Russell T. Davies is back at the helm of the Doctor Who franchise, which has fans excited for the series' future. The former showrunner is making his return to the franchise after being away for more than 12 years. Davies was largely responsible for the revival of Doctor Who in 2005, and its massive resurgence in popularity around the globe.
Russell T. Davies makes his Doctor Who return as showrunner for Doctor Who's 60th anniversary special before taking over the series full-time, but he already is looking ahead and building plans for the future of the franchise. When speaking at the 2022 Climate Creatives conference, Davies talked about not only preparing for series 1 with Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa as the 14th Doctor, but also hinted at plans for series 2 and beyond. With the show coming incredibly close to being canceled after the end of current showrunner Chris Chibnall's run, viewers can breathe a sigh of relief with Davies' plans to stick around for the long haul.
The New Russell T. Davies Era Begins With David Tennant & Catherine Tate
Before Davies can begin his work on series 1 and more for Gatwa's Doctor, his second stint as showrunner kicks off with the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special that will see the return of David Tennant as the 10th Doctor along with Catherine Tate returning as Donna Noble. The special provides the opportunity for Davies to jump back in with fan-favorite characters that he knows and is comfortable with. The long-awaited return of David Tennant's Doctor will generate plenty of excitement not only for the return of Russell T. Davies but also for the first full display of Ncuti Gatwa's portrayal of the 14th Doctor.
Everything Known About Doctor Who Season 14
Not much is known about the upcoming season 14, or series 1 of the new Russell T. Davies era, but there are some hints as to what Ncuti Gatwa's debut season might entail. Viewers are eager to see who will accompany the 14th Doctor on his journey. With Catherine Tate's return as Donna Noble confirmed, she serves as a potential candidate to return as The Doctor's companion. However, the only other major update about the season so far reveals another companion possibility. Yasmin Finney is confirmed to appear in the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special as a character named Rose. The name Rose carries a lot of weight in the Doctor Who universe as Rose Tyler, portrayed by Billie Piper, was the show's first companion for its 2005 revival and was the first companion for David Tennant's Doctor. It is unknown if Finney will be portraying a version of Rose Tyler or if she will be a different character named Rose, but the character's name itself suggests an important role in the show and makes her the leading candidate to be Gatwa's companion in Doctor Who season 14.
Previously on the verge of cancelation, Russell T. Davies breathes new life into Doctor Who and gives viewers a reason to be excited about the franchise's future with comments about plans for future seasons. Davies' return in 2023 will kick off an exciting new era of the show with the return of Catherine Tate's Donna Noble and David Tennant's Doctor along with the highly anticipated debut of Ncuti Gatwa's portrayal of the 14th Doctor. Davies has an endless possibility of directions that he can take the show, so it will be interesting to see how Davies jumps back into the Doctor Who universe after his 12-year hiatus.