Doctor Who news: Dissecting that huge regeneration as Ncuti Gatwa makes way for Billie Piper
The recent Doctor Who season finale shocked fans as the beloved Ncuti Gatwa regenerated and a familiar face, Billie Piper, took his place before the show cut to credits for an unspecified hiatus.
An all-too-soon departure for Gatwa, the future of Doctor Who in partnership with Disney+ and Piper’s shock return in a new form have left fans, otherwise known as Whovians, scratching their heads.
Film News Blitz’s David Bason is among them, and is trying to make sense of all the timey wimey Doctor Who madness.
Goodbye 15
The final episode of Doctor Who Season 2, titled ‘The Reality War’, saw Gatwa’s Doctor face off against villainous Time Lords from the show’s classic era, namely The Rani and Omega.
His foes vanquished, all that was left was for the Doctor to save one little girl, Poppy, whom for a brief moment he thought to be his daughter.
The plan to save Poppy was to shift reality by one degree, and doing that meant pouring his regeneration energy into the heart of the TARDIS, despite the best efforts of Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor to dissuade him in a brilliant, and unexpected cameo.
There had been rumours, but no prior announcement of the regeneration unfolding before viewers’ eyes as a brilliant Doctor was making his final bow.
After just 19 episodes, it’s the shortest tenure for a Doctor since Christopher Eccleston led the show’s revival in 2005.
Like Eccleston, Gatwa was bold, brilliant, and gone all too soon.
Gatwa’s farewell
“You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it,” Gatwa said in a statement on the Doctor Who website.
“This journey has been one that I will never forget, and a role that will be part of me forever.
“There are no words to describe what it feels like to be cast as the Doctor, nor are there words to explain what it feels like to be accepted into this iconic role that has existed for over 60 years and is truly loved by so many across the globe.
"The fans are truly the final character and beating heart of this show, and I can’t thank the Whoniverse, and the Whovians, enough for welcoming me in, and making this such a touching experience.
“I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have.
“I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor."
The first black Doctor, one that was openly queer also broke new ground in the show and it is a damn shame we won’t see more of him, especially since he never faced off against the Daleks, Cybermen and other classic Who villains.
But Gatwa’s star is rising, and no doubt he’s in demand to go on and have a stellar career.
The 16th Doctor you didn’t see coming
As Gatwa’s face faded in a burst of regeneration energy, he was replaced by the beaming smile of Piper.
Piper first appeared on the show in 2005 as the Doctor’s companion, Rose Tyler, and quickly grew into a fan favourite.
Moreover, Piper became a love interest for both Eccleston’s Ninth and David Tennant’s 10th Doctors, so this new face for the show’s central character is somewhat of a knee-jerk.
It’s also the second time in a few short years that showrunner Russell T Davies has brought a familiar face back to be the Doctor after Tennant reprised the role as the 14th incarnation of the dual-hearted hero for the 60th Anniversary Specials in 2023.
Is this too much nostalgia, in too short a space of time?
Is Piper really going to be the Doctor?
What many Doctor Who fans are wondering is whether Piper really will be the Doctor long-term, or whether this is another Tennant 2.0 situation.
Intriguingly, both Gatwa and Whittaker were credited as the Doctor as the season finale came to an end, but not Piper.
That has led to speculation from many that the former companion isn’t taking on the mantle in the same way that others in the past have, and something is up.
Both Piper and Davies have made statements that pour fuel on the fire.
“Billie once changed the whole of television, back in 2005, and now she’s done it again,” said Davies.
“It’s an honour and a hoot to welcome her back to the TARDIS, but quite how and why and who is a story yet to be told.
“After 62 years, the Doctor’s adventures are only just beginning!”
Piper added: “It’s no secret how much I love this show, and I have always said I would love to return to the Whoniverse as I have some of my best memories there, so to be given the opportunity to step back on that TARDIS one more time was just something I couldn’t refuse, but who, how, why and when, you’ll just have to wait and see.”
Step onto the TARDIS “one more time” - “how, why, when.”
These cryptic quotes suggest that Piper may be a brief incarnation, but who knows?
With the show’s immediate future up in the air, it’s a lingering question that may not be answered for a while.
When will ‘Doctor Who’ return?
Since 2023, Doctor Who has been co-produced and distributed with Disney+, with the House of Mouse contributing to the show’s budget.
Disney has yet to decide on continuing, and that means the show’s return isn’t set in stone.
A continuation of this partnership could well see Piper back on screen as the Doctor in time for Christmas.
Otherwise, there could be a hiatus as Davies and company search for a new partner.
No doubt the BBC will want the longest-running science-fiction show in history to continue.
READ MORE: TV news: New screenwriters board the TARDIS for Doctor Who Season 2
This could also be why Piper has become involved as the Doctor for what could potentially be a brief foray, as Davies takes this uncertain period to look for Gatwa’s long-term successor.
Answers, though, are needed for fans concerned by the uncertainty and keen to uncover the mystery around this latest regeneration.
On another note, is it not time that we returned to the old method of one Doctor regenerating into their long-term replacement, without the need to install temporary faces from era to era?
The beauty of a pre-arranged departure announcement, the anticipation of finding out the new Doctor and seeing the regeneration unfold, is something that has been missing from the last few years of the show.
It’s high time that it returned.
And for those naysayers saying the show has had its day, the season finale's overnight viewing figure of 2.17 million, while not much compared to the show’s 21st-century high point when the market wasn't saturated and streaming wasn’t a threat, was the top-rated BBC program on the night of airing.
So here’s to answers and many more adventures in time and space.
