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Peter Capaldi
The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar
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Synopsis


Davros
Davros
 Colony Sarff has a message to deliver to The Doctor. But The Doctor has disappeared. The Maldovarium... the Shadow Proclamation... the Sisterhood of Karn... wherever Sarff travels, no-one knows of The Doctor's whereabouts.

 But Sarff isn't the only one troubled by The Doctor's vanishing, act as Missy is back - and she wants to find out what's happened to her old friend…

 When the skies of Earth are frozen by a mysterious alien force, Clara is also in need of The Doctor. But what is he hiding from? As past deeds come back to haunt The Doctor, old enemies will come face to face, and for The Doctor and Clara, survival seems impossible.



General Information

Season: Thirty Five (New Series 9)
Production Code: 9-1/9-2
Story Number: 254 (New Series: 98)
Episode Numbers:814 - 815 (New Series: 118 - 119)
Number of Episodes: 2
Percentage of Episodes Held:100%
Production Dates: February 2015
Broadcast Started: 19 September 2015
Broadcast Finished: 26 September 2015
Colour Status: HD Colour
Studio: BBC Wales (Roath Lock Studios, Cardiff)
Location: Fuerteventura, Canary Islands; Convento de San Francisco, Garachico, Tenerife, Canary Islands and Parque Nacional del Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Writer:Steven Moffat
Director:Hettie MacDonald
Producer:Peter Bennett
Executive Producers:Brian Minchin and Steven Moffat
Assistant Directors:Chris Thomas and Gareth Jones
Script Executive:Lindsey Alford
Script Supervisor:Nicki Coles
Script Editor:David P Davis
Editors:Selina MacArthur, Becky Trotman (Assistant) and Steven Waltham (Assistant)
Head of Production:Gordon Ronald
Production Manager:Adam Knopf
Production Assistants:Jamie Shaw and Sion Crowle
Post Production Supervisor:Samantha Price
Production Designer:Michael Pickwoad
Director of Photography:Ali Asad
Casting Director:Andy Pryor CDG
Line Producer:Tracie Simpson
Costume Designer:Ray Holman
Make-Up Designer:Barbara Southcott
Cameramen:Cai Thompson (Assistant), Scott Waller (Assistant), Mark McQuoid (Operator) and Steve Rees (Operator)
Visual Effects:Milk
Special Effects:Real SFX
Prosthetics:Millennium FX
Special Creature Effects:Millennium FX
Stunt Co-ordinators:Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed and Lucy Allen
Stunt Performers:Belinda McGinley, Dani Biernat, David Grant, Nicholas Daines, Rob Jarman and Sarah Lochlan
Incidental Music:Murray Gold
Special Sounds (SFX Editor):Harry Barnes
Sound Recordist:Deian Llyr Humphreys
Music Orchestrated By:Ben Foster
Music Conducted By:Ben Foster
Music Performed By:The BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Music Recorded By:Gerry O'Riordan
Music Mixed By:Jake Jackson
Title Sequence:Billy Hanshaw
Title Music:Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Arranged by Murray Gold
With Thanks To: Sur-Film Production & Services S.L.
Daleks and Davros Originally Created By: Terry Nation
Kahler Created By: Toby Whithouse
Skullions Created By: Gareth Roberts
Hath Created By: Stephen Greenhorn
Blowfish Created By: Chris Chibnall
Judon, Ood and Sycorax Originally Created By: Russell T Davies
Number of Doctors: 1
The Doctor: Peter Capaldi (The Twelfth Doctor)
Number of Companions: 1The Companion: Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara Oswald) Guest Cast: Michelle Gomez (Missy), Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart) Additional Cast: Jami Reid-Quarrell (Colony Sarff), Julian Bleach (Davros), Jaye Griffiths (Jac), Harki Bhambra (Mike), Daniel Hoffmann-Gill (Bors), Joey Price (Boy), Benjamin Cawley (Kanzo), Aaron Neil (Mr Dunlop), Clare Higgins (Ohila), Nicholas Briggs (Voice of the Daleks), Kelly Hunter (Shadow Architect), India Ria Amarteifio (Alison), Dasharn Anderson (Ryan), Stefan Adegbola (Newsreader), Shin-Fei Chen (Newsreader), Lucy Newman-Williams (Newsreader), Barnaby Edwards (Dalek), Nicholas Pegg (Dalek), Jonathan Ojinnaka (Soldier)Setting: The Maldovarium, The Shadow Proclamation, Karn, London (2010’s), Essex (1138) and Skaro. Villains:Colony Sarff, Daleks, Davros and Missy

