Doctor Who

Despite an abundance of distractions, Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill remain the throbbing heart of the story.

[Mel (Bonnie Langford), Jo (Katy Manning) and Ian (William Russell)](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-classic-companions-return-newsupdate) return to the programme for the first time in (respectively) 35, 49 and a staggering 57 years – representing 1980s, '70s and even '60s Doctor Who. [Jo Martin’s refreshingly strident turn from recent years](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-fugitive-doctor-twist-newsupdate) and David Bradley’s endearing take on the "original" Doctor, but now [Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-classic-doctors-centenary-newsupdate). [subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. [The Power of Three](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/the-power-of-three/). A further fleeting but incandescent blast from the past comes near the end at the inaugural gathering of a kind of Companions Anonymous. [terms and conditions](https://www.immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/) and [privacy policy](https://policies.immediate.co.uk/privacy/). Sure, he’s an obsessive weirdo and loves dressing up, but now in the middle of a blithering "Master’s Dalek Plan", he has time spare to robe himself in a mishmash of former Doctors’ garb, with accoutrements such as Doctor Two’s recorder and Doctor Five’s lapel celery. Is Sacha Dhawan playing a new Doctor, or the Master inside the Doctor’s body and mind? More significantly, Chibnall reintroduces 1980s companions [Tegan and Ace](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ace-tegan-return-interview/) after many decades’ absence. Halfway into the tale, [Graham (Bradley Walsh)](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/bradley-walsh-graham-doctor-who-return-newsupdate) pops up inexplicably in a volcano, and Vinder (Jacob Anderson) crashes through a wormhole conveniently close to the seat of the action but sadly has little to contribute. I enjoyed how Steven Moffat developed the Master, and showed Missy (brilliant Michelle Gomez) seeking redemption, but under Chibnall, the Master has reverted to the ridiculous; his motivation unclear, his disguises daft. And let it be noted, The Power of the Doctor is the 300th story since Doctor Who began in 1963.

Old friends and foes collide to orchestrate the Thirteenth Doctor's farewell adventure – spoilers abound in this year's final Doctor Who Review…

But then, you could argue that’s not the approach a celebration of the show’s “past, present, and future” should take, and that there was never going to be a better time for any showrunner to look back upon their work, and the work of their predecessors, and indulge in a bit of a victory lap. Volcanoes are now going off all over Earth, so the Doctor and her chums pay another visit to the Master’s cyberplanet, shifting it forward to 2022 and using the power of cyber-conversion to zap all the flowing lava with cyber…ness, transforming it into metal. Yaz braves the blasts to carry her back into the TARDIS, and the Doctor murmurs “Extended fam…” before passing out. Next, they pour all of the ensuing regeneration energy back into the Master, restoring the Doctor to her old self. Underneath Bolivia, Yaz and the Doctor realise that the Daleks are planning to set off all of Earth’s volcanoes — and, too late, also realise that the Daleks know they’re here. Underneath the volcano, Ace runs into none other than Graham and his psychic paper (a welcome return for Bradley Walsh) and unleashes a stash of Nitro-9 to deal with the Daleks. After a couple of slightly weird scenes (including the Doctor insisting that Yaz be given a gun to wave around), the Master is taken to UNIT and locked up. Petersburg and goad all of the Cybermasters into shooting one another thanks again to the holo-Doctor (now resembling Jo Martin, not that that makes a lick of sense since the Doctor doesn’t have those memories). Not just any Cyberman, but a clone of Ashad, who demonstrates all of the brutality he exhibited in “Ascension of the Cybermen” as he bats aside soldiers and smashes the Master out of his cell so that he can teleport to safety. Ashad was already inside UNIT thanks to Tegan, and the Cybermen are largely left to their own devices for the rest of the story. Here, the audience are reunited with both Dorothy “Ace” McShane and Tegan Jovanka, last seen in “Survival” and “Remembrance of the Daleks,” respectively. Thirteen is everywhere and nowhere; the “real” Doctor is literally erased halfway through by the Master’s scheme, but a holographic duplicate means that Whittaker still gets to be a meaningful presence in multiple plot-threads at once, bouncing off companions old and new.

First female lead bows out with an unexpected end in a cameo-laden special as part of BBC centenary celebrations.

