Stargate producer on rebooting Doctor Who

The BBC is putting Doctor Who out to competitive tender after the Disney+ deal was not renewed and the departure of series showrunner Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf.

Dean Devlin, who co-wrote and produced Stargate and Independence Day, has responded to rumours that his production company, Electric Entertainment, is linked to a new series of Doctor Who with David Tennant purportedly reprising the titular role.

When approached by the Radio Times, Devlin said in a statement: "It is untrue that we have had negotiations with the BBC. Preliminary or otherwise. When the proper time comes when they are prepared to speak with people, we certainly hope to have a discussion with them."

The update follows an earlier post by Devlin on Facebook, in which he shared an AI-generated video featuring himself and various other former Doctor Who actors posing on the set of the TARDIS. "So BBC is putting Doctor Who out to tender," Devlin captioned the video. "Do you think they should partner with us at Electric Entertainment?"

What are your thoughts on Dean Devlin producing Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: The Well

The Well, a chilling sequel to Midnight, is a masterclass in tension, drawing parallels with one of my all-time favourite classic serials, Earthshock. Like that seminal story featuring the shock return of the Cybermen after almost a decade, The Well has a squad of ill-fated troopers on a mission into darkness, and there is no happy ending.

Returning Doctor Who series showrunner Russell T Davies has brutal form; look no further than Years and Years. The Well is the antithesis of Space Babies.

There are homages to another sequel, Aliens. A famous quote from Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is used, and the troopers’ weapons are inspired by the iconic M41-A Pulse Rifle used by the Colonial Marines. Apt, as The Well dropped on Alien Day.

Rose Ayling-Ellis MBE takes centre stage as Aliss (a play on Lewis Carroll's Alice), and her performance is profoundly moving. Her repeated plea, not to stand behind her, works on myriad levels. Personally, I was reminded of family and friends who are deaf or have hearing loss and their fight to be heard and accepted by mainstream society (something I can empathise with as a disabled person with a brain injury). Also, a teenage memory of a deaf student signing to her tutor how much she loved my artwork during an A-level Fine Art class brought me to tears. I’ve been critical of too many tears in season one of Doctor Who, but here we are. These tears are earned.

Shaya Costallion's (Caoilfhionn Dunne) selfless sacrifice reminded me of Commander Shepard in the original Mass Effect trilogy and Ripley's death in Alien 3. But it was all for nothing, and the enigmatic threat, first faced by the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), escaped.

The rich dynamic between Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) defines the second season in a way that season one squandered with Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Sethu, appearing in Doctor Who and Star Wars on Disney+ in the same week, is the new first lady of sci-fi!

What has happened to the Earth, and why do I have a bad feeling about Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson)? Since her introduction in The Church on Ruby Road, I'm convinced she's the Rani, a renegade Time Lord first played by Kate O'Mara! The Rani had a penchant for dressing up as previous companions, and Mrs Flood has borrowed clothes from Clara Oswald and Romana Mk I's wardrobes.

Doctor Who season two continues to deliver some of the best episodes since the revival in 2005. The Well is one of the all-time greats since the BBC's beloved sci-fi series began in 1963.

New episodes of Doctor Who drop every Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Season two is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

Have you watched The Well? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: The Giggle

The Giggle is the third and final special celebrating the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. It marks the return of the Celestial Toymaker, an iconic villain from the First Doctor's era.

Nick Smith, our US-based veteran Whovian, ventures into Soho and discovers a magical toy shop filled with timey-wimey tricks and treats.

Guest post by Nick Smith

As returning showrunner of Doctor Who, Russell T Davies has been set with a very tricky task this year. Not only does he have to recapture the chemistry of the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) in new forms (the Doctor regenerated, Donna slightly older but just as cheeky), but he’s also doing it on the show’s 60th anniversary.

Needless to say, expectations are high among drop-in viewers who remember the dream team, and long-term fans who are understandably jaded after the BBC’s fair-weather treatment of the series (which includes destroying dozens of episodes).

Thankfully for all concerned, The Giggle surpasses expectations with a story that provides an epic threat, a satisfying wrap-up for two characters and an exciting new beginning for another.

The threat is created by the Celestial Toymaker, a villain who first appeared in 1966. Back then he was played by Michael Gough, an excellent actor best known to modern audiences as the long-suffering Alfred to Michael Keaton’s Batman. An equally confident actor, Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), brings the Toymaker back to life.

Harris played a small but important role in Davies’ excellent miniseries It’s A Sin, but he gets to show many more talents in The Giggle. He sings! He dances! He pulls the strings of marionette companions! The Toymaker has similar powers to Star Trek’s Q, just as childish but more malicious. He’s a perfect foil for Tennant’s seemingly indomitable Doctor.

The Toymaker has been lurking behind the scenes for decades, on audio (Big Finish’s story Solitaire is very atmospheric), comic strips such as The Greatest Gamble, and even a cancelled Sixth Doctor TV story (The Nightmare Fair). Finally, he gets a moment of glory, and it’s a memorable one. Usually, he lays traps and plays deadly games; here he focuses on illusions and mind games, baiting the Doctor as if their last tussle was a mere dice roll away. That’s a testament to the acting skills of Tennant and Harris, who make a wild, brain-bending scenario believable.

Davies squeezes in many references to past stories and even some obscure Big Finish UNIT spin-off audios. There’s a hint at a character who has not appeared yet (who even the Toymaker admits he can’t beat) and a full roster of new and returning friends (Kate Stewart, Mel Bush, The Vlinx) that brand new Whovians may struggle to keep track of.

Hopefully, the new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa’s reign won’t be weighed down with textual referencing in the same way as these specials. It’s hard to move forward when one foot is stuck in the past. It would be preferable to see the Fifteenth Doctor make a fresh start, as fresh as the show’s revival felt in 2005. Sure, there were Easter eggs laid back then, but they were hatched gradually and carefully without alienating casual viewers.

The audience could enjoy the show without getting bewildered by references to Ragnarok, Wirrn and fluxes, which to the unfanned ear - along with a side serving of technobabble - soon turns to nonsensical mush. It's better to stick with gentle nudges that encourage viewers to go find out more about Who lore.

Russell T Davies has managed to gift-wrap six decades of storytelling into a cohesive package, serving up three specials that really are just that – special, reminding us that watching Doctor Who can be a joyful experience. The Giggle, in particular, is a wonderful episode with enough subtext to tickle the mind and eyeballs, lined with levity, full of surprises and allegory. It’s proof that with Davies and Bad Wolf, this 60-year-old series is full of youthful vigour and it’s in safe hands.

Have you seen The Giggle? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder

Wild Blue Yonder is the second of three specials celebrating the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who.

The second special's promotion is steeped in redacted mystery. Nick Smith, our US-based veteran Whovian, discovers what it all means.

Guest post by Nick Smith

Since the Daleks first returned to Doctor Who in 1964, the series has performed a delicate balancing act, bringing its viewers familiar sights and themes alongside new, unpredictable adventures. At the height of its 60th anniversary, this balance is trickier than ever.

How can a nostalgic show like Doctor Who continue to surprise us? How can it give us what we crave – the Doctor being insatiably curious, exploring strange new worlds – and stay fresh simultaneously?

Wild Blue Yonder, the second of three consecutive specials, revitalizes a well-worn wedding adage by including something old (a top-tier previous Doctor and companion combo), something new (a bizarre alien spaceship), something borrowed (shades of films like Passengers and Event Horizon) and something blue (the TARDIS!).

