Looking Beyond Series 9
Guest contributor Sam White takes a trip into Doctor Who’s future.
This year marked the 10th anniversary of the revived series of Doctor Who, which is quite remarkable to say the least. What is even more remarkable is that the show is still going strong and that the Doctor and his antics seem to be steadily winning hearts and gaining popularity worldwide. Showrunner Steven Moffat has himself acknowledged this and has assured fans of at least five more years of this mad man (or idiot) as he continues his epic voyage across all of space and time. An exciting exercise at this point would be to ponder over the show’s future and the events to come. Join me as I cover a few events that are likely to happen post Series 9.
Clara’s Last Bow / A New Companion
It is highly probable that Series 9 will conclude with Clara’s last bow as the Doctor’s companion, howsoever it may happen. This leaves two possible options available to the writers, either let the Doctor travel alone for a while or find a replacement. Personally I would prefer the latter but there is a twist; the next companion should be of a casual nature. No overpowering character arc, no mystery, just a plain and simple buddy for the Doctor, a person who would travel with him for the wonders of the universe and possibly only for one series. Not only will this help keep things fresh but also help fans through the transitioning process. Following Clara with a very Clara-like companion might result in unwanted comparisons alienating viewers from both the next companion and the show. I think the best way to go about it would be for the next companion to be either male or an alien because that would result in an interesting new dynamic.
A Full TARDIS Makeover
The Snowmen featured brand new TARDIS interiors which were more atmospheric, sleek and mature than the previous ones, representing the loneliness and loss suffered by the Doctor. However the same episode also featured the Doctor’s very first face-to-face encounter with Clara, proving to be the beginning of a brand new journey. It would be only fitting for the Doctor to bid adieu to the current design and change it completely once Clara leaves, just as he changed the previous one after the Ponds left. Now I also know that many fans might not agree with this reasoning. After all the TARDIS should represent the Doctor and not a companion, I agree but I think it’s more his state of mind than his personality that the TARDIS represents. Once Clara leaves, a change of design would work symbolically to portray his inner desire to move on and to push forward and make it easy for the fans to possibly understand where he currently stands.
Return of River Song/Captain Jack Harkness
It is undeniable that these two have garnered a special place in the hearts of fans, so much so that many eagerly await their return. Frankly, I am not a big fan of both these characters, but I think their return could work well in keeping the continuity of the show going and prove to be an extremely exciting and entertaining affair if done right. Steven Moffat has himself commented that Jack/River return would have to be seismic in nature and he would do it only if the story was worth it.
River is such a monumental part of the Doctor’s life that I think it’ll be a case of wasted opportunity if she isn’t brought back (even for a single story) in the Twelfth Doctor’s tenure. She is quick, intelligent, extremely resourceful and probably knows the Doctor all too well, all of which are qualities that set her apart from the run of the mill companions.
Jack on the other hand continues to be an enigma. Even with his origins somewhat known (courtesy Torchwood), the experiences he has had and various lives he has lived in his perpetual existence make him one of the most complex and psychologically layered characters in all fictional realms.
With Steven Moffat continually experimenting and taking audacious risks (bringing the Master and Osgood back from the dead), I think it safe to say that both these characters have a fair chance of returning as well. It is more a question of when it will happen than whether it will happen.
Gallifrey Returns
The chances of Gallifrey returning under Moffat’s tenure are very high, given his penchant for taking massive leaps and also because he is the one who brought it back from the state of total annihilation to the state of partial existence. It would be fascinating to see how the Gallifrey arc eventually unfolds especially with all the hints and teasers Moffat insists on placing in his stories, whether it be the Time Lords attempting to summon the Doctor through the crack, the Master escaping Gallifrey or Missy lying to the Doctor about Gallifrey’s whereabouts.
If there is anything I am perfectly sure of, it is the fact that the return of Gallifrey would prove to be an extremely intense affair, both for the fans and the Doctor. Also, I believe such an occasion would be perfectly suitable for the return of River Song – One final adventure to help the Doctor reclaim his long lost Time Lord heritage.
Return of Torchwood
While I may not be a big Jack Harkness worshipper, I am a big fan of Torchwood (yes, there is a difference) and I think Torchwood’s return will bring joy and smile to a large number of people in the Doctor Who fandom. However I have to admit that a return to the television is less likely and I think a lot hinges on the success of Big Finish’s upcoming audio drama The Conspiracy and following instalments. Nevertheless, it is a possibility that I am willing to consider because frankly, there is oodles of potential. If Torchwood ever returns to television and if it does so in conjunction with the Doctor Who, then there is also a possibility that we can see the re-launch of Torchwood through a Doctor Who episode and even more exhilarating is the possibility that such an episode might prompt former showrunner Russell T Davies to return as a writer. One can hope.
At this point I must restate that Gallifrey and Torchwood are both seismic topics and perfectly suitable to bring back the iconic characters of River Song and Jack Harkness. So Mr. Moffat what are you waiting for?
Peter Jackson Directing
Another topic which has bewildered the fans for years is Oscar winning director Peter Jackson directing a Doctor Who episode, and while there is no clear indication whether he may be doing so in Series 9 or not, I think there is a very high probability that it might finally happen in Series 10. What is even more amazing is the potential we have now. The possibility of Peter Jackson directing landmark events like the return of Gallifrey, re-launch of Torchwood, Series 10 opener or even Steven Moffat’s final episode just leaves me agog, because I know that both Steven Moffat and Peter Jackson are extremely deft at their jobs and whatever they might engineer together, it is definitely going to be a whopper.
Moffat Leaves/ A Semi-break
Moffat has already stated that he’ll quit eventually but when? He has reportedly signed up for Series 10, which is fantastic because I think he still has a few things left to resolve before he leaves (as you guys might have gathered from the rest of this article) but I think staying for Series 11 might be overkill.
A big decision that the BBC executives would have to make in such a scenario is choosing his successor as Doctor Who Showrunner. My personal preferences at this point are Chris Chibnall or Neil Cross, both of them have written for Doctor Who and have prior showrunning experiences, Broadchurch in case of Chibnall and Luther in case of Cross. Plus we also have the added possibility of getting Olivia Colman or Idris Elba for the role of the thirteenth Doctor, which in itself would be quite mindboggling.
But I also think that such a decision should not be made in a hurry which is why there is also a possibility of a semi-break after Series 10, possibly yearlong comprising of a few specials, similar to what happened when Russell T Davies left the show. This will give BBC execs enough time to shortlist candidates and then select an appropriate showrunner, which I reckon is something that will prove to be a challenge in itself. It will also provide the new showrunner enough time to commence work on the next proper series.
Considering the future prospects of the show, I must say that there is a lot to look forward to and that it will be quite an eventful journey. I just hope that everything that I’ve mentioned in this article works out smoothly and that eventually we get a showrunner who proves to be just as a good if not better than Steven Moffat and Russell T Davies, ushering in a brand new era of Doctor Who, one that people might look back upon in the distant future.
Be sure to exhibit you own prophesying skills by letting me know if I have missed out something in the comments section. Thanks for reading.
