Doctor Who Series 8: 10 Exciting Details And Rumours (February Update)

8. A Darker Direction

The introduction of the man we knew as Malcolm Tucker, playing the Doctor of all characters, raised eyebrows for many fans; even in the reveal show, Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, celebrity fans were touting Capaldi to be a darker, edgier Time Lord than Smith's quirky portrayal. The director of the first two Series 8 episodes and the man charged with the task of setting a tone for Twelve, seems to think that this will be a darker chapter for the show. "Generally it's dark, it's always been dark. Even in the more modern ones," Ben Wheatley said when interviewed. "It seems to me the episodes that we're doing now seem more like classic Who. We're going back to that style. But you'll have to wait and see." It would certainly seem like the show is veering towards the gothic; Moffat's commented on how much more "snarling" this Doctor will be, and an opening episode in Victorian London would give him a chance to employ these darker tones. If Moffat stays true to his teasing, and if Phil Ford follows the opener with something as funereal and soul-searching as 'The Waters On Mars', it would certainly put a shadowy spin on a character who felt more like a fairy tale hero in his last incarnation.