Tennant, Tate and Cribbins had been seen filming on locations in London and Bristol, [with Yasmin Finney](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/17/yasmin-finney-rose-tyler-trans-doctor-who-russell-t-davies-david-tennant-pass-notes) and Neil Patrick Harris joining the cast. [Tennant has been announced to feature](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/15/david-tennant-catherine-tate-return-doctor-who-2023) in three episodes alongside returning companions Catherine Tate and the late Bernard Cribbins for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary next year. Russell starred in the very first episode of Doctor Who in 1963 as Ian Chesterton, one of the teachers whisked away into the Tardis for a life of adventures in time and space as a companion to Hartnell’s Doctor. He cited casting the first woman in the role and “the team of writers and directors who came onboard from all sorts of different heritages and backgrounds and then told their stories. Doctor Who is set to return next year with the creator of critically acclaimed It’s a Sin, Russell T Davies, back at the helm. [The Curse of Fatal Death](https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/The_Curse_of_Fatal_Death_(TV_story)), Whittaker was the first woman to play the role full-time. Davies had led the revival of Doctor Who from 2005 to 2009. She said that she has kept her sonic screwdriver, and used to take her costume home with her after filming. Now we get to sit back and enjoy it as the fans that we can be, knowing whatever is to come, we were once a part of that.” Speaking of her position in the history of the show, she said: “You are a tiny drop in the ocean of Doctor Who, and you’ve got to tread lightly and earn your place. During the course of her time on the show, episodes have focused on the [US civil rights activist Rosa Parks](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/oct/21/doctor-who-recap-series-37-episode-3-rosa), the [partition of India](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/11/doctor-who-recap-series-37-episode-six-demons-of-the-punjab), the [treatment of women in English witch trials](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/25/doctor-who-recap-series-37-episode-8-the-witchfinders) and have explored [mental health issues](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/feb/09/doctor-who-recap-series-38-episode-seven-can-you-hear-me), as well as providing a steady diet of alien threats for the Doctor to battle. Ncuti will be extraordinary, and he will bring an audience that we haven’t reached, and his performance will be so magical.

Let's delve into the many, many nods back to Doctor Who's past in Jodie Whittaker's final episode. Spoilers!

(Conversely, in “The End of Time,” the Master decided to copy himself into the bodies of more-or-less everyone who wasn’t the Doctor…) - While the other aspects of the Doctor are content to appear in Time Lord robes, the Eighth Doctor insists on retaining a less formal outfit. It suited him so well when it made its debut in “The Night of the Doctor.” As Potter put it when discussing the blooming tree outside his window, “I see it is the whitest, frothiest, blossomest blossom that there ever could be, and I can see it. Melanie Bush apparently made her way back to 21st century Earth somehow after departing the TARDIS in the company of mercenary Sabalom Glitz. In fact, Ace infamously set about one with a baseball bat (much like the one she wields here) in “Remembrance of the Daleks” after it made the fatal mistake of describing her as “small.” - Goatees and beards in general have been a key look for many of the Master’s regenerations. Having run out of lives, a decayed Master (Peter Pratt/Geoffrey Beevers) was forever seeking a way to steal - Upon arriving at UNIT, the Master reels off a litany of jibes that double as easter eggs. - Before we even see the Master’s face, a big clue as to his identity can be heard when the royal messenger knocks four times. Her debut appearance in “Logopolis” marked what should have been her first day on the job, leading to a running gag about the Doctor’s inability to reach Heathrow Airport. - Ace and Graham make liberal use of upgraded Nitro-9, a homemade explosive Ace created when younger.

With David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprising their roles for the 60th anniversary, it has been confirmed that they will appear in three special episodes, ...

We’re giving you a year to speculate, and then all hell lets loose!” With David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprising their roles for the 60th anniversary, it has been confirmed that they will appear in three special episodes, set to air in November 2023. And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble?

Unpacking the Centenary special, from classic Doctors to Yaz's bittersweet farewell and the Thirteenth Doctor's regeneration.