The high-wire act works, with mystery, humour and pathos all rolled into a tightly paced story that purposefully focuses on the Doctor, giving David Tennant plenty of time to remind us what a good and charismatic actor he is.

The Wild Blue Yonder was a phrase coined for the official U.S. Army Air Corps (now Air Force) song in 1939. It means venturing into the unknown, mysterious territory of the sky. In this new story, the Doctor and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) find themselves on a gleaming white space vessel so vast that they need a futuristic golf cart to get around.

Donna keeps us grounded in reality, considering the cleaning routine. The Doctor is obsessed with the ship's mysteries, confounded by the appearance of two strange, bendy, gruesomely toothsome creatures.

Although there’s a real sense of threat from these monsters, the sets are too brightly lit for the story to be scary. It’s hard to lurk in the shadows when we can see every nook and uncreepy cranny. The show has been overlit in stories like Warriors of the Deep and Dragonfire, but that was back in the ‘80s when the Beeb didn’t always want to spend the time and money on effective lighting. In Wild Blue Yonder, the Doctor and Donna talk about being terrorized but we do not share their fear; it’s harder to be scared with the lights on.

Aside from that questionable directing choice, this episode is near-perfect, full of ideas and excitement, giving the lead actors lots to do and providing us with a sweet scene where the Doctor is reunited with his old friend Wilf. Sadly no longer with us, Bernard Cribbins depicts joy, hope and fear in a heart-breaking last hurrah.

Since Tennant is so confident and personable in his role, this is the story that will really make us miss him when he regenerates into the next Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa - an event that has been a year in the hyping but will still seem like a surprise, since we’re just getting comfortable with Tennant again. It’s a clever conceit and a risky one – by giving the people a treat and whisking it away, there’s a chance they’ll turn their noses up at the substitute.

Luckily, the familiar and the unfamiliar have always coexisted in the world of Doctor Who.

Have you seen Wild Blue Yonder? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Doctor Who: The Star Beast

The Star Beast ushers in a new era of Doctor Who with Disney+ bringing the beloved BBC sci-fi series to an international audience under the auspices of returning series showrunner Russell T Davies.

This year is the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who and the 30th anniversary of befriending Nick Smith at university. Without further fanfare, Nick, our US-based veteran Whovian, has a close encounter with a space gremlin. Meep! Meep!

Guest post by Nick Smith

I was snagged by one of the oldest marketing tricks in comic books, a big Number One on the cover. There was also a competition to win a trip to Blackpool, a copy of the Genesis of the Daleks LP and an invitation to join UNIT, the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. My stubby little eight-year-old hands held a copy of Marvel UK's Doctor Who Weekly and once I opened it up, I never looked back.

The issue was actually Number 26, but since this was a First New Look Issue it justified the big old one on the cover. I wasn’t duped. I could read. And read I did – an editorial written BY THE DOCTOR HIMSELF, signed off, ‘Happy Times and Places.’ A backup strip about the Sontarans, who I remembered from an early Tom Baker adventure. There was a Fantastic Fact about Harry Potter (not a wizard but a gardener from Northumberland), a special offer to get a free Boba Fett action figure (with a non-functioning laser rifle), and a Tale From the TARDIS adapting The First Men in the Moon.

Best of all – the story I kept going back to, and the reason why I reread the issue until the back page fell off – was The Star Beast, a cleverly written, beautifully drawn comic about a cute little alien called Beep the Meep who crashes to earth and needs the Doctor’s help. All was not as it seemed, and that O. Henry twist was what really kept me coming back and made me a lifelong fan of Doctor Who comics.

A whopping 43 years later, imagine my delight when that little alien appeared on my TV in a tightly woven show with high production values, sincere performances from its main cast, and the kind of acknowledgement of minorities that the strip strove for with its companion of colour, Sharon.

This time around there is a non-binary character who has a reason for being in the story beyond social commentary, and the envelope-stretching never gets in the way of the adventure, capping it instead.

Although original writer Pat Mills and artist Dave Gibbons get a credit at the beginning of the special, there’s no mention of co-writer John Wagner. Some of Wagner’s ideas and nuances are lost in the rush to tell not just Beep’s (Miriam Margolyes) story but also that of the Doctor (David Tennant) and Donna (Catherine Tate) as they are reunited in the first of three specials.

New viewers are not spoon-fed the whole ‘cosmic Time Lord hero’ premise of Doctor Who. Instead, the focus is on the Doctor and his feisty companion, her family and even characters who are mentioned but not seen, such as Kate Stewart of UNIT. Those newbies are encouraged to seek out the answers by watching and/or reading about previous stories, to dip into the Doctor’s 60-year history.

UNIT is now a bland, black-clad paramilitary band of peacekeepers. They are not secret (they’re mentioned on the news!). There is a new scientific advisor but no distinctive leader, no Sergeant Benton or Captain Yates. Benton, Yates and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart were what made UNIT special (apart from their raging gun battles with alien gargoyles). A new UNIT spin-off series will hopefully redress this lack of personae.

This story made me laugh in some places and choked me up a little in others, the kind of emotional ups and downs I expect from Russell T Davies’ best work. After the silly skit that was Destination: Skaro, the Children in Need special, The Star Beast has enough weight to warrant repeat views and bodes well for the new Season One – which isn’t really Number One. The more things change…

If this new special makes kids think, appreciate storytelling and use their imaginations as much as that old comic strip did with me, it will be very special.

Have you seen The Star Beast? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Nick Smith's new audiobook, Undead on Arrival, is available from Amazon (affiliate link).

Doctor Who on Children in Need

It's Children in Need on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Ahead of the three specials for the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, David Tennant is reprising the titular role for Children in Need.

Tennant said: “Every year that I was on Doctor Who we did something for BBC Children in Need, so it only feels right to be doing something this year. Children in Need is a national tradition, it’s certainly a BBC tradition and Doctor Who is part of that. I’m so glad we’re able to give Children in Need viewers this little extra treat.”

The Fourteenth Doctor lands on Skaro, homeworld of the Daleks. Linked to the classic Fourth Doctor story Genesis of the Daleks (available on iPlayer), the special scene, written by returning series showrunner Russell T Davies, will be followed by a behind-the-scenes look on Doctor Who: Unleashed on iPlayer.

Davies says: “Doctor Who has a fine tradition of supporting BBC Children in Need, and I hope that fans and new viewers alike will be able to watch, enjoy, and contribute to this wonderful cause.”



Davies responds to Davros' (Julian Bleach) cameo on Children in Need!

"We had long conversations about bringing Davros back because he's a fantastic character," Davies began, but added that "time, society, culture and taste has moved on, and there's a problem with Davros of old, in that he's a wheelchair user, who is evil."

Continuing, Davies said: "I had problems with that, and a lot of people on the production team had problems with that; associating disability with evil – and trust me, there's a very long tradition of this.

"The world changes, and when the world changes, Doctor Who has to change as well."

"I say: 'This is how we see Davros now'," he explained.

"Because it's Children In Need night... where issues of disability and otherness come right to the front of the conversation."

The Star Beast, the first of three 60th anniversary specials starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland on 25th November.

Will you be watching Doctor Who on Children in Need? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who returns 25th November

On Wednesday, the BBC announced the first of three specials celebrating the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland on 25th November.

The key art for The Star Beast is an homage to Marvel UK's Doctor Who Weekly cover illustrated by legendary comic book artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen)!

