The prologue for Doctor Who Series 9 is here and by the looks of it, fans might be in for a hell of a season.

After the departure of Matt Smith, many fans were reluctant to accept seasoned actor Petter Capaldi as their favorite Time Lord. Although Series 8 had a couple of episodes which allowed Capaldi to showcase his new approach (see “Listen”), overall, the season seemed to be missing something. The blame could be placed on a number of factors, but ultimately, it came down to the character interactions. Dialogue and relationships that were once fun and unique became bland and needlessly dark.

There is no denying that Smith brought a certain style to the role that allowed him to separate his doctor from fan favorite David Tennant when he took over the role. His youthful love for odd head wear and bow-ties gave the character some much-needed quirks to win over viewers. What did the 12th Doctor have? Aside from an occasional flicker of zaniness, not much. The character lacked definition, having very few qualities unique to Capaldi’s incarnation (consistently that is).

That’s where this prologue really hits the mark. It looks like The Doctor’s newfound grumpiness is no longer a feeble plot device used to show he’s still “learning who he is.” Instead, it is a fun quirk that plays into some lighter banter (“yes, but I don’t like you”).

The Doctor is in and if the prologue is any indication, series 9 will be one you won’t want to miss.