Is Doctor Who Doomed?

 

Nature abhors a vacuum.

And Doctor Who fans absolutely abhor, despise, hate, LOATHE a vacuum. 

In the absence of confirmation of the future of Doctor Who, the rumor mill has been running amuck.

• Ncuti Gatwa is leaving Doctor Who! 😧
• Ncuti has already filmed his regeneration scene!! 😧
• Disney+ is disappointed with the show!!! 😧
• The BBC is going to cancel Doctor Who!!!! 😧
• DOCTOR WHO IS DOOMED!!!!! 😱😱😱😱

Well, everybody hold on a minute! 

Here's what we do know. 

There is a new season of Doctor Who coming. 

When? A lot of sources assume it's going to begin sometime in May but a recent announcement on iPlayer is that the new season will launch in the UK on April 12th.   

There is a spin off mini series coming featuring UNIT vs. Silurians and Sea Devils.

But as for the 3rd (or 16th) season of Doctor Who itself? 

Therein lies the source of the consternation.  

There is no confirmation from the BBC, Disney+ or Russell T Davies of the next season. Davies has said there will be an announcement on that season when this year's season drops.  

On one hand, that might seem reasonable. But on the other hand, the lead time on making Doctor Who is such that if there is going to be a 3rd season, it should've started by now.  

For example filming of the 2025 season had begun on October 2023.  And Davies posted on Instagram in May 2024 that filming of the 2nd season for 2025 was complete.

But it appears the production staff in Cardiff is cooling it's heels with nothing to do. 

Including Ncuti Gatwa.

Therein lies more consternation.  

According to someone allegedly close to Ncuti, he's looking to plans move to Los Angeles where reportedly several Hollywood projects await him.   

And the oppressive nature of the trolling against that series in general and against Ncuti in particular (How DARE he be black AND gay!) is a bit much to keep dealing with.   

So Ncuti Gatwa leaving after only 2 seasons makes sense, especially if there are other things he can be doing and the future of Doctor Who is in question.    

While handwringing over when an actor is going to leave is SOP in Doctor Who fandom, I think there may be something to this concern of Ncuti leaving.

But what of the show itself?  

The current version of Doctor Who has been running now in one form or another for 20 years which is a long time for a TV series.  Maybe it is time to park the TARDIS in the garage for a moment.

But I hope not.  And I do not expect so.   

There's still a lot of life left in the old girl.

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Next Sunday: the return of Doctor Who Is Classic with a look back an adventure with the 4th Doctor.