A show like Doctor Who which boasts so much history is always trying to reinvent itself to avoid falling out of relevancy, but there’s still one storyline I’m desperate for the long-running sci-fi saga to commit to after several near-misses. Disney’s Doctor Who era has the chance to commit to a big plot twist that hasn’t yet happened, although the show has made it clear a few times that the plot in question isn’t an implausibility. If the show’s future follows through on this often-teased arc, it could easily become one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time.
After leading the Doctor Who season 14 cast as the Fifteenth Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa has already shot Doctor Who season 15 and appears to be staying in the TARDIS for the long haul. So, if the show is going to pull off the story I really want to see, it could very likely be during Gatwa’s time as the Doctor – which I would love. However, the twist I crave also goes beyond Gatwa’s time as the show’s lead actor, and could even be a great reason to bring him back years after his eventual exit.
Doctor Who’s Next Multi-Doctor Story Should Introduce A Future Regeneration
The Sixteenth Doctor or later would be a brilliant introduction during Gatwa’s era
Multi-Doctor stories are some of my favorite Doctor Who arcs. Unfortunately, they’ve become so relatively commonplace that the impact has been dulled a little for me. I still love them, but the narrative backflips the show has to do to account for the changes/unseen parts of the younger Doctor’s timeline can grow a little tiresome after a few instances. This is why I think introducing a regeneration from the Doctor’s future would be a thrilling spin on a great Doctor Who tradition.
For illustrative purposes, it could be the Sixteenth Doctor making his debut, but years before Gatwa steps aside.
For instance, if Gatwa were to have a multi-Doctor story in the coming season, I would expect the version of the Time Lord with whom he’d team up would be a previous version like Paul McGann’s Eighth or Matt Smith’s Eleventh. Inversely, I’d be caught completely off-guard if the other Doctor was from a later point in the character’s timeline, and not earlier as is always the case. For illustrative purposes, it could be the Sixteenth Doctor making his debut, but years before Gatwa steps aside.
When the time comes for Gatwa to pass the baton to his successor, there would be a sense of familiarity with the new actor who is stepping into the role. Additionally, by the time the Sixteenth Doctor’s story reaches the point where they cross over with Fifteen, Gatwa could return to the show to reprise his role. Granted, it would account for a huge amount of foresight that may need to survive a change in showrunner, but I think it would be brilliant.
Alternatively, the Doctor’s timeline could be changed so drastically that they never become the Doctor that’s been previewed.
To add another wrinkle to this Multi-Doctor twist, the future Doctor who stars alongside Gatwa may not be his immediate successor. Instead, they could be the Seventeenth or even Eighteenth Doctor. Not revealing which regeneration the guest actor is playing would add an extra layer of excitement and intrigue. It would become a matter of knowing they’re going to appear at some point in the show’s future, but not when. Alternatively, the Doctor’s timeline could be changed so drastically that they never become the Doctor that’s been previewed.
Doctor Who Has Already Teased The Future Doctor Storyline
Peter Capaldi’s debut is the closest Doctor Who has come to including a future Doctor in a story
Who the Doctor will become next is an ongoing mystery in the world of Doctor Who, but the show has intentionally misled me before by leaving a trail of what turned out to be self-aware breadcrumbs. The first instance I remember was the 2008 Christmas special, “The Next Doctor.” Even the episode’s title promised not-so-gently that David Morrissey’s character was in the Doctor’s future. Alas, he was nothing but a human with false memories of being the Time Lord. The first time, I found an odd sense of joy in being fooled, but Doctor Who did it again.
Peter Capaldi’s debut in “The Day of the Doctor” is the closest Doctor Who has come to fulfilling my dream of a future Doctor team-up, but Twelve’s appearance was so incredibly brief that I fail to acknowledge it as what it is I really want to see. Similarly, the reveal of Jo Martin’s Ruth turning out to be the Fugitive Doctor in Doctor Who season 12. episode 5, “Fugitive of the Judoon,” briefly had me believe Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor was meeting her future self. Again, Martin’s Doctor was not a coming regeneration, but rather one that had long passed.
The bi-generation of David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor at the end of “The Giggle”, which resulted in the emergence of Gatwa’s Fifteenth, was another instance that toyed with the concept of a future Doctor entering the fray.
The bi-generation of David Tennant’s Fourteenth
Doctor at the end of “The Giggle”, which resulted in the emergence of Gatwa’s Fifteenth, was another instance that toyed with the concept of a future Doctor entering the fray. However, with both Doctors now existing as autonomous beings, their interactions generally don’t impact the timeline of the other, so this doesn’t count either. With any luck, all these teases are leading to something more definite.
The Next Doctor Being Revealed In The Show Is More Exciting Than A Cast Announcement
Doctor Who’s habit of announcing the incoming actor ahead of their debut hurts the show
One of the biggest traditions boasted by Doctor Who, especially in the modern era, is finding out who will play the Doctor after the current actor leaves. While I love finding this out, a big part of me wishes I didn’t know until I saw them appear on the show. Social media announcements and press releases just don’t have the same impact as experiencing something within the context of the Doctor Who universe.
I know most Doctor Who actors aren’t household names when they’re cast, but I genuinely believe that seeing them for the first time in character would be the best way to get a feel for their version of the Doctor.
Leaving the reveal until the actor’s onscreen debut would still allow for the same moment of surprise felt by the current method of announcement. The biggest advantage is that I’d get to know them by witnessing them in action as one of my favorite characters rather than seeing them on a chat show or reading an interview. I know most Doctor Who actors aren’t household names when they’re cast, but I genuinely believe that seeing them for the first time in character would be the best way to get a feel for their version of the Doctor.
There Could Be A Big Downside To A Future Doctor Story
In coming Doctor Who lead actor could steal the show
The current multi-Doctor story framework is essentially a trip down memory lane. The main appeal is nostalgia, and the chance to see a familiar face in the role for what could, once again, be the final time. When an ex-Doctor actor comes back, their successor has often won over the audience by then. For instance, I loved it when David Tennant came back for “The Day of the Doctor,” but I wasn’t crying out for him to return for good and replace Matt Smith – who I had grown to like just as much. Future Doctors may present the opposite issue.
If the actor playing the upcoming version of the Doctor is especially well-received, they could overshadow the person currently in the role. I think this would be very unfair, as every actor to play the Doctor is there on merit and deserves their moment to shine. If the new actor is a hit, then fans could start waiting impatiently for the current Doctor’s era to be over so they can see more of the new version of Doctor Who’s main character.