Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner

We've already seen it confirmed that Series 14 begins airing on Christmas Eve, so the only way that airdate works is if the show airs four or so episodes of Series 14 and then goes on hiatus for two months, which doesn't strike me as being very likely since British TV doesn't really follow the same kinds of broadcast patterns that American TV does (if we were dealing with an American TV show, I could easily see them taking a two-month hiatus in the middle of broadcasting Series 14).

 

All we’ve been told is that Gatwa’s first episode will air over the festive period in 2023; it could well be a standalone special with the full series to follow later in the spring. I’m not sure they’d want to go straight into a full series a month after the November specials.

 

As per DWM four 60 minutes Specials in 2023; so his first episode is not part of his first full series.

 

I don't think the Doctor ever wore it in real life, but her dream-world inside-out coat version might've been a more subdued option. Or, restructure the script so she doesn't have time to change out of the Master's eighties throwback.

 

Per Variety:

https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/doctor-who-disney-plus-1235413640/

Specific details please, because that would contradict Variety's reporting as quoted above.

 

That quote doesn't say the new season starts on Christmas, just that Gatwa's first appearance is on Christmas.

 

Not literally, but Ocean's Razor applies based on everything we currently know.

 

Exactly.

We don't really know anything significant at the moment. And we likely won't until next year.

 

I was aware of the Variety article; I just take it with a grain of salt since no one directly associated with the show has been that specific and “Christmas” could mean “the Christmas season,” at least for those of us who don’t habitually construct counterintuitive readings of every comment and insist they’re just obvious truth.

 

And have been proven wrong so often they really should know better by this point.

 

OK, this is from "The Sun" so it's probably false but allegedly the voice of that certain character from the comics who is appearing in the Tennant episodes will be provided by none other than national treasure Miriam Margolyes. It sounds so perfect that I'm just going to end up disappointed if it's not true.

Not her first animated character either, as older readers might remember.

 

I was hoping if MM does appear that she’d be a gender-swapped Fourth Doctor

 

I'm certain that series of ads awakened a few furries in its time!

 

I can only hope this rumor is true. Miriam Margolyes makes everything better.

 

There's a big interview with Russell, Julie and Jane and Phil in the new DWM. A couple of key points of interest.:
Russell was only coming back for the three Specials and it was the BBC who asked him to stay on.
The Disney deal was nothing to do with him, that was in the works before his full-time return was decided on.
While the series does have a bigger budget than before, it's still a Doctor Who sized budget and nothing close to the numbers being thrown around. (He even says people should lower their expectations.)

 

I'm shocked! Shocked!

Well, not that shocked.

 

Explains why the Ncuti casting came so late in the day.
Three specials would only have needed a temporary Doctor, and Tennant is the de facto ‘right the ship’ face of the franchise it seems.
(Though Matt could also swing it if he wasn’t so busy elsewhere… not that Tennant isn’t busy, but he is a fan. And it’s the family business.)

 

One more thing.

Ruth Madeley's character, who appeared briefly in the Christmas Day trailer will return: "There's lots more of Shirley to come, as she plays an integral role in the new Whoniverse".

Sounds like the rumour of her being the new regular UNIT character might be true.

 

Fantastic. More Ruth Madeley the better!

 

Yet another Big Finish companion who's going to disappear rather than be written out, I guess!