of Villa Diodati". Jacob Collins-Levy also appeared as Lord Byron in the same episode. Julie Graham, Ian McElhinney and Steve Toussaint guest star in the two-part finale, "Ascension of the Cybermen" / "The Timeless Children".
Production
Writing and development
In April 2015, Steven Moffat confirmed that Doctor Who would run for at least another five years, extending the show until 2020. In May 2017, it was announced that due to the terms of a deal between BBC Worldwide and SMG Pictures in China, the company has first right of refusal on the purchase for the Chinese market of future series of the programme until and including Series 15.Chris Chibnall returned as the series's showrunner, the role he took on following Steven Moffat's departure after the tenth series. Matt Strevens also returned to serve as executive producer alongside Chibnall. On 25 December 2018, the BBC announced that the New Year's Day special would feature the return of the Daleks. Ed Hime wrote an episode. Nina Metivier, who served as script editor on the previous series, also wrote an episode.
In November 2019, Doctor Who Magazine revealed the writers for the twelfth series, including Vinay Patel, Pete McTighe, Maxine Alderton and Charlene James, as well as Hime, Métivier and Chibnall; Chibnall wrote four episodes and co-wrote a further three. In a Radio Times article, Chibnall confirmed that Series 12 would feature the return of two-part stories.
Filming
A New Year's Day special episode, "Resolution", was filmed in 2018 in lieu of the traditional annual Christmas special.Costume designer Ray Holman listed the twelfth series as being in pre-production in November 2018. By 17 November, BBC confirmed that Whittaker's second series had begun production. Jamie Magnus Stone, who previously directed the fiftieth-anniversary minisode "The Last Day", directed the first block, which comprised the first and sixth episodes of the series. Lee Haven Jones directed the second and third episodes in the second block, Nida Manzoor directed the third block of the fourth and fifth episodes, Emma Sullivan directed the fourth block of the seventh and eighth episodes, and Stone directed the fifth block of the ninth and tenth episodes. A special episode, "Revolution of the Daleks", was filmed by Lee Haven Jones.
Filming commenced on 23 January 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa, and concluded on 7 February, taking place at Western Cape, Hopefield, Table Mountain and Taal Monument. Filming took place in Cardiff and Wales between February and October 2019. Filming has also taken place in Tenerife, Gloucester, and Merthyr Mawr. Filming concluded by 19 November 2019. In April 2020, Chibnall confirmed that post-production was continuing on "Revolution of the Daleks" remotely throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Production blocks were arranged as follows:
| Block | Episode | Director | Writer | Producer |
| X | "Resolution" | Wayne Yip | Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| 1 | "Spyfall, Part 1" | Jamie Magnus Stone | Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| 1 | "Praxeus" | Jamie Magnus Stone | Pete McTighe and Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| 2 | "Spyfall, Part 2" | Lee Haven Jones | Chris Chibnall | Alex Mercer |
| 2 | "Orphan 55" | Lee Haven Jones | Ed Hime | Alex Mercer |
| 3 | "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror" | Nida Manzoor | Nina Metivier | Nikki Wilson |
| 3 | "Fugitive of the Judoon" | Nida Manzoor | Vinay Patel and Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| 4 | "Can You Hear Me?" | Emma Sullivan | Charlene James and Chris Chibnall | Alex Mercer |
| 4 | "The Haunting of Villa Diodati" | Emma Sullivan | Maxine Alderton | Alex Mercer |
| 5 | "Ascension of the Cybermen" | Jamie Magnus Stone | Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| 5 | "The Timeless Children" | Jamie Magnus Stone | Chris Chibnall | Nikki Wilson |
| X | "Revolution of the Daleks" | Lee Haven Jones | Chris Chibnall | Alex Mercer |
Design and effects
The twelfth series introduced changes to the design of the TARDIS, with a modified column above the time rotor, the pathway from the TARDIS's doors, stairs, and modifications to the central console. These changes were introduced by production designer Dafydd Shurmer. The eleventh series removed the cold openings, which was reintroduced for a number of the episodes of the twelfth series.Music
returned to compose for the twelfth series.Release
Broadcast
The BBC confirmed after the eleventh series's finale that the twelfth series would premiere in "very early" 2020. BBC confirmed on 2 December 2019 that the series was set to premiere on 1 January 2020, and aired through to 1 March 2020. The twelfth series was broadcast on Sundays, bar the premiere episode, continuing on from the format of the eleventh series, after regular episodes of the revived era had previously been broadcast on Saturdays. The series will be followed by a special episode in the festive season, "Revolution of the Daleks".The "Spyfall" two-part episode was released in cinemas in the United States on 5 January 2020.