The Episodes

No. Episodes Broadcast
(UK)
Duration Viewers
(Millions)
In Archive
814The Magician's Apprentice19 September 201546'19"6.5Yes
815The Witch's Familiar26 September 201547'49"5.7Yes

Total Duration 1 Hour 34 Minutes


Audience Appreciation

Average Viewers (Millions) 6.1
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2016)80.90%  (Position = 2 out of 9)
Doctor Who Magazine Poll (2023) Position = 14 out of 35


Archives


 This story exists and is held in the BBC's Film and Videotape Library.



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Notes

Only the First 50 Story Notes are shown below - Click to Show All Story Notes


Written by the show’s lead writer Steven Moffat this story sees The Doctor (played by Peter Capaldi) battling his old enemies the Daleks and while he attempts to save his companion Clara Oswald (played by Jenna Coleman). Julian Bleach reprises his role as Davros and Michelle Gomez reprises her role as Missy, the current incarnation of The Master.

The first episode of this two-part story is not to be confused with the Virgin Books' The Missing Adventures novel "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Christopher Bulis.

Making a welcome return to the show, since the 2014 story "Dark Water/Death in Heaven", is Michelle Gomez as Missy (aka The Master). Steven Moffat, lead writer and Executive Producer has commented: 'Everybody hide - Michelle Gomez as Missy was an instant hit last year, so she’s straight back to plague The Doctor and Clara in the series opener. But what brings her back into their lives is the last thing they’d expect'.

Julian Bleach returns as Davros, the creator of the Daleks. This role was originally played by Michael Wisher in the 1975 Fourth Doctor story "Genesis of the Daleks", before David Gooderson took the part in the 1979 Fourth Doctor story "Destiny of the Daleks". For Davros’ next few appearances ("Resurrection of the Daleks", "Revelation of the Daleks" and "Remembrance of the Daleks") he was portrayed by Terry Molloy before Julian Bleach played the part in the 2008 Tenth Doctor story "The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End".

To keep Davros' return a surprise, Julian Bleach was not credited prior to airing. Also the young Davros, played by Joey Price, is not credited as Davros, but rather as ‘Boy’.

Having appeared in "The Day of The Doctor" - the shows’ 50th anniversary special - and the 2014 story "Dark Water/Death in Heaven", Jemma Redgrave returns to the show again playing the part of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.

Also returning to the guest cast is the Laurence Olivier Award nominee and film, television, radio and stage actress Kelly Hunter as the Shadow Architect. She last played this role in "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End".

Having played Ohila in the 2013 mini-story "The Night of The Doctor" Clare Higgins also joins the guest cast. Also guest starring is Jaye Griffiths who is better known for appearing in Silent Witness and Casualty.

Uncredited cast members include Demi Papaminas (as a School Girl) and David Hobday (as the Grey Dalek).

This story has been directed by Hettie Macdonald - whose previous directing credit on Doctor Who was the highly acclaimed 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Blink" - the Hugo Award-winning story that introduced the Weeping Angels.

This story is the first season opener, since the show returned in 2005, to be directed by a woman.

This was the second Season Thirty Five (New Series 9) two-part story to be filmed. The read-through took place on Monday 9th February 2015 with filming beginning in Cardiff later that same week on Thursday 12th February. Some scenes were also recorded on the island of Tenerife in February 2015.

