Doctor Who unites Peter Capaldi’s Doctor with his wife, River Song, in this year’s Christmas Special.
The Doctor has found many companions over the years, but few quite like his wife, River Song. Played by Alex Kingston, River shares a rocky past with the Doctor as they keep meeting out-of-order along the timestream, leading to awkward and dangerous encounters. River hasn’t appeared since the Series 7 finale, and outside of rumors saying Capaldi’s Doctor wore their wedding ring (he doesn’t), it seemed that was their last meeting. But according to the BBC, River will be reunited with her husband this December for the eleventh Doctor Who Christmas Special.
“Another Christmas, another special for Doctor Who – and what could be more special than the return of Alex Kingston as Professor River Song?” executive producer Steven Moffat said. “The last time the Doctor saw her she was a ghost. The first time he met her, she died. So how can he be seeing her again? As ever, with the most complicated relationship in the universe, it’s a matter of time…”
River was first introduced to David Tennant’s Doctor in the Series 4 episodes “Silence in the Library” and “Forest of the Dead”. That’s where the Doctor learned his future self would marry River, but watched her die while saving his life. Matt Smith’s Doctor encountered River another thirteen times during his seasons, eventually parting ways in “The Name of the Doctor”. This new Christmas Special marks the first meeting between River and Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor.
“To be honest, I did not know whether River would ever return to the show,” Kingston explained, “but here she is, back with the Doctor for the Christmas special. Steven Moffat is on glittering form, giving us an episode filled with humor and surprise guest castings. I met Peter for the first time at Monday’s read through, we had a laugh, and I am now excited and ready to start filming with him and the Doctor Who team. Christmas in September? Why not!”
It’ll be great to see River return to Doctor Who, hopefully bringing the light-hearted spirit of earlier seasons with her. At the same time, it could prove an incredibly sad episode – especially if Capaldi’s Doctor takes River on that “last date” she mentioned before her death. After all, it wouldn’t be the first Christmas special to play with our emotions that way.
Doctor Who‘s ninth series will premiere Sept. 19, while River’s Christmas Special airs on Dec. 25, 2015.
Source: BBC
