Doctor Who Showrunner Reveals Multiseason Plan After Warning Of Potential Hiatus

While the future of Doctor Who remains undecided until after season 15’s broadcast, showrunner Russell T Davies already has an ambitious multi-season plan envisioned should the series be renewed. After helming the show across its first four seasons from 2005 to 2009, Davies returned in 2023 to not only oversee the 60th-anniversary celebrations but the show’s newest installments. His current era has seen the temporary return of David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor to mark the milestone celebrations in 2023 before Ncuti Gatwa took on the leading role across seasons 14 and 15.

While speaking with Parade, Davies is looking to the future despite reports of a hiatus. The showrunner envisioned that should he be allowed to continue, he had plans that could see him remain in his position for either four or five seasons and may have already been set up within the show. However, he didn’t rule out potential hiatuses or delays. Check out Davies’s full response below:

We’ll always look ahead to the future if we get the chance to keep running. I’ve got ideas. ‘I think I’ll do that near [season] 4 or 5.’ And that’s always the way I’ve worked on things. So yes, I could promise you amazing stuff at the end of season 4. There are things we’ve already mentioned that are going to bear fruit a long time into the future. So that’s just the fun of it. That’s the fun of Doctor Who. But, to say again, it’s the pit stops along the way.”

What Davies’s Plans Mean For Doctor Who’s Future

Production And Release Schedules May Shift, But The TARDIS’ Travels Are Far From Over

Doctor Who season 15 will provide answers to several mysteries, most notably the identity of Anita Dobson’s Mrs. Flood. One such detail is the identity of “The Boss,” first teased in the first 60th anniversary special “The Star Beast” and established as a separate entity to season 14 overarching villain Sutekh in the promotion for the anniversary. With the showrunner already penning scripts for season 3 in summer 2024, it is likely “The Boss” could play a role later on.

However, despite any optimism from the showrunner, it is still too early to determine just what the future may hold. Even if Disney renews their agreement, there will still be a hiatus when compared to the showrunner’s original plans for yearly seasons. Furthermore, both Gatwa and Davies have agreed to various other productions in the meantime, so even should a renewal come quickly after season 15 wraps, both the Doctor Who cast and crew may be preoccupied potentially until 2026 to kick off production on season 16, extending the wait.

Our Thoughts On Davies’ Multi-Season Doctor Who Goals

The Doctor Who Brand Is A Vital Part Of The BBC’s Catalogue

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Doctor Who‘s future, it is unlikely that the series will be shelved for good. The brand is an incredibly lucrative, high-value asset to the BBC, meaning that the corporation will likely always find a way to keep the brand alive in some form, even should the full responsibility be placed back on its shoulders amidst funding uncertainty. Furthermore, with Davies revealing his multi-season outline, it is clear that he will remain invested no matter what challenges lie ahead beyond Doctor Who season 15.

Source: Parade

Doctor Who

5/10

Release Date

December 25, 2023

Directors

Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Richard Martin, Peter Moffatt, Pennant Roberts, Lennie Mayne, Chris Clough, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Gerald Blake, Graeme Harper, Waris Hussein, Rodney Bennett, Mervyn Pinfield, Hugh David, John Gorrie

Writers

Russell T. Davies, Dave Gibbons, Kate Herron, Steven Moffat

Franchise(s)

Doctor Who