No matter what part of the world one lives in, 2020 has been rough. Many of us are simply fighting for survival, whether our struggles are medical, financial, psychological, of some combination thereof. It’s easy to push things like art (however one defines that) to the background—it’s not important now; how could I waste my time on that; I’ve got to save my energy…

At the same time, though, art is what keeps us alive. Streaming services have been doing booming business as lockdowns and quarantines continue to stretch into an unknown future. People turn to various forms of art to help keep us sane—to films and television, tabletop and video games, books and comics and fanfics.

That’s why I’ve made room in my heart to get psyched for the upcoming Doctor Who holiday special. Perhaps you are, like me, well and truly sick of Daleks already (thanks so much to Terry Nation’s estate for making them a “use them at least once a year or lose the license” entity), but they’re not the only returning characters. When the official trailer for Revolution of the Daleks was released about a week and a half ago, we all learned that Captain Jack Harkness would be returning to our screens, and for more than a single scene.

I’m further intrigued by the prospect of getting some narrative closure we didn’t get back in Series 11. Yes, I only recently complained that we should have more storytelling that didn’t tie things up in a nice bow for us, warping our expectations of how the world works. On the other hand, when the whole world is kicking our tails, watching the bad guy walk away without being held accountable in any way is really discouraging.

That’s why I was intrigued to see Jack Robertson, the we-swear-he’s-not-Trump antagonist from Arachnids in the UK, in the New Year’s trailer. Will he finally get his comeuppance? How badly will he screw over our heroes before they triumph? What consequences will both sides suffer? As my compatriots and I wait to see how things pan out during these final months of the current presidency, I can’t help but hope for some sort of vicarious catharsis on New Year’s Day.

[Spoiler alert: although the following has been mentioned in official press releases, and is not meant to be a surprise to viewers, if you don’t want to know anything beyond what’s in the trailer, you might want to stop here.]

Given that the holiday specials have historically been relatively fluffy and upbeat affairs, I have high hopes on the antagonist front. I’m somewhat more anxious about the Companion angle, though. I always get a bit nervous when it’s time for a Companion to leave, and this time we’re going to have to say farewell to both Graham and Ryan.

Companion departures run the gamut—even within modern Who—from “completely under their own agency” (Martha) to “through no choice of their own and hella problematic to boot” (Donna). What can we expect for this pair? Will they stay on some distant planet to do work they’ve chosen (like Stephen or Nyssa)? Will they be abandoned to their own fate (Peri or Captain Jack)? Or will they decide it’s simply time to stop (Tegan) and live their own lives (Ian & Barbara or Jo)?

Whatever the case (and I’m betting on that final option myself), I can take heart in the near certainty that Graham and Ryan will end up wherever they are together. It is so rare for a Companion to leave the Doctor and still have someone with whom to share those memories and experiences every day. Now that these two have become true family to each other, it’s even more special.

We all need comfort sometimes—this year, this season probably more than most. I’m hopeful that the Doctor and her friends can offer us that in another few weeks. And that’s something to look forward to.