Spoilers for Office Romance are ahead! Read with caution, and stream the film with a Netflix subscription.

Yes, Office Romance puts the rom in rom-com. Brett Goldstein and Jennifer Lopez’s chemistry is wonderful. However, I’d argue this movie, which was co-written by Goldstein and Joe Kelly, actually goes harder in the com department. Seriously, his film on Netflix’s 2026 schedule features three absurd storylines that are absolutely hilarious, and I can't deny that they totally made the movie for me.

When I say absurd, I mean there were multiple plot points in this film that went far beyond anything I could have ever imagined, and they were both wildly creative and delightfully unhinged. Ultimately, they helped keep me on my toes as the primary romance between JLo’s Jackie and Goldstein’s Daniel unfolded, and they’re also what made me appreciate this film so much.

Sydney’s Relentless Pursuit To Figure Out What’s Going On Between Jackie And Daniel

As reviews for Office Romance pointed out, Betty Gilpin’s performance as Jacki's second-in-command, Sydney, is undeniably funny. In fact, I think she steals the show. From the jump, she’s suspicious of Jackie and Daniel’s relationship, and the GLOW actress played that all out with an over-the-top passion that made me laugh out loud numerous times.

Plus, Sydney was very pregnant as all this was going down. However, she wouldn't let that get in her way, as she went into labor at the office and literally refused to push her baby out until she got a confession out of Daniel and Jackie.

All in all, Betty Gilpin gave a loud, unapologetic and truly hilarious performance that both emphasized how wild Sydney’s story was and served as the biggest highlight of the movie overall.

Peter Vance Going From Being A Lawyer To Working At A Food Truck

Bradley Whitford’s Peter Vance was making me laugh early in the movie after he choked on a breakfast burrito and drove his scooter haphazardly through the office. However, what really turned his story into an absurdly amusing one came later when it was revealed that he started working at a food truck after he left the airline company. And it’s important to note that he literally just works there; he does not own it; he “lives in service now.” He makes breakfast burritos with love and has “found [his] true calling.”

I was so happy for him, and I loved how his story came back around full circle right when Jackie needed him for some advice. It was a silly and surprisingly wholesome way to conclude his arc, and it helped drive the central romance forward.

Daniel’s Sister Is A Murderer

Literally, the whole reason Daniel goes to the US is to help his sister Lizzy (Jodie Whittaker) after she “chopped a guy’s head off with a machete” and was arrested. When I saw the trailer for Office Romance and wondered why an American airline company had a British man on their staff of lawyers, I did not think “because his sister was in prison for killing a man across the pond” would be the answer to my question.

However, I’m delighted it was. It was such a wild twist for this film to add, and I loved that Whittaker played Lizzy in such an unapologetically chaotic yet lovable way.

I also enjoyed how this all played into the greater romance, seeing as Daniel keeping Lizzy a secret from Jackie prompted them to break up (more so because Daniel was keeping secrets, not because Lizzy was a criminal). So, this additional storyline in this project on the 2026 movie schedule both added to our primary romance and provided a shocking backstory about our leading man and his criminal sister.

Absurd is genuinely the best word I can think of to describe the various subplots in Office Romance, and the movie is so much better because of them. They add unexpected and hilarious layers to an already nice rom-com, and as I said earlier, they really help put the com in rom-com in a way I really, really appreciate.

Doctor Who is on hiatus until it returns later in the 2026 TV schedule with this year's Christmas special, which gives plenty of time for all involved, past and present, to share their thoughts about the current state of the beloved franchise. Fortunately, we got a chance to hear from former showrunner Chris Chibnall, and his thoughts on his episodes being referenced in the new seasons caught me in my feels.

Despite the controversial response from fans to The Timeless Child and Flux storylines in Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies chose to embrace them rather than retcon their impact on the overall story. On top of all that, Jodie Whittaker reprised her role as The Doctor in Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration episode, bringing the first female Doctor back to the franchise once more. Chris Chibnall confirmed to Radio Times that he was happy to see his work referenced in the series, and explained the feeling in detail:

I love hearing Chris Chibnall express joy about this, especially after all the flak his seasons of Doctor Who received. I feel that, while some of his ideas were poorly received in the moment, they've stood the test of time as good fodder for future episodes. Also, in hindsight, did it really matter that The Doctor now has unlimited regenerations?

While the former showrunner said he requested Russell T. Davies not spoil him on any plans for upcoming seasons and couldn't comment on what's up next for Billie Piper's Doctor, he did comment on the unique experience of seeing his own contributions become a part of Doctor Who's lore:

Chris Chibnall's positive comments are a ray of sunshine, keeping fans in the United States warm until we learn when The War Between the Land and the Sea will be available with a Disney+ subscription. Despite the streamer ending its partnership with The BBC, it will air the spinoff at some point in the new year.

As for what's ahead for the flagship series, that remains a big mystery. It seems we won't get any concrete answers on why The Doctor transformed into one of his former companions until Christmas at the earliest, unless someone in the cast spills the beans first.

We will also see this year if the BBC can find another co-producer for the series, which may help the show sustain the boosted budget it received from splitting the cost with Disney. Otherwise, Doctor Who viewers who tune in may find the return a pared-down experience, and I'm not sure how they'll react to that. I'm not sure I can go back to low-budget Who after seeing it with money, but I still enjoy some of the best classic episodes, so I can give it a shot.

As mentioned, Doctor Who will air a Christmas special in late 2026, and presumably we'll have news on when it will return for a new season by then as well. Stick with CinemaBlend as we continue to sniff out interviews for any updates in the meantime, and celebrate the bright points along the way.

With Ncuti Gatwa's exit and Billie Piper's return to Doctor Who drawing attention after show's the latest season finale, it's easy to see how Jodie Whittaker's unexpected return was lost in the mix. Now, with some time passed, the Thirteenth Doctor actress had a chance to speak about her return. There was apparently one aspect of her reprisal that left her delighted and, in addition to revealing that, she also discussed whether she'd be up to return to the franchise again in the future.

Whittaker spoke to The Times about a litany of topics recently, including something that surprised her about her surprise appearance in Doctor Who's "The Reality War." While her return as The Doctor was brief, the actress talked about how it was comforting to know her classic costume was still as good a fit as it was when she filmed her regeneration sequence:

It's great to read her glowing comments about returning to Doctor Who, especially given all the controversy the show faced while she was The Doctor. As a fan, I'm happy she was able to enjoy her return and perhaps get the flowers and compliments she never quite received during her own run on the show.

Yet, while the experience was great for Jodie Whittaker, is it something she'd do again? Well, Whittaker didn't hesitate with her response, and I love hearing this from her:

I'm so used to hearing or reading about David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi dancing around that reprisal question. So it's refreshing to hear Jodie Whittaker say she'd always jump at the opportunity to return to Doctor Who. I hope future writers keep that offer in mind and find ways to work her into the story in the future.

The larger immediate question might be when Doctor Who is coming back, as fans are still waiting on word of a renewal for a new season. Questions are still looming about whether Disney will remain a co-producer of the series, despite initial reports that the House of Mouse was backing out. At this point, there's still a possibility new episodes will remain streamable with a Disney+ subscription here in the United States, but it's all still very much up in the air.

While it's not entirely clear how or when Who will return, all the word from those connected with The BBC seems to confirm it will continue eventually. That makes sense considering its long, storied history as well as its reputation as one of the few UK productions with an international appeal. Here's hoping we get some positive updates about its return soon, and maybe some details about Billie Piper's return as The Doctor. I'll also keep my fingers crossed that Whittaker finds her way back into the fold at some point as well.

Doctor Who may not be returning in 2026, but what's known is that the spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, is coming up next year. I'm hoping the new series will reignite excitement in the franchise for many and hopefully convince Disney to give another new season of the flagship series a shot.

Since television began, women have been an important part of its history. This is a list of many of the groundbreaking women who have made their mark not only for themselves but for all women in the industry. Women like Lucille Ball, Barbara Walters, Mary Tyler Moore, and many more.

Lucille Ball

I Love Lucy has been one of the most enduring hits in the history of television. It's been on TV both in the first run when it first aired in 1951 and in reruns ever since. Almost the entire time TV has been in people's homes. Of course, that's all because of the brilliant Lucille Ball's performance as Lucy. She's a one-of-kind legend we're unlikely to see the likes of again.

Roxie Roker

Over the course of her incredible career, Roxie Roker broke new ground everywhere she acted, whether it be on the big screen, the Broadway stage, or, as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, on television. The most important thing Roker did on TV seems so antiquated now that it's hard to believe, but when she was on a hit CBS show, she was actually the first Black actress to appear on a TV show in a relationship with a white man. It was a huge deal.

Carol Burnett

Not only is Carol Burnett one of the funniest women in TV history, but she's at or near the top of the list of the funniest people, period. Her eponymous show was a groundbreaking sketch comedy show and she not only paved the way for more female comedians to have their own show, she paved the way for enduring sketch comedy shows like Saturday Night Live

Betty White

There are few actors more beloved than Betty White. When she died just shy of her 100th birthday in 2021, the outpouring of grief from fans was incredible. It wasn't just for her roles on legendary shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Golden Girls, but for her whole career in television back to its earliest days.

Shonda Rhimes

Many of the women on this list are here for what they've done in front of the camera. Shonda Rhimes is here for what she does behind the scenes as one of the most prolific show creators of all time. Not only is she one of the first women to be so successful as a TV producer, but she's one of the first Black women to do it, making it doubly important and groundbreaking.

Ellen DeGeneres

It's obvious why Ellen DeGeneres is on this list, but that doesn't mean we should overlook the obvious. When DeGeneres came out as a lesbian on her sitcom in 1997 it was actually earthshattering. It shouldn't have been and today, something like that would hardly be blinked at and that's all because she had the guts to do it when she did.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag does something that few shows have done before it - it's an unflinching look at the life of a single woman and by doing that it, it automatically less of the cultural taboo it's been for far too long. It's weird that it's taken so long for something like this be a cultural stone, but at least we're here now.

Barbara Walters

In the TV news business, there is no more groundbreaking figure than the legendary Barbara Walters. As a news broadcaster, reporter, interviewer, and panel host, Walters did many things no woman before her had ever done. It's hard to downplay just how much of a trailblazer Walters was during her amazing career.

Marta Kauffman

As the producer and co-creator of Friends, Marta Kauffman showed the world that a woman could create what was, at the time, the biggest show in the world. It wasn't a show "for women," Friends was a show for everyone and few shows have seen the kind of popularity Friends had - and continues to have today with its endless life on streaming.

Mary Tyler Moore

Without The Mary Tyler Moore show, we might not have had other trailblazing shows like Murphy Brown, or Ellen, or Fleabag. Mary Tyler Moore did it first and, for many, still did it best. Before he blazed a trail on her own, she was also an early hero on The Dick Van Dyke Show. She truly made it on her own on TV.

Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner

It had to be hard for the three women in the original "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" on Saturday Night Live, Jane Curtain, Lorraine Newman, And Gilda Radner. The show felt like a frat house at times and there they were, consistently as funny or funnier than the frat bros that made up the rest of the amazing cast. Talk about groundbreaking.

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson's first television role came in 1961 and her final appearance came just before her death in 2020. In between she starred in literally 100s of episodes of television and often was the first and only Black woman on those shows and episodes. There aren't enough words to explain how important she was for every Black woman who came after her on TV.

Peggy Charren

Activist Peggy Charren is different than most on this list. She wasn't an actress, nor did she even work in the television industry. Instead, she was an advocate for the children at home watching. It's because of the work of Charren that kids had the option to watch informative and educational TV, and not just corporate drivel made to sell more sugary cereal to them. Anyone who grew up loving Sesame Street or The Electric Company has Charren to thank, at least in large part.

Katie Couric

It's hard to believe that it took until 2006 for a major network to have a female lead anchor, but it's true. That woman was, of course, Katie Couric and for that alone, she should forever be remembered as a groundbreaker. She's done so much more as well, so it's not the only thing she'll be remembered and appreciated for.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus' career has been nothing short of spectacular. She is one of very few people, much less women, to have won more than 10 Emmy Awards, for her work on not one, not two, but three hit shows. Seinfeld, The Old Adventures of New Christine, and Veep have all been great in large part due to her talent and hard work.

Irna Phillips

On her Wikipedia page, Irna Phillips is described as a scriptwriter, screenwriter, casting agent, and actress. In reality, she kind of invented the entire genre of the soap opera in the 1940s, first on radio and later on TV. She was the first to really pinpoint women as a target audience and write and create shows geared towards them. Daytime TV would be very different if not for Phillips.

Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll isn't the most famous person on this list and that's kind of weird because her contribution to TV is huge. Her groundbreaking role as the lead in Julia showed that Black actors, especially Black women, could be a whole more than just maids or other stereotypical roles they typically played before Julia debuted in 1968.

Candice Bergen

Even before she blazed a new trail in Murphy Brown as the first woman on TV to express the desire to raise a child as a single mom, Candice Bergen was breaking ground on TV. She was the first female member of the SNL Five-Timers Club, for example. As the lead on Murphy Brown, she won so many Emmys (five) that she started declining invitations to give others a chance at the career boost a win provided.

Bea Arthur

Like her cast mates on Golden Girls, Bea Arthur was a true trailblazer. For starters, she is one of few women in Hollywood who served in the active military during World War II as a marine. Once she got to Hollywood, she played by her own rules which eventually landed her a recurring role on All In The Family in the early '70s, tackling some of the biggest issues of the day. That led to the spinoff Maude where she was unflinching in her pursuit of bringing women's liberation issues to the forefront on prime-time TV, including such political hot topics as sensitive as abortion in the early '70s.

Oprah Winfrey

Of all the entries on this list, the one who might need the least introduction is Oprah Winfrey. Starting with a small locally-produced talk show on TV called AM Chicago and later simply The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey built a massive media empire and became one of the biggest moguls in television. Her empire reaches across all forms of media these days and she's among the richest people in the world. And then there are all the cars she's given away...

Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols was the sole woman in the original Star Trek cast and she more than held her own. Not only was she an equal member of the Enterprise crew, she was an equal member of the cast. On the show, Nichols' character Uhura shared an on-screen with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) which was one of the first, and most famous example of an interracial kiss on network television. It seems simple, but it was incredibly groundbreaking at the time.

Donna Reed

There were plenty of family-focused sitcoms on 1950s television. What set The Donna Reed Show apart is evident by its name. It was one of the first shows that focused on the mother, played by Donna Reed, as the primary character of the show. This wasn't Father's Knows Best or My Three Sons. Reed was the star and the main character. Additionally, she was no mere wallflower. She was a strong, independent-minded mother and wife who had a full life as a homemaker and mother and audiences saw it all, not just June Cleaver doing the dishes while wearing her pearls.

Laverne Cox

Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox wasn't the first transgender woman on TV, but she was one of the most visible as part of such a huge hit. Cox, and her character were remarkable not only because she was was transgender but because her character Sophia dealt with problems that weren't just because she was transgender, but because she was also human locked up in prison. Sophia wasn't simply a one dimensional character, she was much more than her gender. That was, and still is, rare.

Jodie Whittaker

If she does nothing else in her career (and that is unlikely), Jodie Whittaker will forever be known for being the first female Doctor on Doctor Who. That alone makes her incredibly groundbreaking and worthy of inclusion on this list. There was even a time when critics and fans thought that such a thing would be impossible. Whittaker has been remarkably popular and has proven all the doubters wrong.

Marlo Thomas

Like many instances on this list, it's hard to believe that there was ever a time when it was shocking to even consider an entire television show focused on an unmarried woman. Of course, there was a time when that was true, but that was before Marlo Thomas starred in That Girl starting in 1968. The show, which was actually a little controversial at the time was all about Thomas' character moving to New York to try to make it in show business.

Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen is probably best known as the star of the TV version of Fame (and a small role as the same character in the movie), as well as a judge of So You Think You Can Dance. But Allen's accomplishments run so much deeper than that. She is one of the most prolific TV directors of the last few decades and was the choreographer for the Oscars for a decade. She's had an amazing career on both sides of the camera.

Kerry Washington

It's really hard to wrap one's head around the fact that between Julia, starring Diahann Carroll, which ended in 1971, and Scandal when it started in 2012 (created by Shonda Rhimes), there were no TV shows with a Black female lead. Kerry Washington changed all that when Scandal became a huge hit and ran for six seasons on ABC.

Lynda Carter

Who says girls can't be superheroes? Well, today we know all too well that women can not only be superheroes, but they can lead franchises as such. Back in the late '70s, that was an open question that was answered by Lynda Carter who helped turn Wonder Woman into a hit show that ran for three seasons and then became a staple of syndication for years after.

Sandra Oh

It seems like Sandra Oh has been around forever. She got her big break as part of the cast of Arliss on HBO, then found more fame as a member of the cast of Grey's Anatomy. Her groundbreaking moment came in the titular character in Killing Eve. When she did, she became the first woman of Asian descent to lead a show in the United States. Remarkably it took until 2018 for that to happen. Like all the other women on this is, she proved there are still trails to be blazed.

Pauline Frederick

Pauline Frederick was a groundbreaking female reporter with ABC and NBC during her career. She covered major events like World War II and the Vietnam War, first on radio and then as one of the first female reporters on TV.

Mary Kay Stearns

Like the TV network it was first broadcast on, The DuMont Network, Mary Kay Stearns, and her sitcom Mary Kay And Johnny has mostly been lost to time. Few people remember the show or the network and that's too bad, because both were groundbreaking. In fact, Mary Kay And Johnny was the very first sitcom ever aired on broadcast TV when it debuted in 1948. Mary Kay Stearns starred with her real-life husband Johnny Stearns and not only was it the first sitcom, but it was the first show to feature a pregnant woman and the first to show a married couple sleeping in the same bed.

Viola Davis

As an EGOT winner, Viola Davis has proven over and over what a powerhouse actor she is, no matter where it is. Whether on stage, in film, or on television, she is one of the best to ever do it.

Despite a limited number of seasons and episodes, Black Mirror has, since the beginning, killed it with its casting. The Charlie Brooker-led show has landed some of the biggest stars in the world for episodes and chooses some of the best character actors from both sides of the pond as well. Here are 32 casting examples that prove Black Mirror crushes it. 

Daniel Kaluuya

Before Daniel Kaluuya hit the really big time with break-out roles in Get Out and Black Panther, he had a role in just the second episode of Black Mirror, called "Fifteen Million Merits." Kaluuya played a low-level bike rider looking to escape his boring life by performing in a reality TV show. It's a powerful performance and helped set the tone for the series. 

Hayley Atwell

Season 2 of  Black Mirror started with a bang, with an episode called "Be Right Back" starring Hayley Atwell and Domhnall Gleeson in a real mind-bending episode about a couple with a classic Black Mirror twist. 

Jon Hamm

In between Season 1 and Season 2, Black Mirror aired a Christmas special featuring its first big American star, Mad Men's Jon Hamm. It's a super disturbing episode in a ton of ways, not the least of which is just how evil Hamm's character turns out to be. 

Bryce Dallas Howard

Season 3 marked a big change for the show when it moved to Netflix. It also started with a band with the episode "Nosedive" starring Bryce Dallas Howard. It felt a first like a different take on the general premise of Black Mirror, being brighter and seemingly more upbeat. But that didn't last long, of course, and Howard's performance made it all work perfectly. 

Kelly MacDonald

Kelly Mac Donald isn't often the star of her projects but she is consistently excellent in everything she is in. She does star in one episode of Black Mirror, the Season 3 episode "Hated In The Nation" which is the show's take on a police procedural, with  MacDonald playing the main investigator. 