Joining David Tennant as Doctor Who and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble in The Star Beast (25th November), Wild Blue Yonder (2nd December) and The Giggle (9th December) is a stellar cast including, Yasmin Finney as Rose Noble, Miriam Margolyes as the voice of the Meep, Jacqueline King as Sylvia Noble, Karl Collins as Shaun Temple, Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne-Bingham, Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart and Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker, set to cause all kinds of mayhem.

Disney+ has released an official trailer for the 60th anniversary specials.



With returning showrunner Russell T Davies (It's A Sin), it will be an unmissable cosmic adventure spanning three consecutive Saturday nights, all before Ncuti Gatwa (Barbie) gets the keys to the TARDIS over the festive season. Millie Gibson (Coronation Street) will join Gatwa aboard the TARDIS as companion Ruby Sunday.

You can pre-order the 60th anniversary specials (affiliate link) on DVD, Blu-ray and Steelbook! All 3 episodes, behind-the-scenes, special features and more will be available on physical release from 11th December.

Are you looking forward to the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: Unleashed

Doctor Who Confidential was a fan-favourite behind-the-scenes series running for 6 seasons (2005 - 2011) on BBC Three. Doctor Who fans (myself included) tried to reverse its controversial cancellation (a cost-cutting measure by the BBC) with an online petition.

Fast forward to 2023.

Doctor Who: Unleashed is a brand new 30-minute factual entertainment series giving viewers an unmissable insight into the world of the beloved long-running sci-fi series.

Russell T Davies, Doctor Who showrunner says:

“Over the years, I meet so many people who were inspired to find careers in TV, because of the behind-the-scenes material the BBC would show. And now it’s back, in the grand old tradition of Doctor Who Confidential, but in a brand new form, Unleashed! So a whole new generation – and faithful fans of old – can see what the stars and the crew get up to behind the cameras.”

With the return of Davies as series showrunner, Doctor Who: Unleashed on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer fills a timey-wimey void vacated by Doctor Who Confidential.

Steffan Powell, host of Doctor Who: Unleashed says:

“When you’re told Russell T Davies is asking for you to present a show, you say, ‘when does he want me?’ Doesn’t matter, I’ll be there… There’s a really fun and fascinating group of people bringing Doctor Who to life - I can’t wait for the audience to meet them. I’m so chuffed to have been trusted to help tell, in all its glory, the story of what goes into making the magic happen.”

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

Are you looking forward to Doctor Who: Unleashed? Were you a fan of Doctor Who Confidential? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who trailer for 60th anniversary specials

An official trailer for the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials dropped before the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One.



The brand new trailer features Neil Patrick Harris waltzing onto the scene, as it is now revealed that he will play the Toymaker, all-powerful enemy last seen in 1966 - but what is it that brings the Doctor face-to-face with this enemy from his past?

Russell T Davies, returning showrunner says: “This is just the start, as the fever starts to burn. We’re heading for a November full of Doctor Who surprises, for fans and new viewers alike. Stay alert!”

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

The three specials are:

Special One: The Star Beast
Special Two: Wild Blue Yonder
Special Three: The Giggle

Ncuti Gatwa (Barbie) takes over control of the TARDIS during the holiday season. Millie Gibson (Coronation Street) will join Gatwa aboard the TARDIS as companion Ruby Sunday.

What did you think of the trailer? Are you looking forward to the return of the Doctor and Donna? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who trailer ahead of Eurovision

A new trailer announcing the titles of the three specials for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary dropped before the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, which is being held in Liverpool.



The three titles announced in the exclusive trailer:

Special One: The Star Beast
Special Two: Wild Blue Yonder
Special Three: The Giggle

The Star Beast is in homage to the first appearance of Beep the Meep in Marvel UK's Doctor Who Weekly. It's also the original title for Alien.

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland.

Russell T Davies, Showrunner said: “The titles are just the beginning of the Doctor’s biggest adventure yet. Autumn is coming, with three hours of danger, Donna and disaster about to be unleashed!”

What did you think of the trailer and the titles of the three specials? Let me know in the comments below.

Glee and Frozen star joins Doctor Who

From Glee to Frozen and Hamilton to Doctor Who. Award-winner Jonathan Groff is cast in a mysterious role in the long-running BBC sci-fi series.

On joining Doctor Who, Jonathan Groff said: “I am so thrilled to jump into the extraordinary mind of Russell T Davies and watch the incredible Ncuti Gatwa soar in this iconic role!”

Showrunner, Russell T Davies said: “This is an incredible coup, and a great honour, to get such a huge star striding on to our set. So strap on your space boots, this is going to be a blast!”

Groff's no stranger to sci-fi after starring in The Matrix Resurrections.

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ outside the UK and Ireland. Ncuti Gatwa takes over control of the TARDIS during the holiday season.

Are you looking forward to the new series of Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.

John Boyega wants a cameo in Doctor Who

John Boyega, best known for his role as Finn in Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy, wants a cameo in Doctor Who opposite Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) in the upcoming series.

Discussing diversity in film and television, Boyega told the Radio Times:

"It is opening up. You get inspired by things like Ncuti Gatwa playing the Doctor in Doctor Who – that is special to me. The glass ceiling can’t limit us. It’s exciting to see what comes out of this new stage of filmmaking and entertainment."

When asked about appearing in Doctor Who.

"I would love that!" the Star Wars actor said. "But get me in an episode where I’m one of the many Doctors in many timelines so I can just cameo it."

Boyega co-starred with former Doctor Who Jodie Whittaker in Attack the Block. With returning series showrunner Russell T Davies (It's A Sin) and the involvement of Disney+ in the forthcoming series of Doctor Who, I'm sure a cameo is possible.

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Would you like to see John Boyega in Doctor Who? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who: Doom's Day

Doctor Who continues to embrace transmedia storytelling with Doom's Day for its 60th anniversary celebration.

Series showrunner Russell T Davies says: “DOOM’S DAY is a huge new adventure for the whole Doctor Who universe - starring the brilliant and hilarious Sooz Kempner as an intergalactic assassin. Her adventures will span comics, audio, a novel, video games stories and more, expanding the world of Doctor Who into brand new territories. Beware the Doom’s Day, it’s coming for us all.”



Stand-up comedian, comedy sketch artist and actor Sooz Kempner will be the face and voice of Doom, and a number of fan-favourite characters will feature along her journey.

Sooz Kempner says: “To be part of the Doctor Who universe, a British institution up there with cups of tea and James Bond, is surreal and amazing! I love everything about Doom and can’t believe I get to travel across time and space with her.”

Online reactions from fans have been mixed following the announcement. This was compounded by a teaser suggesting the return of Matt Smith as the Doctor for Big Finish.

Personally, I never got on board with Time Lord Victorious during the pandemic. However, I will follow developments with interest.

The only transmedia event that fully captured my imagination was Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire in 1996. Fond memories of listening to the soundtrack CD as I wrote my final year dissertation and eagerly awaited the release of the Nintendo 64 (N64).

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Are you looking forward to Doom's Day? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who spin-offs teased with Disney+

The Whoniverse is about to expand with rumours of at least two new Doctor Who spin-offs as part of a creative partnership with Disney+.

One of which is a UNIT spin-off said to star Jemma Redgrave, reprising her role as Kate Stewart (daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart).

A monster spin-off is also said to be in the works, featuring the Daleks.

Returning series showrunner Russell T Davies (It's A Sin) has already overseen successful spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures (available on BBC iPlayer) during his previous tenure.

