One of the more exciting bits of Doctor Who news in recent weeks was the announcement that American director Rachel Talalay would be returning to tackle the two-part Series 9 finale. Talalay directed last year’s finale, ‘Dark Water/Death in Heaven,’ and no matter what you thought about the story (I hated it), you can’t argue that it wasn’t well-directed.
Related: Rachel Talalay to Direct Doctor Who Series 9 Finale
There’s no word on the story for episodes 11 and 12 of Series 9, but Talalay has been knee-deep in production for the last week or so, and in a short behind-the-scenes video, she describes the challenges of directing the two Steven Moffat-penned episodes:
"“These episodes are completely different to what I did last year. Episode 11 is one of the most complicated and different that I’ve ever done. It just has my head in spaghetti.”"
If that’s not a mindbender of a tease, I don’t know what is. The Series 9 finale is beginning to sound like it’s going to be an epic gamechanger. This isn’t even the first time Talalay has spoken about the challenges of the two-part episode; last week she took to Twitter to tease her difficult directing task:
@nikkiaIexander Of course I can't. I can say about 11, some of the most flummoxing challenges I've ever been given as a director. #super
— Rachel Talalay, The Star Beast (@rtalalay) July 1, 2015
Steven Moffat has made no secret of the finale’s challenges, either. Last June, before Series 8 had even aired(!), Moffat wrote in Doctor Who Magazine about the conclusion of Series 9:
"“Sitting here, right now, just before [Series 8’s] finale shooting block, I’ve figured out the cliffhanger to the penultimate episode of the next series.“And it’s a whopper. Ohh, I don’t think you’ll see this coming!”"
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And while speaking at a BAFTA event in New York in May, Moffat revealed even more about the gamechanging Series 9 finale:
"“I’ve got a script where I’ve set myself a ludicrous challenge. When Episode 11 comes up, you’ll see just how ludicrous a challenge I’ve set myself. I’m in a state of panic about it.”"
Filming for the two-part finale is taking a break this week while Moffat joins stars Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, and Michelle Gomez on stage at San Diego Comic-Con 2015.
So, let the speculation begin! What could be so epic that both Moffat and Talalay are having trouble wrapping their minds around it? Could it be the return of Gallifrey? Is Missy making another finale appearance? Will we finally learn why the Twelfth Doctor resembles Capaldi’s prior Doctor Who character, Lucius Caecilius? Hopefully, we’ll at least get some hints of what the finale contains when the Doctor Who Comic-Con panel commences on Thursday.
What do you think? Do you have a theory on what the Series 9 finale could be about? Sound off in the comments below!