7 things we learned from the new Doctor Who series 10 trailer

1. The Doctor is regenerating

Ever since Peter Capaldi announced his departure from Doctor Who, speculation has been rife as to who will replace him when he leaves this Christmas.

But the new trailer appears to suggest he could be departing sooner than anyone expected, with footage showing the Doctor clutching his chest as the telltale gold regeneration energy starts to appear on his hands.

Now, it’s almost certain that this is a misdirect similar to the regeneration at the end of 2008 episode The Stolen Earth (where David Tennant’s Doctor began to regenerate, only to find a way to stay in the same form), but it’s definitely a great way to rouse interest in the series even if the Twelfth Doctor does manage to stave off death one last time.

2. Missy dabs now

If the new series’ Emojibots weren’t hip enough for you, this series of Doctor Who will also apparently see Michelle Gomez’s rogue Time Lord Missy try out a bit of dabbing, a simple dance which (like much of Doctor Who) originates in the Atlanta hip-hop scene.

Clearly, 2005 episode The Doctor Dances is hopelessly outdated now, and we can only hope a story called The Doctor Dabs is incoming.

3. And she could have a Tardis

There are a few more shots of Missy in the trailer, one of which sees her gazing through a glass tower similar in form to the time rotor of a Tardis.

Now, it could be that this is Missy inside the Doctor’s time machine, or indeed that she’s standing behind a completely different piece of architecture with no relation to Gallifrey’s greatest mechanics.

But we can’t help but wonder if we’re finally seeing her back at the controls of her own Tardis, after not having one for her character’s entire run in the revived series (even back when she was John Simm’s master). It may be wishful thinking, but hey – we’re dreamers here at RadioTimes.com.

4. Some unusual monsters are joining the series

Brief shots in the trailer show what looks like a giant interdimensional beetle and some sort of alien dog, so we’re guessing the Doctor’s meeting all sorts of fascinating flora and fauna in the new series.

One sequence also shows a mysterious woman forming from water on the ground, and while this could be RadioTimes.com favourite “Wet Dalek Lady” (actually Stephanie Hyam’s Heather, who may be new companion Bill’s girlfriend), this particular person's face looks a bit different.

The image from the trailer

An earlier picture of Heather

Then again, it might just be that anyone’s face would look a little altered if it was forming from water droplets. No judgement here.

5. Someone’s going through a difficult phase

Namely one of the mysterious Monks, who we’ve seen in all their creepy-fingered glory before (see below) but are now being given new information about.

Specifically, the new trailer shows off their ability to “phase” through walls and attack more humanoid members of the clergy, in what promises to be one of the only Doctor Who episodes subject to an official statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

6. The Doctor's gone a bit Game of Thrones

A gorgeous clip in the teaser shows the Doctor approaching a medieval castle by boat, in a shot that looks like it could be from HBO’s smash-hit fantasy series but is probably part of Rona Munro’s tenth episode The Eaters of Light.

The trailer also shows the Doctor hanging out with some Romans, who are rumoured to be part of the real-life missing Ninth Legion said to have disappeared in Scotland in the 2^nd century. Isn’t history fun?

7. And he still loves mysterious cracks

Settle down at the back there. The new trailer shows the Doctor striding towards a curious door that we’ve not seen before, which bears a certain similarity to the jagged cracks important to Doctor Who storylines past.

No, it won’t have any connection, but it’s good to know that Doctor Who baddies other than the Daleks have an appreciation of design classics. Sure, take over the galaxy, but at least have a dedication to aesthetics.

Doctor Who will return to BBC1 on Saturday 15^th April