Fans of Doctor Who have an additional reason to celebrate this festive season, as an official publication reveals the return of the well-liked Christmas specials after 5 years of absence. The reinstatement coincides with the return of an old favorite showrunner for the upcoming 14th season.
First hitting screens on 1963 BBC programming, Doctor Who follows the adventures of the titular Doctor, a humanoid alien lifeform known as a Time Lord that travels through space and time helping those in need and getting into myriad of adventures with his companions by his (or her) side. The role of the Doctor has been filled by 13 actors, with each subsequent one being a different in-universe incarnation of the same being coming about through an enigmatic regeneration process. This plot device has allowed for its longevity and compelling performances, such as one of David Tennant's greatest TV roles as the Tenth Doctor.
Like any long-running show, Doctor Who has put out some well-remembered holiday specials, most notably a consistent stream of highly acclaimed Christmas specials after the show’s 2005 reboot. However, after a change in leadership, the Christmas specials were dropped after December 2017’s much-beloved "Twice Upon a Time" episode. However, the Christmas episodes are set to return, according to the series showrunner Russel Davies via Doctor Who Magazine. Speaking to the mag, Davies confirmed that he had written a Christmas episode for 2023, with another one in the works. "The 2023 script has been long since signed off,” he said. “The new one is for end-of-year 2024!”
Many fans hoped that Davies' reinstatement would mean a return to festive form, a hope that has now been proven true. Davies also took the opportunity to beg for fan patience as the show's next season is prepared. “It takes a while to get the empire in shape, but that's a serious plan: annual Doctor Who, no gap years, lots of content, on and on," he promised readers and fans everywhere. Davies' new direction also got a cosign from Tennant, with the Doctor Who star saying, “The things that on in Russell T Davies' mind! If only we could all have a ferret around in there, it would be very exciting… I know that he’s now in charge of Doctor Who again. I know that’s very exciting. I know that I’m not allowed to say much about that.”
While the promise of a Christmas special is certainly a boon for fans, attention is likely to be squarely focused on Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa, who was recently cast as the next Doctor set to replace Jodie Whittaker. Whether his run as the Doctor will be an improvement over Whittaker's tenure in public opinion will have to wait to be seen.
Doctor Who season 14 will premiere on November 23, 2023, on the BBC in the UK and Disney Plus Internationally.
Source: Doctor Who Magazine