Disney+ is the exclusive home of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland. Addressing concerns from some fans regarding the involvement of Disney with the BBC's long-running sci-fi series.

"I know people are, naturally, worried about American producers having notes on things," Davies wrote in an issue of Doctor Who Magazine (DWM) in January.

"Well, don’t be. They’re giving excellent notes."

He added: "And I’m here to tell you, you haven’t watched a drama on British television in 20 years that hasn’t had American notes on it. Everything is a co-production… it’s really, completely normal."

The budget for Ncuti Gatwa's upcoming series in 2024 is reportedly $10 million per episode. That's some serious cash for a shiny new TARDIS at Bad Wolf.

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Are you looking forward to new Doctor Who spin-offs? Let me know in the comments below.

Welcome to the Whoniverse!

The Whoniverse existed before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with Doctor Who spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures in the wake of the beloved BBC sci-fi series' successful revival in 2005.

Returning showrunner Russell T Davies (It's A Sin) has teased more Doctor Who spin-offs as part of a creative partnership with Disney+. Disney+ is the exclusive home of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland. Bad Wolf shared a photo of incoming Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa standing by a sign saying 'Home of the Whoniverse'.

Doctor Who returns for three 60th anniversary specials, starring David Tennant (Doctor Who) and Catherine Tate (Donna Noble), this November on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

What spin-offs would you like to see? Daleks? Cybermen? Ice Warriors? Frobisher? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who teaser on Christmas Day

OK! There's no new Doctor Who Christmas special this year.

However, returning showrunner Russell T Davies (It's A Sin) has teased its return for next Christmas as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations with David Tennant back as the Doctor with fan-favourite companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) before Ncuti Gatwa takes control of the TARDIS.

The BBC released a new teaser trailer as a surprise on Christmas Day.



Russell T Davies, showrunner says: “We wanted to give fans, friends and families a lovely little Christmas present - with a promise that 2023 will be a riot of Doctor Who goodness!"

Beep the Meep makes his live-action debut. The malevolent beast first appeared in Marvel UK’s Doctor Who Weekly and was illustrated by Dave Gibbons (Watchmen). Does this pave the way for Frobisher and Death's Head, yes?

Now I’m hoping Abslom Daak will appear in the strongly rumoured Dalek spin-off series!

Disney+ is distributing the new series outside the UK and Ireland, where it will remain on the BBC.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a happy and safe holiday season. I'm off to rewatch A Christmas Carol, guest starring Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins, on BBC iPlayer.

Tag! You have The Power of the Doctor

It's been a long time since the last collaboration between Generation Star Wars' John Hood and Taking The Short View's Andrew Lewin. Clearly, it would take something very special indeed to get the band back together after all that time.

So, how about the arrival of a special feature-length episode of Doctor Who marking the 100th anniversary of the BBC, packed full of spectacle and excitement not to mention a legion of familiar faces from the show's long history, and culminating in regeneration and a new Doctor? One that it turns out we really weren't expecting?

Yes, that would probably do it. In fact, it would be rude not to.

So let's buckle up and take a good look at "The Power of the Doctor". Or as the Tenth Doctor of old used to say: "Allons-y!"

Warning: contains spoilers right from the start. So many spoilers, in fact, that even the spoilers contain spoilers. You have been warned, sweetie!

Andrew: So, how was it for you, John?

John: I really enjoyed it! A fun romp down memory lane punctuated by poignant moments and I kept away from social media at a time before Elon Musk bought Twitter.

Andrew: Almost prehistoric! I also managed to stay away from spoilers right up to the time of the broadcast. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to watch it live, and it was impossible to dodge the spoilers that flooded in straight afterwards - not only on social media but TV, radio, and everywhere. It means I knew what happened in the shock final scene at least, long before I got to watch the episode because it was all anyone was talking about.

John: Oh, boy!

Andrew: Was it a shock though? The production team had already been obliged to publicly confirm that David Tennant was returning to the role after he was seen in costume filming on location. The only thing was, he didn't look like the Tenth Doctor used to, so how did this fit into continuity? For months, the idea that Jodie Whittaker would regenerate backwards into Tennant rather than forwards into Ncuti Gatwa had been mooted, albeit played down as much as possible by the producers.

Of course, I was by no means certain that it would happen until it actually happened. But when it did it was no longer a shock, or a surprise, more a case of "Oh, so they ARE doing that, then." What about you, John - did it catch you off-guard? How did you react to the moment when it happened?

John: It didn’t catch me off-guard per se and I punched the air seeing Tennant’s mysterious return to the titular role! What’s going on? However, I lamented not being able to spend more time (no pun intended) with Whittaker’s Doctor! Her tenure was clearly impacted by the pandemic and the series was in a state of flux. But I’m probably getting ahead of myself as this is our first opportunity to talk all things Time Lord in years.

Andrew: I really did like Jodie Whittaker in the role, right from the start. After Peter Capaldi's rather dour incarnation, it was lovely to have a Doctor that was just such a bundle of pure joy, energy and excitement. But I'm not sure the stories she was given really served her as well as they might; it would have been lovely to see her get her teeth into a Russell T Davies script.

John: Yes, that would have been really fun to see or a story penned by former showrunner Steven Moffat.

Andrew: Talking of a state of "Flux" (I saw what you did there!) I revisited last year's six-part mini-series last week in preparation for "The Power of the Doctor". I had been beset by the same work clashes during its original broadcast, which meant I was watching it in fits and starts days after the event. It rather soured my enjoyment not to mention my comprehension of what was going on. I enjoyed it a lot more this time and appreciated its strengths (the top-notch FX, costumes, prosthetics, universally strong performances, direction, the sheer aspiration) while continuing to hate the overall plotting which still made no sense and contained holes a mile wide. (Warning: I'm going to say something similar about "The Power of the Doctor" in a few minutes.)

John: I rather enjoyed "Flux" for all its foibles. Chris Chibnall never lacks for ambition even if it all goes nowhere, infuriating fans. However, Doctor Who isn't unique in this. See Lost, The X-Files, etc. And there were narrative parallels with Marvel Studios’ Loki on Disney+. However, this was totally coincidental.

Andrew: He might not lack ambition, but I do feel he lacks the fundamental understanding of the genre that the creators of those other shows you mention (I was a huge X-Files fan back in the day) possessed, as did his predecessors on Doctor Who. He has some striking ideas but then can't structure them into a coherent, satisfying plot. His dialogue (especially technobabble) is also really poor, and he just can't seem to come up with decent or memorable genre names for aliens or planets (Stenza, Pting, Ranskoor Av Kolos). Those are some of the reasons why I think I've become somewhat disconnected from the series in recent years.

John: Star Wars had Porgs; Doctor Who had Pting. I’d suggest the long breaks between series haven't helped and evokes memories of Colin Baker's ill-fated tenure, which culminated in me, briefly, departing the TARDIS in favour of MTV and hormonally-charged teenage distractions. I may have said too much.

Andrew: Or indeed, not enough! I'd also moved on by the time Colin Baker took over. I was at university in York with many other (entirely academic) distractions of my own, and where Doctor Who simply wasn't very cool. We were all too busy watching Neighbours in the common room. (The 80s were very weird times.) Ironically, while I was at York, I went to see a stage production of Ira Levin's Deathtrap at the Theatre Royal in which the lead role was taken by none other than Colin Baker. He was actually very good indeed.