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. Was it a perfect end to the Thirteenth Doctor's era? [Sci-Fi](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/) coverage or visit our [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) to see what's on tonight. [terms and conditions](https://www.immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/) and [privacy policy](https://policies.immediate.co.uk/privacy/). or more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the [Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast](https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/podcasts/). but did it live up to our lofty expectations? [Dan (John Bishop)](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-dan-exit-john-bishop-newsupdate/) given satisfying send-offs? [classic Doctors](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-classic-doctors-centenary-newsupdate/) (Morgan was particularly excited by the return of Paul McGann, as you'll see) to the [revisiting of old companions](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-classic-companions-return-newsupdate/) beyond just [Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Ace (Sophie Aldred)](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-ace-tegan-return-interview/). But beyond the festivities to mark 100 years of the BBC, how did this feature-length episode fare as a capper to Chris Chibnall's tenure as showrunner? [RadioTimes.com](http://RadioTimes.com)) and Huw Fullerton (Commissioning Editor, Radio Times magazine) unpack all – well, not quite all – 90 minutes of [The Power of the Doctor](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-power-of-the-doctor-review/). [learn more](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/commercial-links-on-radiotimes-com/)) [Doctor Who](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-60th-anniversary-special-release-date/)'s centenary special – the final episode to feature Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor – is finally out there...

Jodie Whittaker takes the TARDIS for her final flight in the Doctor Who special, “Power of the Doctor,” which airs Sunday at 8:00 PM ET on BBC America.

She’s hiding on Earth disguised as a human woman (“Ruth”) and her companion was posing as her husband. Season 12’s “Fugitive of the Judoon” (my favorite episode of his run) introduced a previously unknown past incarnation (Jo Martin). Chibnall is seemingly so averse to a “romantic” Doctor that Whittaker is never as flirtatious with her companions or anyone else as Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, and even Capaldi. The Doctor and Missy’s relationship was contentious, dangerous, and yes, very flirtatious. The Doctor’s relationship with Ryan (Tosin Cole), Graham (Bradley Walsh), and Yaz only revealed that she kept her self-described “fam” at a distance. After losing Amy and Rory in “Angels Take Manhattan,” Smith’s Doctor hung up his bow tie and retreated from the world. Whittaker’s Doctor is separated from her companions for almost 20 years in “Revolution of the Daleks.” There’s no indication that this has drastically altered her. The Season 12 finale “The Timeless Children” revealed that the Doctor had an abusive adoptive “mother.” The story potential here was never fully explored, and Whittaker’s “Mommie Dearest” is summarily killed off during “Flux.” The Doctor and Yaz fall into neither of these categories, which makes their relationship fall flat. She was also the first Doctor in the new series without a serious romantic relationship — in many ways a regressive throwback to the more overtly chaste Doctors from the original series. The companion was more than just the recipient of exposition dumps and technobabble explanations. Whittaker’s 13th Doctor broke the mold in a major way, and it wasn’t just because she was the first woman to play our favorite Time Lord.

Doctor Who boss Chris Chibnall breaks down the secret reunion scene involving some of the past companions including Bradley Walsh and Bonnie Langford.

Classic Doctor Who streams exclusively on [BritBox](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X991730&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwatch.britbox.co.uk%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Ftv%2Fa41745701%2Fdoctor-who-chris-chibnall-companion-reunion-scene%2F) in the UK. Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK. [Doctor Who](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a41722073/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-scared-flux/) showrunner Chris Chibnall has opened up about the companion reunion scene in tonight's (October 23) special. "It was one of those things where I didn't tell anybody. Also returning were Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding, who reprised their roles as Ace and Tegan for the centenary special. Whittaker, who was present for the scene, said "it was so emotional" as these people "paved the way" for the rest of them.

Jodie's Whittaker reign as Doctor has been quite the tumultuous ride, to say the least. The episode begins with Cybermen on the attack.

The ending with Tennant revealed as the actual Doctor is a huge coup and with Russel T. However, he uses a contraption to move the laser from the Qurunx to obliterate the Doctor and knock her down. As for the Doctor, she heads out the Tardis and takes in one last sunrise. the Doctor is knocked out and and in that time, Yaz brings everyone back home again. Anyway, he teams up with Ace and the pair work to try and stop the Daleks. As the Master appears as the Doctor instead, Yaz shows up with the Tardis to find her Doctor gone. However, Yaz manages to save her and bring the Doctor back inside the Tardis. Yaz pushes the Master out of the Tardis and shuts the door, heading off. The Master intends to completely tarnish the name of the Doctor. Now, the Master intends to use this to regenerate the Doctor into the Master… When armed guards show up with guns, the Doctor encourages Yaz to pick up a gun of her own and aim it at the Master. In Bolivia, the renegade Dalek confirms all the data is inside its casing and needs to be extracted.

