Summary
TheDoctor Whofranchise seems to have just recently gotten its latest and most experimental Doctor to date, but a recent incident and months of rumors seem to point to this iteration of the iconic character having to alter his appearance once more going forward.
Doctor Whohas been a paragon of British television science fiction for decades, with the in-universe miracle of regeneration allowing a revolving door of talented, powerful stars to take on the titular role of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who has adventures through time and space. In a recent move to push the ongoing flagship show to a wider audience, Disney took up the cause and put the show on its Disney+ streaming service for audiences outside the purview of the BBC’s UK base. This partnership and expanded reach indicated that there’s a lot to look forward to concerning the future ofDoctor Who, withDavies even recently weighing in on a potentially amazing sci-fi crossoveralongside Star Trek, an idea that’s already been playtested in their respective mobile games.
WhileDavies’ 2021 return toDoctor Whowas heralded as wildly impactfulat a time when the iconic IP could have been doing better, it seems like there might be some issues with the show still. Recently, current Doctor Ncuti Gatwa went onThe Graham Norton Showand declared, “We did the second series this year, the Christmas special is coming up, and we are filming a third series next year.” While this was generally taken as positive news when the press briefings were released, brows began to be raised when the show aired, and the comments were changed to say instead, “We finished the second season earlier this year, we’ve got the Christmas episode coming out … at Christmas … But it’s been amazing.” WhileDeadlinewas able to diffuse the rumor mill by confirming that the change wasn’t on the orders of the BBC but rather an editorial choice, the whole thing seems to suggest Gatwa’s relatively recent ascension to the role seems to be nearing its end.
The problem comes from the fact that a third series for the Fifteenth Doctor was already looking unlikely for a few reasons, and the BBC distancing itself from his comments. “As we’ve said previously, the decision on season three will be made after season two transmits, and as always, we don’t comment on speculation,” a spokesperson for the production confirmed in a statement. This echoes the sentiment expressed in the latest issue ofDoctor WhoMagazine by franchise boss Russell T. Davies, who went further to insist that it’s always been done that way. It’s beenrumored that Disney was set to cancelDoctor Whoafter season 2due to it failing to bring in the sort of viewership the company was looking for when they inked the deal with the BBC to take onDoctor Whofor the US and other International markets, and those whispers have been echoed in some substantial circles. Taking those rumors with the revisions, it’s difficult to see any good signs for Gatwa’s Doctor.
The most unfavorable factor for Gatwa is the built-in transition tool that his bi-generation left the creative team. With the ever-adored David Tennant already in the show’s current narrative,Doctor Whocould easily pivot back to what’s worked before, taking another step in the direction ofa concerning trend that the MCU seems to have borrowed from the franchisewith the return of Robert Downey Jr. While many fans would be happy to see Tennant centered again, it would be a poor sign of health for the franchise as a whole and a white flag of sorts thrown up for the current streak of trying new things with the character, for better or worse.
WhileDoctor Whoseems set to return to tradition with the Christmas specialat the end of the year and has made a lot of promises concerning the quality and appeal of the second series with Gatwa, it’s unclear what the odds of the show faring better with fans is. While Gatwa’s time as the Doctor hasn’t been as badly received as Jodie Whitaker’s run, it’s hard not to see a downward trend in the franchise akin to the struggles that the MCU and DCEU have run into over the past few years. Fans will have to wait and see whether the Doctor can best this rough patch or if he’ll have to regenerate once more.
TheDoctor Whofranchise is available to stream on Disney+ in the United States and other markets outside the UK.
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
BBC’s Doctor Who debuted in 1963, with the franchise producing more than 25 seasons since then. Along with the beloved main sci-fi show(s), the franchise has spawned multiple spin-offs, books, games, etc.