John: That’s such a cool coincidence. What did you make of seeing the Doctor’s previous incarnations? Again, this wasn’t spoiled at all for me. I had to rewatch scenes as it was overwhelmingly emotional on so many levels. I wondered what our late friend and fellow Whovian, Stephen Miles, would have made of it all... And it was 45 years ago that I awoke from a coma, in a children’s hospital, having undergone a ‘forced regeneration’ of my own.

Andrew: Something that can't help but make 'regeneration' feel real and uniquely personal for you, I'm sure. Hard if not impossible for someone who hasn't been through something comparable to even begin to understand - except through the medium of Doctor Who. It would have been lovely to have been able to catch up with Stephen and chat about all this; I'm sure he would have loved it.

John: I couldn’t agree with you more. I remember when Stephen DM’d me to say that I was printed in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine (DWM) and his unbound enthusiasm for all things timey-wimey was utterly infectious.

Andrew: Truly was. I think if he were still with us, he would have managed to talk me out of a lot of the more grumpy nitpicks I'm making here about the show.

John: Without a scintilla of doubt.

Andrew: Hang on, that was your cue to say "you're not being grumpy at all"! But yes, Stephen was always so positive and enthusiastic about all things Who. I'm sure he would have found all the silver linings and talked me around.

John: Talking of silver linings, I’m sure Stephen would have loved Ashad (Patrick O'Kane). The David Banks Cyberleader of this era.

Andrew: I thought the return of Ashad in "The Power of the Doctor" was very odd. So it was a clone of the original that the Master (Sacha Dhawan) killed? But then had to be part-cyber converted and disfigured again? And for what reason? Any mini-Cyberman would have been enough to infiltrate UNIT. Just the first of many plotting problems we're going to be talking about, I suspect.

John: Akin to George Lucas ‘killing off’ Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and then bringing him back for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and more. Because reasons.

Andrew: Was Lucas even behind Darth Maul's return in Clone Wars? I thought it was out of his hands by then. But yes, in many ways you're right: I remember watching Maul's demise in Phantom Muddle and thinking, "Well, that was a damn silly thing to do to one of the few new characters who showed any real promise for the future.”

John: Yes, George Lucas created The Clone Wars for the Cartoon Network.

Andrew: I stand corrected. It just feels odd to me that Lucas would give the okay to such a volte-face after making the character's death such a huge moment in the film.

John: Because toys. But all cynicism aside. The Clone Wars was excellent and further Star Wars spin-offs have subsequently enriched the franchise.

Andrew: But to return to your question about the previous incarnations: even though I was over 24 hours late to the party, I hadn't picked up any significant spoilers about who else was in the episode - although I could tell the spoilers were out there and poised to overwhelm me at any moment if I didn't get around to watching it on catch-up ASAP. We knew about Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) coming back of course after the trailer at Easter, and I thought the production team were very clever in using the excitement about this to deflect any speculation as to whether there might be anything else concealed behind it.

John: It was an ingenious sleight of hand and I never even considered we’d see any previous incarnations given the 60th anniversary looming large.

Andrew: I certainly wasn't expecting what transpired. And the reunion was very cleverly executed to cover for the fact that they all look rather different from how they used to. Except for Paul McGann, who looks younger every time I see him - I suspect he truly is a Time Lord (and the same applies to Tennant). The scenes between Ace and Sylvester McCoy, and Tegan and Peter Davison, together with mentions of Adric when Tegan faced down the Cybermen were indeed rather overwhelming with emotional significance and triggered an avalanche of memories.

John: As you know, Adric wasn't a companion I much cared for until that fateful moment in "Earthshock". [Shoosh: classic spoilers, sweetie! - Ed] Whilst I've never listened to McGann's Big Finish adventures, it always feels like we've seen his televised adventures but they're lost to time.

Andrew: And thanks to the "Night of the Doctor" minisode, we now know that all those Big Finish plays are canon. Personally, I've only listened to the McGann audio adventures that have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra. But if you only ever try one, go for "The Chimes of Midnight" by Robert Shearman. It's superb, although more like a Sapphire and Steel story than a regular Doctor Who.

John: Thanks for the tip. “Alexa, open BBC Sounds...”

Andrew: Not sure it's still on there. I was actually so impressed, I ended up buying the CD. As for Adric, I liked him mainly because he was a mathematician and that was my favourite subject at school at the time, and indeed what I went on to study at university a few years later. Plus he was the same age as me and a whiny, sulky teenage brat prone to tantrums ... Actually, nope, no idea why I identified with him at all now I come to think of it. Let's move quickly on.

John: Do I start calling you Adric from now on?

Andrew: Not unless you want me to do something very anti-social with my gold star for mathematical excellence!

John: Excellent! Oh...

Andrew: You mentioned the forced regeneration. Could you help me out understanding any aspect of this part of the script? It made no sense to me, just an excuse to get Sacha Dhawan dressed up in all the Doctor's past costumes. And don't get me wrong, that was great fun. He's such a fantastic, dynamic presence. But it really was all over the place as far as I was concerned. You?

John: The forced regeneration was bonkers but brilliantly bonkers! On a par with the Timeless Child arc, which was abandoned even though I, like many fans, had assumed it would be addressed during the cosmic train heist at the beginning of the centenary special. Chibnall bouncing ideas all over time and space and then... Moving on.

Andrew: I find that problematic, to be honest - both here and with the Timeless Child and all over "Flux", which seemed like it was constructed from a load of ideas for a full ten-part run that had to be crushed up in a blender when COVID-19 forced it to become a shorter mini-series instead, leaving promising bits and pieces on show, but few of them satisfactorily integrated or properly paying off.

John: Alas, most productions were similarly affected.

Andrew: Without question. And I'm the first to applaud the production team for what they achieved in "Flux" under such circumstances. It was the script that had some very noticeable missteps as far as I was concerned, and I had the same problem with "The Power of the Doctor".

For example, with the aforementioned forced regeneration: what a palaver! We know from canon that you can 'force' a regeneration just by bumping your head too hard on the TARDIS console, so why go to the lengths the Master did here? To take over the Doctor's regenerations? How is that distinguishable in practice from his own? The repercussions of this didn't seem to have been thought through or developed and fleshed out to any degree. It did provide the hook for the Doctor's near-death experience and seeing her past lives (and incarnations) flash before her eyes, but surely there were simpler ways of setting that up?

John: The Doctor’s near-death experience would have deeply resonated with anyone facing a similar situation (myself included).

Andrew: The most interesting aspect was actually what the experience did not to the Doctor, but to the Master - the sudden vulnerability, neediness and lack of assurance mixed with flashes of the old psychopath we know and love to loath. His "Don't let me go back to being me" was perfectly tragic. But otherwise, it came down to him riffling through the TARDIS wardrobe and doing a bit of Jodie cosplay and saying "I'm the Doctor" to a galactic news cam. Not exactly a very convincing "Master's Dalek Plan" (loved that gag) in any respect. Although as many people pointed out on social media, Dhawan really rocked Jodie's ear jewellery.

John: I've never worn ear jewellery, but could be tempted.

Andrew: Photos if you do, or it didn't happen!

John: Selfies will be all over the socials.

Andrew: While the socials last, anyway.

John: Don’t mention the Mastodon in the room!

Andrew: And then there was the cosmic train heist at the start that you mentioned, which was pretty pointless except for getting things started with an incoherent bang. While well-executed, I suspect that rather than hooking the audience and drawing them in as presumably intended it more likely resulted in a lot of baffled casual viewers changing channels. And then the Qurunx was a plot device made incarnate, and the cyberised planet played almost no role of significance, and even the Daleks and Cybermen themselves were marginalised to the point of being mere background decoration.

