The popular BBC science-fiction series "Doctor Who" unveiled a trailer for the new season at Hall H in Comic-Con in San Diego on Thursday, which also had a release date of Sept. 19. Showrunner Steven Moffat, 12th Doctor Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Michelle Gomez also made appearances at the highly popular annual convention.
The trailer, which has been posted on YouTube, lasted 90 seconds and featured both new and old villains that the Doctor could battle in the upcoming series. In addition, Gomez's character, the Mistress, makes an appearance.
"I'm The Doctor, and I save people!" Capaldi said in the trailer's punchline.
According to Stephen Kelly of Radio Times, the trailer featured "the return of Missy, a planet that looked suspiciously like the Dalek home world of Skaro, and, of course, a much hoped for glimpse of Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams." Moffat kept details on the upcoming series to a minimum.
"The way the Doctor and Missy come back into each other's lives is very hard to predict," Moffat said.
Both Gomez and Coleman commented on the weirdness behind the series 8 kiss between the Doctor and the Mistress, a female Time Lord regeneration of famed archenemy the Master.
"The question is who kissed who and who hung on and just didn't let go," Gomez said.
"There was one take where Michelle held my hand throughout the kiss," Coleman added.
According to Kelly, Capaldi still appeared shocked at the chance to play the Doctor. He recalled how he only felt comfortable in the role "when they threw a big rubber spider at me and said, 'Fight it!'"
"The most amazing thing that happens is that I get the affection of the whole 50 years pointed in my direction," Capaldi said.
Sam Thielman of the Guardian reported that Capaldi also defended the show's decision to remake the Master as a female version, which has been controversial among some fans.
"A lot has been made of the agenda change, but I really think people should applaud Michelle for taking this role and filling it so completely," Capaldi said.
According to the Guardian, a fan dressed as the Matt Smith Doctor asked Moffat on what he thought about having a female Doctor.
"I think I've expressed myself about as clearly as I could in the context of the show," Moffat said, indicating to Gomez.
"I will not be revealing myself as a man today," Gomez quipped.
The moderator of the event, Chris Hardwick, asked Capaldi on what the Doctor was like.
"He's a laugh, he's great-looking, he's terrifically lithe for his age," Capaldi said. "We live in a world where everyeone's so easy and everything's so accessible, and the Doctor's mysterious! He's a Time Lord, not a 'guy'. But if he was a guy, he'd have my face and he'd be really nice."
Capaldi emphasized that it was his first time at San Diego Comic-Con.
"I've never been in front of 7,000 people before in my life. I can't hear them all, though, properly," Capaldi said. "All those years in pantomime."
The series 9 premiere of "Doctor Who" will air on BBC One on Sept. 19; it is expected to be on BBC iPlayer shortly after it airs. Based on previous trends, fans in the United States will be able to watch the show via BBC America the same day it airs in the United Kingdom.
