In the 1960s, science fiction television was changed forever by two brilliant shows, one in the U.S. and the other in the U.K. In 1963, Doctor Who revolutionized the nature of the family sci-fi serial on television, Then, in 1966, Star Trek changed the game with the first episodic sci-fi series aimed at adults with continuing characters. Six decades later, Doctor Who has outgrown its “kid show” origins, while Star Trek extended to with various spinoffs into nearly every demographic imaginable. Together, Who and Trek represent the stalwarts for what TV sci-fi can accomplish. Plus, both franchises possess similar philosophical DNA: the ethical dilemmas faced by members of Starfleet very often share parallels with the troubles encountered by the Doctor and their companions.
And so, for years, fans have wondered, could these two universes ever formally crossover? While some small crossovers have occurred in comic book form, this year, Who showrunner Russell T. Davies seemed to indicate there was a new canonical precedent to allow these worlds to formally intermingle. Now, an unprecedented Comic-Con event suggests that Star Trek and Doctor Who are finally crossing over — at least, in real life.
On July 27, at San Diego Comi-Con 2024, Russell T. Davies and Alex Kurtzman will participate in a joint, in-person panel for “Intergalactic Friendship Day.” This public collaboration between Doctor Who and Star Trek was announced by the official social media accounts of both brands, complete with press releases on both official sites. Although Intergalactic Friendship Day is on July 30, this event will take place at SDCC on July 27 from 5:30-6:30 PM Pacific time in room 6A of the convention center. But what will Davies and Kurtzman discuss?
Although it seems very unlikely that Kurtzman and Davies will formally announce a live-action crossover between Doctor Who and Star Trek, it doesn’t seem entirely out of the realm of possibility — or desire. In 2012, IDW Comics published a crossover miniseries between The Next Generation and the 11th Doctor (Matt Smith) era of Doctor Who. This series also featured a flashback in which the classic TOS crew met the 4th Doctor (Tom Baker).
Throughout both franchises, there have also been winks and nods to each other both great and small. The most recent example might simply be that Christina Chong’s character in Strange New Worlds, La’an, was also Lorna Bucket in Doctor Who. And coincidentally or not, this Who veteran is the biggest time traveler in Strange New Worlds.
Although Davies was interested in doing a crossover between Who and the prequel series Enterprise back in 2005, it never came to pass. That said, very recently Davies made it clear that certain lines in the latest Who season were designed to open the door to a formal possibility.
“The Doctor actually now talks about Star Trek as real,” Davies told Inverse this year, noting it was a “deliberate shift.”
“I love that show,” he added. “I wish we could [cross over with Trek.] I’m a huge fan of the new franchise.”
So the Doctor Who x Star Trek panel at Comic-Con will probably be a huge love fest, with two leaders of their respective franchises paying tribute to each other. And yet, who knows? Wesley Crusher has just become a pseudo-Time Lord, and the 15th Doctor is talking about “visiting” the Final Frontier. Maybe an on-screen collision between the TARDIS and the Enterprise is happening sooner than we think.