John: The cyber planet reminded me of a neutered Death Star!

Andrew: Neutered? Which bits did you notice that had been chopped off?! It certainly looked cool, but just didn't really contribute anything beyond that. Likewise, it felt like the Cybermen and the Daleks were only there because it was a centenary special and you can't have one of those without the show's top two monsters.

John: Trimmings to the Master’s main course.

Andrew: Well put! I bet the Sontarans were pouting about not getting a party invite. Ace getting to work on one of the Daleks with her baseball bat was a great moment, but Tegan defeating all the Cybermen by cross-wiring something in UNIT's basement stretched credulity. Did no one even think of reversing the polarity of the neutron flow, for heaven's sake?!

John: That would have been a fun in-joke for what’s ostensibly a Three or Five Doctors for the selfie generation.

Andrew: Well it certainly wouldn't be the first time in the NuWho era. And it's not like the special wasn't already packed to the brim with as much nostalgia and in-jokes as possible. Too much? Or is it fully justified given the fact it was a centenary celebration for the BBC?

John: A blue box of delights overflowing with timey-wimey treats.

Andrew: Away from that, it too often felt like Chibnall had an idea and stuck it in without any thought of context or where it's going. For example: why was the Master disguised as Rasputin? Or was he actually the real Rasputin? And why bother with any of that anyway? Was it really just for the moment when Dhawan got to dance to Boney M? Don't get me wrong, I laughed like a drain at that (and again, I loved Dhawan in this and every other scene he was in) but it was totally gratuitous and unnecessary and actually tied the story up in knots as it tried to bounce between 1916 and 2022. (Apparently, another scene set in Tunguska in 1908 was cut - X-Files fans will know why that's significant.) Most of all it felt like Chibnall was trying a do-over of the classic scene from 2007 when John Simm's similarly bonkers Master danced like a loon to the Scissor Sisters - only, RTD made that feel like an organic moment in the plot, rather than everything up to that point being a set-up for the gag.

John: A self-referential adventure through space and time.

Andrew: And on that self-referential note, there were other direct riffs on previous stories going on as well - the moment when six companions are at the TARDIS console was a direct lift from "Journey's End" only this one didn't have nearly the emotional impact and payoff that RTD's original scene did.

That, for me, is the problem with Chibnall's time as showrunner in a nutshell. To his credit, he tried a lot of different things like "Rosa" and the talking frog; but when he took inspiration from aspects of previous stories he did so without the inherent understanding of how to fit them in and make them work as well as they had done the first time. Too often he ended up taking refuge in an empty but fast-moving spectacle and breathless action and technobabble to paper over the cracks, hoping the audience didn't notice the flaws underneath.

John: Forgot Poundland Kermit made a cameo!

Andrew: Yes, we know all too well that it's not easy being green... But seriously, tell me I'm wrong and why I'm being deeply unfair!

John: When the Thirteenth Doctor's adventures first started, there was a lot of talk suggesting a pivot towards Quantum Leap! Personally, I didn't mind as the adventures of Dr Sam Beckett took over when Doctor Who ended on television in 1989.

Andrew: Really? I don't recall any chatter about that sort of makeover for the show at the time (clearly I wasn't paying attention). I find that weird: why junk the utterly unique format of a show that's been a success for just shy of 60 years to replace it with a clone of a long-gone short-lived US series from the early 90s? No insult intended to Quantum Leap, but still. TV executives are weird - and on the whole apparently rather dumb!

John: Judging by the lukewarm reaction to the recent Quantum Leap reboot, perhaps it wouldn’t have been such a good idea after all! What I will say, is Jodie’s first year as the titular Time Lord was the first I’ve watched with my dad since the Tom Baker era so it will hold a special place in the televisual firmament.

Andrew: I wasn't sure how the Quantum Leap reboot had gone, to be honest. It's been given a second run, hasn't it? Or did I dream that?

It's lovely you had Jodie's first run to share with your dad. Although I still think that the pair of you would enjoy sitting down and sharing David Tennant's series 3 and 4 even more. They were great times in my book. Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) was very underrated, while Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) vies with Sarah-Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) as the all-time best companion. I can't wait to see her back - and how they do it!

John: Sarah-Jane Smith and Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) are my all-time favourite companions. The latter was immortalised in a LEGO Ideas set, which Stephen proudly shared photographs of on socials.

Andrew: Coleman is undoubtedly a great actor, very charismatic, and it's her talent alone that salvaged Clara from the "impossible girl' train wreck that Moffat made of the character. Sorry - I interrupted.

John: As we’ve conjectured previously, Matt Smith’s exit nixed that plot line.

Dad did see a few of Tennant’s specials and is a big fan. However, Doctor Who returned to television during a familial crisis and tragedy in the wake of an NHS never event. There was little opportunity to see the series together. That said, maybe it’s time to fire up BBC iPlayer...

Andrew: They're all on there I think. And you have plenty of time before the next new episodes. So get to it!

John: Geronimo!

Andrew: I think the reason why I rate those so highly is because RTD had such an understanding of combining high-concept SF with down-to-earth domestic believability. He could shift tone and mix farce and terror in a heartbeat, whereas Moffat was more intellectual and interested in timey-wimey complexities, and framed Doctor Who as a fairy tale in a way that never worked quite so well for me.

John: Moffat’s Grimm fairy tale in space resonated more with me.

Andrew: Most recently it just feels like Chibnall simply doesn't really like working in the genre at all, if I'm honest. But it’s not just a problem with how Chibnall handles science fiction concepts. "The Power of the Doctor" also displays basic poor Scripting 101. For example, Vinder (Jacob Anderson) just happens to literally drop out of the sky onto the cyber planet at just the right moment. Talk about cosmic contrivances, Batman! Even though several years had passed, he's still carrying the communicator that the Doctor gave him when they met originally - and not only that, it's still charged! Whereas I barely remember to take my mobile with me when I pop out to the local shops.

John: Perhaps you’d be better off with an Apple Watch? Other brands are available.

Andrew: Don't confuse me with all your technobabble! Don't you still need the mobile on hand for an Apple Watch to work? Or has that changed in recent updates? But there you go, seducing me off-topic with all your Apple adulation!

John: Well, my head is usually in the iCloud+!

Andrew: So true. (There - that's what you get for not objecting to the earlier "grumpy" description!)

For me, the biggest scripting faux pas of the lot was the one that literally everyone commented on: Graham (Bradley Walsh) turning up out of the blue, totally unexplained, entirely unprepared in a random volcanic cavern deep underground halfway around the world. To quote the Tenth Doctor: "What? What?! WHAT?!?" At least the script didn't even try to explain how that made any sense and just made a joke of it.

John: Apologies for interjecting. Dad was a fan of Graham. Please, go on.

Andrew: I think we all were (and are). He was able to shine through despite a very overcrowded TARDIS during Jodie's first two years.

That said - and egregious though the "Graham in a crater" moment undoubtedly was - I'm actually minded to go easy on Chibnall for that one. It's clear that the production team was having to work very hard to cope with fast-changing cast availability, and I'm guessing Walsh suddenly came up with a couple of free days in his schedule and Chibnall gratefully snapped them up, given that Graham was such a big part of the early Whittaker years. (It does rather underline the absence of Ryan, but Tosin Cole is doing all manner of shows and pilots in Hollywood and was obviously far too busy to pop in for five minutes.)