The exterior scenes on Skaro, featuring Missy and Clara, were shot in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. The crew had previously filmed on Lanzarote, another of the islands, for the lunar sequences in the 2014 story of "Kill the Moon" and way back in 1984 that same island was utilised on a location shoot for "Planet of Fire".

The credits for the first episode list the creators of the Kahler, Skullions, Hath, Blowfish, Ood, and Sycorax, all of whom were present when Colony Sarff was searching for The Doctor. This is the Skullions' first appearance on Doctor Who, having previously appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The Doctor gets the crowd to complete the title of All the Young Dudes. He is also seen and heard playing an electric guitar. When The Doctor spies Clara and Missy, he plays the opening notes to Roy Orbison's Oh, Pretty Woman.

The Doctor's guitar playing was prompted by the fact that Peter Capaldi was in a band when he was younger.

The Doctor's playing electric guitar and teaching medieval people echoes the movies Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, films featuring two rocker teens who travel back in time - in a telephone call box - and teach historical figures their customs.

When The Doctor says he's been in Essex all day, Bors reminds him that he's been there for three weeks. Bors is also heard calling The Doctor a magician.

The Doctor refers to spending a day in a bowtie - reference to his previous incarnation - and the day before that in a long scarf - a reference to his fourth incarnation.

The Doctor says he no longer has a screwdriver ‘I’m over screwdrivers…’ – Having given the young Davros his sonic screwdriver and it wearing out with age, The Doctor decided against carrying around another screwdriver and instead revealed that he now has a pair of sonic sunglasses.

The Doctor has used a sonic screwdriver since the 1968 Second Doctor story "Fury from the Deep". One version was destroyed by the Terrileptils in the 1982 Fifth Doctor story "The Visitation" leaving him apparently without a sonic screwdriver until the Seventh Doctor’s final adventure in 1996. Different Doctors have used different-looking versions of the device, a fact directly referenced in "The Day of The Doctor" where it served as a metaphor for his changing appearance (‘Same software… different case!’).

The Doctor’s ‘sonic shades’ are the latest in a long line of sound-based devices to feature in the Doctor Who universe. Others include Sarah Jane Smith’s ‘sonic lipstick’, Captain Jack Harkness' sonic blaster and, of course, the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor also used a sonic lance in the 1985 Sixth Doctor story "Attack of the Cybermen", whilst the Ice Warriors came armed with sonic canons and, in "Partners in Crime", the ill-fated Miss Foster carried a sonic pen.

Missy is heard to exclaim ‘Ooh. Never seen that before’, referring to The Master's altercations with the Fifth Doctor (and/or possibly employing a vulgar innuendo).

Davros’ words ‘Compassion, Doctor. It has always been your greatest indulgence…’ echo those spoken by his creations in the 2010 Eleventh Doctor story "Victory of the Daleks": ‘The Doctor has failed! His compassion is his greatest weakness! Daleks have no such weakness!

The Doctor had previously contemplated his death on a battlefield, at Trenzalore ("The Time of The Doctor").

The First Doctor and the Fourth Doctor make brief appearances during Missy's exposition of her account of The Doctor's fight with 50 android assassins.

Regenerative energy can apparently be used to renew any life form if extracted from a Time Lord's body.

During the second part of this story The Doctor, Missy and Davros all mention how The Doctor ran away from Gallifrey. The Doctor is heard to say that he left Gallifrey because he was bored. The Second Doctor previously said the same in "The War Games". According to The Master he left on a whim because an unlocked TARDIS was nearby (see the audio story "The Light at the End"), while in "Robot of Sherwood" Clara Oswald told Robin Hood that The Doctor ‘was moved to steal a TARDIS and fly among the stars, fighting the good fight because he found the plight of the oppressed and weak too much to bear’.