[The following contains spoilers for Doctor Who.] Jodie Whittaker's final episode of Doctor Who aired today, and as is tradition when the lead actor leaves ...

We also see Neil Patrick Harris as a scary looking man in a tuxedo and Sex Education star [Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor himself.](https://www.avclub.com/ncuti-gatwa-doctor-who-1848897079) And that’s all there is to it! Jodie Whittaker’s final episode of Doctor Who aired today, and as is tradition when the lead actor leaves the show, her episode ended with her regenerating into a new Doctor…

Jodie Whittaker took her last bow as the 13th incarnation of the Doctor in a dramatic finale that sets up the 14th Doctor Who.

Classic Doctor Who streams exclusively on [BritBox](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X991730&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwatch.britbox.co.uk%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Ftv%2Fa41746270%2Fdoctor-who-regeneration-david-tennant%2F) in the UK. For now, fans are overwhelmed to see [Tennant back as the Doctor](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a41582873/doctor-who-david-tennant-return-special/). Doctor Who airs on BBC One in the UK. While another wrote: "Omg, David Tennant back as the doctor, best regeneration ever." It worked for a short while, but with the help of Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Vinder (Jacob Anderson), the Doctor managed to thwart the Master's plan. What?" "Oh, the Blossomiest Blossom. "What? The Doctor and Yaz used their last minutes to watch Earth from space and enjoy some ice cream, sharing a touching moment together. Nobody else got to live our days. And I have loved being me. Nobody else got to be us.

Full of spectacular action, explosions, epic battles and plenty of old faces, The Power of the Doctor is a glorious send-off for Whittaker as 13.

The Doctor Who finale is on BBC iPlayer now in the UK. The Daleks appear, and then the Master himself is back, meaning The Power of the Doctor is back-to-basics Doctor Who, but with add-ons and extras. Having dealt with time loops, Sea Devils and pirates in the first two of these three last specials, the Doctor is now facing her old foes the Cybermen. The Power of the Doctor (BBC One) approaches this mammoth task by rolling up its sleeves and throwing everything at it, then taking a step back and throwing some more. Not only is it Whittaker’s swansong, but it runs to the length of a feature film, at a whopping hour and a half, and it is part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations, too.

As the epic 13th Doctor finale draws closer, an audio drama has been finding favour with fans.

He is a former media diarist and features editor of The Australian. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger, a much-missed highlight from the old series, followed by some jaunty theme music. The plucky trio are queer and more gender and ethnically diverse than the TV drama. The British science fiction drama is on the eve of its 60th anniversary but feels wedged in the doldrums. The trio investigate conspiracy theories including one about a mysterious blue box (which we know, but they are yet to discover, is the TARDIS, the Doctor’s time travelling spacecraft). And when the reptilian alien tells the trans woman to stop judging her scaly green skin – that’s a great moment of drama.

Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa has been named as the next Doctor Who, the BBC announced on Sunday, making him the first Black actor to play the role.

[Ncuti Gatwa](https://www.vulture.com/2020/01/ncuti-gatwa-sex-education-season-2.html), breakout star of Netflix’s [Sex Education](https://www.vulture.com/news/sex-education/), has been chosen to play the next Doctor, replacing Jodie Whittaker, the BBC [announced on Sunday](https://twitter.com/bbcdoctorwho/status/1523263950661775360?s=21&t=z9NmLHykSujLg2GY2s88HQ). Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds.” Whittaker, [the first woman to play Doctor Who](https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/jodie-whittaker-doctor-who-season-11.html), announced [her departure from the series](https://www.vulture.com/2021/07/jodie-whittaker-and-chris-chibnall-leaving-doctor-who.html) last July, and no date has been set yet for her final episode. The BBC just announced that Gatwa will actually be the fifteenth Doctor, and that the fourteenth will be…David Tennant. Update October 23: Ncuti Gatwa is still set to be the first Black Doctor, but he won’t technically be replacing the first female Doctor. Davies](https://www.vulture.com/article/russell-t-davies-queer-canon-streaming-guide.html) noted in the press release, “Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. [back in May](https://www.vulture.com/2022/05/david-tennant-and-catherine-tate-coming-back-to-doctor-who.html), but we now know Tennant won’t be meeting his future self through some timey wimey nonsense.

A former Doctor is reprising their role after Jodie Whittaker's stint as the first female lead on Doctor Who comes to an end.

