Following the Doctor Who New Year’s special that dropped back in January, Jodie Whittaker has just two more episodes left to go before she exits the TARDIS for good. First up, the Thirteenth Doctor returns to our screens this Easter for her penultimate adventure in time and space, as titled ‘Legend of the Sea Devils.’ And, with its arrival now less than a month away, the BBC has offered a fresh look at the special with these three new images.
As fans can probably guess from its title, the episode brings back classic monsters the Sea Devils for the first time since 1984. The creatures — a prehistoric race of ocean-dwellers — have been revamped for their big comeback, with the first of the photos in the gallery below showcasing how they’ve changed since the show’s original run, but also how their new appearance remains faithful to their old design.
‘Legend’ will see the Doctor and her friends, Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Dan (John Bishop), travel to 19th century China where they encounter the fearsome — real-life — pirate queen, Madame Ching (Crystal Yu), who has inadvertently awoken the Sea Devils from their millennia-long slumber beneath the waves. Showrunner Chris Chibnall co-wrote the episode with Ella Road, with Haolu Wang directing. Arthur Lee and Marlowe Chan-Reeves are likewise in the cast.
Interestingly, this episode was initially envisioned as Whittaker’s final outing, before the BBC asked the production team to create an additional episode to release as part of the corporation’s big centenary celebrations this summer. That third special of 2022 will mark the grand finale to the Whittaker era and feature her regeneration into the Fourteenth Doctor, although their identity remains a mystery. Still, it’s definitely not Hugh Grant.
Though not 100% confirmed as yet, we’re pretty sure the Doctor Who Easter special will air April 17, aka Easter Sunday, on BBC One in the U.K. and BBC America in the U.S.
