For weeks, Doctor Who fans have been gripped by talk of one of the most out-there rumors the series has seen in a long time. The end of Jodie Whittaker's time as the Doctor has been the subject of a wild rumor that has been picked up outside of fan circles and even been discussed on national British television. It is a rumor that feels even more absurd than the reality we already have of Davies returning to the show he left behind in 2009. You need to know how likely it is.
Who could play the 14th Doctor?
Everyone is into a fuss. The identity of Jodie Whittaker's replacement as the 14th incarnation of the Doctor is available. The current rumor piggybacks on other recent rumors that Doctor Who was looking to cast a big-name actor to play the Doctor in a series of anniversary specials, before regenerating into him. The rumor that David Tennant will return as the Time Lord has put Who fans into a frenzy, instead of being any big casting name.
Instead of playing the 10th Doctor again, the show would be playing an entirely new 14th incarnation of the Doctor. A mystery that would play out over the course of these alleged specials and be solved in time for an actual new regeneration to play the Doctor in 2024, would be caused by a person who has a face from their past.
Is there a doctor who can explain it?
This wouldn't be the first time an actor returned to Doctor Who in a big way. Colin Baker played Time Lord Commander Maxil in 1983's "Arc of Infinite" before he became the Sixth Doctor a year later, and Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor famously touched upon just why the Doctor had chosen the face of a man he'd already met, Cap It would be the first time in history that a Time Lord regenerated into the person they were before.
Time lords can have a level of influence over their regeneration, as well as rapidly change form, with the residual cellular energy unleashed in the immediate aftermath. In his debut story, "The Christmas Invasion," the 10th doctor regenerated a severed hand within 15 hours, and in his second story, "Journey's End," he delayed potential regeneration after suffering a fatal wound. Romana, the Time Lord companion of the Fourth Doctor, regenerated between the 16 and 17th seasons of the series, trying on a number of bodies before eventually choosing the likeness of Lalla Ward's character Princess Astra from "The Armageddon Factor"
Doctor Who would be able to explain why the Doctor has a new face. If this rumor is true, then it would make sense that Tennant would be playing a new incarnation of the Doctor instead of the 10th Doctor. That's correct...
How likely is it?
... The answer is probably not, and this is just a fan base that is stuck in a weird period of waiting for a new Doctor Who with Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall to end. Since leaving Doctor Who, Tennant has not been afraid to return to his time on the show. He reprised the 10th Doctor for the 50th anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor", and in years since has returned to voice the character in audio adventures at Big Finish.
There is a big difference between returning as the latest Doctor on TV and reprising his past role as an ancillary material. This rumor has managed to get such high levels of attention outside of normal fan circles that it is probably not worth denying in an official capacity. It's been a rumor before that David Tennant is coming back to Doctor Who to save the show. We will have to wait a long time to learn more about the next Doctor, but don't get too excited because time will tell if this is all wobbly nonsense.
Wondering where our feed went? The new one can be picked up here.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