"The path to Ncuti [Gatwa]'s 15th Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun," he said, "and how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble? As did 97-year-old William Russell, who played one of the companions of the first Doctor. We're giving you a year to speculate, and then all hell lets loose!" Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor is He told the BBC that he was left with "a whole mixture of emotions" when he left Doctor Who in 2010, including "sadness and regret". Surprise cameos and a big twist in The Power of the Doctor

Season 5, which saw Matt Smith take over from David Tennant in the TARDIS, came in second place with 12 per cent, while the very first season of the revival era ...

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. The series is available to stream on For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the [Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast](https://www.radiotimes.com/audio/podcasts/). [Sci-Fi](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/) coverage or visit our [TV Guide](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/tv-listings/) to see what's on tonight. [Jodie Whittaker says "rage" over Doctor Who casting was "terrifying"](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-terrifying-newsupdate/) [Doctor Who "would not exist" outside of the BBC, says Chris Chibnall](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-not-exist-outside-bbc-chris-chibnall-newsupdate/) [Billie Piper: 'I'll treasure my time on Doctor Who for rest of my life'](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-billie-piper-rose-camille-coduri-newsupdate/) [Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker says Ncuti Gatwa will be "extraordinary"](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-jodie-whittaker-ncuti-gatwa-newsupdate/) [Doctor Who showrunner promises "very different" regeneration scene](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-chris-chibnall-different-regeneration-newsupdate/) [BBC iPlayer](https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006q2x0/doctor-who) with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a [7-day free trial here](https://britbox.sjv.io/c/1236178/1303835/15931?subId1=radiotimes-1724971&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwatch.britbox.co.uk%2F). [terms and conditions](https://www.immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions/) and [privacy policy](https://policies.immediate.co.uk/privacy/). [Doctor Who](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-2022-specials-release/) revival era in an exclusive [RadioTimes.com](https://www.radiotimes.com/) poll. Season 5, which saw Matt Smith take over from David Tennant in the TARDIS, came in second place with 12 per cent, while the very first season of the revival era – with Christopher Eccleston as the Time Lord – rounded out the top 3 with 11 per cent. The season – which was David Tennant's last as the Doctor – was the comfortable winner, earning 24 per cent of the vote after almost 9,000 Whovians participated in the poll. [Subscribe to Radio Times magazine and get 12 issues for £1](https://www.buysubscriptions.com/print/radio-times-magazine-subscription?promo=RTBPL22&utm_medium=brandsite&utm_source=radiotimes.com&utm_campaign=fixed-article_rtbpl22&utm_content=promotional-link&utm_style=brand) Each participant was allowed to vote for three different seasons, and more than half of them opted for season 4 as one of their choices – with the winner attracting 5,042 votes in total.

The real Rasputin, also known as “the mad monk”, was a mystic and holy man who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II, gaining a great deal of influence over ...

There was even a brief window of time when “The Power of the Doctor” might not have been Rasputin’s first Doctor Who appearance on screen- and as we’ve already mentioned, this story would have seen Rasputin revealed to be a rogue Time Lord in disguise. The Third Doctor encounters Rasputin a good deal later down the timestream in the novel, The Wages of Sin, by David A. [“The Time Meddler”](https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/The_Time_Meddler_(TV_story))). (To be clear, this joke was written before the author had actually seen “The Power of the Doctor” – that’s how obvious it is that he’s One priest, named Iliodor, was part of a group of figures who tried to drive a wedge between Rasputin and the royal family. In this story, the Doctor’s companion Jo Grant meets Rasputin and finds him to be a pretty sound bloke, but to protect the time stream Liz Shaw still gives him Prince Felix’s dinner invitation anyway. Only a few years after that, one of his followers waited outside Rasputin’s home and stabbed him in the stomach. He was accused of spreading heresy, and was denounced by the local clergy. [The Power of the Doctor](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who-the-power-of-the-doctor-review/)”, you can’t accuse it of not having enough ideas. It’s the kind of reputation that gets a person enemies, and the intrigue around Rasputin soon grew dangerous. Here's who the real-life Rasputin was, and his previous adventures in the Whoniverse. Others suspected he was a con-man who’d talked himself into the highest halls of power.

"Doctor Who" fans were drenched in nostalgia after David Tennant reprised his role as the Time Lord in the dramatic conclusion to the show's BBC centenary ...

