Comic Con 2015: Doctor Who panel reveals new trailer, season 9 release date

The Doctor Who panel featured current Doctor Peter Capaldi, once-and-future companion Jenna Coleman, and longtime showrunner Steven Moffat — plus newcomer Michelle Gomez, who played the villainous Missy last season. (SPOILER ALERT: “Missy” is short for “The Mistress,” because Missy is the latest regeneration of longtime baddie The Master.) The panel shared one piece of exciting news — new season debuting Sept. 19! — and then showed off a new trailer, featuring a Dalek and a brief shot of a certain guest-star beloved by Game of Thrones fans. Take a look at the trailer:

Moffat famously refuses to reveal anything about upcoming plot points on the show, so what follows is a list of the extremely vague teases offered by the panel and our own educated guesses about what might be happening this season:

—What’s the relationship like between The Doctor and Clara this season? “There’s a freedom, I think,” said Coleman. “It’s our glory years. It’s really adrenaline-fueled. It’s all about pushing the adventure right up to the edge.” WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN: In the wake of last year’s devastating Danny Pink subplot, this season will be more explicitly “fun,” more focused on the pair’s adventures and less focused on Clara’s life on Earth.

—Coleman went on to explain their dynamic a bit more. “Clara teaches him how to interact with humans a little bit more.” Continued Capaldi: “Clara tries … to make him a bit more of a welcome party guest.” WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN: Wacky hijinks ensue in fish-out-of-water undercover situations, maybe in a whole episode where the Doctor needs to pretend to be human.

—Gomez will be back as Missy! “There’s a slightly different dynamic to her,” said Gomez. She further explained: “There’s something slightly different to her.” WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN: She’s less psychopathic and more of a cartoony, farcical villain. (Less Heath Ledger, more Jack Nicholson.) Or she’s more psychopathic and has less of a sense of humor. Or she has a new outfit.

—One audience member brought up a popular question: How does the panel feel about a female Doctor? Moffat answered in a bit of a huff: “My opinion is fairly obvious from the show. I think I’ve expressed myself about this as clearly as you could … some people are not reading the subtext, because it’s too subtle.” (He gestured toward Gomez, whose presence on the show makes it explicit that Time Lords can swap genders.) Coleman continued: “I’m sure it will happen at some point. I think it’s just about casting the right actor.” And Capaldi concluded: “I should do a drag episode. The Doctor’s sister should appear.” WHAT THIS DEFINITELY MEANS: The next Doctor could be a woman. Moffat will never stop hearing this question until there is a female Doctor.

—Capaldi has talked often about how much he loved the show as a kid. An audience member inquired: Is there any other Companion from Who history that Doctor #12 would like to see? “I think he’d like to see his granddaughter,” he said, to loud cheers. WHAT THIS MIGHT MEAN: Carole Ann Ford cameo, question mark?

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