John: Tosin was conspicuous by his absence. Even Coleman was able to film a green screen cameo for Peter Capaldi’s swan song.

Andrew: And she was busy being the Queen (Victoria) at the time if I recall correctly.

John: Yes, and filming other successful series too.

Andrew: She's definitely an overachiever. Kind of like her former co-star, Matt Smith, who is busy hanging out with dragons these days.

John: Smith is delightfully dangerous as Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon.

Andrew: Sounds like you approve of his new post-Doctor career!

John: Very much so! Smith was excellent in The Crown as a younger Prince Philip, which neatly reconnects him to his former companion Coleman in terms of portraying the monarchy in prestige dramas.

Andrew: Haven't seen The Crown so I guess we'd better stick to "The Power of the Doctor" for now. The aforementioned availability issues probably also explain why Dan (John Bishop) is bundled out of the door of the TARDIS so early. It reminded me of the old classic series where a companion would suddenly decide to leave the Doctor in the last few minutes of a story on some tenuous pretext because the actor's contract had expired. (Susan being locked out and abandoned in a war-ravaged dystopia by her grandfather because she had been getting a little flirty around a local resistance fighter being the first of many such abrupt exits.)

John: Dodo disappeared without much explanation if memory serves.

Andrew: There were a lot of sudden impromptu disappearances in the 1960s, from Vicki to Ben and Polly to Dodo, and beyond. They didn't get much in the way of character arcs back in the day.

I guess Bishop was already committed to restarting his comedy tour post-pandemic and was only on hand for that cosmic train heist sequence, plus a quick cameo at the end. I suspect his original role in the script might have been somewhat clumsily reallocated to Vinder, whose return was otherwise a bit odd. It all made me appreciate the way Terrence Dicks dealt with the same problem of short-notice cast availability for "The Five Doctors". In his case, Dicks came up with a workable framework for any last minute drop-ins, whereas Chibnall wasn't able to display the same inspiration.

John: There was some suggestion Dan would make the ultimate sacrifice to save the Doctor.

Andrew: No, I don't think that would have worked. Yaz maybe, if they'd wanted to go dark and tragic. But it felt like everyone wanted to keep this Doctor light and bouncy right to the end - hence the playground "Tag, you're it!" sign-off.

I really thought that the 'Companions Anonymous' scene had probably had to be thrown together using clever editing and green screen technology with everyone shot individually and composited back together to create the final scene. I was impressed when I saw the production stills where everyone actually was in the same room together, and joined by Jodie. That was very special. It was also lovely to learn that Janet Fielding got to shoot her scenes face to face with Peter Davison on set, and Sophie Aldred likewise with Sylvester McCoy; it made those reunions much more emotionally powerful than if shot separately.

John: Davison’s voice breaking, when he mentioned Adric, really hit home.

Andrew: There you go! I knew you connected with Adric after all, despite your earlier protestations.

John: The shock of it! Sorry, not sorry.

Andrew: It was the 'Companions Anonymous' meeting which made me realise what it was about "The Power of the Doctor" that was really important and actually worked: it wasn't a story about the Doctor at all. Indeed, many fans have complained that Jodie was somewhat sidelined because of everything else going on, all the spectacle and special guests and that everyone else was given crucial things to do while she herself was relatively passive and even went completely AWOL for a spell. Maybe so, but it meant that rather than being all about her, the special became a celebration of the Doctor's impact and positive influence on her companions and the many others she has come across in her travels, like Kate Stewart (Jemima Redgrave).

John: Ah! Star Wars Celebration! Oops, wrong franchise.

Andrew: The true power of the Doctor is surely the life-long friends she has made, who have reached their full potential because of her. And it's also about how difficult it is to be in the Doctor's shadow nonetheless and how hard is must be to be left behind when their time together is over. It shows them as a remarkable group of people - from Ian Chesterton (William Russell) all the way through to Yaz Khan (Mandeep Gil), who I thought did outstandingly once she was given so much more to do, both here and in the "Flux" mini-series.

John: Couldn’t agree more! It’s a celebration of the series itself, and the fans - us! The friendships made with fellow Whovians and, personally, attending both the 20th and 50th anniversary celebrations are something I will never forget. The former is especially poignant as the fabled Longleat event was oversubscribed and my late mum spoke to a kindly army officer who invited us in as guests of the military (I like to imagine UNIT).

The Doctor and Yaz’s reflective moment sitting atop the TARDIS overlooking Earth was profoundly moving.

Andrew: That was a lovely, beautiful, poetic scene. I think it will lodge in the memory for years to come.

You can argue that the ending even gave Dan a belated character arc after all, since it shows him having moved on from being the nice but aimless and unambitious drifter he started as in "Flux", to now being ready to take control and get on with life. You know he will do something special with it, and be really good at whatever it turns out to be. That was the power of the Doctor's effect on him even in a relatively short stint aboard the TARDIS.

John: Amen to that.

Andrew: Strip away all the garish distractions and horrible plotting and I think when looked at simply as a celebration of the companions rather than of the Doctor, the episode was ultimately surprisingly effective. It turns out that all the guest stars and callbacks weren't just a load of gratuitous fan service, it was the whole point of the story. It's the emotional resonance that makes the special work despite all the script's many problems that I've been grumbling about. Chibnall might have his flaws (I may have mentioned a few) but he can do emotionally intelligent stories really effectively - as indeed he had already proved with the original run of Broadchurch. (The second, ironically, collapsed due to incredibly poor plotting. History repeats itself!)_

John: With all the recent talk of Disney dollars bolstering Doctor Who from 2023 onwards, what did you think of the special effects? Personally, I thought the centenary special looked stunning in 4K UHD on BBC iPlayer for PlayStation 5 (PS5)!

Andrew: I was watching "The Power of the Doctor" in Freeview broadcast high definition, so it's slightly hard to judge. But I did recently get hold of the Blu-Ray version of "Flux" and was actually very impressed - I thought it looked absolutely great. I'm sure "The Power of the Doctor" was just as beautiful. I can't see how they can improve on it further by throwing money at it; indeed, there's the risk of making the show all about the FX and not enough about the story and the characters. I think the show has already veered too far in that direction in recent times if I'm honest.

John: Look at all the shiny spacey things.

Andrew: Gollum and his precious! But that said, the previous special - "Legend of the Sea Devils" - had all the hallmarks of an episode that hadn't been budgeted for. It looked cheap, felt rushed, and the script seemed a good two or three additional drafts from being ready to go before the camera. One of the worst episodes of the modern Doctor Who era in my book. It didn't help that it was a pirate story, which I tend to hate with a passion whenever one shows up. ("The Curse of the Black Spot", I'm looking at you!)

John: I watched the Sea Devils’ Easter escapade during a family holiday in the Derbyshire Dales and didn’t really pay it much attention.

Andrew: It didn't really deserve any, to be honest. So what would you like to see the show do with all that additional Mickey Mouse money, John?

John: That’s the £100 million per series question if rumours are to be believed. I’ve long argued Bad Wolf should co-produce Doctor Who following the excellent His Dark Materials live-action adaptation for the BBC and HBO.

Now, Bad Wolf (owned by Sony) is co-producing RTD’s new era so I’m hoping we’ll see superlative visuals, storytelling and more spin-offs, especially as the returning series showrunner has been on a winning streak with Years and Years and It’s A Sin.