Salma Hayek

There are few stars bigger than the great Salma Hayak and her role in the episode "Joan Is Awful" in the Sixth Season is just perfect. She plays a version of herself, playing the character Joan and her no-BS attitude is just pitch-perfect. 

Jesse Plemons

The first episode of Season 4, "USS Callister" often ranks among the best episodes of Black Mirror, and a big reason why is the performances of the actors in the episode. There is no character more important than manipulative Captain Robert Daly played wonderfully by Jesse Plemons. 

Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott elevates basically everything he is in. Whether it's shows like Sherlock and Fleabag or movies like 1917, he also turns in one of the most memorable performances. Black Mirror is no exception. While the episode he appears in, "Smithereens" isn't well regarded among fans, there's no denying that Scott's performance is excellent and even earned him an Emmy nomination. 

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Mackie has never shied away from playing Gay men, with his first breakout role coming as a Gay art student in the film Brother to Brother. His role in Black Mirror wasn't quite as clear cut, as he played a man clearly struggling with his feelings and identity in the Season 5 episode "Striking Vipers." 

Kate Mara

The Season 6 episode, "Beyond the Sea," is one of the more messed up episodes of Black Mirror and that's really saying something. Kate Mara stars in the show as a woman trapped in the middle of a love triangle by two astronauts, one her husband, and one her suitor. It's a polarizing episode, like many, but there's no question it's as disturbing as the show can get. 

Miley Cyrus

In the final episode of Season 5, Miley Cyrus stars as Ashley O, a pop star not unlike her real-life self. Of all the Black Mirror episodes, it's maybe the least disturbing, but that really makes it underrated, if anything. It still makes the viewer question modern culture and tech, it just doesn't end in tragedy. 

Topher Grace

In Smithereens, Topher Grace plays a Jack Dorsey-type tech CEO who leads a social media company. While the episode is often criticized for its simplistic social commentary, by Black Mirror standards, Grace's performance is actually pretty perfect. All the acting performances are great in this uneven performance. 

Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright had been building a solid career in the U.K. before 2018 when she exploded on the world stage with her appearance in Black Panther. Prior to becoming a big part of the MCU, however, she starred in the Season 4 finale, "Black Museum." It's a fun episode with an almost greatest hits-type vibe, as it's filled with easter eggs to previous episodes. 

Benedict Wong

Benedict Wong has low-key become one of the most popular side characters in the MCU as... well... Wong. The same year he joined the MCU, in 2016's Doctor Strange, he also starred in the Season 3 episode "Hated in the Nation." He has a smaller role in the show compared to some of the other stars (like Kelly MacDonald) but he's great, as he always is in his many roles. 

Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul will likely forever be known first and foremost as Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad. There's nothing wrong with that, but Paul has had an impressive career outside of the legendary AMC show as well. One very notable role came in Season 6 of Black Mirror when he appeared alongside Josh Harnett and Kate Mara in "Beyond the Sea." It wasn't Paul's first appearance on the show, however. He had a quick cameo in "USS Callister" during the show's 4th Season. 

Zazie Beetz

Zazie Beetz hit the big time as a member of the hit show Atlanta starting in 2016. She later gained an even larger fanbase as Domino in Deadpool 2. In 2023, she got to star in an episode of Black Mirror called "Mazey Day" which broke new ground for the show, dipping into the supernatural for the first time. Though it wasn't the most well-received episode of the series, Beetz put together a great performance as a paparazza. 

Josh Harnett

Over the last 25 years, Josh Harnett has quietly put together one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood. He's played all kinds of roles, from heartthrobs to nuclear physicists. Of course, he also appeared as part of the star-studded cast of "Under The Sea" in Season 6. 

Michael Cera

Michael Cera has never been afraid to play ridiculous versions of himself. Most notably, in This Is The End, but also in the Season 6 episode "Joan is Awful." Everyone in the episode is playing some sort of version of themselves and Cera, as the character Beppe is, of course, over the top in his performance and we're here for it. 

Tobias Menzies

As character actors go, they don't get much better than Tobias Menzies. The English actor seems to pop up constantly in "prestige" shows. He was Brutus in HBO's Rome, he was Edmund Tully in Game of Thrones and he won an Emmy for playing Prince Philip in two seasons of The Crown. In the second season of Black Mirror, he played a British politician running for office against an animated bear named Waldo in "The Waldo Moment."

Domhnall Gleeson

Sure, Domhnall Gleeson is part of two of the biggest franchises in film history as a member of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter movies and General Hux in the Star Wars movies, but he's also been one of the best actors around for a couple of decades now. He appeared in the first episode of Season 2, "Be Right Back."

Wyatt Russell

Even though he has two very famous actors as parents, Wyatt Russell originally strived to play professional hockey. When injuries cut his career short, he fell back on acting. Lucky, huh? Still, he's putting together a really nice career, one that includes an appearance in the 2016 episode "Playtest."

Jodie Whittaker

Jodie Whittaker made history when she became the first woman to play The Doctor in three seasons of the modern era of Dr. Who. That wasn't Whittaker's first dabble in  science fiction TV, however, as she appeared in the third-ever episode of Black Mirror called "The Entire History of You." She is excellent in the episode, which ranks tops all-time on quite a few rankings. 

Jerome Flynn

One of the most disturbing episodes of Black Mirror came in its third season. "Shut Up and Dance" is a complicated episode, as viewers are repulsed by the characters, including, most notably, the one played by Game Of Thrones vet Jerome Flynn. Viewers are also taken aback by what those terrible characters have to do. It's a polarizing episode, but that's part of what makes it so great. 

Rory Kinnear

There are two roles that Rory Kinnear is likely most recognized for. One is Bill Tanner in four of the Daniel Craig-era James Bond movies. He's one of the most important characters from the Craig-led Bond films. The second is from the now-legendary premiere episode of Black Mirror called "The National Anthem." His performance as the beleaguered Prime Minister forced to do unspeakable things in the episode is, frankly, legendary.  

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has been killing on screen for more than 40 years now and though his role in the second episode of Season 1 is small, he's brilliant. He plays a Simon Cowell-type on a dystopian version of Britain's Got Talent and he, like Cowell, steals the show as a judge. 

Cherry Jones

Season 3's first episode, "Nosedive" is a fantastic episode, and a big reason why is the acting performances, including from Cherry Jones, who appears in only one scene of the show, but it's the pivotal moment in the show. Jones is one of the more underrated character actresses in Hollywood, but she's probably best known for playing President Allison Taylor on 24 and Holly Maddox in two seasons of The Handmaid's Tale. 

Oona Chaplin

Oona Chaplin comes from a family of true film royalty. Her grandfather was the legendary Charlie Chaplin. She's carved out an impressive career as well. She's best known as Talisa Stark, the ill-fated wife of Robb Stark in Game of Thrones, where she was the first death at the infamous Red Wedding. She stars alongside Jon Hamm in the Christmas special of Black Mirror in a smaller role, literally and figuratively, but her performance is sure to freak out everyone who watches. 

Jimmi Simpson

It's hard to believe that Always Sunny In Philadelphia first hit the airwaves in 2005, but it did. Jimmi Simpson has been along for most of the ride, as the oddball frenemy to "The Gang" and member of the McPoyle family, Liam McPoyle. He also appeared one of the most star-studded casts of Black Mirror in the "USS Callister."

Annie Murphy

Annie Murphy is most famous for playing Alexis Rose in Schitt's Creek and in 2023 she appeared as a strange version of herself playing "Joan" in "Joan in Awful" alongside Salma Hayek in the sixth season.  

Kirsten Dunst

"USS Callister" has one of the more star-studded casts and one of the stars you may not have even seen, Kirsten Dunst. Dunst's cameo in Black Mirror is truly a blink--and-you-miss-moment in the episode. She appears as a fellow office worker in the show and it's so brief most people missed it. 

Cristin Milioti

The multi-talented Cristin Milioti started her career on the stage on Broadway where she became a Tony-nominated actress, but made her on-screen breakthrough as "The Mother" in How I Met Your Mother. Since then, she's shined in shows like Fargo, The Resort, and The Mindy Project, as well as starring in "USS Callister" in Black Mirror. 

Will Poulter

Will Poulter seems to like showing in prestige TV shows. In addition to starring in the groundbreaking interactive "choose your own adventure" Black Mirror movie called Bandersnatch, he's also shown up in a cameo on The Bear. That's in addition, of course, to his film roles in The Revenant, Midsommar, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3., among many others. 

It's a new era of Doctor Who, and while there are a lot of changes in play now that Russell T. Davies is back in control, the past has not been forgotten. With his first eps, Davies has keep alive some of the most important elements of Chris Chibnall's run, including some of Jodie Whittaker's biggest moments, despite fan complaints through her years in the role. The actress was recently asked for her thoughts on those callbacks, and her response makes me desperate for her to return to the franchise. 

Doctor Who's 60th anniversary and Christmas specials, currently available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, made many nods to Doctor Who's polarizing "Timeless Child" arc, the Flux season, and other moments from Jodie Whittaker's time portraying The Doctor. Speaking with Radio Times, the actress gave her positive reaction to seeing the series reference her era of the show, saying:

Doctor Who has brought the "Timeless Child" storyline front and center, as The Doctor and new companion, Ruby Sunday, bonded over both being adoptees who didn't know their birth family. Ruby actress Millie Gibson reportedly won't be back for a second season, but the episodes she stars in will open the door for The Doctor to explore his own beginnings and whatever life he had before being found and taken to Gallifrey. 

Multiple references to Seasons 11, 12, and Flux shouldn't have been a huge surprise for Doctor Who fans keping up on behind-the-scenes news, as Russell T. Davies repeatedly made it clear he won't erase Jodie Whittaker's Doctor from the canon. It appears fans who don't like the Doctor potentially having an unlimited number of regenerations will just have to deal with it, or at least wait for some future storyline to futz with The Doctor's history once again. Let's be real: one of the franchise's biggest consistencies is how inconsistent it can be with its own history. 

Even so, it's great to see Jodie Whittaker sharing such happy thoughts about the references. It's a shame her run fell under so much scrutiny, as the story decisions and other bits that drew ire didn't really have anything to do with her enjoyable performances. She delivered great work as The Doctor, and it would be awesome to see her return for at least a one-off episode, even if only for praise to be showered on her portrayal without some of the drama that Seasons 11 and 12 stirred up. 

Jodie Whittaker didn't originally want to be in Doctor Who, mainly because of the immense fame tied to the role that vaulted other former stars to mainstream fame after leaving Doctor Who. She ended up landing the gig anyway and really embraced the role despite not being heavily familiar with the franchise beforehand Clearly, she's invested in the story now, so it would be great to welcome her back in the future. 

Jodie Whittaker's run of Doctor Who is available to watch on streaming, and those unfamiliar with the run should absolutely give it a chance. This is especially true considering how heavily the run is being referenced in the latest episodes, as fans might need to be well-versed on everything the Thirteenth Doctor got up to before Fourteen's rise.

You can always count on The Doctor to deliver some iconic and memorable lines of dialogue, and ever since Doctor Who’s modern era began in 2005, we’ve gotten countless legendary lines. This quick-witted and wise time lord played by Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa has delivered some hilarious, poignant and at times sassy quotes, so let’s look back at 32 of them.  

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually, from a nonlinear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff." -Tenth Doctor in “Blink” 

As David Tennant’s Doctor is attempting to explain a very complex situation to Sally and Larry in “Blink,” one of Doctor Who’s best episodes, they keep questioning him about how time works. Ultimately, he gives into the question and explains it as eloquently and simply as he can, which is of course still pretty “wibbly-wobbly.”  

"I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes, and the dreamer of improbable dreams." -Eleventh Doctor in  "The Almost People"

As the Eleven explained his outlook on life in this episode, he summed it all up by defining himself as “the optimist.” Not only is it a sweet quote from Matt Smith’s Doctor, it’s also lovely words to live by.  

"All right then, Doctor Whoever I’m about to be… Tag. You’re it." - Thirteenth Doctor in “The Power of the Doctor” 

Ending out a historic run, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor left us with an iconic line before tagging a familiar face, David Tennant, as the Fourteenth Doctor.  

"I’m not sure if any of that matters. Friends. Enemies. So long as there is mercy. Always, mercy." - Twelfth Doctor in “The Witch's Familiar” 

Rather than killing Davros, the Twelfth Doctor showed mercy, which is a core value of his. Even though the Daleks have tried to destroy him over and over again, he continues to see the best in everyone, even those who seem inherently evil.  

"Fantastic!" -Ninth Doctor’s Catchphrase 

Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor may not be the most chipper, however, when he got excited he’d yell “Fantastic!” which was always a joy to hear.  

"Don’t blink. Don’t even blink. Blink and you’re dead." -Tenth Doctor in “Blink”

The weeping angels – a monster essential to understanding Doctor Who –  are single-handedly one of the scariest creatures on the show. That became very apparent in “Blink” as the Tenth Doctor explained that if you bat an eye, you could end up dead, because you never know when the lurking angel statues will get you.  

“Hello, I'm the Doctor. Basically... run!” -Eleventh Doctor in “The Eleventh Hour” 

Before Matt Smith was playing the menacing Daemon in the House of the Dragon cast, he was frolicking across space and time as the Eleventh Doctor. However, like the Targaryen prince he plays, Eleven had a knack for holding his ground, which is exactly what happened in Smith’s very first episode of Doctor Who through this line.  

"Rose… before I go, I just wanna tell you, you were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And do you know what? So was I!" -Ninth Doctor in “The Parting of the Ways" 

Christopher Eccleston may have left the show after one season, but the Ninth Doctor will always be remembered. From his beautiful relationship with Rose to his “fantastic” last line, he still has a great legacy.  

"I eat danger for breakfast. I don't, I prefer cereal. Or croissants." - Thirteenth Doctor in “Arachnids in the UK” 

Some Doctors prefer fish fingers and custard, the Thirteenth Doctor prefers “cereal” and “croissants.” However, while she doesn’t want “danger” as the first meal of the day, she can totally handle it.  

"Everything ends, and it's always sad. But everything begins again too, and that's always happy. Be happy. I'll look after everything else." -Twelfth Doctor in “The Return of Doctor Mysterio”

Anytime The Doctor has to talk about their past, it’s always sad. However, the timelord is also aware of how good things can be as well. So, when speaking about taking care of the world after returning, he implores those he’s with to “be happy,” and not dwell on the end.  

"Allons-y!" -Tenth Doctor’s Catchphrase 

While the other Doctors’ catchphrases are in English, David Tennant’s fan-favorite Tenth Doctor decided to get fancy and make his French. Honestly, every time I hear “Allons-y” – which means “let’s go” – I smile. 

"Just this once, everybody lives!" -Ninth Doctor in  “The Doctor Dances” 

“The Doctor Dances” and the child who keeps asking “are you my mummy” is one of the most emotional Doctor Who episodes. That's in great part because after the Doctor succeeds, he has a moment of elation as he exclaims that for once, finally, everybody lived.  

"Geronimo!" -Eleventh Doctor’s Catchphrase 

You can always count on Matt Smith’s Doctor and his catchy catchphrase! Filled with optimism and youthful energy, as “geronimo” implies, he was ready to jump into any situation.  

"Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters, it’s the person." -Tenth Doctor in “The Lazarus Experiment” 

Throughout their years of life, The Doctor has gained immense wisdom, especially when it comes to spending time with those you love. This line is delivered as Ten explains why there’s more meaning in living a full life than a long one, a lesson The Doctor knows all too well, and one we can all stand to learn from. 

"Never be cruel. Never be cowardly. Hate is always foolish. Love is always wise. Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind. Doctor… I let you go." -Twelfth Doctor in “Twice Upon A Time” 

While Peter Capaldi’s Doctor was known for being the grumpiest of the bunch, he was also wise and caring, as you can tell with this sweet and inspirational quote from his final moments before Jodie Whittaker took over as the Thirteenth Doctor.  

"Bowties are cool." -Eleventh Doctor in “The Eleventh Hour” 

While the Eleventh Doctor’s formal catchphrase is “Geronimo,” he also repeats this line enough it should be considered one too. What can he say, the man loves a bowtie, and we love him for it. 

"I don't want to go!" -Tenth Doctor in “The End of Time” 

It’s always sad when a Doctor regenerates, however, Ten’s was extra emotional, because he didn’t want to leave. David Tennant truly loved playing the Doctor, and you could feel the sadness as he said goodbye. Luckily, he didn’t leave forever as he came back for “Day of the Doctor” and he returned again for the 60th Anniversary as the Fourteenth iteration of the time lord.  

"I'm just a traveler. Sometimes I see things need fixing, I do what I can." -Thirteenth Doctor in “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” 

From the jump, when Jodie Whittaker took over as The Doctor, she made it clear that she is still the time lord we know and love as she explained that she’d do whatever she could to help fix things.  

"I hate being wrong in public. Everybody forget that happened." -Twelfth Doctor in “Deep Breath” 

In Peter Capaldi’s first episode as The Doctor he made it very clear that he absolutely hates being wrong in public, and who can blame him? It also established his snarky sense of humor immediately.   

"I will always remember when the Doctor was me." -Eleventh Doctor in “The Time Of The Doctor” 

While the Eleventh Doctor looks the youngest, he actually lives longer than almost all their other generations. After spending over 1,000 years in this body, he knows it is time to go. However, as he said on his way out, he’ll always remember this generation of being the Doctor.  

"You’re my favorite, you are. You are the best, you know why? Cos you’re so thick! You’re Mr. Thick Thick Thickety Thickface from Thicktown, Thickania. And so’s your dad!" -Tenth Doctor in “The Girl in the Fireplace” 

The Doctor has sick burns up their sleeves every once in a while, but this was not one of those moments. However, what matters is David Tennant’s Doctor tried. In this episode the tipsy time lord waltzed in to save Rose with his tie on his head and drink in hand hurling insults like this at the evil Victorian robots. 

"In 900 years of time and space, I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important." -Eleventh Doctor in “The Almost People” 

If there’s one thing the Doctor truly believes in it’s how vital all life is, and how everyone deserves to feel valued. He made that clear during this Christmas special when Matt Smith’s time lord said this memorable line. 

"If I was still a bloke, I could get on with the job and not have to waste time defending myself." -Thirteenth Doctor in “The Witchfinders” 

Jodie Whittaker made history as the first woman to play the Doctor. In the show, she had some iconic lines – like this one which happened after she was accused of witchcraft – about how the time lord’s experience differs when they’re a woman, and why just because she doesn’t look like the men she’s been before, she shouldn’t be treated differently. 

"Time travel is like visiting Paris: You can't just read the guidebook. You need to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double, and end up kissing total strangers." -Ninth Doctor in “The Long Game” 

One of my favorite genres of Doctor quotes is when they describe how time travel works. At times it’s wibbly-wobbly, as we discussed, and in the Ninth Doctor’s words it’s like “Paris.” You need to go in with an open mind and be ready to “use the wrong verbs,” cause like French when you aren’t fluent in the language, time travel is super confusing.  

"It’s okay, I understand. You’re an idiot." -Twelfth Doctor in “Under the Lake” 

When one guy tried to question Twelve's logic, Capaldi’s time lord responded with his signature snark and sarcasm, saying that it’s OK that he didn’t understand, because he’s “an idiot.” 

"Lives change worlds. People can save planets or wreck them. That’s the choice. Be the best of humanity." -Thirteenth Doctor in “Orphan 55” 

When Thirteen and her pals go to a resort that turns out to have some horrifying secrets, she helps save the day and teaches everyone, including the audience watching the episode, that we should always be trying to be the best of humanity.  

"Right, physics! Physics, eh? Physics, physics, physics, physics, physics…" -Tenth Doctor in “School Reunion” 

Somehow, the Tenth Doctor found himself teaching the youths about physics, and before hopping into his complex lecture, he started by simply saying the word over, and over, and over again. It was hilarious, especially considering the incredibly smart words that came out of his mouth after this silly moment.  

“We’re all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?” -Eleventh Doctor in “The Big Bang” 

When Eleven thinks he’s going to lose Amy Pond, he tells her their story. At this point, he thinks they’re parting ways and that when Karen Gillan’s character wakes up she won’t remember. So, he simply tells her that he’ll be a story in her head, and that at least the time they shared created a great story. 

"You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books, the best weapons in the world! This room is the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!" -Tenth Doctor  in “Tooth and Claw”

The Doctor never uses weapons. He uses his sonic screwdriver and wit to solve his problems, which is one of their most admirable qualities. So, it made sense that when someone asked if they had weapons to fight the bad guys, Ten responded saying the books that surrounded them would help them more than any weapon.  

"Shut up. Just shut up, shut up, shut up, shutetty up, up, up!" -Twelfth Doctor in “Time Heist” 

Every once in a while the Twelfth Doctor would let his sass fly, and this was one of those moments as he realized to defeat the clone and find the architect they needed to use their eyes. 

"I am definitely a madman with a box!" -Eleventh Doctor in “The Eleventh Hour” 

When The Doctor and Amy meet, she calls him a “madman with a box,” which he 100% is, and he agrees, as he confirms it right to her face during one of their first interactions.  

"Who I am is where I stand. Where I stand is where I fall." -Twelfth Doctor in “The Doctor Falls” 

When Twelve faces the Master, he gives a speech that lays out his moral mission and his goal to save everyone he can, because it’s the kind thing to do. It’s a harrowing moment, and it perfectly describes how Capaldi’s Doctor saw his mission.

As The Doctor continues to travel around time and space, I’m sure they will deliver more iconic lines that are just as funny, motivational and important as the ones above. Doctor Who has been on for over 60 years for a reason, and its incredible writing and quotes are a big reason why.  

Russell T. Davies recently made an important clarification about Jodie Whittaker's run as The Doctor and confirmed her Timeless Child backstory will remain a part of Doctor Who's story. Now it's possible fans may have some insight as to how thanks to a recent interview that revealed an important detail about newcomer Millie Gibson, who will play the 15th Doctor's new companion, Ruby Sunday. 

As those with a Disney+ subscription gear up for more 60th anniversary specials, Russell T. Davies is spilling details on the upcoming Christmas special to SFX Magazine. After hearing Davies talk about Ruby Sunday's upcoming debut in "The Church On Ruby Road," I have a feeling Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor and Ruby may form a tight bond based on one detail revealed ahead of the episode. 

What Doctor Who's Christmas Special Will Reveal About Ruby Sunday

Russell T. Davies was ready to spill some details on Ruby Sunday ahead of her official Doctor Who debut, and it's possible they'll point toward her larger story arc in the series. Here's what the showrunner had to say about her entrance in the franchise, and the origins fans will learn when they tune in (via GamesRadar.com):

Davies went on to explain that not all details about Ruby Sunday will be revealed in the Christmas special, which makes it sound as though this aspect of the character will continue throughout Season 14 and possibly beyond. That key detail above, however, could form a tight bond with The Doctor based on what we learned during Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker's run of Doctor Who. 

How This Plotline Could Tie Into The Timeless Child Storyline From Jodie Whittaker's Arc

In Doctor Who's "Timeless Child" arc, it was revealed that The Doctor was discovered by a Shabogan scientist alone beneath a dimensional gateway on another planet. With no family to speak of, the scientist, Tecteun, became The Doctor's adoptive parent. This discovery ultimately transformed the Shabogans into Time Lords, but that isn't what we need to focus on at this moment.

Ruby Sunday being found at a church with no parents around to claim her is similar to how The Doctor was found by Tecteun. With neither aware of who their birth parents are or their lives before the moment they were found, there is an opportunity for The Doctor and companion to form a tight bond on those grounds. 

With Doctor Who heavily leaning on romantic overtones in the past with companions, it would be a refreshing change of pace to see this happen. The thought has me even more excited to see Ncuti Gatwa's era as The Doctor begin, especially after seeing his awesome scene with a David Bradley-played William Hartnell. 

Of course, there's still plenty of time left to enjoy the 60th anniversary, which is off to a great start, minus that one recap scene with David Tennant and Catherine Tate that I couldn't stand watching. That aside, I'm excited to see the rest of the cast of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary in action, and I hope we'll see Gatwa make his debut as The Doctor soon enough. 

Doctor Who's Christmas special "The Church On Ruby Road" is set to premiere on Disney+ on Christmas Day. Continue to check the streamer in the meantime for more specials as they pop up, and potentially more surprises as we march closer toward this new era for the franchise. 

Doctor Who's 60th anniversary is fast approaching, but it's just the start of a whole new era in the franchise. The specials will set the tone for returning showrunner Russell T. Davies' second run on the BBC series and allow him to alter or change elements from the past he'd rather not include in the future. Fortunately, for those who are fans of Jodie Whittaker's run as The Doctor, there's nothing to fear when it comes to retcons, and I'm so relieved to read that. 

Chris Chibnall's run on Doctor Who brought about a lot of changes, the biggest of which being The Doctor's origin with "The Timeless Child" story. The change was divisive amongst Doctor Who fans, and given the franchise has retconned several plot points over the years, some wondered if the Timeless Child and events for Doctor Who: Flux would be quietly erased. According to Russell T. Davies in a recent interview with Doctor Who Magazine, these arcs will be talked about in the special "Wild Blue Yonder" and beyond (via Radio Times):

For those who need a refresher, "The Timeless Child" established The Doctor was not a native of Gallifrey, but a child from another universe found by a Shabogan scientist named Tecteun, who eventually learned the child had limitless regenerative capabilities and found a way to pass this trait on to other Shabogans. Thus, the Time Lords were born, as well as a time-meddling organization known as The Division. The Doctor was a part of this organization, but when Tecteun realized The Doctor was too moral to be a part of it, she had their memory wiped. This explained why The Doctor wasn't aware they originally had unlimited regenerations or were not native to Gallifrey. 

As a Doctor Who fan who loved the bold new origin of The Doctor, I'm beyond thrilled by the news that it will continue to be acknowledged. When the BBC announced Russell T. Davies was coming back, as well as the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate for the 60th anniversary, it certainly felt like an effort to roll back the progress the show had made. I worried the show might try to minimize Jodie Whittaker's run and therefore minimize an important part of the series' history. 

Fortunately, it appears that Russell T. Davies is fine with maintaining The Doctor's new origin story for now, which I feel is the correct call. While we still have yet to learn for sure whether or not the Doctor maintained their limitless regenerative capabilities after Tecteun's experiments, to erase the story would remove a significant amount of meaning to Jodie Whittaker's run as The Doctor. And, in the case this does mean The Doctor has limitless regenerative capabilities, I might point to my reaction of Whittaker's final episode arguing against a retcon, which showed there are always fates worse than death. 

We might see that during the upcoming Doctor Who episodes, all of which will be available with a Disney+ subscription. The 60th anniversary has a talented cast gathered for the specials, and of course, the newly converted Whovian and incoming Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa is on the way. It's an exciting time to be a fan, and I'm optimistic it'll stay that way for many years to come. 

Catch the premiere of Doctor Who's 60th anniversary on Disney+ starting on Saturday, November 25th. Now would be a great time to start streaming Doctor Who online, though those wishing to watch previous seasons of modern episodes will need to hop over to Max. 

Star Trek: Voyager vet Robert Picardo spent years playing a character called “The Doctor,” but if you were to ask most pop culture fans who “The Doctor” is, chances are good they’d name one of the past or present leads from another science fiction mainstay: Doctor Who. Fans of both franchises will hopefully be delighted to know that Picardo had a bit of fun in that regard recently, as he approached present and past Who stars David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker in an effort to figure out who the real Doctor is. 

Robert Picardo has been posting lots of entertaining content on Twitter from Showmasters’ London Film and Comic Con, and he apparently couldn’t help but snap a few pics with some modern-day Doctor Who elites. Picardo seemed to first track down the upcoming star of Doctor Who’s 60th-anniversary specials, David Tennant, and just had to pick a faux fight about which of them is The Doctor of the future: 

David Tennant is responsible for some of Doctor Who’s best episodes, so it’s no surprise he was unwilling to acknowledge Robert Picardo’s claim. (That cheekiness is what makes him aces as the demon Crowley in Good Omens.) On top of that Tennant is the first Doctor incarnation to return after his regeneration, which feels like it only solidifies his status as one of the greatest of all time to ever do the role. 

Picardo’s Doctor had some great moments on Star Trek: Voyager, but even I would struggle to say his Doctor is more deserving of the title than Tennant. That said, I definitely think Picardo would make a fine Doctor on Doctor Who if there was ever an opportunity for him to be a guest star, in case anyone with the power to make that happen is reading. 

Robert Picardo later managed to find Jodie Whittaker, who had just recently finished her run in Doctor Who. Picardo asked her who The Doctor was, and much like Tennant, she was unwilling to give him the answer he wanted: 

These exchanges are just too geeky for words, and I absolutely love them. It’s not often that fans will see the actors of their favorite franchises engage in character-centric banter on this level, so kudos to Robert Picardo, Jodie Whittaker, and David Tennant for having fun with the tangential connection between the two franchises. 

Robert Picardo’s fun tweets are the latest crossover between Star Trek and Doctor Who, but not the only one. Both franchises collided in the famous IDW crossover Assimilation², which featured Matt Smith and Tom Baker’s Doctors, as well as the crew of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s definitely worth a read for anyone geeking out like I am about Robert Picardo snapping photos with quippy captions with David Tennant and Jodie Whittaker. Now, if only Paramount+ and Doctor Who’s new home Disney+ can work on getting us a live-action crossover between the two franchises, my life would be complete. 

Catch Robert Picardo’s Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager, which is available to stream on Paramount+. Those looking to watch Doctor Who on streaming can do so with an HBO Max subscription, though that could change once the Disney deal takes effect.

Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who lead recently said farewell, and many fans were quite surprised when she didn’t regenerate into Ncuti Gatwa’s iteration, but instead seemed to revert back into David Tennant’s Doctor, and the character's body wasn't all that regenerated. Now, as fans are eager and latching onto any details hoping they explain what’s ahead in Doctor Who, returning showrunner Russell T. Davies explained why The Doctor’s clothes changed. 

It’s rare The Doctor's appearance is affected in ways beyond their physical structure when regenerating, so there were definitely some confused Doctor Who fans when the character’s whole outfit changed as well. Russell T. Davies confirmed to Doctor Who Magazine that this wasn’t some mistake or oversight and that he had a definitive reason for ensuring David Tennant didn’t appear in Jodie Whittaker’s outfit (via Radio Times): 

Doctor Who is a progressive franchise, so it’s of little surprise Russell T. Davies’ reasoning was rooted in sensitivity to other cultures. He didn’t want David Tennant appearing in what one might perceive as women’s clothing to come off as disrespectful, and as such, ensured they made the costume change for the regeneration. Which isn't to say Tennant wasn't a peach during his stint as Davina in the Scottish comedy Rab C. Nesbitt, but still.

Russell T. Davies continued explaining his point, sharing why he didn’t feel it was right to put David Tennant in Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor outfit. He noted that the move was just as much to respect Whittaker’s legacy, as well as to prevent what might be an awkward image from living on in tabloids, newspapers, and the Internet for decades to come:

One thing that Russell T. Davies didn’t mention was whether or not Doctor Who will provide some canonical explanation for why this occurred. After all, it’s usually quite common for The Doctor to at least spend a little time in their predecessor’s outfit so that fans can see “their look” unfold in the opening episodes. Of course, that wasn’t necessary with David Tennant’s Doctor, since fans already know he’s a tie and trenchcoat type of Doctor. 

Now that there’s some official response out there, I'm not sure Doctor Who needs to address it in full. The series likes to play fast and loose with the rules of its universe as is, and ultimately, this isn’t some show-breaking detail that fans will talk about for years. In fact, I'd wager many will forget as Doctor Who jumps into the Disney+ era with a potentially larger budget and a chance to draw more eyes. Still, it’s nice to have some clarity on the situation and see that Doctor Who is still looking out for smaller communities and protecting them. 

Doctor Who is on a break, but fans can expect to see the 60th Anniversary celebration kick off in 2023 with a star-studded cast. Anyone can get hyped for that by binging the series with an HBO Max subscription, and maybe checking out some of David Tennant’s greatest moments as The Doctor. 

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Doctor Who episode “The Power of the Doctor.” Read at your own risk!

Doctor Who recently aired its farewell episode to Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor, and in my opinion, The BBC franchise did right by its latest actress. The episode was a thrill ride loaded to the gills with cameos from past actors, even some we didn’t know about prior to airing. It also did nothing to dismiss exiting showrunner Chris Chibnall’s polarizing Timeless Child arc, and I think that’s a great thing. 

 “The Power of the Doctor” justified the Timeless Child arc, which is impressive since it didn't even directly mention it. As such fans shouldn’t be upset the episode didn’t find a chance to retcon it, or campaign for Russell T. Davies to do so in the 60th anniversary or Ncuti Gatwa’s run in Season 14. For anyone not in agreement on that, the following should help make it clear why it’s not necessary. 

First, Let's Recap The Timeless Child Arc And What It Changed

The Timeless Child arc revealed that The Doctor was found as a child by a Shabogan scientist, Tecteun, on another planet. Once Tecteun discovered The Doctor’s ability to regenerate, she managed to engineer the trait so that Gallifreyans could all be injected with the ability as well. The Shabogans became “Time Lords,” and while they instilled a strict regeneration limit on themselves, The Doctor is believed to have a limitless amount of regenerations. The Doctor had their memory erased, so was only made aware of this when The Master unlocked the memory. 

The Timeless Child arc retconned a lot about Doctor Who’s original origin story, and also seemingly negated the previous showrunner Steven Moffat's original fix to The Doctor's regeneration issues. "The Time Of The Doctor" showed the Time Lords granting the Eleventh Doctor a new regeneration cycle, but according to this new story, that was entirely unnecessary. That is, of course, unless the Time Lords sent through something different and it's addressed at a later date. 

The premise of The Timeless Child, as well as the stories it complicated, made it a super polarizing twist for Doctor Who. Well, for some people anyway, as I'm definitely on board with it for a few reasons.  

There Are Fates Worse Than Death For The Doctor

One common argument I’ve heard against the Timeless Child arc is that suggesting The Doctor has no regeneration limit removed stakes from Doctor Who. If The Doctor can just endlessly regenerate whenever they die, then can they ever be truly defeated? “The Power of the Doctor” proved that there are far worse fates for someone like The Doctor than death, especially when you can’t die. 

In the episode, The Master joined forces with The Doctor’s greatest enemies and managed to trap her and begin the process of “forced regeneration.” This is similar to what happened with the Second Doctor, though The Master had a twist in his plan. He managed to concoct a device that would transmit his own consciousness into The Doctor’s body, which made him The Doctor. 

And while The Doctor likely would’ve found a way out of that eventually, the premise of it was pretty terrifying. The Master intended to destroy all the goodwill his rival made throughout the ages across the galaxy and descend the world into chaos. Had The Doctor taken a long time to return, they would’ve come back to a world they didn’t recognize and would be universally hated. 

Things obviously didn't work out for The Master in his latest plot, but it just goes to show there are ways to hurt and incapacitate The Doctor without actually killing them. I can’t imagine anywhere from one to a thousand years trapped as a prisoner in my own body while someone navigated it, and then having to deal with whatever came after next. Without a doubt, there are fates worse than death.

Realistically, Fans Need To Acknowledge The Doctor Will Never Actually “Die”

Fans arguing that Doctor Who needs to implement strict regeneration limits on The Doctor have always sounded silly to me, mainly because it’s not realistic to hold onto. As long as Doctor Who is on the air and running, The Doctor will never truly die. The whole beauty of the regeneration trait is that the show can seamlessly switch leads without raising too many eyebrows like other shows would, and it’s not like shows decide to suddenly end should they be forced to kill off the lead character. 

The idea that The Doctor only had a limited number of regenerations was always a more restrictive story-telling element than freeing. Showrunners over the series' history were forced to tweak, retcon and re-explain why The Doctor received more or fewer regenerations every so often. Effectively, they were all punting it to the next person to handle, and Chris Chibnall finally handled it with the ‘Timeless Child” arc. 

Even when Doctor Who was canceled back in 1989, The Doctor was still alive. It stands to reason that if The BBC ever ended the franchise in the future, which feels unlikely anytime soon thanks to that new Disney+ deal, The Doctor will live on eternally through other projects. In short, there doesn’t seem to be a reality in which the character will ever truly die, which makes the Timeless Child arc more valid of an idea than past regeneration stories.

The Timeless Child Story Will Likely Have Little Long-Term Impact On The Franchise

Doctor Who fans can get all up in arms about the Timeless Child arc, but in reality, it’s hard to imagine this change has a massive impact on the franchise long-term. Beyond the fact that it established The Doctor can never die, the character is still more or less the same at the end of the day. One doesn’t live over two thousand years and find at least a few adventures that are more exciting than becoming immortal. Hell, I’m sure fans have forgotten many past arcs and how bizarre they were, likely because the show kept things moving and introduced even weirder arcs. 

Stories like the Timeless Child are what keep a show like Doctor Who interesting for decades. Shows that don’t change the status quo are doomed to end eventually, especially if they’re scripted dramas. We should applaud Doctor Who, and Chris Chibnall, for taking a big swing when it came to a retcon of this magnitude. While not everyone is on board now, perhaps the future fans will better appreciate the decision long term. Or I might be entirely wrong and it’ll become one of the most controversial decisions in the show’s history, though after looking at that current list, I think it’s pretty safe from that scrutiny. 

Doctor Who is on hiatus at the moment, but will return in 2023 with the 60th-anniversary specials, and the debut of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor as well. The future of the franchise looks very bright, so now might be the time to get a Disney+ subscription to prepare for new episodes next year.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Doctor Who’s “The Power of The Doctor” are ahead!

Another Doctor Who era is finished, with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor regenerating at the end of “The Power of The Doctor” into the Fourteenth Doctor. However, rather than seeing Whittaker turn into Ncuti Gatwa, who was announced to be playing the new Doctor earlier this year, the Fourteenth Doctor instead shares the same face as one of their past selves. That’s right, folks, David Tennant is back on Doctor Who, and the actor has weighed in on the shocking ending of this latest special.

From 2005 to 2010, David Tennant starred in Doctor Who as the Tenth Doctor, and he reprised the role in 2013 for “The Day of The Doctor,” a.k.a. the franchise’s 50th anniversary special. While we’ve known since May that Tennant will appear in Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebration next year, it was never stated that he’d be back as the Tenth Doctor. Now we know why, because as many fans speculated, Tennant is instead playing the Fourteenth Doctor. Here’s what the actor had to say to BBC News about returning to Doctor Who after so long away:

Excluding David Tennant’s participation in “The Day of The Doctor,” he hadn’t been seen on Doctor Who since “The End of Time” Part 2 on January 1, 2010, which ended with the Tenth Doctor regenerating into Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. While the years since have seen Tennant star in popular shows like Jessica Jones, Good Omens, Broadchurch and DuckTales, as the actor mentioned, Doctor Who has remained a cornerstone of his life. So the opportunity to return to the series, and in such a unique fashion, was quite welcome for him.

Although the Thirteenth Doctor-Fourteenth Doctor regeneration marks the first time in Doctor Who history that the title character has reverted back to one of their old faces, some precedence had already been established for it. In “The Day of The Doctor,” Tom Baker, who starred as the Fourth Doctor from 1974 to 1981, appeared as the mysterious Curator and informed the Eleventh Doctor that in the “years to come,” he might find himself “revisiting” a few of “the old favorites.” We’ve now reached the first instance of this happening, and David Tennant said the following about his twisty return to Doctor Who:

In case it wasn’t already clear, David Tennant isn’t cameoing as the Fourteenth Doctor new year. It’s been confirmed that Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary will consist of three special episodes airing in November 2023, and that will lead into Ncuti Gatwa taking over as the Fifteenth Doctor (which likely won’t be until early 2024). Plot details for the 60th anniversary are being kept close to the vest, but it will involve The Doctor reuniting with Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble, Yasmin Finney debuting as a character named Rose, and Neil Patrick Harris playing, as returning showrunner Russell T. Davies put it, “the greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced.”

There’s a little over a year to go until the next chapter in the long-running Doctor Who saga unfolds on BBC America, but while we wait for updates on what else the 60th anniversary holds in store, acquaint yourself with the rest of this year’s programming with our 2022 TV schedule.

In my opinion, the TARDIS must be one of the most unique sets to work on. The police box that is bigger on the inside has been inhabited by 13 different generations of The Doctor, each with major changes to create a new take on the timelord’s home. Jodie Whittaker's final episode as The Doctor is coming soon, and she revealed what she nicked from the TARDIS set after filming her final scenes in the iconic time machine.

Whittaker told EW that once everyone left, she and her co-star Mandip Gill “started breaking shit off.” Gill chimed in saying they thought they had been given permission to take stuff off the TARDIS, however, it turns out they were really not allowed to do that since there were still pick-ups to shoot. Either way, they left with some super cool knick-knacks. Whittaker detailed her haul for the site, saying:

When asked if she really took her whole costume, Whittaker said: 

Her costume does look “well comfy.” I feel like all the Doctors must have been tempted or actually did take aspects of their costumes. From Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor and his scarf to David Tennant's Tenth Doctor jacket and Converse to Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor and his bow tie and fez, their costumes are always cemented in the zeitgeist along with their iterations of the classic character. I'd assume all the actors who have taken a turn as the timelord still have pieces of their wardrobe, even after their regeneration. 

I’m super happy Whittaker got to nick some fun stuff from her TARDIS, and while I’m sad she is leaving us, I can’t wait to see the new Doctor. As Whittaker says goodbye, Ncuti Gatwa will enter the universe as the alien from Gallifrey.

While regenerations are always bittersweet, Gill teased that the finale is “not negative” noting that “it’s full” and “not a downer.” Whittaker said she loved her regeneration scene, and she also explained that the scene is one Whovians will love, calling it a “proper treat.” While fans have made some wild predictions about the upcoming episode, I’m sure we’ll all be in for some fun surprises in Thirteen's final hour. 

Sunday, October 23 marks the final outing for Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor. The finale will be a feature-length episode called “The Power of the Doctor.” You can catch it at 8 p.m. ET on BBC America. You can also watch all the previous iterations of The Doctor with an HBO Max subscription, and stay tuned to the 2022 TV schedule for info on the release of Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary episode. 

Doctor Who will say farewell to 13th Doctor actress Jodie Whittaker in its Centenary Special, and it’s sounding like the first female Doctor is getting an emotional send-off. Whittaker took some time recently to talk about her scenes as well as her reaction to her character’s regeneration and used some NSFW language in explaining the gravity of the scene. 

As fans await the premiere of “The Power Of The Doctor” in October, Jodie Whittaker spoke to Empire Online about her final scene in Doctor Who. Whittaker gave a shoutout to showrunner Chris Chibnall (who will also depart after this special) and shared her reaction to shooting the final scene:

Jodie Whittaker had trouble holding it together for her final scene in Doctor Who, which isn’t too surprising. Anyone with an HBO Max subscription can revisit the regeneration episodes of past modern Doctors and see that they’re always a very emotional experience. It’d be strange to hear Whittaker went and filmed the scene without any emotion at all, especially after three seasons in the franchise. 

The actress also spoke about “The Power Of The Doctor” outside of the actual regeneration scene and teased it’s something that Doctor Who fans will be excited about. As is often the case with regeneration episodes, Jodie Whittaker refers to it as a “massive” thing:

There’s still quite a bit of mystery surrounding “The Power Of The Doctor,” as we don’t know quite what to expect besides the return of some familiar faces. Sacha Dhawan will reprise his role as The Master, and Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred will return as past companions Tegan and Ace, respectively. 

Doctor Who fans also may have some questions regarding The Doctor’s upcoming regeneration, and whether this special will feature incoming actor Ncuti Gatwa’s first scene as The Doctor. It’s possible that Whittaker’s regeneration won’t be complete before the episode’s end, and Gatwa won’t premiere until a later date. 

There’s also some speculation that Jodie Whittaker may regenerate into David Tennant’s returning Doctor, which would be unprecedented. With that said, Doctor Who is being cryptic about how he and Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble will return for the 60th anniversary special in 2023, so maybe there is something to those theories? Returning showrunner Russell T. Davies is keeping a lot of his secrets about the future of the show close to his chest, so fans may just have to wait for this episode to get some of the answers they so desperately want. 

Fans will be able to catch “The Power Of The Doctor” when it airs on BBC America this October. Here’s hoping Jodie Whittaker’s farewell as the character is every bit as emotional as she promised, and a memorable episode to hold fans over until the 60th anniversary. 

Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary continues to dominate headlines as more reveals and rumors surface about the big milestone for the BBC series. Of course, there’s still one episode before all of that, as Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor will regenerate before the end of the year. Returning showrunner Russell T. Davies recently took a break from teasing the 60th to praise Whittaker’s final episode. 

Russell T. Davies appeared as a guest on The One Show and was pressed for information about everything that’s ahead for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary. Davies kept from revealing anything about his anniversary celebration but did reveal some key details regarding Jodie Whittaker’s farewell as the Thirteenth Doctor:

Russell T. Davies revealed that the episode will arrive in October and that it’s "a 90-minute epic." That’s definitely exciting news for fans of the Thirteenth Doctor, who will get a feature-length episode to close out her tenure. The trailer for the episode already teased some exciting returns, with past companions Tegan and Ace both appearing. 

Russell T. Davies also teased some additional surprises, and with all the 60th anniversary news, Doctor Who hasn’t revealed much about what fans can expect. I’m sure there are a few people wondering how David Tennant’s Doctor returns and how he fits into the story of the upcoming celebration. It’s possible that Jodie Whittaker’s final episode as The Doctor will set that up in some way and throw an unexpected curveball at its audience. 

There’s also a possibility that the regeneration episode, per tradition when the torch is being passed from Doctor to Doctor, will feature Doctor Who’s first scene of Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor. It appears even Ryan Gosling is eager to see Gatwa in the role, so I’m sure many hope to see the actor utter his first lines in the farewell episode. With that said, there’s definitely something a little strange concerning the wording of Gatwa’s casting, and it’s possible his debut won’t happen during the upcoming episode. 

Unfortunately, with Jodie Whittaker’s regeneration happening ahead of the 60th, it doesn’t seem likely that she’ll be involved in the actual special. If so, it's a shame she won’t be around to celebrate with other returning cast members, but maybe she’s grateful for the break after three seasons. Plus, she’ll forever be immortalized as the first female Doctor of the franchise, which is a pretty cool legacy to leave behind. 

Anyone with an HBO Max subscription can revisit Jodie Whittaker’s run ahead of the final episode set to arrive in October. Hopefully, both this coming episode and the 60th are ones to remember and will invigorate the fandom ahead of Ncuti Gatwa’s proper run.

Doctor Who says goodbye to Jodie Whittaker in 2022, and while many are excited for the future and what Ncuti Gatwa will bring to the table, Whittaker's run deserves its acknowledgment. The Thirteenth Doctor had many great moments, all of which we should remember ahead of her final episode. 

HBO Max subscribers can stream some of the Thirteenth Doctor’s greatest moments right now, but may not be sure on where exactly to start. In aiding that enterprise, let’s revisit those iconic moments (as well as the episodes in which they occurred) in a trip down memory lane celebrating Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor. 

The Doctor Makes Her Sonic Screwdriver

The Thirteenth Doctor was different from past incarnations, so it tracks she’d go about creating her sonic screwdriver another way. “The Woman Who Fell To Earth” features The Doctor creating her own sonic screwdriver out of a hodgepodge of materials she finds, and surprisingly, it works out pretty well for her. The Doctor is unable to get a fresh screwdriver from the TARDIS since it exploded ahead of her getting one, so it's awesome to see her showcasing some ingenuity and showing she’s more than capable of getting crafty when the situation calls for it. 

Busting Out Of Prison

“Revolution of the Daleks” finds The Doctor in a space prison as a result of various space crimes she’s committed in her acts of helping others. Despite the top-tier security and an environment surrounded by her most fearsome enemies – like the Weeping Angels –The Doctor makes a daring escape with the help of Captain Jack Harkness, which was certainly a reunion many Doctor Who fans were excited about. Seeing Jack and Doctor team up again for something so daring was awesome, and something we might not see ever again considering recent controversies involving John Barrowman.

Outsmarting Daleks In A Time Loop

The Doctor has dealt with time in just about all facets throughout their history, but some situations are tougher than others. “Eve of the Daleks” traps The Doctor, Yaz, and Dan in a time loop with not one but two Daleks they have to defeat in order to escape. With the help of Nick and Sarah, the group is ultimately successful, but they wouldn’t have stood a chance without The Doctor’s well-constructed plan of fooling both Daleks into predicting the wrong move. Of all of the 13th Doctor’s encounters with the Daleks, this Doctor Who special definitely feels the most memorable. 

Learning Her True Origins

The Doctor’s past has always been complicated, though there arguably hasn't been anything quite so wild as what The Master revealed in Season 12. We learn that The Doctor is not actually a Time Lord biologically, but instead was an alien child found and raised by a Gallifreyan scientist, Tecteun. Tecteun learned about The Doctor’s seemingly limitless regeneration, and through testing, managed to find how to implant the regenerative properties into Galifreyans. Thus the Time Lords were born, and The Doctor’s memory was erased. The moment was great because it might just be the most meaningful piece of canon to Doctor Who in years and a legacy that will stand as one of Jodie Whittaker’s most impactful moments. 

Saving Mary Shelley 

Jodie Whittaker’s run on Doctor Who doesn't have a ton of episodes steeped in history, but the ones that are absolutely crushed it. “The Haunting of Villa Diodati” is a great example of this, as The Doctor and her companions met Mary Shelley at the same time she’d conceive the story of Frankenstein. The Doctor instructs her friends not to bring that up to Shelley, but it appears they inadvertently inspire her when a human half-converted into a Cyberman storms Lord Byron’s estate in search of Cyberium. The Doctor ultimately has to swallow a loss in the end and relinquish the Cyberium to prevent mass destruction, but fans will ultimately see this as a great moment since it’s absolutely one of the best time period adventures of modern Doctor Who. 

Outsmarting Swarm And Azure

Doctor Who: Flux might be the most confusing adventure of Jodie Whittaker’s run as The Doctor, but I do know just enough about it to confirm The Doctor’s outsmarting of Swarm and Azure is among one of her greatest feats. To take down a duo who can manipulate time on the level they can is truly remarkable, and to their credit, it takes The Doctor most of the series to find a way to even impact them in the slightest. She is only successful by splitting her consciousness between three copies of herself, who then work to save the day while Azure and Swarm believe she is inactive. In reality, she manipulates the Flux into consuming the Sontarans, Daleks, Cybermen, and Jericho, eliminating all of Earth’s threats. It's pretty fantastic work from The Doctor, even if the whole affair was a bit more violent than she usually likes to operate.

Meeting The Fugitive Doctor 

It’s not uncommon for The Doctor to team up with other versions of themself, but usually when Doctor Who does that it's another Doctor viewers already know. The BBC series blindsided viewers watching “Fugitive of the Judoon” when it was revealed a normal human by the name of Ruth was actually The Doctor living with her memory erased. Fans got to see the the Fugitive Doctor and the Thirteenth Doctor interact a couple more times – though I think it’s fair to say many would’ve liked to see them interact more. Nevertheless, the first episode with the reveal was an all-time great reveal for Doctor Who and a wonderful moment for Jodie Whittaker's era.

Taking On The Master In An Epic Spy Showdown

Sacha Dhawan’s run as the new Master is one of the high points in the Thirteenth Doctor's run, and that’s thanks in no small part to “Spyfall.” The two-part series marks the first time the character surfaces since 2017, and what an entrance it is. In classic Master fashion, he proves exactly why he’s one of the best enemies in Doctor Who history. The Master makes a grand reveal to The Doctor right as a plane their on is crashing to the ground, then teleports her from the plane and leaves her companions to die. Fortunately, the Doctor is able to orchestrate a scenario (using time travel) for the companions to save themselves after she leaves, which is one of the greatest feats of her entire run. 

Doctor Who plans to air Jodie Whittaker’s final episode as The Doctor in fall of 2022 on BBC America. It’ll be exciting to see how her final adventure plays out and how her epic regeneration will take place. 

Doctor Who recently released the trailer for Jodie Whittaker’s final adventure as The Doctor, and with its arrival came even more questions about her replacement. Rumors abound regarding which actor(s) could step into the role, with Whittaker and Chris Chibnall's exit paving the way for Russell T. Davies’ return, though few avenues of speculation could possible excite viewers more than the evergreen potential for David Tennant to return. When the always busy and always excellent actor directly and indirectly addressed the rumors of his possible franchise return, he gave fans something to think about. 

David Tennant took part in a Q&A panel at the Spring Edition of German Comic Con, and was obviously asked about the rumors saying he’ll reprise his role as The Doctor when Russell T. Davies returns. Tennant acknowledged he’s aware of such talk, and responded to it by saying that it's something he's been dealing with ever since he exited the role in the first place. In his words: 

The former Doctor Who was in a tough position with the question, and he knew it. Even so, David Tennant did about as good of a job as possible at not definitively revealing what’s in his future as far as any involvement he may have in Doctor Who's future. At the risk of spinning his words into something they’re not, I think we can just say that the verdict is still out on if he’ll return as The Doctor or if he'll be involved in the TV side of things in any other capacity. If nothing else, at least HBO Max subscribers can still check out his past live-action adventures, on top of all the audio dramas he's returned for.  

It’s worth mentioning that David Tennant reprising The Tenth Doctor would make sense, especially given Russell T. Davies’ return as showrunner syncs up with the upcoming 60th anniversary of the BBC series. Tennant appeared in the 50th anniversary alongside many other Doctor Who veterans, so it stands to reason he’d return for at least another special as well. 

It’s also worth mentioning that one specific rumor posits that Tennant will be just one of several familiar Doctors who could reappear once Russell T. Davies returns. Tennant, Peter Capaldi, Matt Smith, and even Christopher Eccleston will allegedly return to the franchise for a special. The Eccleston-ness of it all makes that one seem less likely than pretty much any other rumor about the BBC drama's future, but it's an unpredictable universe, with rumors even pointing to Hugh Grant taking the role, which he has already denied.

Other rumors allege Tennant will return not as Number Ten, but as the 14th Doctor, which seems to be what Tennant was hinting at as far as the rumors he's heard. That’s not a likely eventuality in my eyes, though I’m sure it’d excite fans only slightly less than the original Tenth returning. 

All in all, David Tennant possibly only sparked more questions with his roundabout answer, so we’ll just have to wait for some official announcement about what’s going on. Doctor Who is on a brief hiatus until Jodie Whittaker’s final episode in the fall on BBC America. Until then, keep an eye out for clues on who the next Doctor may be, or if David Tennant will finally break and reveal whether or not he’s returning. 

Doctor Who says goodbye to Jodie Whittaker's version of The Doctor this fall, and, up until this point, we didn't know how that would go down. Now, the first trailer for the goodbye special is here, and it contains a few familiar faces and some real surprises in the form of companions and enemies fans haven't seen in quite some time. 

HBO Max subscribers can stream all of modern Doctor Who, though that wouldn't do them much good with identifying the two Companions who showed up in the trailer. Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding), who served as a Companion for Tom Baker and Peter Davison's Doctors in the early '80s, is present. Ace (Sophie Aldred), who was Sylvester McCoy's Doctor from 1987 to 1989 can also be glimpsed in the new footage. Both are back to help The Doctor, despite appearing in seasons prior to the reboot and not having made appearances for decades.

Though modern franchise devotees may not be that familiar with the veteran characters. I think manyWho fans will be excited to see Sacha Dhawan back as The Master, especially after getting some clarity on his character in Season 12. He's allegedly got a plan to "kill" The Doctor, which might be why he spent most of the twelfth season figuring out her origins. The Doctor's canonized limitless regenerations made the idea of killing the character a longshot, but it seems the villain has found a way around that. 

The Daleks and Cybermen are along for the ride in this adventure, though it's unknown if they factor into The Master's plans. No doubt they'll be another obstacle for the protagonist as she fights for her life. 

As for the rest of the familiar faces, it's reassuring to see Dan and Yaz tagging along, if not entirely expected. The trailer also showed Vinder, who fans haven't seen since Doctor Who: Flux. I'm really curious to see how this show marries that storyline to The Master's first appearance since Season 12, since it seemed both storylines were intentionally made separate from one another. Perhaps bringing them together in the Attack the Block alum's final outing will make her entire run feel more cohesive -- and lead to a greater appreciation of both seasons for fans. 

The trailer only showed a slight tease of The Doctor’s regeneration, which viewers are obviously eager to see. It’s not uncommon for the next person playing the role to make a brief appearance in their predecessor’s final episode (or sometimes even earlier than that). Jodie Whittaker made her first appearance in Peter Capaldi’s final episode, so to see that repeated with whoever is leading Russell T. Davies’ return to the franchise would be a great callback. Given the replacement rumors (and whiich rumored returns of familiar faces like David Tenant), I'd just love to know who the next person to take the reins will be.

Jodie Whittaker's final Doctor Who episode doesn't have a release date just yet, but I'm sure we'll get details on when it's coming to BBC America sooner rather than later.

The way that Doctor Who fans, insiders and the stars themselves have been speculating about Jodie Whittaker's replacement for so long, a non-viewer might be convinced that her and showrunner Chris Chibnall's final installments had already come and gone. But their final two specials are still on the way in 2022, with that second one serving as the regeneration special introducing the 14th Doctor. With all the predictions currently floating around, it’s currently impossible to tell who will take over the role for Russell T. Davies’ exciting return as showrunner for Season 14, but one rather left-of-center rumor points to a big-screen star more commonly known for romantic comedy roles: Hugh Grant. 

While nothing has officially been confirmed behind the scenes regarding the next Doctor Who lead, the Mirror reported there are “conversations” taking place regarding the possibility of Four Weddings and a Funeral star Hugh Grant becoming the next Time Lord in 2023 and beyond. With the idea that Grant would bring a “fresh feel” to the role, the outlet’s insider claimed:

By all means, Hugh Grant is familiar to film and TV viewers around the world in ways that past Doctor Who leads haven’t been. And that’s just one reason why this seemingly oddball choice actually makes sense.

Hugh Grant Could Bring Both New And Former Viewers To The Franchise

Considering the recent seasons from Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker saw new lows for series viewerships and ratings stats, it would make a lot of sense for the BBC to at least entertain the idea of bringing in a globally renowned star to take over as Fourteen. Especially for an era that will presumably bring more familiar elements back into the series following Chibnall’s intentional efforts to change things up for his run. Of course, producers could go this route with hundreds of other stars beyond Hugh Grant, especially if diversity is still a driving factor, but familiarity isn’t the only reason why Grant is a sensible choice.

Hugh Grant Technically Already Played The Doctor Over 20 Years Ago 

Back in 1999, the year Hugh Grant released both Mickey Blue Eyes and Notting Hill, he also took part in that year’s highly celebrated Red Nose Day special Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death, which also starred Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant, Joanna Lumley and Jim Broadbent. 

The era-connecting special featured the Undoing star as “The Handsome Doctor” whose survival was not so long-lasting. But I don’t think anyone would look at that moment as such hard-nosed canon that the actor couldn’t return as a different, albeit still handsome, Doctor for Season 14.

Russell T. Davies Wanted Hugh Grant As The Reboot’s First Doctor 

Back in 2005, when Doctor Who was first set to return to television after a 16-year hiatus, Hugh Grant (and the aforementioned Rowan Atkinson) was one of the first actors that reboot spearheader Russell T. Davies reached out to regarding the starring role, which eventually went to Christopher Eccleston. Grant later expressed some regrets about not taking the role, saying this, according to Digital Spy: 

So while none of these factors serve as proper proof that Hugh Grant will indeed agree to take on a Doctor Who role for Season 14 and possibly more, it all helps to make the rumor less ridiculous and more legitimate. And it’s entirely possible that Russell T. Davies will find a way to bring Hugh Grant into Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special without actually casting him as the future Time Lord. After all, it’s also rumored that David Tennant will be involved with that special, so the sky is the limit until actual details start to jump from the grapevine to real life.

While another fan-friendly hopeful in Michael Sheen has already denied any future involvement with Doctor Who, we’ll have to wait and see if Hugh Grant responds to these latest rumors. In the meantime, stay tuned for more news about the upcoming Easter-centric special and the regeneration special, and head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what else is on the way soon.

Jodie Whittaker will officially say goodbye to Doctor Who when her final episode airs later this year, which is very bittersweet thought. The end of her tenure aside, though, it now seems there’s a chance the installment will feature a former companion. Amidst the recent rumor that Whittaker’s exit will usher in a big adventure that involves David Tennant and other past Doctors in the franchise, it seems that actor Bradley Walsh might be in tow for the actress' last installment.

Doctor Who fans might know Bradley Walsh for playing companion Graham during the Attack the Block alum's run as The Doctor. Graham was written out of the series alongside his grandson Ryan (played by Tosin Cole) and, when the characters were last mentioned, they were jokingly said to be starting up their own paranormal investigation team. 

This recent suspicion that the character might be a part of the final episode comes from Three Little Words, John Bishop’s podcast, on which the character was recently mentioned. Bishop (who joined the franchise as Dan and has talked about joining so late in Whittaker’s run previously) recently interviewed his co-star Jodie Whittaker. Aad while the two discussed the final day of filming her run, Bishop recalled crying at the post-wrap dinner. Whittaker continued the story and name-dropped the Graham actor while telling the story:

It’s interesting that Bradley Walsh was present at the post-wrap dinner for the star's last episode. Did he just happen to be in Cardiff just as production wrapped, or is it possible that Walsh did indeed reprise his role as Graham for the episode? At this point, it's hard to give solid confirmation either way, though the chances of him returning certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility given this recent news.

Jodie Whittaker posted about wrapping production on Doctor Who back in October (via the show's official Twitter account). It's also been made known that Bradley Walsh spent some time in Cardiff in late September and hung out with John Bishop during that time. Check out this picture of the pair at a local cafe, which further confirms his presence in the city during filming:

While don’t know for sure if Bradley Walsh will reprise his role as Graham for Jodie Whittaker’s send-off, it would be nice to see him be a part of the fun. I’d also like to see Tosin Cole return as Ryan but, with no mention of him in either of these situations, I’m not holding my breath. At least the very least, we’ll possibly get most of the “fam” back before Whittaker bows out as The Doctor, which will further help to honor the three seasons she’s given the franchise. 

Before Jodie Whittaker's last Doctor Who story arrives in late 2022, fans can stream her character's previous adventures with an HBO Max subscription. And after her departure, fans will be focused on whoever takes up the mantle next and what showrunner Russell T. Davies has planned for his return to the franchise. Based on what Steven Moffat teased about it, I’m definitely excited. 

Doctor Who will say goodbye to Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor by the end of 2022, and while there’s excitement about a new actor or actress stepping into the role, there’s still plenty to celebrate in the meantime. Whittaker had some great moments on the series, of course, and has reflected on her own personal favorite moments from her three-season run. 

Jodie Whittaker spoke to Empire about her run on Doctor Who thus far, and when asked about her favorite episode, she gave a response I wouldn’t think many fans would consider her best work, though the star's reasoning for the pick is solid. In her words:

I can understand why Jodie Whittaker likes her first full episode as The Doctor more than others, especially when tying in all the importance of the event. Doctor Who had a new showrunner, Chris Chibnall, shaking up things behind the scenes and a new actress playing the first female Doctor. There was a lot of hype, intrigue, debate, and drama. To step out and actually film the episode had to be exciting, and maybe even a relief.

In "The Woman Who Fell To Earth," The Doctor arrived freshly regenerated but a little out of sorts. Luckily, she met Yasmin, Ryan, and Graham, and together, they all went out to save the day while also forming what became a strong bond with the trio across two seasons. 

Overall, Season 11 of Doctor Who was one of the most polarizing seasons of Jodie Whittaker’s run, though it’s hard to say a bulk of the criticisms fell on her particularly. Regardless, it’s interesting to hear she’d pick an episode from that season, and perhaps not something from Season 12, which was much more well-received. Again though, it seems what made the episode great for Whittaker specifically was the experience from her perspective, and not so much the writing or actual plot or fan response.

Jodie Whittaker will say goodbye to The Doctor in the fall of 2022, and so far, fans don’t know who will replace her. We do know that former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies will return for a second run, and he’s got a plan. Former showrunner Steven Moffat knows a bit of that plan, and he’s excited, so perhaps fans should get excited as well. 

Doctor Who is on a break between specials at BBC America, but anyone with HBO Max can stream the series right now. We’ll see Jodie Whittaker’s goodbye episode as The Doctor along with other new shows later this year, so be sure to keep an eye out for what’s around the corner. 

Jodie Whittaker made history in 2017 as the first female to play the iconic titular role in the long-running sci-fi series Doctor Who. As the actress prepares to exit the BBC show next year, she’s offering a suggestion for her replacement, and it’s another female.

Doctor Who stars Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill took on the “Kids Ask Difficult Questions” challenge for BBC Radio, and boy did the kids ask some difficult questions. From favorite blooper to why Whittaker is leaving the series, the questions were pretty great. The current Doctor got asked who would be the next Doctor Who, and her suggestion is phenomenal:

Lydia West is a British actress who is relatively new to the industry, but already has a couple shows under her belt, with multiple series and films in the works. Starring in the British miniseries It’s a Sin, West would definitely bring excitement to the role, according to Jodie Whittaker.

As for who will actually be the new Doctor, that secret has not been told. Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies, who is returning to the series after an 11-year hiatus, told The Guardian that the role of the Fourteenth Doctor has not yet been cast:

Finding out who will be the next Doctor Who will definitely be something to look out for, especially since the show is closing in on its 60th anniversary. Russell T. Davies mentioned that he’s back in the writers’ room and has already gotten to work on the episodes, which are set to air in November 2023, coinciding perfectly with the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who.

Popular frontrunner for the next Doctor, Prodigal Son alum Michael Sheen, recently revealed that he won’t be replacing Jodie Whittaker. The actor did say that he’s “very flattered” that fans want him as the Fourteenth Doctor but he has yet to receive the call. Other actors have also commented on the possibility of them taking over the role, with plenty of Brits in the running. But as of now, it seems like fans can only hope for their favorite to play the iconic role.

It’s hard to tell when the next Doctor will be announced, but hopefully whoever he or she is will bring plenty to the table. With the 60th anniversary coming up, there is no doubt that the writers and producers behind Doctor Who will make the upcoming season a big spectacle. It will be interesting to see if Whittaker’s choice of Lydia West will go through, as she seems like the solid choice.

Doctor Who is set to return to BBC America on New Year’s Day with a new episode! Don’t miss it.

Doctor Who: Flux recently ended, which means there are only a few specials left before Jodie Whittaker officially exits Doctor Who. The Doctor’s regeneration will bring a new actor into the starring role, and while the speculation mill has been teasing many popular actors for the character, the only information fans have gotten as of late is who won’t be doing it. Now, there’s another name we can add to that list, as a popular frontrunner for the next Doctor, AKA actor Michael Sheen, recently confirmed he won’t be the new Doctor. Yes, I'm very bummed. 

Michael Sheen has been one of a handful of names believed to be a favorite by The BBC to play the next Doctor, though it looks like his official odds will decrease now the actor has spoken on record about Doctor Who. Sheen talked to Metro and other outlets about the speculation and confirmed he won't be the 14th Doctor, saying: 

Well, I guess that’s another prospective Doctor Who candidate that oddsmakers can mark off the list. Michael Sheen not only said he’s not playing The Doctor but that those responsible for the series haven’t even contacted him. Typically actors who may be involved don’t outright deny or comment on the matter, so I’m inclined to believe Sheen’s genuine in saying that. Or, I suppose he really could just be that good when it comes to acting, but I'm guessing no and that I'm right to be bummed out. 

It’s not at all surprising the Welsh actor’s been rumored for Doctor Who, though, considering he’s one of the more prolific television actors from Europe with an international appeal--that's one of the reasons he seemed like such a good fit in the first place. I also had high hopes he might be an option given that Sheen's Fox series, Prodigal Son, was canceled earlier this year. With that said, Sheen probably has no shortage of projects coming his way, so he should end up somewhere soon enough, even if the folks at Doctor Who aren’t calling. I guess I'll have to content myself with that. (Still bummed.) 

To note, Michael Sheen had a very brief role in Doctor Who as he appeared in the 2011 episode “The Doctor’s Wife,” in a very unique way. In the episode, Michael Sheen voiced a character called House but didn’t appear in live-action for the role. It’s worth noting that it wouldn’t have jeopardized his chances of playing the Doctor if he had portrayed a past character, as Peter Capaldi proved with his casting as the Twelfth Doctor. 

With Michael Sheen out of the running, fans will continue to wonder who Russell T. Davies will bring in as his new Doctor. Hopefully, we find out in the coming months, as speculation will get out of control if The BBC makes its fans wait until Jodie Whittaker’s actual regeneration episode. 

Doctor Who will return to BBC America on New Year’s Day with a new episode. Tune in to see the beginning of the end of the Doctor’s final run and to see the new Doctor revealed!

It’s an exciting time for the Doctor Who franchise, as Jodie Whittaker’s final full season is in full swing. And with each passing day, the public gets closer to the announcement of the new actor who will play the titular Doctor. With this, many are always curious to know what the former cast and crew have to say about all the news. So it’s not surprising at all that former series lead Matt Smith recently fielded a couple of questions about his former series during an interview about his work on Last Night In Soho. 

The actor spoke to Looper about his role in Edgar Wright’s latest movie, before talk eventually turned to the hit sci-fi show. The star was specifically asked his thoughts on Jodie Whittaker’s run and where he thought the series should head after her exit. Though he couldn’t say much on the first part of the question, he had things to say regarding the second:

Doctor Who will welcome back former showrunner Russell T. Davies after Jodie Whittaker and current showrunner Chris Chibnall’s exit. So the Soho star is all about seeing Davies on action but declined to say anything about Whittaker’s run because he hasn’t kept up with the show. Overall, nothing too controversial here, though that’s not too surprising considering Smith always comes off as respectful when discussing the beloved series.

It’s encouraging to hear that the actor is a fan of Russell T. Davies. Interestingly enough, part of the returning showrunner’s responsibility upon his return will be organizing the 60th-anniversary celebration. The 50th anniversary special featured returns from many Doctor Who actors, so it’s possible the 60th could ddo the same. Perhaps with Matt Smith already high on Davies as a creator, the actor could return for an appearance as the 11th Doctor? 

I wouldn’t rule anything out but, at the same time, the actor's footprint in Hollywood has grown since his Doctor Who days. In addition to his recent role in Last Night in Soho, he’s also in Morbius and will likely be doing press for that when it releases. He’s also a lead on HBO’s Game of Thrones spinoff, House of the Dragon, so his window of availability for any anniversary special could be small. Of course, we still don’t even know what's being planned for its 60th, so perhaps it’s just best, for now, to wait and see what happens. 

Doctor Who: Flux airs on BBC America on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Jodie Whittaker’s final full season as The Doctor is wild so far, and it will be interesting to see how this season sets up her final special episodes before her regeneration.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Doctor Who: Flux episode “Once, Upon Time.” Read at your own risk!

Doctor Who: Flux dove a bit deeper into its season-wide story, though I think it’s debatable whether or not fans of the sci-fi series learned all that much more about Swarm, Azure, or whatever the hell is happening to the galaxy at large. One positive outcome  amid all the confusion is that a familiar face reappeared via the return of Jo Martin’s “Fugitive Doctor," but that of course only meant there would be more questions on the way.

Jodie Whittaker's Doctor reacquainted with the other version while in the midst of being sucked through various moments in time in quick succession. The two Doctors came together after spotting one another in the reflection of a mirror, despite the fact they were presumably two different individuals working independently of each other. In any case, while our resident protagonist immediately recognized her counterpart, the Fugitive Doctor didn’t have the slightest clue who she was looking at.

That detail feels like an interesting and possibly key factor for Doctor Who: Flux, and it's something fans have encountered before with River Song. If the Fugitive Doctor does not recognize her counterpart, she might be moving through the timeline in a way in which her battle with Swarm and Azure occurred before they crossed paths in Doctor Who Season 12, while still happening in our Doctor's past. Yet somehow, the two appeared to be simultaneously locked in the same battle, even handling the crisis in the same way, though without necessarily knowing of the other's existence. 

Doctor Who: Flux is seemingly all about time and disruption, and if we can believe The Doctor, it specifically involves her as well. The latest episode really had me wondering if there’s any validity to the theories that Jo Martin’s Doctor is the Doctor of a parallel universe, and if that's the case, then it's worth pondering whether or not that universe was a result of The Flux. 

Truthfully, it feels reckless to speculate anything about Doctor Who: Flux's chaos at this point, just because of how little we still know about the season a few episodes in. If nothing else, one thing I feel comfortable speculating is that if Season 13 brought Fugitive Doctor into the mix, then there’s a solid chance The Flux will tie into some of the weirdness and big storylines we learned about in Season 12. That’s a relief to me because so far, there didn’t seem to be any indication of such explanations happening, so hooray for another familiar character who can hopefully shed some light on what is transpiring in this wild season. 

Doctor Who: Flux airs over on BBC America Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Hopefully, some of the wild things we’ve seen so far start to come together and make this season’s mystery a little clearer, or we get another character beloved by fans to make the wild ride a little less bumpy-wumpy.

Actor David Ajala returns to television this week as Cleveland Booker in Season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery and, given his lengthy career, fans may expect to see him remain on TV for years to come. In fact, there have been some calls for the British actor to return to a series he’s surely familiar with, Doctor Who, but in an entirely different role. Some fans want to see Ajala as The Doctor when Jodie Whittaker leaves, but is that something that will actually happen?  

I got a chance to speak to David Ajala following Star Trek: Discovery’s panel at New York Comic-Con. While talking about Season 4, we also briefly touched on whether or not he’d throw his hat in the ring to be the next Doctor on long-running sci-fi show. First, Ajala was sure to give the proper respect to the current Doctor before providing some reasonable thoughts on the idea of taking over the lead role:

Clearly, the fan-favorite actor isn’t about to disappoint his admirers by closing the door on any major job. So yes, count him in as someone who would welcome the opportunity to star as The Doctor when Russell T. Davies returns to the franchise. As for whether or not it’ll happen is anyone’s guess, as it’s possible Doctor Who hasn’t even auditioned actors for the role yet. 

The actor would be an interesting choice for The Doctor and would be the first Black male to play Doctor Who’s lead in franchise history. Years ago, he guest-starred in the Season 5 episode “The Beast Below” as Peter. Thankfully, a prior guest spot doesn’t hurt his chances of playing the role. After all, Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillan originally both guest-starred as other characters before landing their signature franchise roles.

But because David Ajala is with Star Trek: Discovery for at least its fourth season, so his work commitments to the show could present a scheduling conflict. Of course, we have no idea what the future holds for his character Cleveland Booker but, if he exits at some point this season, perhaps those rumors of Ajala joining Doctor Who will gain more steam. 

Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 hits Paramount+ on Thursday, November 18th, and his performance may help serve as a gauge for fans who may be on the fence about him becoming the new Doctor. Meanwhile, Doctor Who: Flux is currently airing on BBC America on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Doctor Who: Flux got off to a wild start and, while fans learned some things about the titular Flux, there were so many questions left unanswered, thanks to terrifying new enemies and characters that only added to the mystery. The Doctor got some meaningful facetime with the villain Swarm, as well as the dog-like Lupari character Karvanista. However, there was one interesting character we didn’t see her talk with much at all. I'm referring to Claire, who has some fans speculating that she’s a character with meaningful ties to a past companion and maybe even a former Doctor. 

Claire only had a small amount of screen time in the season premiere but, given what little we learned, one has to think we’ll see her more. This is especially true when you consider she has given off so many vibes that indicate she knows Clara Oswald and possibly even Matt Smith or Peter Capaldi’s incarnation of The Doctor. So let’s run down all the clues below and consider the exciting potential twists and turns that could happen down the road:

Claire Used A Version Of A Line Both Clara And The Doctor Used

When Claire channeled River Song with a time-traveler “you don’t know me yet, but I know you” speech, fans immediately assumed that something was odd about her. But it was her use of a key Doctor Who line that really set off the alarm bells. When The Doctor asked her what she was doing in “The Halloween Apocalypse,” she responded with “taking the long way home." She spoke this line with a confused tone, which seemed to indicate that even she was unsure why she said it.   

The situation was awfully similar to the time that Clara told Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor she was “taking the long way around” when she used the TARDIS in Season 9. This phrase was also used by both Capaldi's incarnation and Matt Smith's. Could Claire have picked up this phrase from one of the three? 

If Claire did get her spin on that line from Clara Oswald or The Doctor, then one would have to wonder what the nature of her relationship is with them. Did she cross paths with any of them at some point and, if so, why isn't Jodie Whittaker's Doctor aware? Is this tied to the Flux? Is Claire working with Capaldi or Smith's past iterations? We could talk out hypotheticals all day, but let’s press on and talk out all the different scenarios.

Claire Knows A Decent Amount About The Weeping Angels 

The Weeping Angels are some of the franchise's greatest adversaries. While it’s not at all uncommon for people to aide the titular hero in battles against the horrific statues, it isn’t too common for someone who hasn’t met The Doctor to know of their existence and how to handle them. Claire showed in a short amount of time that she knew all the do’s and dont’s of a Weeping Angels encounter and, while she came close to almost certain doom, she escaped with her life intact. 

Now, Claire did imply she’s met The Doctor before, so it’s totally possible that the series will show her get a crash course on the ins and out of surviving all baddies. Clara Oswald also had a solid history with the Weeping Angels, though. So if she happened to meet Claire (or there’s an even stranger scenario we’ll get into soon) she could’ve told her all about the dangerous villains. 

If Claire was some time agent for Oswald, this could be a way to bring Jenna Coleman’s character back into the series. Of course, there is another potential scenario that, if possible, could completely explain everything about the franchise newcomer and serve as a massive callback to a big Clara storyline.

Claire Looks Like Clara Oswald 

The weirdest thing about Claire is that the new Doctor Who actress who plays her bears a striking resemblance to Jenna Coleman. Then there’s the whole fact that their names sound similar, which adds another bit of weirdness to all these odd connections. It’s led to ideas that this new face is actually is Clara Oswald, and it’s rooted in the past storyline in which Clara “splintered” when entering The Doctor’s timeline. According to River Song, this created “millions” of splinters of Oswald in The Doctor’s personal timeline, and she was able to save her ally several times over.

There are a couple of key things that are important to note when entertaining the theory that the Flux's character is, in fact, a splinter of Clara. The first is that Clara noted that The Doctor rarely recognized her or noticed her help in these situations, which would explain The Doctor having no clue who Claire is. The second is that a comic Doctor Who comic “Blood and Ice” revealed many of these splinters went on to live their own lives. If that’s true, then these lives would be lived within the lead character's personal timeline.  

The gist here is that Claire could actually be a splinter of Clara Oswald who is helping The Doctor fight the Flux. If this is true, then it opens up the possibility of potentially involving Jenna Coleman in a future episode or even former leads like Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi. It honestly sounds quite crazy. But to be fair, a lot about this new season is pretty off the wall, so it wouldn't exactly be a stretch.

Why Doctor Who Bringing Clara Back Via Claire Could Make Sense

Usually, when it comes to theories on any show, one has to deeply consider the show’s existing canon and lore. In the case of Doctor Who, though, this rule is a bit shakier. While the franchise does try its best to keep plot threads and characters consistent, it's not beholden to canon. This means that if it makes enough sense to showrunner Chris Chibnall that Claire is a version of Clara Oswald, that’s something that can totally happen. 

At the same time, this makes anything with Doctor Who that much more difficult to predict. Sure, it makes sense that Claire is connected to Clara, but that’s only because fans picked a few similarities. At the end of the day, she’s only just been introduced in Season 13 and has only received a little bit of screen time so far. So it’s best to be delicate in assuming too much about her character just yet. 

There are a lot of questions surrounding Doctor Who: Flux's Claire so far, but the mystery could very well unravel as new episodes air over on BBC America Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Personally, I’m rooting for a Clara Oswald reveal of some kind and, while I’m not counting on an appearance from a past Doctor, I would certainly welcome such a development.

Doctor Who: Flux is underway, and its premiere marked the beginning of the final episodes for Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor. Whittaker and current showrunner Chris Chibnall will exit the series following the conclusion of this season and a few specials in 2022. This will then make way for Russell T. Davies to return as showrunner. But since there will be a new Doctor, what does this mean for someone like Mandip Gill’s Yaz? 

As of this writing, it’s unclear whether or not Doctor Who will retain Yaz or even John's Bishop Dan for future adventures. EW recently caught up with Mandip Gill and asked if she could confirm her return following her co-star's departure. Unfortunately, the actress couldn't say for sure one way or the other:

There’s no deciphering what will happen with Yaz based on that response. However, she is is correct that companions have stayed on the show beyond the exit of actors who've played the Doctor. Billie Piper remained on as Rose following Christopher Eccleston’s exit, as did Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswald after Matt Smith's incarnation moved on. Yaz is the last remaining companion on the show that’s been with The Doctor since Jodie Whittaker’s introduction, so could that be a point in her favor?

If the BBC were to reveal the actress' status it would, of course, be a potential spoiler for Doctor Who: Flux. After all, the companions can and have died before the end of a difficult journey. Others have gone through life-changing events that greatly alter their trajectory. In either case, any confirmation from the star would almost certainly reveal something like that is on the way.

One thing the series has established about Mandip Gill’s Yaz is that she’s very loyal. She remained on board with The Doctor with no questions asked, even when Ryan and Graham decided to move on. Speaking as a fan, I have to assume she’ll be by her cohort's side until it’s no longer feasible, which could open the door to a tragic end for her. Hopefully, though, Yaz gets a happy ending or at least a couple more seasons as a faithful companion. 

Doctor Who: Flux airs on BBC America on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. We can only hope that as the season heats up and we learn more about the rapidly evolving adventure of Season 13, the details on Yaz’s fate and future in the franchise will become clearer.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Doctor Who: Flux premiere titled “The Halloween Apocalypse.” Read at your own risk!

Doctor Who: Flux promised to be a massive event with significant stakes, and the series certainly lived up to that hype with the Season 13 premiere. Viewers learned the titular Flux is a space “hurricane” of sorts, capable of erasing all in its path from existence. The season opener also introduced this season’s terrifying big bad, Swarm, and we have a lot of questions about the mastermind behind this catastrophic event that The Doctor admittedly never saw coming. 

According to Swarm, Jodie Whittaker's Doctor should know everything about him already. They’ve apparently been fierce rivals for ages, and fought each other across space and time. Swarm did note that someone erased The Doctor’s memory, and that claim felt to me like more of a means to mock her than anything. Swarm ended their encounter by pointing out his memories of their past battles will give him a grand advantage, as he knows her every move. Which makes me wonder...

Could The Doctor Have Met Her Match With Swarm?

Swarm has the energy of a villain similar to The Master, and the Flux’s destruction thus far solidified him as the greatest threat Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor ever faced, hands down. Still, I think Doctor Who fans know better than to count out The Doctor in just about any situation. Even so, there’s something interesting about the fact Swarm’s already managed to wipe the Doctor’s memory and managed to construct the Flux without her knowing. And that's just to set up everything he'll probably do to her in Season 13. Will this challenge be too much to overcome?

Does Swarm Originate From The Same Species As The Doctor?

One curious thing I noticed — and note that I'm saying take this with a hefty grain of salt — is that Swarm appeared to be regenerated when we first met him. So he’s obviously capable of time-travel, can regenerate, and can even create a telepathic link with The Doctor. Time Lords can communicate telepathically, so is it possible this alien that looks like a glamorous space zombie (which I love) is somehow as much of a Time Lord as The Doctor?

Will Doctor Who: Flux Address Season 12's Big Reveals? 

Unless there was some super-subtle Timeless Child messaging in the premiere, Doctor Who: Flux featured zero references to the earth-shattering reveals from Season 12. We didn’t see Jo Martin’s Doctor, or The Master, for that matter. We know that Season 13 will be dedicated to one massive event that, so far, is really entertaining and exhilarating, but I do wonder if we’ll get those loose ends to Thirteen's storyline tied up down the stretch. Perhaps that’s what the specials in 2022 will center around? As mentioned, it's possible Swarm is tied into all of that, though I couldn't begin to speculate how. If so, we’ll find out in time, I’m assuming!

Doctor Who's Season 13 global premiere was a strange one time-wise, but U.S. viewers can expect to see it back in primetime on BBC America on Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET for future episodes. I can’t wait to see how The Doctor gets out of this adventure and to see if her companions will even survive long enough to meet the next one.

Doctor Who: Flux is coming at the end of October, and with its arrival comes a few familiar faces. This includes certain villains, as the trailer confirmed The Doctor would once again go head-to-head with one of the most terrifying enemies she’s faced, the Weeping Angels. The villains created by former showrunner Steven Moffat will be a part of Jodie Whittaker’s final season as The Doctor, and apparently, they spooky baddies will be a bit different than in the past. 

Doctor Who executive producer Matt Strevens recently spoke about the return of the Weeping Angels and confirmed they won't play into expectations this time around. In an interview with the BBC, Strevens said the Weeping Angels’ upcoming presence will be markedly “different," and described their involvement as such:

“Sinister” is how I’d usually describe the Weeping Angels, though who knows how their story will be different this time around? One way to twist things around would be to make the Weeping Angels the “good guys” in Season 13, albeit likely through unintentional means. After all, Weeping Angels feed on various types of energy, so if the oncoming Flux is some sort of energy, could the Angels be tricked or convinced into consuming it? Or maybe all of this is uneven speculation. 

Doctor Who briefly featured a Weeping Angel in the 2021 special “Revolution of the Daleks,” though the scene wasn’t substantive enough to affect anything else that occurred. Current showrunner Chris Chibnall expressed excitement to use the Weeping Angels for Doctor Who: Flux and noted it’s been quite a while since the villains have been a meaningful part of the show. 

Doctor Who: Flux will be unlike past modern seasons of Doctor Who in that it’ll be one giant serialized adventure. The season marks the beginning and middle of Jodie Whittaker’s final stretch as the Doctor, though her tenure will officially end with a series of specials in 2022. After that, Russell T. Davies will return as showrunner for the series’ 60th anniversary and potentially more seasons after. 

Fans can catch the premiere of Doctor Who: Flux on BBC America starting Sunday, October 31st. Here’s hoping the change of pace will be a positive final chapter for Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor and answer some of the major questions presented by Season 12. 

Doctor Who Season 13 dropped new footage recently, and while we only know a bit more than we did when before it was revealed, there is a bit of fun for fans to theorize about. The latest Flux-ified trailer offered some teases for what’s ahead, and as is often the case in these timey-wimey situations, I have questions. 

Jodie Whittaker’s final season as The Doctor will play out over one big adventure and will seemingly tackle one big threat, which has only been referred to thus far as “the Flux.” Let’s dig into that subtitle, as well as some of the other questions the latest trailer left me with ahead of Season 13’s Halloween premiere.

Who Is That Alien That Looks Like A Mix Of A Dog And Chewbacca, And Why Do I Love It Already?

I wouldn’t go so far as to say Doctor Who intentionally creates lovable alien species in transparent attempts to delight its fandom, but there have been a few instances where I believe a species exists merely for that reason. Specifically, I have a sneaking suspicion that Doctor Who intentionally created and showcased a Wookiee-like creature with the cuddle-friendly face of a dog specifically because they want the fandom to embrace it with their whole heart. Even if that wasn't the intented purpose, all I can say is, mission accomplished. 

I know next to nothing about this creature, yet I already know I’ll be furious if it dies before I can hug it. Even if it’s the vilest of vile villains, I support this Chewbacca-esque creature's right to be cute and do whatever it must to stay that way. In all seriousness, I do hope this creature is an ally of The Doctor rather than an enemy, and I also hope it's a future recurring character, since it’s probably the most enjoyable little beast I’ve seen in Doctor Who in several seasons.

Why Is That Sontaran Dressed Like A Knight?

Sontarans like violence, but it’s been a hot minute since they’ve been bold enough to enter a direct confrontation with The Doctor. Now they’re apparently back, and they’re looking like something out of Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel with that armor. The look feels intentional, given the Sontaran is on a horse, but why exactly is it dressed like a knight? 

The answer could come from Doctor Who: Flux’s overhead shot of a battle scene, in which a group of Sontarans seems to be rushing a bunch of Victorian-era soldiers. The human side has guns and a good deal of cannons, while the Sontarans fire lasers from their end. The lasers, paried with the outfit, almost resembles the classic armor of the species from the pre-reboot days of Doctor Who, which is certainly interesting, though could just be a slight nod rather than something tied to the story. Either way, I’m intrigued and can’t wait to see more!

Is The Ood’s Presence A Good Or Bad Thing?

The Ood are back in Doctor Who, but is that a good or bad thing? Members of the typically peaceful species of the BBC series have served as friends of The Doctor, but they’ve also played foes as well. Granted, most times the Ood are evil it’s the result of outside corruption, but that doesn’t make them any less formidable. Could there be some psychic force at play controlling the Ood yet again? 

I’m not sure about that, but I do know that a telepathic Ood would be handy for a Doctor in more situations than not. If The Doctor is in search of information, it’s likely an Ood can help draw that out or share what its learned about this upcoming Flux threat or where The Doctor, Yaz, and Dan can head next. I feel like this Ood appearance won’t be too substantial, but it is nice to see a beloved Doctor Who species once again back in the fold. 

Who Exactly Knows About The Flux? 

Doctor Who: Flux is centered around one giant adventure, and based on what we learned in the latest trailer, The Doctor isn’t the only one in the know about it. The Flux is seemingly something that a few people are following, though for what and why is something we’ve yet to figure out. The good news is that, as usual, there’s some mysterious alien race that seems to know exactly what’s happening, which guarantees The Doctor won’t be searching for answers for very long. 

Beyond the glam-looking alien species, though, it looks like there are others in the know who are aware that all is not right with the world, and could join The Doctor in setting the world right. My money is on Vinder, a new character played by former Game of Thrones actor Jacob Anderson, being one of the characters who is aware of the issues created by The Flux, as well as him maybe being an ally of The Doctor that can help bring it to an end. I’m sure others will join, I'm looking out for Vinder to be the most key player down the stretch.

Will We See Another Face-Off Between Two Major Enemies Of The Doctor?

One thing that seems evident from the Doctor Who: Flux trailer is that a massive battle is coming. A line is drawn, and people take sides, so I have to wonder what everyone is fighting about. Is this so much about a battle of good vs. evil, or is this some kind of multiversal battle for supremacy? If it’s the latter, this can always create an opportunity for enemies to align with heroes, or even enemies to turn on each other.

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen two species of Doctor Who enemies go toe-to-toe, and I’m hoping Doctor Who: Flux breaks that streak. As for who could throw down, I think it’d be a shame to not include the Weeping Angels, given this is the most we’ve seen in a single scene in quite a while. I’d love to see a scenario play out in which some Weeping Angels went up against Cybermen or even some Sontarans. Look, there’s a lot of crazy stuff happening in this trailer, I don’t think it’s too unrealistic to dream for something like this!

Where Are Jo Martin's Doctor And The Master?

Doctor Who: Flux showed a lot of familiar characters in its trailer, but there were a few key faces from Season 12 that mysteriously aren’t shown in our first look at Season 13. Most notably, we don’t see Jo Martin’s Doctor or Sacha Dhawan’s Master. The latter played a huge part in most of Season 12’s mystery, so to have him missing from the trailer is baffling, to put it mildly. This guy was so upset to find out his regeneration cycle is a result of The Doctor’s genetics he destroyed Gallifrey, and now he’s nowhere to be found?

It’s possible that both Jo Martin’s Doctor and Sacha Dhawan’s Master are involved in Doctor Who: Flux, and neither were in the trailer, of course. But why? Fans surely expected to see both along for the long haul, given there are still plenty of questions to be answered about both. For example, we still aren’t sure how either exists, though perhaps that’s exactly what Doctor Who: Flux will answer. That’s my hope anyway, as I can’t have yet another Doctor Who showrunner leaves the show without tying off loose ends. 

Doctor Who: Flux kicks off on BBC America on Sunday, October 31st, the sp-Who-kiest day of the year. Get ready for Jodie Whittaker’s final adventures as The Doctor, and get excited about what’s to come with the main reason I’m beyond excited to see Russell T. Davies return as showrunner.

It’s been over a year and a half since Doctor Who Season 12 wrapped up, and 10 months since we last spent time with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor and her cohorts. Well, the wait for a reunion is almost over, as Doctor Who Season 13, a.k.a. Doctor Who: Flux, premieres at the end of the month. The six-episode season marks the beginning of the end for Whittaker’s incarnation of The Doctor, and a new trailer had dropped revealing that she’ll be running into some familiar faces over the course of her next adventure.

As with any new season of Doctor Who, Flux will introduce a swarm of new monsters, one of which is named the Karvanista. But for those of you on the lookout for Doctor Who adversaries who’ve been fan-favorites for years, the new trailer reveals we’ll be crossing paths with the Sontarans, Weeping Angels, Cybermen, and the Ood again. 

To be fair, it hasn’t been that long since we last spent time with the Weeping Angels, Ood and the Cybermen. The former two briefly popped up in the last New Year’s special, “Revolution of the Daleks,” while the Cybermen were present in the final chunk of Season 12, as they were once again entangled in a storyline involving The Master. The Sontarans, on the other hand, have been absent from the Doctor Who TV space for some time, and they haven’t been a main threat on the series since the 2008 two-parter “The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky.” It’s also interesting to note that the Sontaran shown in the Doctor Who: Flux trailer (you can get another look at them below) looks more like how these creatures were designed in the classic Doctor Who years, as opposed to the revamped kind, like the Paternoster Gang’s Strax.

As for Doctor Who: Flux’s plot, this trailer doesn’t really clear anything up in the way of specifics, other than like every Doctor Who season, it’ll involve the title protagonist and their companions traveling to strange planets and both historical and futuristic time periods. Following the departures of Bradley Walsh’s Graham O’Brien and Tosin Cole’s Ryan Sinclair in “Revolution of the Daleks,” 13 and Mandip Gill’s Yasmin Khan will be accompanied in the TARDIS this season by Dan Lewis, played by Jacob Bishop, and Game of Thrones’ Jacob Anderson will recur as Vinder. Doctor Who Season 13 will also stand out by telling one complete storyline, which hasn’t been done since 1986’s “The Trial of a Time Lord.”

It’s worth remembering that while Doctor Who Season 13 marks both Jodie Whittaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall’s final season on the series, their Doctor Who journeys will stretch on a little longer. Three specials are set to air in 2022, paving the way for a new Doctor to take center stage in Season 14 and Russel T. Davies to return as showrunner. Nevertheless, Doctor Who: Flux looks to be an exciting ride to close out the year and give fans of the Thirteenth Doctor one last full season featuring the character.

Doctor Who Season 13 premieres Sunday, October 31 on BBC America. Look through our fall 2021 TV premiere schedule to learn when your other favorite shows are airing.

Season 13 of the modern-day Doctor Who is steadily approaching after the show's lengthy hiatus, and it'll mark the last hurrah for the 13th Doctor. With big losses come big gains, though, and Season 13 is bringing on new faces, as Jodie Whittaker prepares to take her leave. John Bishop, one of the franchise's newest additions, spoke tabout joining the show for Whittaker’s final season and what it is like coming into an iconic show with his first major TV role.

John Bishop recently appeared on the cover of Doctor Who Magazine and gave an exclusive about his on-set experience with Jodie Whittaker and the rest of the cast. Apparently, he has been welcomed with open arms, which is an obvious comfort to him, since Doctor Who will be his biggest appearance in a program yet. He also shared some praise for Whittaker. Here’s what the actor says, exactly:

Though the Skins actor is a new addition to Doctor Who, he, along with plenty of other Brits, grew up with the long-running series. The pressure of being a part of something so huge and important to pop culture (and an entire country’s identity) is sure to be a weight not easily carried. However, it appears Jodie Whittaker bears the weight gracefully and has even taken some of the edge off Bishop and her co-stars.

Things are sure to shift upon Jodie Whittaker’s departure, especially since she's not the only one leaving the show. Showrunner Chris Chibnall will also be bowing out alongside her. While the loss of a showrunner pretty much always guarantees changes around the set, there is actually some phenomenal news on that front, as Russell T. Davies will be returning to take up the mantle again. The writer exited the show in 2009 after reviving it in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston, and fans are sure to welcome his return with open arms.

While there is currently no set date for the premiere of Jodie Whittaker’s final and John Bishop’s first season of Doctor Who, it has been announced that Season 13 will air this year. So we can likely expect the series to come back to BBC near the end of the year. Hopefully, that positive energy on set will lead into an awesome season, one that's perfect for ushering in a new Doctor - whoever that may be.

There have been a lot of changes to Doctor Who over the many, many years the BBC show has been around, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to take on the massive role of the time and space-traveling time lord, portrayed the 13th regeneration of The Doctor but now, her time as The Doctor is coming to an end. With his, former Doctor Who boss Steven Moffat has now shared his feelings about her exit from the series.

Fans may be sad to see Jodie Whittaker put down her sonic screwdriver, and it turns out Steven Moffat is feeling her impending loss right along with them. In an Instagram post, Moffat shared a touching message about the impending end of Whittaker's tenure in the role. He also thanked Whittaker for taking up the responsibility of portraying The Doctor. Here’s exactly what the former showrunner said, in his tribute to both Whittaker and The Doctor:

Seeing how passionate Steven Moffat still is about Doctor Who is heartwarming; his words are unmistakably sentiments of someone who is familiar with the true spirit of The Doctor. His feelings are understandable, too, especially when you consider that he had a hand in writing some of the more moving storylines of the series. And fans are surely grateful for his Doctor Who work, which spanned over a decade in total.

Steven Moffat is a huge name in the BBC network for his work on a number of popular and clever series like Sherlock, and he served as writer, producer, and showrunner on Doctor Who from Season 5 to Season 10 of the show's modern years. Moffat made his exit from the show pretty much the same time Peter Capaldi (the 12th regeneration of The Doctor) moved on from the series, back in 2017.

Of course, Steven Moffat still has plenty of opinions about how things are progressing on the show he left behind, and it’s always tough when The Doctor regenerates and becomes a new version of themself. While we don’t know for sure who the next version of The Doctor will be at this point, one can only hope they fill The Doctor’s shoes as well as Jodie Whittaker and the previous performers did.

After months of rumors and speculation, it's official. Jodie Whittaker will indeed leave Doctor Who following Season 13 and a few specials. What some may not have foreseen is that she's not alone and that showrunner Chris Chibnall will depart as well. The move was said to be planned from the start, but the result is the same. Doctor Who is now free to go whatever direction it pleases after this coming season, but what will it do?

As a longtime fan of the show dating back to the modern reboot era, I can't really say for sure what my idealized version of Doctor Who is. I can certainly say what I don't want to see happen and think that the BBC would be making a grave error if the next person they pick to head the series is planning on doing any of these things.

I Don't Want To See Doctor Who 'Return To Form'

Doctor Who fans are often nostalgic for the best of Russell T. Davies or Stephen Moffat, and I definitely empathize and understand that, but those stories are played out. In my personal opinion, outside of a few bright points, the series had been marching towards a slow death since before its 50th anniversary. Every adventure felt more or less the same up until Peter Capaldi's departure, and it was time for a change.

Chris Chibnall injected some life into Doctor Who when he took over in Season 11, and in a rare twist for recent seasons, managed to pay off a major storyline introduced in that season at the end of Season 12. Provided the news that Chibnall had a three-season plan from the start, he's now set to conclude that arc and give fans something that could very well change the course of Doctor Who. Let's be honest – the franchise needed something more than Gallifrey being destroyed and brought back time and time again.

Doctor Who fans can talk about tradition and legacy, but the truth of the matter is the series was in desperate need of change, especially if there was an expectation it should live to see another decade. Chris Chibnall's run may not be seen as a success by all metrics years from now, but it was an honest attempt to draw in new fans and perhaps inspire a new generation to follow the show. As a fan that wants to see this franchise continue rather than painfully trudge on stuck in the past until it's canceled, I'm all for shaking things up. I can only hope the thought process is to try again.

Doctor Who Shouldn't Walk Chris Chibnall's Run Back

One of the first questions I was asked following the news of Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall's exit was how long I thought it could be before the "Timeless Child" arc is retconned. In truth, I have to admit that retconning Doctor Who plotlines is a foregone conclusion. The series has a habit of ignoring the plots of past adventures when making new ones. That said, given the changes that Chibnall introduced, they're going to be hard to ignore.

Chris Chibnall not only declared The Doctor was not from Gallifrey but seemingly immortal with an untold number of regenerations. The Gallifreyans used their technology to isolate and replicate the regeneration DNA into their own people but gave themselves a capped limit. Basically, they only became Time Lords after The Doctor's arrival, and then blocked The Doctor's memories so that the secret remained hidden. It seems like a big change at first consideration, but isn't it just a creative solution to the issue Doctor Who has faced since its reboot?

I'm sure The Doctor considers Gallifrey their home regardless of whether they were born there or adopted by it. The only real living person from Gallifrey is The Master, so it's not like this is a plot point that will be addressed all that often. As for making the Doctor seemingly immortal (barring Season 13 reveals), that's just a simple fix to a real inconvenience the series has dealt with for decades. You take that away, you create those problems all over again, and burden the next person who takes the show to figure out a new way to explain the regeneration problem away.

The Show Doesn't Need Another White Male As The Doctor Just Yet

I think a lot of fans can raise valid criticisms about the past two seasons of Doctor Who, but one thing I think most fans can agree on is that Jodie Whittaker gave the role her all and was a shining part of the past couple of seasons. She proved a woman is capable of playing The Doctor, as did Jo Martin in Season 12 and Catherine Tate sort of did seasons before. There will be those who try to say making The Doctor a woman was a bad choice, and I think those people couldn't be more wrong.

It was a nice change of pace to see The Doctor portrayed from a different perspective, all while still being very much the character we know and love. That's the magic of the character and how Doctor Who has managed to be one of the only shows on television to frequently recast its lead and still continue. I'd love to see that trend continue, and I'm ready to see the show continue to branch out from the norm when it comes to casting The Doctor.

And by no means am I saying that a white male can never play The Doctor again. I'm just saying we've already seen just about every variation of that combo 12/13 times in the history of Doctor Who. Many people make the argument that the franchise shouldn't do stunt casting just for the sake of doing it, and I agree. I also know there are plenty of capable actors in Hollywood who aren't white men and would be willing to play The Doctor. All I'm asking is that we see some more of them rather than immediately going back to what we've already seen.

Doctor Who Season 13 is on the way to BBC America, and Jodie Whittaker's bow as the 13th Doctor is expected to happen in 2022. We have no idea who her replacement will be, but we do know some of the popular names that have been floated as of late, so read up on those candidates right here.

Everyone loves a good Doctor Who rumor, even if it turns out to be false, and no rumor has been more persistent lately than the supposed departure of the current Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, which has been coupled with reports of current showrunner Chris Chibnall also potentially exiting. If a rumor sticks around long enough, it eventually gets proven to be true or false, and that seems to be the case today. As of next year, Doctor Who will have some big vacancies to fill, as the BBC officially announced that Whittaker and Chibnall will take their final bows, opening the door to fresh blood in the legendary sci-fi franchise.

Per the official announcement from the BBC, Doctor Who is planning to end Jodie Whittaker’s stint as the 13th Doctor, as well as Chris Chibnall’s tenure as the series’ steward, through a trio of between-season specials. Set to air in Fall 2022, the big event is also part of the “centenary celebrations” for the BBC itself, which only heightens the importance of what’s to come in the world of Doctor Who. This is all, of course, on top of the series' return this fall for Season 13, with six episodes making up the next run of stories on BBC America.

Also included in the big announcement was a statement from Jodie Whittaker herself. Ever gracious, she thanked everyone who made her time on Doctor Who possible, and ended with a message of encouragement. Whittaker’s statement was, as follows:

The timing of this news will probably have some Doctor Who fans thinking those previous rumors pertaining to Whittaker’s replacement are more solid than ever. Not too long ago, It’s A Sin star Olly Alexander was hotly tipped to be in advanced negotiations to become the 14th Doctor following his critically acclaimed role. Though, as always, anything unconfirmed will continue to be just that until the BBC officially goes public with a new casting announcement, which is something one would assume isn't happening until some point in 2022. Also, as of this moment, Mandip Gill's returning companion Yaz and John Bishop’s new companion Dan Lewis are not on the chopping block for departure themselves, so it'll be interesting to see how they're used as connective tissue.

As the first female to take over the role of The Doctor, Jodie Whittaker was first introduced in 2017’s season opener "The Woman Who Fell to Earth." Since then, the series has gone through some wild twists and turns, as well as heartbreaking departures from companions we’ve gotten to know along the way. Now, it is time for Whittaker and Chris Chibnall to break hearts of their own while paving the road for the next chapter in Doctor Who history.

For now, fans will have to wait patiently to discover exactly when Doctor Who will return for its final season, as the series is set to broadcast its latest batch of episodes this fall. Meanwhile, the final three special entries of Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor are set to air at some point in the fall of 2022, so there's no reason to mourn 13 just yet. There’s plenty of mystery awaiting in the world of Doctor Who, and as those answers present themselves, we’ll all be inching that much closer to the sad, but inevitable regeneration that awaits our beloved Time Lord. At least there will be lots of Fall TV shows to watch while waiting.

Doctor Who Season 13 has been in production for some time but, ahead of its release later this year, fans haven't learned much about this season. Finally though, the cast and showrunner Chris Chibnall made an appearance at SDCC@Home and revealed that Season 13 would feature an unprecedented story as well as a guest actor from Game of Thrones.

Of course, because this is Doctor Who, explicit details were scant. Chibnall did tease one specific change to Season 13 that sounded intriguing and could be significant considering this season has been rumored to be Jodie Whittaker's final season:

Chris Chibnall explained that the decision to serialize the entirety of Doctor Who Season 13 into one big adventure was more out of necessity than anything. With COVID-19 protocols in place, he said the decision was to make several small episodes or do one big adventure. Obviously, the team decided to go with the latter and will tell a story that will stretch across the entirety of a Doctor Who season in a way no past season in the modern era has done before.

As previously mentioned, Doctor Who will feature a very special guest star from the world of Game Of Thrones, Jacob Anderson. Anderson played Grey Worm on the HBO series and will join Season 13 of Doctor Who as a character who will aid the Doctor and her companions in whatever they face in Season 13. Unfortunately, Chris Chibnall and the cast were tight-lipped about the actual contents of Season 13, which was of little surprise, but they did give us a cool picture of Anderson's character Vinder!

Another thing the cast didn't speak a word about was whether or not Jodie Whittaker would still be The Doctor for a hypothetical Season 14. Rumors have run rampant that Whittaker will depart the series after a couple of specials that will follow Season 13 and that The Doctor will regenerate and be played by a new actor. The fact that the cast didn't address any of the speculation at all seems telling in and of itself because if she were staying, wouldn't they squash the rumors? Unfortunately, we can't say anything for sure and can only continue to speculate.

Doctor Who Season 13 is set to arrive on BBC America later this year. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on Jodie Whittaker's status with the show and read up on some of the popular names who've been floated so far for her potential replacement.

Doctor Who Season 13 has been filming for months now, but much of the sci-fi series' recent headlines have focused on behind-the-scenes reports as opposed to storyline-centric speculation. Several rumors have been floating around regarding Jodie Whittaker's alleged exit following Season 13, and now it would appear Doctor Who's creative team has found the actor who may replace Whittaker once she has officially stepped down. If this latest update is to be believed, It's a Sin star Olly Alexander is not only in the general running for the role, but he's allegedly on the cusp of signing the dotted line.

On the heels of news that Jodie Whittaker's final episodes of Doctor Who will be specials meant to set up her regeneration between seasons, The Sun has reported that It's A Sin star Olly Alexander is hammering out the details with the BBC to become the next Doctor. The report cites an insider who says the alleged official news, as it were, is not that far off from being publicized. Read the quote, and continue for some details about why this may not be the most legit update.

On the surface, there's a lot of things that would make sense here. Olly Alexander was the star of the recently acclaimed miniseries It's A Sin, which created by former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies. Davies was showrunner when Chris Chibnall was on Doctor Who as a writer, and the two have worked together quite often. So it's indeed possible that Davies does have Chibnall's ear in that respect, but I am a bit skeptical that Davies' personal promotion alone would automatically scoot Alexander through the door to be the next Doctor.

It's also worth noting that Olly Alexander's name wasn't part of Doctor Who conversations until he got a random endorsement from franchise alum John Barrowman ahead of the latter's recently revived issues. After Barrowman's statement, rumors began to slowly emerge putting Alexander in the central role, which could very well be where all these reports were first sparked. Alexander himself addressed the rumors back in March, stating that Doctor Who was a wonderful show but remaining coy about whether he was actually involved.

While it's possible this report is 100% accurate, with Olly Alexander being set up as the next Doctor for Doctor Who, let's consider a couple of things. The first being that neither the BBC nor anyone on board with Doctor Who has officially announced that Jodie Whittaker will exit the role after Season 13. While that particular rumor does seem to be based in reality, it would be very odd for Whittaker's replacement to be announced before it's confirmed that she's leaving the series.

Another detail to note is that the BBC is generally bad at keeping secrets regarding Doctor Who, but the identity of the "next Doctor" typically isn't one of them, at least this early in the process. Casting reports this far out from a season premiere are almost always wrong, and the more accurate reports don't tend to surface until days before official announcements are made. We don't even have an official date for Season 13's premiere yet, so it feels like any concrete announcement concerning Jodie Whittaker's future status with the show is still a ways off.

Finally, even if there were advanced talks for Olly Alexander to take over as the next regeneration of the Doctor, one would think the earliest that could happen is 2023, which provides for more than enough time for other actors and actresses to enter the replacement conversation. Ultimately, I think it's best to wait and see what is officially announced. Alexander's current schedule does look clear for the coming years, despite his well-regarded It's a Sin performance, but who knows what projects he could get tied up in between now and the end of the year?

As mentioned, Doctor Who Season 13 is still in the process of filming. Those looking to watch episodes anyway can stream the series on HBO Max, but not before reading up on our favorite episodes!

Jodie Whittaker is approaching her third season as the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, though there's been plenty of speculation her tenure won't last much longer than that. Now, a new report has surfaced with more details on that front, which may tell fans exactly when they should expect to see the first female Doctor leave the BBC series.

Jodie Whittaker is expected to be around for all of Season 13, which was cut short to eight episodes due to COVID-19-related circumstances. A new report from Mirror has alleged that the actress will remain The Doctor through Season 13, but will exit in two planned specials set to air in 2022. Following those two specials, it's said Jodie Whittaker will officially regenerate into the 14th Doctor. The BBC did not comment on the reports, and there has been no confirmation that Whittaker will depart the series.

One interesting thing to note about this report is that Seasons 11 and 12 of Doctor Who were both 10 episodes each. If Jodie Whittaker is a part of two specials in addition to Season 13, that would be another 10 episodes, which could be an obligation she was expected to fill as part of her contract. If this is her final season, it only makes sense that two special episodes would be saved for The Doctor's transformation.

Audiences have searched and speculated for reasons why Jodie Whittaker may be leaving Doctor Who, but the answer may not be as exciting as some may hope. David Tennant, Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi all capped out at three seasons as the character, so evidently that's the standard.

With that said, Jodie Whittaker's total episode count (including these rumored specials and her brief cameo in Peter Capaldi's final episode) would give her around 34 episodes total. That would give her the lowest episode count for any modern Doctor in the Doctor Who franchise, with the exception of Christopher Eccleston, who quit the series after his first season.

Various Doctor Who fans have been critical of Chris Chibnall's choices since he took over as showrunner, though his hiring of Jodie Whittaker has ultimately been well-received. While there may have been some who felt casting a female for the first time in the series' long history was stunt casting, Whittaker has won many over with her charismatic and curious take on The Doctor. Many will be sad to see her go, but fans are no doubt conditioned to the fact the Doctors come and go.

Doctor Who Season 13 is still in production but will air on BBC America when it's ready. For other news on the series, check out the latest on John Barrowman's status with the company and how one recent removal may not bode well for his future on the television series.

Doctor Who is one of the biggest gigs on British television an actor can land, and with the title of The Doctor comes a guaranteed bit of celebrity for the actors who portray the Time Lord. Matt Smith knows this as well as most, as well as the unique challenges that come with the role as well.

Matt Smith, who played the Eleventh Doctor on the BBC America series, recently spoke to Port Magazine about the role and shared his thoughts on why he believes most actors who join the show don't remain on the series too long:

Smith didn't elaborate on the unique challenges that come with playing a lead role in Doctor Who, though many actors over the years have alluded to the challenge of playing one of science fiction's most popular characters in the modern era. Matt Smith's successor, Peter Capaldi, once said there's a lot more to the role than acting, which may be a hint to why Smith called the experience so taxing.

In the rebooted era of Doctor Who, not one Doctor has stayed with the role longer than four and a half years. It's a large reason why many have speculated Season 13 will be Jodie Whittaker's final season as The Doctor, even before the rumors of her departure first surfaced. The BBC has not commented on the rumors of Whittaker's departure, though that hasn't stopped oddsmakers from posting favorites on who could be cast in the role next.

Matt Smith's latest comments on the taxing nature of Doctor Who are interesting, especially considering comments he made at the time of his exit. Not long after his official departure, Smith admitted that he would've stayed on another year (via Female-First) but that it felt like the right time for him to move on. Smith added that the schedule of filming the series can be grueling, which was something actress Billie Piper noted when she confirmed she wouldn't return to the series anytime soon.

The grueling schedule of Doctor Who could be a reason why Jodie Whittaker allegedly will leave the series, especially after COVID-19 took most of a year away from the show's production schedule. Season 13 began filming back in November, and as of late March, it was still shooting. There's a chance Season 13 will premiere in late 2021, though 2022 doesn't seem off the table for release, either.

Those looking to relive Matt Smith's greatest episodes of Doctor Who can do so right now by binging his episodes over on HBO Max. For more on why Smith and other Doctor Who notables left the series over the years, be sure to check out our handy list detailing each departure.

As rumors swirl that Doctor Who could soon be in search of a new lead actor to play The Doctor, a former star has expressed her interest to return for an adventure or two before Jodie Whittaker gives up the sonic screwdriver. In fact, Alex Kingston really does sound set on finding a way for River Song to meet the 13th Doctor, and she has a plan for what she'd want to do if given the opportunity.

Alex Kingston spoke to Radio Times about her upcoming Doctor Who book The Ruby's Curse, and the actress brought up her interest in returning to the series for a reunion with her character's husband, er, spouse. Though Kingston didn't indicate whether it would or could feasibly happen, she did make it clear that she'll be disappointed if the two don't connect before Jodie Whittaker's tenure is up.

Season 13 of Doctor Who has been in production for a while, and was slated to run for 10 months when it first kicked off in late 2020. If Alex Kingston has taken part in discussions about appearing on set for filming River Song's return, she didn't indicate as much in her interview, and the implication seemed to be that she hadn't. It's also unclear if Kingston was fully aware of the rumors saying Whittaker may exit after Season 13, which would obviously shorten the time window in which these characters can meet.

The good news for fans is that it's still not an impossibility for River Song to appear in Season 13. While Chris Chibnall was wary to bring typical Doctor Who elements into Season 11, Season 12 certainly worked in familiar villains and faces like John Barrowman's Captain Jack. It's not crazy to think plans for River Song could be in the works, though nothing is ever guaranteed with this show when it comes to major character returns.

If Jodie Whittaker's Doctor doesn't link up with River Song, she would be the first not to meet her since the character's introduction. As both The Doctor's wife and the daughter of former companions Amy and Rory, River is a character that fans have vested interest in. Obviously, it'd be great to see what River would say about the gender swap, though given the comments made by Alex Kingston, it doesn't seem as though the companion would have tons of issues with that switch.

Doctor Who Season 13 is in development, and while there's no release date for it yet, a 2022 release date feels more likely than not. Let us know in the poll below if you'd like to see River Song's return before Season 14 arrives. Hopefully, in the meantime, we'll get some answers as to whether or not Jodie Whittaker will remain with the show going forward or who the next Doctor may be.

This poll is no longer available.

While Doctor Who toils away on Season 13, speculation has run rampant on whether Jodie Whittaker will leave the role following the upcoming season and who might replace her. John Barrowman recently threw out an interesting suggestion in It's A Sin star Olly Alexander and, following the series' American debut on HBO Max, more audiences are warming up to the idea.

Alexander recently interviewed on the UK radio program Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp (via DailyMail) and was asked if he had been formally approached by Doctor Who about joining the show. Olly Alexander answered and shared his overall interest in taking the show's role as the 14th Doctor if that was on the table:

It's no surprise Olly Alexander would be interested in the role of The Doctor, considering it's one of the most high-profile roles a European television actor can nab. Interestingly, Alexander wouldn't publicly comment as to whether or not he's spoken to anyone at Doctor Who because if the answer was no, he could say so. If the answer is yes, then he obviously wouldn't be at liberty to discuss any details or really mention it, given the show's penchant for secrecy.

Of course, Olly Alexander could've just been teasing or trying to rally up interest amongst Doctor Who fans, perhaps in an effort to make a discussion happen. As previously mentioned, the actor wasn't even really in conversation to take the alleged role until he was hyped by John Barrowman, who has popped in and out of the series as Captain Jack Harkness. Could Barrowman have put The BBC on the trail of the actor, or was his decision influenced by chatter he heard when filming the most recent special?

It's also worth noting that the series Olly Alexander is a part of, It's A Sin, is a project from a notable face from Doctor Who -- Russell T. Davies. Davies was the program's showrunner from the start of the reboot up until the end of Season 4. Davies worked alongside current Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall during that time, so there is a way in which Alexander could've been in contact with a key decision maker for the next Doctor if it was something he was interested in.

As previously stated though, the news that Jodie Whittaker will leave Doctor Who is still a rumor. With that said, no modern Doctor has remained on the show much longer than three full seasons, with David Tennant having a couple of standalone specials between the Doctor's transition to actor Matt Smith. Three seasons max seems to be the precedent but not a hard and fast rule the show must obey. In either case, it's still just a rumor for now, with The BBC refusing to comment on what Whittaker's future with the series will be beyond Season 13.

Doctor Who is working on Season 13, but fans can binge past episodes right now on HBO Max. Continue to stay with CinemaBlend for the latest speculation regarding the next Doctor, such as why one betting favorite may not be as obvious a choice for the Doctor as some are thinking.

As Doctor Who fans wait for Season 13, a large rumor that the upcoming season will be Jodie Whittaker's last looms over the franchise. While no official word has come out from The BBC, the show, or Whittaker about her future with the show, oddsmakers have been updating their books on who the current favorites are to replace her.

The latest odds from Bookmakers Ladbrokes (via Express) have actor Kris Marshall at 6/1 odds of getting the role, putting him in a deadlock with Michaela Coel and one point above Richard Ayoade at 7/1. Marshall is perhaps known best by his character in Love Actually Colin, who moves to America after having trouble with women in England. Since then, Marshall has done many things in film and television, including roles in Sanditon and the Showtime drama series We Hunt Together.

This would not be Kris Marshall's first time at the top of the oddsmakers lists when taking the lead role of Doctor Who. In fact, Marshall was a heavy favorite to take the role when it was announced Peter Capaldi would be leaving his role as The Doctor and, of course, that role ultimately went to Jodie Whittaker.

I would argue that the Doctor Who franchise does have loose lips when it comes to rumors, though predicting the next Doctor can always be hard to tack down. Oddsmakers are not always on the money when it comes to how something is going to play out and, even if today this may be true, there's still a long way to go before Doctor Who would need to make a decision on who will replace Jodie Whittaker. And as we mentioned earlier, it still hasn't even been confirmed Whittaker will leave.

Doctor Who fans are interested in the conversation all the same, partly because they're curious how the franchise will follow up its first female Doctor. Jumping back to a white male actor like Kris Marshall may be seen by some as backpedaling the progressive step the franchise took with Whittaker. Meanwhile, others may take it as a confirmation the show made a mistake in casting her. It's a debate that will likely increase should the news that Jodie Whittaker is leaving become official, which may be why The BBC isn't willing to comment on her future status with the show at this time. The point being there's a long way to go before a new Doctor is announced, so don't be so sure Marshall will be the next Doctor in the TARDIS just yet.

Doctor Who Season 13 is happening on BBC America, so be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for more on its development and what's happening with the series. To read up more on what former stars have to say about the next Doctor, check out who John Barrowman would love to see take the role when Jodie Whittaker leaves.

Doctor Who's New Year's special was bittersweet in that the show's brief return came at a cost. The sci-fi series wrote off Ryan and Graham, bringing the remaining companions to Jodie Whittaker's Doctor down to one. Luckily, Yaz and The Doctor won't have the TARDIS for long, as the special teased a new companion by the name of Dan, played by John Bishop.

Bishop may be a name well-known to UK audiences, but the celebrity may not be as well known for American Doctor Who fans. One could do some research into that body of work, check out some of his appearances on Skins or other television, or read a recent interview with Doctor Who Magazine (via Radio Times) about what Chris Chibnall loves about John Bishop:

John Bishop joins Doctor Who in the role of Dan, a character only seen briefly loading stuff out of a van at the end of the New Year's special. As far as we know, Dan has not met The Doctor or Yaz, so it'll be interesting to see how his story figures into Doctor Who's future after Season 12 already changed so much. Season 12 ended with The Doctor being told she's not actually from Gallifrey and may have many more regenerations than she previously thought.

Whether or not John Bishop's Dan figures into that situation is unknown, but one thing that is known is that Chris Chibnall is high on Bishop as an actor. The showrunner continued how much he liked Bishop and even compared him to some other iconic actors:

John Bishop will attempt to fill the shoes of actors Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh, who played Ryan and Graham for the past two seasons. Their departure breaks up the core group that kicked off Jodie Whittaker's run as The Doctor. It will be interesting to see how Bishop's Dan works with the group and how fans will respond to the new dynamic that comes with it.

It may be a while before Doctor Who Season 13 arrives, but fans can binge past episodes now on HBO Max. For more on the series, be sure to read up on John Barrowman's latest thoughts on the series, and who he'd like to see eventually play the Doctor After Jodie Whittaker.

Doctor Who holds the title of longest-running sci-fi show, despite the 16-year gap between the original series and the revival. The show has been running on BBC, in some form or another, for over 50 years. In that time, there have been a number of cast changes for the lead role. The current star of the show, Jodie Whittaker, is the 13th personification of The Doctor, but it’s possible she may step down from the role soon.

There are rumors that a 14th Doctor may be in our future in the not-too-distant future. While Jodie Whittaker may still have a home in the TARDIS, The Mirror reports that she may be stepping out for good very soon. Here’s what their alleged unnamed insider has to say:

This makes sense, historically, as Jodie Whittaker is finishing up her third season as The Doctor. There seems to be a rule of three with recent doctors, the majority only holding the role for three seasons. If she is to follow in the footsteps of the Doctors who came before her, this next season would indeed be her last holding the sonic screwdriver.

If the reported rumors of an impending regeneration are true, BBC isn’t letting on. According to Deadline, BBC refuses to confirm or deny the rumor of Jodie Whittaker’s exit from the show. A spokesperson for BBC shuts questions down by stating:

While it would show some uniformity to end her stint as The Doctor after three seasons, if Jodie Whittaker does stay on for longer it would not be the first time her version of The Doctor breaks away from the show’s norm. Whittaker made Doctor Who history when she was cast, becoming the first female to take on the role.

Even though having a female lead is no longer a bold step for shows, it seemed to be one that some in the Doctor Who fandom, at least in part, was not ready for. Jodie Whittaker’s casting as the first female Doctor in the series was not well received by some, leading to her being, at first, somewhat disliked for the role. It was a huge change for the long-running show, and one that Whittaker herself was not sure about taking on. If Doctor Who is indeed losing its first female Doctor, it leaves fans wondering how the next Doctor will proceed to fill the groundbreaking shoes.

These rumors remain nothing more than speculation for now, until BBC or Jodie Whittaker herself releases a statement about her and The Doctor’s future. Season 13 of the revival Doctor Who series, and Whittaker’s third season as The Doctor, is set to release sometime this year. Check back with CinemaBlend for further Doctor Who updates.

The Boys kicked off Season 2 in a different way from its first season, unveiling only its first three explosive episodes on Amazon Prime Video, rather than once again dropping all eight episodes at once. Thus, fans have had a bit more time to go back and rewatch the installments to look for cool details and weird references that showrunner Eric Kripke and his creative team are good about adding into the mix. As it turns out, one of those Boys eps gave a shout out to Billy Butcher's homeland with a fun Doctor Who reference.

From Stormfront's riotous introduction to Stan Edgar's confrontation with Homelander to The Deep's gill singalong, The Boys gave fans a lot of big moments to dwell on in those first three episodes. Arguably the biggest sequence was quite literally Bill smashing the team's boat into a big ol' whale. But before that gloriously bloody moment went down, viewers may or may not have noticed the T-shirt Tomer that Capon's Frenchie is wearing is actually referencing Doctor Who's thirteenth Doctor, as played by Jodie Whittaker. Check out the eagle-eyed fan's past below:

As strange as that sentence may sound with all those words thrown together in that order, it's still an absolutely correct assessment. Frenchie was definitely rocking a feline-friendly Doctor Who shirt during the gang's boat trip, and one has to wonder if that's a very vague bit of foreshadowing that The Boys is going to introduce time travel at some point in the future. I don't recall there being any supes with that power in Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's comic series, so probably not, but Eric Kripke has been quite liberal with adapting the source material, so it could feasibly happen. (For instance, both the Blindspot and Gecko characters seen in the first three episodes were created specifically for the TV show.)

Anyone wondering where to pick up such a shirt can probably find some luck at Titan Merchandise, where they sell merch that sends up all 13 Doctor Who leads as regenerative cats. This seems like a great time to pun the current star's name as Jodie Whitta-purr, and I definitely feel better about myself for having done it. (We might as well also mention Peter Cat-paldi, Christo-fur Eccleston, Paw-l McGann, Tom-cat Baker, and Patrick Troughtongue.) It's too bad the shirt likely got ruined by all those whale guts, though.

Considering viewers barely ever see anyone from the Boys just hanging out and relaxing – they usually keep the TV tied to the news cycle – it's amusing to think about Frenchie having enough free time to settle in for a Doctor Who marathon. It's doubtful that he'd invite Karl Urban's Butcher to watch with him, but I bet Hughie is into that particular sci-fi staple. Maybe Jack Quaid will don shirt with David Tennant's Tenth Doctor as a dog, since those shirts also exist.

The first three episodes of The Boys Season 2 are available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes releasing once a week until all eight are out there. In the meantime, be sure and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for exclusive coverage, and check out our Fall TV 2020 premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will be popping up in the near future.

Doctor Who has been a staple in the lives of millions of fans for almost 60 years. And, while most television roles as iconic as that of The Doctor are filled, for the entirety of their run, by one actor, Whovians have seen several actors take on the part in the franchise. Whenever you have a television show that's been around for as long as Doctor Who has, and has seen as many lead actors come and go, fans end up with some pretty strong opinions about the direction of the show and can end up giving some truly hilarious backhanded compliments when they come into contact with the actors they've been watching.

Three of the recent actors to fill the position of The Doctor (current star Jodie Whittaker, and former Doctors Matt Smith and David Tennant), recently sat down with HBO Max (the new streaming home of the sci-fi hit) to talk about Doctor Who and their experiences during and after filming the series. During the conversation, though, talk frequently turned to the backhanded compliments they've been known to receive from people who love the show.

Jodie Whittaker, who was announced as the Thirteenth (and first female) Doctor in the summer of 2017 and has completed two seasons as the alien time-traveler, revealed that one fan encounter had her very hopeful...until it didn't. She was in a cafe, and was approached by a teenage girl, whom she was quite excited to see because the girl seemed like "her demographic." Unfortunately, this teen had other ideas, and told Whittaker:

Ouch! It's one thing to have a fan call you out for not being the actor they wanted to see in your part, but it seems like a whole different and far less appealing encounter to have that person tell you exactly who they think would be better at playing The Doctor than you. Whittaker was able to laugh it off in the interview, and I have no doubt that she was able to gather a sense of humor about such fan interactions pretty quickly after snagging The Doctor, but I can't imagine that not stinging at least a bit when originally faced with it.

This may be even more true for Whittaker, seeing as how she helped break the mold when getting cast as our first female Doctor. Sure, some people were very glad for the change to happen, and many were as accepting as with any other cast change for the long-running series, but there were also a ton of fans who were not on board with The Doctor regenerating into a woman after several decades of men taking the part. To the point where the BBC felt the need to respond to all those complaints about her casting.

Of course, Jodie Whittaker is far from the only actor who has played The Doctor to see such backhanded words from fans. Matt Smith, who was the Eleventh Doctor from 2010 through 2013, piped up during the interview to share something which he says he's gotten "a lot of":

Ooof. Man, people really need to rethink how they approach celebrities sometimes, don't they? I cannot dream of a situation where I'd say such a thing to someone who is clearly doing their best to keep a long-standing franchise afloat. Though, I have to say, I don't think that the fans who come up with these things are generally trying to be mean on purpose. They probably just didn't know what to say, so the first refreshingly honest thing which popped into their heads is just what came out.

David Tennant, who of this trio had the longest tenure on the show with the Tenth Doctor (from 2005 through 2010) and is still generally beloved by the fanbase, has also seen some well-meaning, accidental negativity, even though he took over from Christopher Eccleston, who left the series with some very bad blood. According to Tennant, he's heard:

I mean, when you're talking about one of the actors who's held the role of The Doctor the longest, we have to be dealing with fans who really do think they're either being funny or giving a genuine compliment here, right?

The good thing is that Jodie Whittaker, Matt Smith and David Tennant clearly haven't let any of these backhanded fan compliments sour their thoughts on Doctor Who or the experiences they've had with the franchise and the fans overall. Plus, they were all able to laugh about these interactions, so we can likely count on them being willing to talk Who for many years to come.

Doctor Who Season 13 may take a while to finally debut, so until we get word on a premiere date, you can check out our guide to summer TV for what to watch right now.

Look, y'all, these times? They be rough. And, all of us are looking for ways to stay the course, do what we know we need to do to stay healthy and keep others healthy, while also trying to not wallow in self-pity over all the things we won't get to do for a bit and not getting too angry about the current situation. Many people have, quite reasonably, turned to entertainment as a way to drown out all the emotional noise, misinformation or glut of news that's been coming our way, and now Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker has stepped up as the Thirteenth Doctor to give us a guiding hand.

Some Whovians have probably already been wondering what The Doctor would do in such a troubling time as this, and while I'm sure that there's some compelling fan fiction being written (even as I write this) which energetically details such things, why don't we let Jodie Whittaker's Doctor give us a first hand account of her action plan, which came via Twitter? Take a look:

Awwwww! Alright, I can admit to being a semi-emotional individual in the best of times, and am no stranger to getting worked up over something that's been done by a fictional character. But, still, you guys, isn't this message sweet and so perfectly The Doctor? If you want me to admit that I cried a little, well, fine. I cried a little and I'm cool with that!

We don't know whose idea it was to assemble this little clip for Doctor Who fans, but pretty much everything about it was done just right. I love the low-fi nature of the shoot, which (appropriately) suggests that Jodie Whittaker was emailed the script by someone on the writer's team and then filmed it herself on her phone. Also, I think she's either in a closet or a shower, and, who among us has not had at least a slight breakdown in one of those areas of our home recently?

I mean, I teared up in the closet just the other day as I ticked off the completion of yet another roll of toilet paper after doing laundry, so, I get it. Maybe I've talked about crying too much in this article, but, just roll with me here, OK?

You've got to love how the short clip starts, as well, with Jodie Whittaker's Doctor telling us she's doing an emergency transmission because the TARDIS detected an upsurge of psychological signals. Considering how many people are worried about wide swaths of this crazy thing we call life right now, I think we can all assume that the TARDIS is now off somewhere healing her fried detectors for a spell. But, even though The Doctor is "self-isolating" from an army of sontarans, she still had some good advice for all of us worriers.

The Doctor wants us to remember that everything will be all right, but also told us to lighten our loads by telling jokes ("especially bad ones"), being as kind as we can to one another, listening to doctors and trusting science, and she wraps it all up by telling us to stay strong and positive. Honestly, this is exactly what The Doctor has always done in basically every nutty situation she's ever been in, so at least we know that the advice comes from several thousand years of experience, right?

Jodie Whittaker's second season as The Doctor ended earlier in March, but it's good to know that she and the team behind Doctor Who are all thinking about the fans and want us to know they're going through the same stress we are. There's nothing like a helpful message from one of your favorite characters to help brighten your day.

Doctor Who will return for a holiday special either late this year or very early into 2021. While you wait, be sure to check out what you can watch right now with our midseason premiere guide, Netflix schedule and see what's new to Hulu in April.

It’s easy to forget that actors watch television series like we do and can be huge fans of other shows. Such is the case with Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker, who is a big fan of NBC’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She recently shared her idea for how she can appear on the comedy series and it’s bloody brilliant!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine has often touched upon Jake Peralta’s issues with his absent father, an airline pilot named Roger. While it’s caused Jake a lot of emotional turmoil over the years, Jodie Whittaker has plans to exploit Roger’s behavior to get herself a gig on the sitcom. Asked to pitch an idea for what her ideal episode would be if she guest starred, Whittaker had her appearance all planned out. Here’s what she said:

Craig Robinson’s Doug Judy, the thief known best as the Pontiac Bandit, would definitely turn her character’s name into a catchy song. However, during the interview with TVGuide, Jodie Whittaker quickly realized that she would have to change her name. She would probably go with Claire. That’s fine because Doug Judy can work with any name, so bring it on!

I hope the Brooklyn Nine-Nine writers catch wind of this idea because it’s a thoughtful one. Aside from simply being a superfan, Jodie Whittaker, who became the first woman to take on the role of The Doctor, would be a shoe-in as Jake’s sister. Not to mention that it would make for an incredibly entertaining episode. Perhaps Whittaker can even make a Doctor Who reference if she ever makes it onto the show. It would be very meta, that’s for sure.

Jake Peralta’s personal drama has run a bit dry of late, so it would be fun if a previously unknown sister showed up out of nowhere. It could even be an excuse for the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast to head to England for a quick trip. If the crew can make a pit stop to see the Die Hard building and get Saved by the Bell’s Mario Lopez and other big-name stars on the show, then inviting Jodie Whittaker to guest star could, theoretically, happen at some point.

New episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine air Thursday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Doctor Who airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on BBC America. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our 2020 midseason schedule to stay updated on all of the winter and spring shows.