The Inevitable Return – Missy Stars In Doctor Who Premiere
We knew she’d be back – Michelle Gomez said she’d be back, we just didn’t know how soon she’d be back. Well, now we know – Missy (AKA The Master) will make her return in the series premiere of Doctor Who later in 2015.
The two-part episode, The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar, is written by the show’s lead writer Steven Moffat, produced by Peter Bennett and directed by Hettie Macdonald (Blink, the Hugo Award-winning Doctor Who episode).
Michelle Gomez is the latest of a long line of actors to play The Doctor greatest nemesis. Starting with Roger Delgado in the early Pertwee years, The Master has plagued The Doctor almost constantly, through a number of regenerations and forms. The latest twist was the reveal that the latest regeneration left The master a woman, played by Michelle Gomez.
Jemma Redgrave will also return as The Brig’s daughter and new head of UNIT Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. Actress Kelly Hunter is also slated to appear, who last appeared on the show as a representative of the Shadow Proclamation in The Stolen Earth – no idea if she’ll be reprising that role, but it’s a tantalizing prospect.
Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer, added: “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.”
Moffat has said he always loved how Anthony Ainley’s Master would be certainly doomed, only to return again, with nary a valid explanation at all save for “I escaped at the last moment”. I’ll bet he loves it enough that if you’re hoping for a really valid explanation as to how Missy survived being obliterated by a shot from a Cyber-weapon fired by a converted Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, you’ll have quite a wait.