The latest Doctor Who role may already be over

Key takeaways

The recent Disney+ deal increased Doctor Who's reach, suggesting an exciting future for the franchise.
Rumors about the future of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor cause uncertainty about the direction of the show.
The prospect of David Tennant's return signals a potential regression to safe, casual narrative paths.

The of the doctor It seems like the franchise just recently got its latest and most experimental Doctor, but recent events and months of rumors seem to point to this iteration of the iconic character.

of the doctor A staple of British television science fiction for decades, the in-universe miracle of Reincarnation allows a revolving door of talented, powerful stars to take on the title role of the Doctor, an alien time lord who leads adventures through time and space. . In a bid to bring the recently-running flagship show to a wider audience, Disney has taken up the cause and put the show on its Disney+ streaming service for viewers outside the reach of the BBC's UK base. This partnership and expanded reach indicated that there is much to look forward to in the future of the doctorDavis has recently been weighing in on a potentially surprising sci-fi crossover with Star Trek, which has already been tested in their respective mobile games.

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While Davis returns in 2021 of the doctor While the iconic IP was heralded as wildly effective while it could do better, it looks like the show may still have some issues. Recently, the current Dr. Nkuti Gatwa passed away The Graham Norton Show and announced, “We've done a second series this year, a Christmas special is coming up, and we're filming a third series next year.” It was generally taken as positive news as press briefings continued, brows started to rise as the show aired, and comments instead changed to, “We finished the second season earlier this year, we've got Christmas. The episode is coming out … on Christmas … But it's amazing.” While Deadline was able to stoke the rumor mill by confirming that the change was not at the behest of the BBC but rather an editorial choice, the whole thing looks like Gatwa's relatively recent ascension to the role is coming to an end.

The problem came from the fact that a third series for the Fifteenth Doctor was already looking unlikely for some reason, and the BBC had distanced itself from his comments. “As we've said before, a decision on season three will be made after season two airs, and as always, we don't comment on speculation,” a production spokesperson confirmed in a statement. This echoes the sentiment expressed in the last issue of the doctor Franchise boss Russell T. magazine by Davies, who went on to insist that it had always been done this way. It has been rumored that Disney was set to cancel of the doctor After season 2 it failed to bring in viewership ratings, so the company tried to strike a deal with the BBC. of the doctor for the US and other international markets, and those whispers have been echoed in some considerable circles. Taking those rumors with a grain of salt, it's hard to see any good signs for Gatewa's doctor.

The most unfavorable factor for Gatwa is the built-in transition tool that left his bi-generational creative team. Already in the show's current storyline with the ever-lovable David Tennant, of the doctor The MCU could easily pivot on what worked before, taking another step in the direction of a related trend that seems to be borrowing from the franchise with the return of Robert Downey Jr. While many fans will be happy to see Tennant back in the spotlight. It would be a poor sign of health for the franchise as a whole and a white flag thrown up, for better or worse, for the current streak of trying new things with the character.

While of the doctor With the Christmas special at the end of the year seemingly set to return to tradition and with Gatwa making a lot of promises about the quality and appeal of the second series, it's unclear what the show's chances of doing well with fans are. Gatwa's time as the Doctor hasn't been as badly received as Jodie Whittaker's run, but it's hard to see a decline in the franchise that matches the struggles the MCU and DCEU have had over the past few years. Fans will have to wait and see if the Doctor can make the best of this bad patch or if he will have to regenerate once again.

The of the doctor The franchise is available to stream on Disney+ in other markets outside of the United States and the UK.

of the doctor

The BBC's Doctor Who debuted in 1963, the franchise has since produced more than 25 seasons. Along with the beloved main sci-fi show(s), the franchise has spawned many spin-offs, books, games, etc.

Created by: Sidney Newman, CE Weber, Donald Wilson
Upcoming TV Shows: A battle between land and sea
Last episode: Empire of Death
Cast: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Nkuti Gat
where to look: max
Spin-offs: Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures
Year of creation: Year 1963