Doctor Who premiere takes to U.S. theaters, Takeover Week returns tomorrow

As we saw with last year’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, the BBC knows how to whet fans’ appetites with a week-long lead-in of episodes and documentaries leading up to benchmarks in the Doctor Who universe. The next benchmark is of course Peter Capaldi’s first full episode as the 12th Doctor airing next Saturday night, 51 years after kids in England were first entranced by a mysterious time traveler in a ship that is bigger on the inside and looks like a phone booth. Viewers who aren’t giving up on Doctor Who after losing Matt Smith, and are just excited to see what Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss & Co. have in store next, will see another week full of past Doctor Who episodes as well as plenty more leading up to next weekend.

The collective anticipation of a worldwide core of fans translates nicely to the title of the next episode, “Deep Breath.” How will Capaldi’s Doctor take to captaining the TARDIS and leading his feisty young companion Clara (Jenna Coleman)–the ultimate companion who is the only companion to accompany every prior Doctor–through their next adventure together? Plenty of new cyborgs are waiting, as revealed in the below trailer, shown after the break.

“Deep Breath” will premiere August 23, 2014, 7 p.m. Central on BBC America. Last night BBC America premiered two new shows, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Companion and The Real History of Science Fiction: Time, each to be re-broadcast throughout the week. A third special, Doctor Who: The Ultimate Time Lord premieres tomorrow, Monday, August 18, at 9 p.m. Central.

A Doctor Who Takeover Week marathon will begin tomorrow night. BBC America is giving fans a chance to vote for their favorite modern Doctor Who episodes – the top selections of this “Make Your Own Sunday” poll will run in a BBC America marathon on Sunday, August 24. Vote for your favorite episode here.

And BBC America and Fathom Events are teaming up again for two days of theatrical screening events for “Deep Breath” in the U.S. On Saturday August 23, there will be 12 theatrical events in 12 cities at 12 a.m./midnight to celebrate the launch of the new season. More information is available at FathomEvents.com. On Monday, August 25, the celebration goes nationwide with showings at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. (local time). The event will be presented in more than 550 select movie theaters around the country through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network. Tickets are now available for Doctor Who’s “Deep Breath” at participating theater box offices and online at FathomEvents.com.

Here’s a great preview for “Deep Breath” the Doctor Who Season 8/Series 8 premiere: