Teaser & First Trailer for DOCTOR WHO Spinoff CLASS Debut at NYCC 2016

The Caretaker is back to take care of business at Coal Hill Academy.

The upcoming Doctor Who spinoff series Class was featured during a panel at New York Comic Con 2016, where BBC America debuted both a 40-second teaser and a 90-second trailer that give us our first good look at the new show, with Peter Capaldi reprising his role as the Twelfth Doctor.




The teaser shows us glimpses of Coal Hill Academy, and classmates Charlie (Greg Austin), April (Sophie Hopkins), Ram (Fady Elsayed) and Tanya (Vivian Oparah), along with physics teacher Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly).

"I can travel through space and I can travel through time," the Doctor begins in a voiceover, "but I can't always be there when you need me.  Sometimes, you have to take survival upon yourselves.  What will you do when the Shadows come, when you can't turn away from the darkness ahead?  For time has looked at your faces...and time never forgets."




As for the show's first trailer, we see the classmates asking one another what they know about the mysterious Shadows and see numerous glimpses of a fiery creature that looks an awful lot like a Pyrovile from the Doctor Who episode "The Fires of Pompeii," which featured Peter Capaldi in his previous role as Caecilius.

The equally mysterious Miss Quill gets a bit Doctor-like as she shouts, "Whoever you are, I am what waits for you!  And I am war itself!"

The Doctor shows up to save the day, of course, quipping "I used to be the caretaker here. You've heard of me, haven't you?"

Miss Quill seems a bit familiar with the Doctor, as she hangs onto the TARDIS door handle and remarks to him, "You can't seriously expect these juveniles to deal with whatever's going to come through these tears in space and time?"  Is she, perhaps, another Time Lord? Maybe one we've seen before...?

Class will debut on BBC3 on October 22nd, with BBC America airing the series in the United States sometime in Spring 2017.

Peter Capaldi Confirmed for DOCTOR WHO Spinoff CLASS

The Caretaker is returning to Coal Hill School.

The RadioTimes has confirmed that Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi will be reprising his role of the Twelfth Doctor for the first episode of the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff Class.  "The Doctor Who family is growing," said Capaldi, "and it’s fantastic to be able to welcome the young new cast of Class into the Whoniverse."

According to the article, the Twelfth Doctor will appear in the first episode of the new series, "For Tonight We Might Die," which will introduce Coal Hill Academy classmates Charlie (Greg Austin), April (Sophie Hopkins), Ram (Fady Elsayed) and Tanya (Vivian Oparah), along with physics teacher Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly).

Nigel Betts, who played Mr. Armitage in "Into the Dalek" and "The Caretaker," is also listed as part of the regular cast.

A new BBC description states that the group will be "charged with a great responsibility by the mysterious alien known as the Doctor (Peter Capaldi): guard against the creatures of nightmare that want nothing more than to find a way through to Earth and take it for their own."

Capaldi's appearance on Class was first rumored back in March.  The official Class Twitter account also verified the news with the following post...

📢CONFIRMED!
Peter Capaldi will guest star as the Doctor in #ClassDW's opening episode 🙌#DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/u68KL99Tws

— Class (@bbcclass) September 23, 2016

Two episodes will drop on the first day, with the second episode of the series titled "The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo."

BBC3 controller Damian Kavanagh said, "We know lots of BBC3 fans are Doctor Who fans so Class on BBC3 is a perfect fit. It’s nice to be back as part of the Doctor Who family."

Class will debut on BBC3 on October 22nd, with BBC America airing the series in the United States sometime in Spring 2017.

DOCTOR WHO Spinoff CLASS Announces Cast

So now we know.  Class is the British version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

BBC Three has announced the principal cast for Class, the upcoming spinoff of Doctor Who that will air later this year on BBC America.  Shown above, new actors Vivian Oparah, Greg Austin, Sophie Hopkins, and Fady Elsayed, will be joined by Katherine Kelly, who has the role of "a teacher and powerful new presence at Coal Hill School."  

The 8-part series is set in contemporary London, where incredible dangers are breaking through the walls of time and space, and with darkness coming, London is unprotected. Here's a description of the series from the BBC...

Like all sixth formers, these four Coal Hill School students have hidden secrets and desires. They are facing their own worst fears, navigating a life of friends, parents, school work, sex, sorrow - and possibly the end of existence.

Coal Hill School has been a part of the Doctor Who Universe since the very beginning, but that has come at a price. All the time-travelling over the years has caused the very walls of space and time to become thin. There’s something pressing in on the other side, something waiting for its chance to kill everyone and everything, to bring us all into Shadow.

Fear is coming, tragedy is coming, war is coming. Prepare yourselves, Class is coming.

"We searched far and wide for this amazing cast, fantastic actors who understand what we’re aiming for with this show," said Young Adult writer and Class creator Patrick Ness. "And how lucky we are to get Katherine Kelly!  She’s been stunning in Happy Valley, The Night Manager and Mr. Selfridge, just wait until you see her here."

