As the Yuletide approaches, there are a few things you can count on. Black Friday Sales (online this year), eggnog, homes decorated in lights, and since 2005, we’ve been able to look forward to Doctor Who pulling out all the stops in its annual special. This year’s episode, “Revolution of the Daleks,” brings in the Doctor’s oldest foes. Also this year, the show brings out another big gun…
Fan-favorite Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman)!
Jack Harkness, that pansexual rogue, first appeared way back in the Series 1 two-parter “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances” opposite the 9th Doctor (Christopher Eccelston) and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) and was also seen in Series 3 and 4 with the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) as well as headlining his own show for 4 series, Torchwood (also created by Russell T Davies, the man who brought Doctor Who back after a long rest from TV.)
Jack hadn’t been seen since Torchwood went off the air in 2011 with the mini-series “Miracle Day,” but he popped up for a brief visit last year in the Series 12 story, “Fugitive of the Judoon.” His returns this time and not in just a brief cameo, but will properly cross paths with the Doctor. And no one is more excited about Jack’s return than John Barrowman himself.
“Putting on Jack’s coat and setting foot back on the set of ‘Doctor Who’ was just like going back home. It’s always thrilling to play Captain Jack. He’s a character very close to my heart who changed my life, and to know the fans love him as much as I do makes his return even sweeter. I hope everyone enjoys Jack’s heroic adventure with Thirteen.”
According to BBC America, in “Revolution of the Daleks” Jack “will be on hand to help the fam as they discover a disturbing plan forming involving one of the Doctor’s most feared and dangerous enemies, the Daleks. With the Thirteenth Doctor locked away in a space prison, will Captain Jack be able to help save planet Earth?”
Current showrunner Chris Chibnall had this to say about the return. “A Doctor Who holiday special means treats galore, and there’s no bigger treat than the return of John Barrowman to Doctor Who, for an epic and emotional feature-length episode. If anyone can blast away the sheer rubbishness of 2020, it’s Captain Jack. Daleks beware!”
At the moment, when the episode will air has not been confirmed. While speaking to Radio Times, showrunner Chris Chibnall stated, “I don’t know when they’re going to put it on yet, otherwise we’d tell you. But rest assured, the Doctor and her friends will be back for a one-off extended Special around Christmas and New Year.”
