Doctor Whois quickly approaching an impressive milestone that may not necessarily be cause for celebration, with the long-running British sci-fi show’s upcoming season serving as a crucial landmark in its decades-long history. With the first run ofDisney-eraDoctor Whoepisodes now firmly in the rearview mirror, all eyes are onDoctor Whoseason 15and whether showrunner Russell T. Davies can continue to uphold the franchise’s sizable legacy during his second stint in charge. If not,Doctor Who’s ever-approaching anniversary could mean bad newsfor devoted Whovians.
William Hartnell playedDoctor Who’s first iteration of the famous Time Lord when the show began back in 1963. After that, what has come to be known retroactively asDoctor Who’s classic era, ran for over two decades before it was canceled in 1989 - with Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor the serving leading man at the time. AlthoughPaul McGann played the Eighth Doctor in the failed 1996Doctor Whomovie, the show itself remained inert until Davies revived it in the mid-2000s. Now, history runs the risk of repeating itself.
Doctor Who’s Modern Era Is Just 6 Years Away From Matching The Classic Era’s Run
Davies brought Doctor Who back in 2005
Doctor Whooriginally ran until 1989, resulting in 26 years of successive storytelling. It’s an impressive run for any show, but it ultimately met the same fate as many other long-running projects. In short,Doctor Whohad started to grow stale, with its viewing figures and how it was received dropping dramatically. So, the BBC pulled the plug just before the start of the 1990s. In 2005, Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor was the fortunate iteration of the show’s main character to bringDoctor Whoback to screens and continue the saga. Since then, a worrying amount of time has passed.
Doctor Who’s 2024 Christmas Special Quietly Explains A Major Part Of Jack Harkness' Origin Story
John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness has a very interesting backstory in the Doctor Who universe, and “Joy to the World” quietly adds to his lore.
Doctor Who’s modern erahas now lasted for 20 years, which means it’s just six years short of matching the classic era’s record when it comes to how long it was able to run before being canceled. Because the show has become so ever present in popular culture around the world,it’s easy to forget thatDoctor Whowas ever off the air, but it was - and for a very long time. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that the show’s current spell of activity will surpass the classic era, which placesDoctor Who’s immediate future even more firmly in the spotlight.
Ncuti Gatwa Could Be The Final Doctor Of The Current Era
Fifteen may still be the serving Doctor if/when the show gets canceled again
Ncuti Gatwa is the latest in a long line ofall the actors to play the Doctor, and if the show does start to lose its momentum like it did in the 20th century, he could be the last one for a long while to fill the role. Although there has yet to be an official announcement about whether he will continue to play the Fifteenth Doctor for a third season, there have been several signs to suggest thatGatwa intends to stay as the show’s leading man for a longer timethan the other modern Doctors.
The post-2005 record is three seasons, shared by every main modern Doctor actor other than Eccleston - who only did one season.
The post-2005 record is three seasons, shared by every main modern Doctor actor other than Eccleston - who only did one season. So,Gatwa would need to stay for at least four seasons to break the record, which would presumably end such a reign in 2027. If he continues to be successful asDoctor Who’s star, he could then extend his tenure by another two seasons. This would makeDoctor Who’s modern era as long as the classic run. If people are once more bored with the show again by that point, then Gatwa’s exit would also markDoctor Who’s cancelation.
Gatwa is the first main Doctor actor of the Disney era, inheriting the role after David Tennant’s brief return for the 60th anniversary.
The overall record for the longest time as the Doctor is held by Tom Baker, who played the fourth iteration of the Time Lord for seven straight seasons between 1974 and 1981. So, even if Gatwa did stay for six years and saw the modern era catch up to the classic era,Baker would still hold the honor of the longest-serving Doctor. In this respect, Gatwa’s situation would be far more similar to that of Sylvester McCoy, as both actors would have been forced to stop playing the Doctor rather than being allowed to choose when they step away.
Season 15 Will Be Crucial For Doctor Who’s Future
Gatwa’s second run of episodes needs to continue to improve
AlthoughDoctor Who’s 2023 comeback under Russell T. Davies was generally regarded as a big improvement over Chris Chibnall’s divisive spell as the showrunner,Doctor Whoseason 14 was still not without its critics. Its story was uneven, and disappointing twists largely ended up meaning nothing, which frustrated large portions of the fan base. So,Doctor Whoseason 15’s story must show more improvements if it’s to avoid being pulled into the debate of whether it should be allowed to continue.
Just because it has such a rich legacy doesn’t meanDoctor Whois immune to cancelation.
Doctor Whoended in 1989 because people were fatigued, and that’s still a real possibility for modern audiences - if not even more so. Just because it has such a rich legacy doesn’t meanDoctor Whois immune to cancelation. If no one is watching it, it will meet the same fate as it did during its classic era. This is worrying, asDoctor Whoseason 15 entered production before the previous run had even aired. So, although Davies isn’t the kind of writer to adjust to negative criticism, there’s even less chance he managed to take public opinion into account.
Doctor Who Could, In Theory, Run Forever
There’s nothing stopping the Time Lord from endless regnerations
Although fans do favor certain actors and characters,Doctor Whois a show that is built on change. It has no set cast members, and it would be worse if it did. Sure, beloved figures (including previous Doctors) can and do return to the show years after they depart, butDoctor Whohas such a vast universe and timeline that it doesn’t depend on guest appearances. Instead, they’re more like exciting and incredibly optional cameos. This is a strength that not many shows have, which means the revolving door of new and old faces can continue to spin indefinitely.
Even ifDoctor Whowere to be canceled again, its revival in 2005 proves it could always come back later.
In other words, there are incredibly few administrative or behind-the-scenes issues that would force production to permanently draw to a close - with one of the exceptions being if viewing figures plummeted, and it was canceled. That being said, even if the TV show were to be axed,the largerDoctor Whofranchise would invariably be kept aliveby the myriad of novels, comic books, podcasts, and other forms of alternative media. It may not move forward in the same way as it does now by continuing to introduce new Doctors, but theDoctor Whouniverse would remain a vibrant place.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on June 25, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