Andrew: I love that they named the production company after the mysterious arc from the first run of the Doctor Who reboot. It shows where all their hearts really lie, doesn't it? They never really fully moved on; and now, they're really back!

John: RTD has already alluded to spin-offs à la the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Of course, he was ahead of the curve with Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures during his first tenure as showrunner.

How about a Dalek series, taking inspiration from TV Century 21, on Disney+? The reprinted comic strips on the back page of Marvel UK’s DWM captured my childhood imagination as I played with Marx and Palitoy Dalek toys!

Andrew: That would be very much down to the Terry Nation estate I think since they license the rights to use the Daleks. The man himself tried that in the 60s in America but it never took off. The trouble is that the Daleks are too limited to headline a whole series and easily become tiresome. Their lack of humanity in any form is a problem; it's why Nation ended up devising Davros as he's a much better dramatic foil. But how about a grim, militaristic story of the Kaled/Thal war, with a young Davros growing up in the domed cities under bombardment, in the style of Andor?

However, Torchwood feels like the obvious first spin-off project. Maybe make it a hub for freelancing former companions, as UNIT was doing with Tegan and Ace? Add Yaz to the line-up, and maybe Martha Jones, and the format is flexible enough to take it anywhere you want.

John: An exciting homecoming for the 60th anniversary.

Andrew: So I've gone at some length about why I feel the recent series hasn't landed so well with me, to say the least. Perhaps the biggest factor is that ever since the Moffat residency, the show has been going over and over the character and background of the Doctor him/herself, culminating most recently with the introduction of the whole Timeless Child extra layer. I just wish they would get back to the days of the madman in the box travelling around the universe, meeting interesting people and having exciting adventures in time and space without the navel-gazing introspection. Back to how they used to do things for almost all of the entire 26 years of the classic series.

What about you? What would you like to see them do with all that cash - and with Tennant and Gatwa - that was missing from the recent Whittaker run?

John: As you’ve already alluded, make it mysterious again. Let the Doctor walk in eternity...

Andrew: I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out. So let's pause for now and reconvene and continue this discussion next year when the three specials arrive. Until then, John?

John: Until then, Andrew! VWORP! VWORP!

The series 13 specials are available here (affiliate link).

Have you seen The Power of the Doctor? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Doctor Who companion on Children in Need

During today's Childen in Need fundraiser on BBC One, a new companion for Ncuti Gatwa's (Sex Education) Doctor Who will be announced live.

Gatwa takes the helm of the TARDIS console from David Tennant following three specials to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the fan-favourite time traveller in 2023.

Russell T Davies (It's A Sin) is returning showrunner with Disney+ distributing the new series outside the UK and Ireland, where it will remain on the BBC.

Who would you like to see announced as a Doctor Who companion? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who coming to Disney+

As rumoured months ago, Disney+ is the new home of Doctor Who outside the UK and Ireland from 2023.

Today the BBC and Disney issued a joint announcement along with a new logo that harkens back to the iconic diamond logo from my childhood. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.



On Sunday, Jodie Whittaker bowed out of the series in the centenary special, The Power of the Doctor. Whittaker mysteriously 'degenerated' into David Tennant ahead of three 60th anniversary specials starting in November 2023! Ncuti Gatwa takes the helm of the TARDIS during a holiday special.



Russell T Davies says: "I love this show, and this is the best of both worlds – with the vision and joy of the BBC and Disney+ together we can launch the TARDIS all around the planet, reaching a new generation of fans while keeping our traditional home firmly on the BBC in the UK."

Previously, new series of Doctor Who aired overseas on networks such as BBC America, AMC+ and HBO Max.

Charlotte Moore, BBC's Chief Content Officer says: "We are thrilled to announce this exciting global partnership with Disney who are the perfect partners to bring this very British show to the rest of the world. Russell T Davies' vision for Doctor Who has always been out of this world and we are committed to ensuring that audiences across the globe get the opportunity to enjoy the Doctor's epic adventures with the scale and ambition that they deserve. Joining forces with Disney will elevate the show to even greater heights and reach new audiences so it's an extremely exciting time for fans in the UK and across the world."

The fan-favourite Time Lord is no stranger to streaming services. The beloved BBC sci-fi series has appeared on Amazon Prime and Netflix and the classic series streams exclusively on BritBox. However, Doctor Who will be alongside Marvel Studios and Star Wars franchises on Disney+.

Alisa Bowen, President, Disney+ says: "We're excited by the opportunity to bring new seasons of this beloved franchise exclusively to Disney+ and introduce the show to the next generation of audiences in more than 150 markets around the world. The series is a perfect addition to our ever-growing catalog of global content that continues to make Disney+ the home for exceptional storytelling."

All in all, this guarantees a very bright future for Doctor Who.

Ayo Davis, President, Disney Branded Television says: "Doctor Who has captivated the imaginations of families around the world for the past six decades. We are so excited about this collaboration with the BBC, and the opportunity to bring this iconic franchise – and Russell T Davies' brilliant vision – to life for a huge new global audience. Grab your sonic screwdrivers and prepare to travel through time and space!"

Whilst it's worth noting this is an exclusive distribution deal with Disney, the new series is expected to utilise Industrial Light & Magic's (ILM) StageCraft developed for Lucasfilm's The Mandalorian. It's also likely there'll be new merchandising opportunities that could encompass Disney Parks.

The new series of Doctor Who, a co-production with Sony's Bad Wolf (His Dark Materials), is an excellent addition to Disney+. But what do you think? Do you like the new logo? Let me know in the comments below.

An era ends in The Power of the Doctor

During New York Comic Con (NYCC), the BBC released a trailer for Jodie Whittaker’s final Doctor Who special, The Power of the Doctor.

When the official title for the centenary special was first announced, like many fans I was instantly reminded of The Name of the Doctor, The Night of the Doctor, The Day of the Doctor, The Time of the Doctor and The Power of the Daleks.



Here’s the official synopsis from the BBC:

“In this feature-length Special to mark her last adventure, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor must fight for her very existence, against her deadliest enemies: the Daleks, the Cybermen and her arch-nemesis, the Master.

Who is attacking a speeding bullet train on the edges of a distant galaxy? Why are seismologists going missing from 21st century Earth? Who is defacing some of history’s most iconic paintings? Why is a Dalek trying to make contact with the Doctor? And just what hold does the mesmeric Rasputin have over Tsar Nicholas in 1916 Russia?

The Doctor faces multiple threats…and a battle to the death.”

I'll miss her and the TARDIS fam. Series 11 was the first I've watched, since the Tom Baker era, with my dad. Rosa Parks, The Haunting of Villa Diodati and Ascension of the Cybermen/The Timeless Children are among some of the best episodes in the beloved sci-fi franchise's storied history. Hopefully, Andrew Lewin and I will be on hand to discuss the 90-minute special following its transmission.

For the 60th anniversary in 2023, Ncuti Gatwa (Sex Education) will be playing the titular Time Lord in returning showrunner Russell T Davies’ (It's A Sin) new era co-produced by Sony’s Bad Wolf (His Dark Materials). David Tennant is back as the Tenth Doctor with fan-favourite companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). However, mystery surrounds this and rumours suggest Whittaker regenerates into Tennant for an unannounced Christmas special.

The series 13 specials are available for pre-order (affiliate link).

The Power of the Doctor premieres on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC America on Sunday 23rd October.

What are your hopes for the centenary special? Let me know in the comments below.