We finally have a full length trailer (and teaser) for Doctor Who spin-off Class, and it looks amazing.
Ever since Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures left our screens in 2011, there has been a gap in the market for a Doctor Who spin-off show. Class is preparing to fill that gap by merging the premises of its two predecessor series; its main characters are sixth form students, like the end of Sarah Jane’s run, but as it is aimed at an older age group, it will explore more adult issues such as sex and relationships, similar to Torchwood. Class also mirrors the latter show in its premise – there is a weakness in the fabric of space and time that seems to be letting things through. This blending of ideas results in what looks like an intense and dramatic show perfectly targeted towards a BBC Three audience.
Class is clearly rooted in its parent series, taking place in the same school that the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan attended in the very first episode of the original 1963 season of the show, and more recently where companion Clara taught. Coal Hill School appears to be of central focus in the series, judging from the trailer, as the location for much of the action. It remains to be seen what other references are included, but if Sarah Jane and Torchwood are anything to go by, the links back to Doctor Who could be very strong – including the potential for crossover.
The trailers themselves show glimpses of an unknown, evil threat, with talk of shadows and time itself remembering who you are. Emphasising key themes like coming of age, relationships, and taking things into your own hands (by which I mean the fate of the world, and potentially the universe), Class builds on the ideas expressed in its parent show, but with more focus on the modern teenage lifestyle.
The teaser trailer also hints at the Doctor’s involvement in the series, but with the ominous warning that he can’t always be around – and so sometimes us humans have to fend for ourselves. Both trailers make the new series appear very dark, which is likely to strongly appeal to fans of the show who grew up with the new series of Who and now want something slightly different – Doctor Who, but less pre-watershed.
With comparisons already being made to the popular American show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, writer Patrick Ness has a lot of expectations to live up to. But judging by the potential shown in these trailers, Class could be exactly what fans are looking for.
Isobel Sheene
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Media sourced from YouTube and BBC
