A Doctor Who spinoff is set to hit the 2025 TV schedule, but we're still waiting to hear when (or if) we may see the flagship show return for a new season. This is especially true now that the improbable twist that saw Billie Piper stepping into the starring role of The Doctor happened at the end of the latest season. Unfortunately, the wait for answers has no end in sight, but showrunner Russell T. Davies' latest renewal comments have me curious.
The BBC franchise partnered with Disney for the 60th anniversary and the past couple of Ncuti Gatwe-starring seasons, and those in the United States have been able to stream episodes with Disney+ subscriptions. There were rumors about changes coming toward the start of the year, but Davies said something in an interview with Pilot TV that perked my ears up when talking about how he's as in the dark as everyone else:
There’s nothing to report, nothing’s happening. You’ll know when you know, when we know. I don’t know. Conversations are between The BBC and Disney. I don’t work for either of them. I work for Bad Wolf, so I’m not part of those rooms. So I literally don’t know. And even people I work with every day, so they couldn’t know what’s really going on. I’m going, ‘I don’t know.’ I really don’t know.
The downside of all this is that Russell T. Davies has no read on when Doctor Who may be renewed for a new season. What might be good news is that it sounds like Disney and The BBC are still talking, which leaves the door open for resuming their partnership as co-producers on the series when a new season is ready.
I would love to see Disney and The BBC continue their partnership on Doctor Who, especially after the fantastic run with Ncuti Gatwa as the lead. I'm still upset that he left without doing another season, but not as upset as I'd be losing the great visual effects the series gained under Disney. The BBC could find another co-producer with deep pockets, but that's never a sure thing.
Additionally, I like the marriage of Doctor Who and Disney in the United States. I'm still crossing my fingers along with others for the possibility of seeing The Doctor at Disney parks, or at the very least the TARDIS.
The downside of this is that it seems more than clear that the reason Doctor Who wasn't renewed for a new season before the last one ended and still remains in limbo is because the viewership and financials of it all seem to be a concern for Disney. Given that, I have to wonder how confident they are that bringing in Billie Piper as the new lead will either bring in a bunch of old fans who weren't previously watching or entice new people to watch. If the answer is no, then Disney could leave the partnership, or Piper's tenure as the character could prove to be short-lived.
Eventually, we, along with Russell T. Davies, will know when Doctor Who is returning and where to stream it. For now, watch the latest episodes over on Disney+, and keep an eye out for updates on the series as the year continues on.
