Now that the Peter Capaldi era of Doctor Who is over (we promise we’ll be kind, Doctor!), we can look back at his time on the show and break down how it all unfolded. Some things happened that came out of nowhere, sometimes things were set up and paid off perfectly; it’s a dance when it comes to overarching plot threads. One of the biggest threads during the Twelfth Doctor’s regime was the search for and eventual finding of the Time Lord homeworld of Gallifrey. In an exclusive deleted scene from the new Complete Capaldi Years Blu-ray box set, we learn that seed was originally planted earlier. (Pun intended.)
In the series eight finale, “Death in Heaven,” Missy (Michelle Gomez) tells the Doctor they can go look for Gallifrey, only for the episode to end with him not finding it where she said it was. A heartbreaking way to end a pretty downtrodden finale. But, we almost got a reference to Gallifrey two episodes earlier in “In the Forest of the Night.” The Doctor tells Clara (Jenna Coleman) he’d seen the suddenly sprouted forest somewhere before, when looking into the Untempered Schism as a boy on Gallifrey. Maybe this means he’ll see Gallifrey just above the treeline. But, as we know, he doesn’t.
This is a nice scene and both actors play it brilliantly, especially Capaldi who allows himself to be full of anticipation at the idea his planet might be back. But Clara, ever the practical one, makes sure he doesn’t get his hopes up too much. After all, she was there for “The Day of the Doctor,” so she knows it’s probably gone forever, somewhere.
Ultimately, I get why it was cut, as good as it is. The episode wasn’t really about Gallifrey; it was more about the Doctor’s desire to leave with Clara when things get too tough. And it made the punch at the end of “Death in Heaven” all the more resonant.
There are dozens more exclusive scenes and featurettes on the Doctor Who: The Complete Capaldi Years box set, available Tuesday, February 13. Also available, the Twelfth Doctor’s final bow, “Twice Upon a Time,” on Blu-ray and DVD with all new extras.
What was your favorite Capaldi-era episode? Let us know in the comments below!
Images: BBC America/BBC Worldwide
Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor and the resident Whovian for Nerdist. Follow him on Twitter!
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