The Doctor Who universe is expanding in 2016!
BBC has announced that a new Doctor Who spinoff called Class will focus on teenagers at Coal Hill School, an institution that was featured in the very first episode of Doctor Who. More recently, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) took a teaching position at Coal Hill when she wasn’t off on adventures with the Doctor.
Class was created by Patrick Ness, a YA novelist who has previously written the Chaos Walking series and A Monster Calls. In a statement, Ness said “I’m astounded and thrilled to be entering the Doctor Who universe, which is as vast as time and space itself. There’s so much room there for all kinds of amazing stories, and to work with Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin to find a place to tell one of my own has been an absolute joy. I can’t wait for people to meet the heroes of Class, to meet the all-new villains and aliens, to remember that the horrors of the darkest corners of existence are just about on par with having to pass your A-Levels.”
BBC described Class as “Coal Hill School and Doctor Who like you’ve never seen them before.” Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat added that “no one has documented the dark and exhilarating world of the teenager like Patrick Ness, and now we’re bringing his brilliant storytelling into Doctor Who. This is growing up in modern Britain – but with monsters!”
Coleman recently announced her departure from Doctor Who, which will occur at some point this season. While Coleman’s next role will be Queen Victoria in a prestige drama miniseries, the premise of Class seems like the perfect opportunity to keep Clara Oswald in the Doctor Who universe…if Coleman isn’t ready to just move on to other projects.
Class will get an eight episode first season from BBC in 2016, with production slated to begin in Spring 2016.
Photo Credit: BBC
