The upcoming season of Doctor Who feels like it has added pressure to it, thanks to rumors about the series being shelved if Season 2 on Disney+ doesn't perform. The BBC has responded to the cancellation rumors but remains silent on whether star Ncuti Gatwa will remain The Doctor. Plus, there was speculation that Russell T. Davies might be on his way out as showrunner after recent comments, though CinemaBlend received clarification on that from the showrunner himself.
I had the honor of chatting with Russell T. Davies ahead of Doctor Who's return for those in the United States with a Disney+ subscription and asked him to clarify the comments about being replaced as showrunner on David Tennant's podcast. Davies told the former Who star there are ongoing conversations about who would replace him when he decides to leave again, leading some fans to think he would soon exit. As Davies told CinemaBlend, those "discussions" aren't as serious as some might've thought:
It's not even a discussion, to be honest. When me and David [Tennant] talked about it [on the podcast], it’s kind of a conversation [we’ve had amongst staff] every day. It's been a conversation when I arrived, who would do this next. There's absolutely no detail, no names, no one. I'm very happy, and I'm loving it. So, fingers crossed, we’re going to make more.
Straight from the showrunner's mouth, Russell T. Davies is going to return to Doctor Who assuming Disney+ and BBC bring it back for another season. While I do feel a little wary that even he doesn't know if it's a sure thing the series will return, it is reassuring to hear that the decision to remain involved sounds squarely on his shoulders and there seemingly isn't conversations about bringing someone else in to replace him.
Doctor Who looks to continue its Pantheon arc in the upcoming season, and bring in exciting guest stars like Alan Cumming and more to continue the story. There's also a promise that we'll get a clear answer on what is going on with Mrs. Flood, who will pop up in every episode.
Beyond Mrs. Flood, we may also see who is pulling the strings of this storyline and who The Doctor needs to face to finally get time to breathe between all these battles with gods. Then again, I can't imagine whoever has the power to enlist Toymaker, Maestro, and Sutekh to do their bidding will be a pushover, and Doctor may face his biggest challenge yet.
We also know that Millie Gibson will return as Ruby Sunday, even with Varada Sethu coming in as the new companion, Belinda Chandra. Whether it will all be enough to ensure the series returns for another season is another question, as The BBC has confirmed viewership will be evaluated on the latest season before another season is confirmed. Hopefully, with wary viewers willing to return after seeing the lastest trailer, it'll be enough to ensure we get more seasons with Russell T. Davies continuing his vision.
Doctor Who returns to Disney+ on Saturday, April 12th. I'm hoping for a strong turnout for the premiere episode and some more promising signs that we won't have to worry about watching The Doctor and friends travel the universe anytime soon.
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