And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble? “If you thought the appearance of David Tennant was a shock, we’ve got plenty more surprises on the way!” said showrunner Russell T. The clip also confirmed that Catherine Tate will be reprising her role as his former companion, Donna Noble, for three special episodes set to air in November next year.

Reviews of Sunday's finale were broadly positive, although some said too much was packed into the episode.

He added: "Despite an abundance of distractions, Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill remain the throbbing heart of the story, as the Doctor and Yaz breeze through a rollicking adventure but must prepare for a sorrowful parting... This was frightening fun in the show's best traditions." "It is a great send-off for Whittaker, focused and full of feeling, which makes this an apt welcome for Gatwa, too." but the scripts have often let her down a little," she said. "Considering this is a super-long episode, it trots along at a decent speed and the pace rarely dips. It confuses. "Moments where what's happening, however intergalactic, however epoch-hopping, however sassy, has time to register. It confounds. It surprises. Only the 'present' part of the equation suffered. "[The episode] reminded us that actually you need one or two dull bits for drama to be dramatic," he said. The frenetic story threw in so many playful bells and fan-pleasing whistles, it became nonsensical, as if Chibnall painted himself into a plotting corner and didn't know how to escape."

At the end of its 39th season, it's become clear the Time Lord's world, despite always regenerating, has become static and small.

In the past 17 years, the mythology of Who has become, if anything, even more arcane and far more self-referential and confusing. If Doctor Who wants to keep people engaged enough to make it to its 70th anniversary, it needs to remind people why they should care. [lined up](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-61371123) Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa to play the Time Lord (after David Tennant [returns to the role](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/10/surprise-doctor-who-reveals-two-history-making-leads-for-2023) for a brief stint). With ratings on the slide and online buzz seemingly at an all-time low, it’s clear that the new generation of fans who discovered the show during its revival are getting bored of what was once fresh and exciting. The show’s next series—its 14th since the revival and 40th overall—is slated to have Russell T. This isn’t to say Whittaker wasn’t a compelling Doctor but rather that in the nearly two decades since the show was rebooted in 2005, its tricks have gotten old.

'Doctor Who's Fourteenth Doctor has arrived, with David Tennant taking over Jodie Whittaker 's role rather than actor Ncuti Gatwa.

[the May announcement](https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/ncuti-gatwa-is-the-doctor) that Gatwa would be portraying the Doctor stopped short of specifically naming him the Fourteenth Doctor. Of course, there wasn't enough evidence to draw any strong conclusions at the time. [the Tenth Doctor's former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) also returning](https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/david-tennant-catherine-tate-return) to the show. Fortunately, Doctor Who's regeneration twist doesn't mean he's been shafted from the job. Now it seems possible we could find out what the best temp in Chiswick has been up to all these years. Upon regenerating on Sunday, Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor immediately commented that he "know[s] these teeth," a reference to his first lines as the Tenth Doctor. These episodes will celebrate Doctor Who's 60th anniversary. We've also known since May that [Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa would soon be stepping into the role of Doctor](https://mashable.com/article/fourteenth-doctor-doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa). Even so, nobody expected Tennant to return as Doctor Who's protagonist, or even believed it possible under the show's lore. Written by outgoing showrunner Chris Chibnall, "The Power of the Doctor" was the last of three Doctor Who specials that had been scheduled for 2022. Tennant previously played the Tenth Doctor from 2005 to 2010, with his run widely lauded by both critics and fans. The Doctor's regeneration wasn't a surprise to anyone, with

Between new technologies, a confusing health-care system, hurried providers and health issues such as memory and hearing loss, doctors and aging patients ...

[survey](https://ahimafoundation.org/media/ngfbggsk/oct2021_understanding_access_use_health_information_america_ahima_foundation.pdf) by the AHIMA Foundation found that nearly 2 in 3 American adults are not “extremely confident” they understand the health information they discuss with their physician. [nia.nih.gov](http://nia.nih.gov/), or click directly to the doctor-patient communication site at [bit.ly/betterdoctalks](http://bit.ly/betterdoctalks) And negative stereotypes about aging can leave patients feeling condescended to or unheard. One analysis of 2017 health record data [record checkups](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/five-ways-get-most-out-your-doctors-visit#remember) (with permission from everyone involved) with a smartphone or audio recorder. It’s packed with information from the National Institute on Aging on everything from choosing a doctor to confronting sensitive issues — and it’s designed for both patients and caregivers.

