With less than two months to go until Doctor Who Season 9 begins airing, I have begun to think more and more about what I am hoping for in these next few stories. I had mixed feelings about how we left off last season, I didn’t particularly like “Dark Water” or “Death in Heaven.” I did enjoy the Christmas special, though. In any case, I am excited to see where this next season takes us. I am mostly interested in the growth of Capaldi as the Doctor and Clara as his companion, and of course we will be seeing Missy again. I haven’t read a lot of rumor or theories about what is going to happen in the next season, and that is probably on purpose. I want to go in fresh, as fresh as I can, and maybe be surprised a little. That being said, I still have a few expectations of what we might see in the upcoming series. Here are my top three:
Clara Finally Gets a Good Run
I like Clara Oswald. I think she is smart and witty and exactly what the Doctor needs for a companion. I have had a really hard time with her at times, though. I don’t see it as here fault, however. I think the stories and the writers are to blame for most of my issues with Clara. I am fully expecting that to change this season. We shouldn’t have the distraction of finding out what she really is, like we did in the second half of season 7. It was built up all season long that she was the impossible girl who kept dying and kept showing up, and then we found out she wasn’t really anything special, she just fell into the Doctor’s time stream, and as a result got to see and help every version of the Doctor. A fact she seems to have forgotten when 11 regenerates and she just can’t recognize Capaldi as the Doctor. I mean, this point still bugs me. Out of all the companions, she should have understood the whole regeneration process, that he is still the Doctor, just a different face, but she can’t grasp that fact in “Deep Breath.” Sorry, slight tangent there. We also should have no awkward love triangle this season. Danny Pink is dead, and for the sake of Clara and the Doctor, and frankly, myself, let’s hope he stays dead. Without the two distractions mentioned above, Clara should be set to have a good run this season as the Doctor’s companion. I am expecting that, hoping for that. She deserves it.
Missy Won’t be a Major Factor Throughout the Season
I think we have all heard by now that Missy isn’t going to stay dead in season 9. She will be back, and that has been confirmed. I am expecting, though, that she will not play a major role in season 9 like she did in season 8. Maybe I should classify this as a hope, rather than an expectation. I don’t mind the Missy character, but I feel like we did that last season, and I don’t know why we need to bring her back. I would like to see Capaldi’s Doctor move past the events of last season and see some fresh new stories. The character has proven to be one of the more popular aspects of last season, so I could be completely wrong with this expectation. Michelle Gomez also appeared with Capaldi and Jenna Coleman at San Diego Comic Con, hinting that the three of them may become a trio of traveling buddies on the show. This could lead to a different, awkward love triangle. Whenever the Master/Mistress is involved, you never know what could happen.
Capaldi Will Not be Getting a Haircut
We saw his hair start to get longer throughout the season last year, then it got shorter again in the finale, then longer again for the Christmas special. The look in the Christmas special came after he had been traveling for a bit on his own. It is a wilder, less restrained look, and it appears to be what we will be seeing for season 9. I think we will be getting much more of this Doctor’s character, and I think he will be getting wilder and less restrained. I think his confidence is going to go up. Gone will be the days of him wondering whether he is a good man, feeling unsure of himself. He will be confident. We see it in the season 9 trailer when he says “I’m the Doctor and I save people.” I think that line combined with the quick scene we get of the Doctor putting on a pair of RayBans epitomize a shift in the Doctor’s outlook. He is believes in himself as a hero and he can do anything. I think that sounds fantastic, and I can’t wait to see it play out. I got a little bored last year with all the indecision and self-doubt. That is not who the Doctor typically is. It looks like, starting with this next season, that’s not who he will be either.
There you have it, three of my expectations or hopes for this upcoming season. Whatever happens, I can’t wait for September 19. It will be another great season. What about you? What are you hoping to see in the upcoming season? Let me know in the comments, or you can email me at [email protected]. And in case you haven’t seen the trailer for the upcoming season, check it out here:
2 responses to “Doctor Who Season 9 Expectations”
I actually really liked Danny, but his relationship with the Doctor was obnoxious on almost all occasions which I thought was ridiculous. The doctor has gotten along with other men just fine before and it didn’t make any sense for him to dislike Danny so much.
I agree. Danny himself wasn’t bad, but their relationship was awful and someone needed to go. It was too bad really.