In the scene where Clara is teaching she is heard to mention the English novelist, Jane Austen. The last time this famous writer was referenced in the show was also by Clara and on that occasion The Doctor corrected her regarding the year which Austen’s best known work, Pride and Prejudice, was written. Clara also claims that Jane Austen was a ‘phenomenal kisser’.

Missy insults Clara, calling her ‘nano-brain’. In the 2014 story "Deep Breath" the Twelfth Doctor previously insulted humans, calling them pudding-brains.

Clara is surprised by The Doctor's hug, knowing he doesn't like it (see "Deep Breath" and "Listen"). He reminds her that it's a way to hide one's face ("Dark Water/Death in Heaven").

Clara combines her computer skills and talent for understanding behaviour to find The Doctor. She previously did the same to find Miss Kizlet's uploaded victims in "The Bells of Saint John".

Clara, upon deducing The Doctor's location and intent, is heard to say ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ - quoting the first line of Dylan Thomas’ poem of the same title.

The scene where Clara is being put into the Dalek mirrors a scene from her debut episode, "Asylum of the Daleks." A similar tactic was used by Ian Chesterton in "The Daleks", the first Dalek story, and again in the Third Doctor 1973 story "Planet of the Daleks" by Rebec, a Thal. The Doctor also concealed himself in what appeared to be a Dalek’s shell during "The Space Museum".

When Clara is trapped inside a Dalek she tries to identify herself to The Doctor, but actually says ‘I am a Dalek’. A previous version of herself was locked inside a Dalek casing for so long it conditioned her to say only things that a Dalek would say (see "Asylum of the Daleks").

During this scene Clara is also heard saying ‘Affirmative’ when confirming that she is inside the Dalek. K9 always said this when in agreement as did Handles (in "The Time of The Doctor") and the Cyber-converted Danny Pink in "Dark Water/Death in Heaven".

Missy refers to the Cloister Wars and the President's wife. She also refers to selfies when threatening to kill a UNIT guard.

Missy claims that three bullets to each of a Time Lord's hearts and two bullets to their brain stem simultaneously could prevent regeneration.

The words Missy uses to announce that she is alive are similar to the words Sherlock uses to tell Watson he is alive in the BBC series Sherlock.

Missy treats her apparent resurrection as no big deal - having been shot by a Cyberman in full view of Clara and The Doctor on Earth at the end of "Dark Water/Death in Heaven". This is the latest of several instances where The Master has escaped from certain death with no explanation as to how he survived (see: "Castrovalva", "Planet of Fire" and "Survival").

Missy tells Clara to ‘say something nice’, or else she will kill all of the UNIT personnel accompanying her.

Clara refers to the fact that Missy constantly tries to kill The Doctor (see the 1971 Third Doctor story "Terror of the Autons").

Missy is seen using a Vortex manipulator. She describes vortex manipulator time travel as being ‘cheap and nasty’.

The Doctor reminds Clara that he and Missy have known each other a long time (see: "Terror of the Autons", "Utopia" and BBC Books' The Eighth Doctor Stories novel "The Eight Doctors" by Terrance Dicks and Virgin Books' The Missing Adventures novel "The Dark Path" by David A. McIntee.

Missy is heard asking Clara if Danny Pink is still dead (see "Dark Water/Death in Heaven").

Missy again points out that she'd rather be called a Time Lady than a Time Lord.

This is not the first time that The Master and the Daleks have worked together (see "Frontier in Space"). It is though The Master's first encounter with Davros.

Missy tells a Dalek to inform the Supreme Dalek that ‘the bitch is back’. This is an allusion to the Elton John song, The Bitch Is Back.

This is also a rare use of the mild expletive ‘bitch’ in the show. This is notable as this story premiered during pre-watershed hours on BBC One and Doctor Who is often considered to be a family-friendly television show. To further denote the rarity of this language on the show, this expletive was last heard (having been spoken by former companion Rose Tyler) in the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The End of the World".