Before Ncuti Gata becomes the first Black Time Lord in show history, popular former lead David Tennant is returning for a spell.

And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble (Tate)? [50th anniversary special](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/05/doctor-who-david-tennant-billie-piper-reuniting-rose-tyler) a decade ago, will reprise his role alongside co-star [Catherine Tate](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/10/david-tennant-doctor-who-donna-catherine-tate) for three special 60th-anniversary episodes to air in November 2023. Ncuti Gata, who was [announced as the next lead in May](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/05/ncuti-gatwa-cast-as-the-new-doctor-in-doctor-who), will not be the 14th Doctor—but the 15th. [a statement](https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/david-tennant-is-the-fourteenth-doctor) on Sunday. Oz’s Senate Campaign](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/10/dr-oz-dog-killing-pennsylvania-senate-race?itm_content=footer-recirc&itm_campaign=more-great-stories-101122)? [first female Time Lord](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/07/doctor-who-thirteenth-doctor-jodie-whittaker), officially regenerated after four years during Sunday night’s 90-minute episode, revealing that her immediate successor isn’t who fans had expected. [Marriage Problems](https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/10/tom-brady-gisele-bundchen-10-year-old-marriage-problems-going-on-forever-divorce?itm_content=footer-recirc&itm_campaign=more-great-stories-101122)Are Reportedly “10 Years Old” Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney [has been cast](https://www.thewrap.com/yasmin-finney-new-rose-in-doctor-who/) as a character named Rose, although it’s unknown if she’s playing a version of Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, who was a confidant for Tennant’s Doctor, or an entirely new role. “The path to Ncuti’s 15th Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun. Gatwa, best known for Netflix’s Sex Education, will then become the first Black lead in the show’s 59-year history during the festive period in 2023. “If you thought the appearance of David Tennant was a shock, we’ve got plenty more surprises on the say,” showrunner Russell T. So to be able to revisit that and to get another shot, it was a total joy from start to finish.”

The 60-year-old actress played companion Ace opposite Seventh Doctor Sylvester McCoy in the sci-fi series from 1987 to 1989, making her the Time Lord's final ...

Doctor Who sends off Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker, celebrates the BBC's 100th anniversary, and looks toward the show's future in a chaotic centenary ...

(And the fact that she gets to put her trademark jacket back on.) When the news broke that former classic companions Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding would be returning for this special, it's likely that many of us simply assumed they'd be blink-and-you-'ll-miss-it cameos, nuggets of fan service thrown out to mark a big anniversary. The duo's goodbye is very sweet, despite the fact that Doctor Who completely wusses out on committing to any kind of real resolution to the sort of bizarre romance the show set up between the two. (Although I'm sad to report that the Chibnall era has now, officially, never bothered to really explore the Master as a character in his own right in any real way, let alone explain how we went from Missy to this version of the character.) Even her actual regeneration feels kind of like an afterthought, coming not as a result of the forced body swap with the Master, but from a faceful of Quoronx energy thrown at her by her best frenemy. Her delightful chemistry with classic companions Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding is a delight, as is their wonder over the fact that the being they once traveled with is a woman now.

Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor) · Sylvester McCoy (Seventh Doctor) · Paul McGann (Eighth Doctor) · Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor) · Jodie Whittaker (Thirteenth Doctor).

And that's why he's the greatest. But just who is the best Doctor of all time? Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor) Peter Capaldi (Twelth Doctor) Peter Davison (Fifth Doctor) Colin Baker (Sixth Doctor)

"The Power of the Doctor" goes all in on fan service to bid Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor adieu... but not before turning in another muddled mess of ...

