Doctor Who is bringing back Eric Roberts' The Master for his very own audio adventure series. Doctor Who is a show that has been around now for over 50 years, delighting Whovians around the world. The show features an alien named The Doctor who travels around the universe in his Tardis, a time machine shaped like an old police box. The Doctor usually travels with a companion who helps them solve mysteries and save the world from alien threats. The series has long been applauded for its clever plots and pushing the boundaries of science fiction storytelling.
The show has been able to go on for this long due to its built-in plot device that allows The Doctor to regenerate into a new person every few seasons. With each new Doctor usually comes new companions and new foes. One of the reoccurring characters in the series is known as The Master. They are The Doctor's archnemesis and have fought them since the beginning of the series. The Master is the same alien species as The Doctor which means that he regenerates as well. There have been over 20 iterations of The Master to date, many of them almost as popular as The Doctor.
Now one of The Masters, played by Roberts, is returning in a new audio drama. The show will be a three-part series titled, "Master!" The last time audiences saw his version of the character was in the 1996 Doctor Who TV movie starring Paul McGann as the eighth Doctor. According to Gizmodo, the spinoff series will take place after the events of the movie and will feature him facing off against the Daleks after having attempted to exterminate him.
This is not the only old character returning to the world of Doctor Who via audio drama. Both the eighth doctor (Paul McGann) and the ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) have returned to reprise their roles in the same format. John Barrowman has also returned as Captain Jack Harkness in the last season of Doctor Who. It seems like the show is trying to bring back old fan favorites to reinvigorate the franchise after the show has been declining in viewership and pop-culture dominance. It is not certain if this will be enough, but it is a good first step at perhaps regaining Doctor Who's former glory.
Longtime Whovians have stuck with this show for many decades. They have seen characters and actors come and go over and over again. To have so many people returning to the series, even in audio form, is a huge welcome to many fans. "Master!" is already available to stream now, while Doctor Who season 13 is set to be released later this year.
Source: Gizmodo