It is revealed that instead of dying Missy and Clara teleport out of the city using the energy emitted by the Daleks (through the use of a device to teleport them away nanoseconds before they are shot which made it appear that they had been disintegrated by the Daleks). In the scene that follows, at the beginning of the second episode, it is revealed this is how Missy survived after being shot by the cyber-converted Brigadier at the end of " Dark Water/Death in Heaven".


Show All Story Notes >>>>



First and Last

The Firsts:

 The first story of Season Thirty Five (New Series 9).

 The first encounter between the Twelfth Doctor and Davros.

 The Master's first encounter with Davros.

 The first Doctor Who story where Davros is seen prior to his disfigurement.

 This Doctor Who story shows Davros turn off his eyestalk bulb and open his own eyes for the first time.

 The first time a Special Weapons Dalek has been shown to apparently talk on-screen.

 The Skullions' first in the show, having previously appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

 The first season opener, since the show returned in 2005, to be directed by a woman.


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Story Images

Show Text
The Doctor
The Doctor
Clara
Clara
Missy
Missy
Colony Sarff
Colony Sarff
 
Missy and Clara Captured by the Daleks
Missy and Clara Captured by the Daleks
Davros is Dying
Davros is Dying
Exterminate the TARDIS
Exterminate the TARDIS
The Doctor's Revenge
The Doctor's Revenge
 
Forced Regeneration
Forced Regeneration
A Rejuvenated Davros
A Rejuvenated Davros
I Am A Dalek
I Am A Dalek
Showing Mercy
Showing Mercy




Quote of the Story


 'Don't be disgusting. We're Time Lords, not animals! Try, nano-brain, to rise above the reproductive frenzy of your noisy little food chain, and contemplate friendship. A friendship older than your civilisation and infinitely more complex.'

Missy (to Clara)



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Release Information

FormatTitleRelease Date (UK)Code NumberCover ArtRemarks
Video
DVD
Doctor Who Series 9 Part 1 Box SetNovember 2015BBCDVD 4083Photo-montageDVD boxed set containing 4 stories
Video
Blu-Ray
Doctor Who Series 9 Part 1 Box SetNovember 2015BBCBD 0330Photo-montageBlu-Ray boxed set containing 4 stories
Video
DVD
The Complete Ninth Series Box SetMarch 2016BBCDVD 4066Photo-montageDVD boxed set containing 8 stories plus the 2014 & 2015 Christmas Specials
Video
Blu-Ray
The Complete Ninth Series Box SetMarch 2016BBCBD 0327Photo-montageBlu-Ray boxed set containing 8 stories plus the 2014 & 2015 Christmas Specials
Video
Blu-Ray
The Complete Ninth Series Box Set (Limited Edition Steelbook)March 2016BBCBD 0357Photo-montageLimited Edition Blu-Ray Steelbook boxed set containing 8 stories plus the 2014 & 2015 Christmas Specials
Audio
CD
Original Television Soundtrack - Series 9April 2018Photo-montageMusic by Murray Gold


In Print

No Book Release
Doctor Who Magazine - PreviewIssue 491 (Released: November 2015)
Doctor Who Magazine - ReviewIssue 492 (Released: December 2015)

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Photo Gallery


The Doctor and Companion

 
Peter Capaldi
The Twelfth Doctor

   

 
Jenna-Louise Coleman
Clara Oswald
 
   




On Release

DVD Part 1 Box Set
DVD Part 1 Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Blu-Ray Part 1 Box Set
Blu-Ray Part 1 Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series DVD Box Set
Complete Series DVD Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
   
Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set
Complete Series Blu-Ray Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Complete Series Blu-Ray Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set
Complete Series Blu-Ray Limited Edition Steelbook Box Set

BBC
VIDEO
Original Television Soundtrack Cover
Original Television Soundtrack Cover

BBC
AUDIO
   


Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine - Preview: Issue 491
Doctor Who Magazine - Preview: Issue 491

Marvel Comics
 
Doctor Who Magazine - Review: Issue 492
Doctor Who Magazine - Review: Issue 492

Marvel Comics
   

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