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Mark Gatiss latest episode ofDoctor Whois something hed actually like to watch himself.
Wells twist thanks to some Victorians that have made their way to Mars.
Credit: Simon Ridgway/BBC
Victory of the Daleks is like a 45-minute war film, Empress of Mars is like an H.G.
Wells extravaganza, Gatiss (who also writes and runsSherlock) tells EW of Saturdays hour.
Its great fun, and to me, its the quintessentialDoctor Whothing to have Victorians getting to Mars.
Jon Hall/BBC
The Ice Warriors are one of my favorite baddies as well so Im very pleased with it.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How do you approach writing your episodes for the show?
But then I thought its the end of an era.
Which is the Ice Warriors at home on Mars, and Steven said, Yeah.
So thats how it started.
You teased that theyre going to be a different kind of Ice Warrior than were used to seeing.
Is there anything else you might share about that?Yes!
Its a new departure.
I just thought it was interesting to add a feminine element into it.
Theres been a civil war on Mars, thats why theyre all in hiding.
You take a little fragment of the story rather than trying to do the epic.
[Laughs] Its a strange thing.
It took till 2010, the Waters of Mars, forDoctor Whoto actually show Mars.
Id always thought it was an achievable alien environment.
Essentially its a red desert.
So I just wanted to see the Ice Warriors in their own environment really.
Then I came up with this idea,What if the Victorians got there?
The Doctor says, Well, they didnt.
But when they get there, its just full of red coat soldiers.
The other thing Ive loved isH.G.
Wells First Men On the Moon kind of things, about Victorian space travel and things like that.
AndEdgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote a whole book series about colonizing Mars.
I wanted to get that kind of feel to it.
This slightly steam-punky Victorian space travel.
The Ice Warriors are in a more sympathetic light than weve ever seen them becausetheyrethe ones being attacked.
Does that change your approach to writing them?Thats whats interesting.
At the end of the episode, they turn out to be the good guys.
I remember as a child what a shock it was.
It was a very clever twist, so I was keen to present that same thing.
Its the notion that Dont judge by appearances.
The Doctor never does.
it’s possible for you to look at things in a new way.
What is a Time Lord?
You always put yourself in the perspective of a new audience member.
It works on two levels.
Its about the pilot of the alien spaceship, but its also effectively a reboot.
You could start watchingDoctor Whofrom there and it would all make sense.
What really appeals about Bill and how Pearls played her is this very funny, sparky freshness.
She really just is an ordinary girl and shes thrust into this amazing world.
Its like falling down the rabbit hole, suddenly everything changes.
So shes a bit more together.
The big thing was just trying to get in the enthusiasm.
What on Earth would it be like if you could go back in time or go into the future?
It would be so extraordinary, wouldnt it?
Because thats what youd do.
[Laughs] You wouldnt go, Oh yeah its another planet.
[Laughs] Thats probably what I was actually thinking.
And then this supposed transcript of Neil Armstrong saying Copy that Houston.
Im on the moon!
Im on the Fing moon!
So I wanted to get some of that, without the swearing.
And how was writing for Matt Lucas as Nardole?
Hes essentially the third companion now.That was very straightforward.
Ive known Matt for 20 years and weve been very good friends for many years.
He wasnt going to be in it, but then Steven said, Can you put Matt in it?
It doesnt have to be very much.
But hes going to appear in every episode now.
That wasnt the plan, but everyone just loved having him around and the presence of him.
So I just did that.
I knew exactly how Matt would react in that situation and just let it tinkle along.
He bookends the episode.
Doctor Whoairs at 9 p.m.
ET on BBC America.