Steven Moffat, executive producer of Class and Doctor Who, added, "There’s nothing more exciting than meeting stars that nobody’s heard of yet.  We had the read through of the first few episodes last week, and there was a whole row of them.  Coal Hill School has been part of Doctor Who since the very first shoot in 1963, but this new show is anything but history. Class is dark and sexy and right now.  I’ve always wondered if there could be a British Buffy -- It’s taken the brilliant Patrick Ness to figure out how to make it happen."

Class is from writer Patrick Ness, director Ed Bazalgette (Poldark, Doctor Who), producer Derek Ritchie, and executive producers Patrick Ness, Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin. The BBC Cymru Wales production, co-produced with BBC America and BBC Worldwide, starts filming today and will premiere on BBC Three this year.

Peter Capaldi to Appear on DOCTOR WHO Spinoff CLASS

Is The Caretaker returning to Coal Hill School?

It's been quite some time since the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff Class was first announced back in October of 2015 and we still don't really know all that much about it.  The Radio Times has provided a few new details, however, and apparently confirms that Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi will be making some form of an appearance on the series.

The article cited "one source close to the production" who stated, "It will have a close connection with Doctor Who so don’t be surprised if Peter pops up."  The show begins filming in April, before Doctor Who Series Ten starts filming in May, according to their sources.  The cast for Class still remains unconfirmed.

The series will consist of eight episodes of 45 minutes each, centered around the Coal Hill School featured on Doctor Who, but the article claims that so far, the BBC is undecided about how to show them.  They've been commissioned for BBC3, which means they should debut online first, but the BBC is reportedly still deciding whether they are going to be posted on a week-by-week basis, or whether the whole series will be "dropped" at once to allow fans to binge watch the entire first run.  The article also states that like other original BBC3 content, Class will eventually find a home on a linear channel, presumed to be BBC1.

The show's initial press release back in October confirmed current Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat as executive producer, with Young Adult novelist Patrick Ness writing the series.  "I'm astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe," said Ness, "which is as vast as time and space itself. There's so much room there for all kinds of amazing stories, and to work with Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin to find a place to tell one of my own has been an absolute joy. I can't wait for people to meet the heroes of Class, to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your A-Levels."

Class is expected to air on BBC America sometime in late 2016, with Doctor Who returning at Christmas before Series Ten airs in early 2017.

DOCTOR WHO Coal Hill School Spinoff CLASS Announced

The big question, of course, is who will be the caretaker?

BBC Three has just announced Class, a new Doctor Who spinoff series of eight 45-minute episodes centered around Coal Hill School set in modern London.  Coal Hill School recently returned to Doctor Who for the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor," and was featured in Series Eight and Nine.

The Coal Hill School was introduced on November 23, 1963, in the very first episode of Doctor Who, "An Unearthly Child," which also introduced the First Doctor, his granddaughter Susan Foreman, her teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, and the TARDIS.  Coal Hill wasn't seen again until 1988, in the story "Remembrance of the Daleks" with the Seventh Doctor and Ace.

This will be the first new Doctor Who spinoff since Torchwood: Miracle Day and The Sarah Jane Adventures ended in 2011.

And hey, there's a spiffy press release, taken from the official Doctor Who site...

BBC Three announces Doctor Who Spin Off

BBC Three today announces Class - a new 8 x 45 minute Doctor Who spin off from the acclaimed YA author, Patrick Ness. Class is a YA series set in contemporary London. Incredible dangers are breaking through the walls of time and space, and with darkness coming, London is unprotected. With all the action, heart and adrenalin of the best YA fiction (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Hunger Games), this is Coal Hill School and Doctor Who like you’ve never seen them before.

Steven Moffat says, “No one has documented the dark and exhilarating world of the teenager like Patrick Ness, and now we're bringing his brilliant story-telling into Doctor Who. This is growing up in modern Britain - but with monsters!”

On his first television series, writer Patrick Ness says, "I'm astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe, which is as vast as time and space itself. There's so much room there for all kinds of amazing stories, and to work with Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin to find a place to tell one of my own has been an absolute joy. I can't wait for people to meet the heroes of Class, to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your A-Levels."

Damian Kavanagh, Controller BBC Three adds, “We’re excited to give Patrick Ness this opportunity to work with us at BBC Three and the Doctor Who family. Patrick understands young audiences and I’m delighted he will use his incredible skills as a storyteller to delight audiences on BBC Three. BBC Three will always innovate and offer opportunities for brilliant new talent."

Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, adds, “I am thrilled that Patrick Ness is writing his first drama series for BBC Three. The combination of Patrick and Steven Moffat, is an exciting partnership that has created a brilliant Doctor Who spin off for our BBC Three audience.”

Class is executive produced by Steven Moffatt, Patrick Ness and Brian Minchin. It was commissioned by Damian Kavanagh, Controller BBC Three and Polly Hill, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning.

An 8 x 45 minute series produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with BBC Worldwide for BBC Three.


The series will film in and around Wales from Spring, 2016 and be on air next year.