Doctor Who has is thriving in its transition from a British cultural institution to a global sci-fi phenomenon. The longest-running sci-fi series jumped streaming services (and reset its season count) with Disney+ with the return of showrunner Russell T. Davies, who rebooted the series back in 2005. The first season of this new iteration had everything: musical numbers, babies in space, a Bridgerton pastiche, and a classic story of found family. The announced spinoff is in the works, but what’s next for the show itself?
Davies brought stars Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson to San Diego Comic-Con to discuss what’s ahead for Doctor Who — and revealed huge revelations for Season 2.
Doctor Who has already filmed Season 2, which means casting can’t be kept a secret. So it’s been a while now that we’ve known the Doctor’s next companion. Andor’s Varada Sethu will join The Doctor and Ruby Sunday in the TARDIS, and during the panel, Russell T. Davies revealed her character’s name: Belinda Chandra.
Hard-core “Whoniverse” fans may recognize this name. The 2007-2011 children’s TV spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures featured a character named Rani Chandra, but the similarity may be a coincidence. Doctor Who recycles actors all the time — even Sethu herself appeared in the Season 1 episode “Boom” — so it’s likely names are being recycled too.
She’s not the only addition to the cast. Millie Gibson announced that The Little Mermaid actor Jonah Hauer-King will be “joining Ruby’s journey.” Could this mean a possible love interest for her character?
But the most exciting reveal about Doctor Who in Hall H was a sneak peek at the upcoming Christmas special “Joy to the World,” written by iconic Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat. The footage follows Nicola Coughlan as Joy, a mild-mannered girl who checks into a hotel at Christmas only to find a Silurian and the Doctor himself burst out of a mysterious locked door. Check out the full teaser below:
“Barbie and Ken back together!” Ncuti Gatwa said of working with Nicola Coughlan after their roles in Barbie. “She’s an absolute... star, is what I’ll say,” he continued, cryptically. This may be a reference to Joy’s role in the special. When the Silurian bursts into her room, he says, “The star seed will bloom and the flesh will rise.” Is Joy the “star seed” he refers to?
Season 2 of Doctor Who may be adding more characters, but this new look at the Christmas special reveals you don’t need to wait til the season premiere for more Doctor Who action — another classic story is just a few months away. “It's a great family time, Christmas, no matter what sort of family you've got, whether it's your real family or you chosen family or invented family,” Russell T. Davies said. “There's something that fits Doctor Who about that.”
