Doctor Who Christmas Special trailer analysis: Pearl Mackie, Mark Gatiss, and more

We knew that the Doctor Who Christmas Special was going to be exciting. However, who knew that it was going to be this exciting? The BBC released a full trailer for the big event at San Diego Comic-Con on Sunday, and there are so many glorious takeaways from it.

Let’s kick things off here with the obvious: Bill is back! She evolved into something that was not entirely human during the season 10 finale, and then went off with Heather to travel the universe. Is this the same Bill we’re seeing this time? That’s the current assumption; no matter how she shows up, though, this is going to be great just because Pearl Mackie drew such rave reviews during her time in the tenth season in the first place.

Also, how about an appearance from Mark Gatiss while we’re at it? The longtime Steven Moffat collaborator has penned episodes of the show before and has a few credited appearances to go along with it. This one, however, appears to be the most substantial role that he’s had to date on the series, and it’s more akin to the amount of screen time that he’s got as Mycroft, our favorite character on Sherlock.

Beyond all of this, the hype for David Bradley playing the first Doctor is real. William Hartnell originally played the character, but the Game of Thrones alum does a rather remarkable impression of him. The transition from Hartnell to Bradley in this preview is outstanding, and the entire focus of this special seems to be on two Doctors, looking at the end of their lives and starting to wonder what their mortality may be like. They are on a search for further understanding, and they may need to come together in order to defeat any threat that stands in their way — let alone understand one another better.

Then, there is, of course, the regeneration, which isn’t too big of a focus of this preview in the midst of the icy landscape and the flashes over the various performers. Steven Moffat has completed his work on the special, and the only work to be done now is for new showrunner Chris Chibnall to come in with new Doctor Jodie Whittaker in order to shoot the end tag — which is probably only going to be a minute or two of the episode if it is like any other that has been out there.

Whittaker was not featured at the panel, and there are also still questions remaining as to whether or not Jenna Coleman will return to give Capaldi’s version of The Doctor a worthy send-off. It makes the most sense, given that she was there at the beginning, and journeyed with him even when few other people were.

This trailer is whimsical, frightening, and also full of sorrow — it’s the same sort of bittersweet Christmas we’ve come to expect from Doctor Who on Christmas Day.

Sound off further with some of your own takeaways in the attached comments. (Photo: BBC.)