[filled with nostalgia and refreshment alike](https://gizmodo.com/doctor-who-60th-anniversary-trailer-david-tennant-1849693096)—it’s perhaps for the best that we do as we’re encouraged, and not dwell upon the mistakes of the past. It’s as if even the tradition of the past Doctor’s clothes lasting at least part of an adventure beyond them was too much credit to give, as we rush along into the nostalgic return of one of Doctor Who’s most beloved stars, all “what what what”-ing and recognising their own familiarity. As the Doctor checks off “stop that Cyber planet from existing” from her list of things to do, a stray laser beam from the sentient energy creature from the start of the episode catches both the Doctor and the Master (did I mention the Master was still alive after the whole regenerative body switcheroo? The final insult perhaps comes with the fact that for all the time “The Power of the Doctor” spends haphazardly chasing between all of these plots, it brings them all together and deals with them all in the space of five to 10 minutes, after Yaz and Vinder manage to revert the Doctor back to herself with a handwave, letting her gleefully hop around in the TARDIS and pick up the myriad companions strewn across these far-flung plotlines. And “burn away” feels like an apt descriptor here, not just for the regeneration energy cascading through the Time Lord, but the fact that even the Doctor’s very clothes burn away, replacing them with an outfit evocative of the Tenth Doctor’s prior chosen look. Parting ways one last time, it’s revealed to Yaz (thanks to a passing by Graham and Dan) that they and other past companions of the Doctor—Ian Chesterton, Mel Bush, Jo Grant, Tegan, and Ace among them—have set up a support group for past friends of the Doctor to share their stories, love, and grief with each other, the power of the Doctor themselves at last becoming apparent. This might all sound like I’m about to describe this reveal, and the impending forced Master-ification of the Doctor, as a turning point where “The Power of the Doctor” might get good, but alas. Giving Janet Fielding and Sophie Aldred, two actors whose companions unjustly exited their times on the show, the chance for one more scene opposite their respective Doctors and give Tegan and Ace a chance to heal their frayed relationship with the Doctor, delivers two incredibly poignant moments in an episode of desperate need of them. She’s also showing up as a sentient AI on the TARDIS to help the abandoned Yaz, and as implanted holograms for Tegan and Ace as they’re shunted into separate plotlines to stop the separate Dalek and Cyberman threats. But the fatal problem with “The Power of the Doctor” is that for the vast majority of its burdensome 90-minute runtime it does not even try, flinging cameos, story threads, and scenes at a wall and desperately praying that they will stick—and for the most part, they don’t. Chibnall’s fondness for title cards with locations and years on them in an attempt to manufacture scale without actually showing scale is only matched for his fondness for plot threads that can barely flow with each other, as the Doctor and Yaz race across space and time to try and figure out what’s going, dragging the audience along the way. Which is presumably why at the apex of its mess—a moment where the Master (a

We all knew this was coming, as the BBC Centenary Special was always meant to be Jodie Whittaker's final adventure in the TARDIS. Her inevitable demise at the ...

Interestingly enough, the Tenth Doctor has always had a knack for playing fast and loose with the rules of regeneration, such as when he used his severed hand to halt his transformation in “Journey’s End.” Ten is the Doctor who didn’t want to go when his time was finally up, so it makes sense that he’s the one who’s breaking the rules again now. Tennant’s Ten and Fourteen is hardly the first time Doctor Who has abandoned the tidiness of the way Doctors are usually numbered, though. That means that when Tennant arrives in “The Power of the Doctor,” we’re getting a Doctor who is both the Ten we know and loved as well as the all-new Fourteen. So, while new incumbents have traditionally followed one another in sequential order in terms of the official numbering — from the very first Time Lord played by William Hartnell to Whittaker’s Thirteenth — Tennant’s return as both Ten and Fourteen breaks that rule. Throw in all that Valeyard business from the ’80s if you’d like to make things really confusing for yourself. And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble? [Jodie Whittaker](https://www.denofgeek.com/jodie-whittaker/)‘s final adventure in the TARDIS. In one last evil act, just as the Doctor sets the Quoronx free, the Master makes sure that the Time Lord receives a fatal dose of energy from the space jellyfish, triggering [her next, life-altering regeneration](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who-the-power-of-the-doctor-ending-explained/). Not only is Tennant’s version of the Doctor back, but he’s actually confirmed to be playing the FOURTEENTH Doctor. But most fans likely assumed that we’d see Ten running alongside Gatwa’s Fourteen to guide this new version of the Time Lord. As Whittaker makes way for the Fourteenth Doctor, but it’s not who we thought it would be. One last goodbye from the Doctor, a few final words (“Tag, you’re it!”) from Thirteen, and then the violent transformation begins — which notably happens outside the TARDIS, breaking with the NuWho tradition of regenerations happening inside the time-traveling police box.

But before him... Well, that would be you-know-Who. See the teaser at Empire.

Davies to thank/blame for this development, as he's back in charge of the show for the next run. “David Tennant, previously known as the 10th Doctor, is now also known as the 14th Doctor. HUGE HONKING SPOILER ALERT for anyone who has yet to watch The Power Of The Doctor.