Doctor Who's universe has rich franchise potential, but the perfect spin-off could instead copy the format of The Mandalorian. In his first era as showrunner, Russell T Davies oversaw the spin-off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures to acclaim from both fans and critics. The returning Davies is also on record as being interested in exploring Doctor Who's potential as an MCU/Star Wars-style fictional universe. Now that the series will be a co-production between the BBC and His Dark Materials' producers Bad Wolf, the reality of an expansive "Whoniverse" could be closer than ever.
Bad Wolf Productions were recently acquired by Sony, who are currently exploring Spider-Man's cadre of villains and anti-heroes. Similarly, this could suggest that the company may also be interested in exploring the franchise potential of Doctor Who. Like Spider-Man, the series has nearly six decades of heroes, villains, and locations to explore. The potential for Doctor Who's perfect spin-off originated in 1986 and could share a very similar tone to the hugely successful Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian.
Whilst Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures were great Doctor Who spin-offs, they both rigidly copied the parent show's monster-of-the-week format. As exemplified by The Mandalorian, the best spin-offs are often markedly different in tone and style. The Mandalorian was a space western rather than a space opera. A similar format would suit Sabalom Glitz, the last major character to be created by the legendary Doctor Who writer Robert Holmes. Glitz is an intergalactic rogue, with a love of money and a broken moral compass. He would be the perfect character to lead a Doctor Who spin-off in the Mandalorian mold.
Why Sabalom Glitz Should Be The Focus Of A Doctor Who Spin-Off
A Sabalom Glitz series would add depth and color to the Doctor Who universe by exploring its seedier underbelly. It presents the opportunity for various unsavory characters from Doctor Who's history to appear as Glitz's different employers. He could accept jobs for the profit-obsessed Sil, or a pre-beheading Dorium Maldovar. This work would take Glitz to various alien planets and inevitably put him in life-threatening danger, forcing him to blag or blast his way out of trouble.
As for the wider story, Glitz could come into possession of a relic from the Time Lord and Dalek war. The state of the universe following the Time War is something that's never been explored in real detail before, having been unobserved by "lesser" species. What price would Time War technology fetch on the intergalactic market? What's more, how many nefarious villains from the Doctor Who universe would be on Glitz's tail as they sought possession of it? These questions, and more, could tie into a fascinating narrative arc for the character. As for the rogue's redemptive journey, it would be related to this powerful artifact, showing him the inherent profit in doing the right thing. After all, it's difficult to make money if the universe is in flames.
Following original actor Tony Selby's sad passing, Glitz would need to be recast with an actor in possession of a similar Cockney swagger. An actor like Human Traffic's Danny Dyer would be ideal as Glitz and it could be the breakout role that makes him more internationally known. For more global appeal and given their Sony connection, Tom Hardy or Andy Serkis would be inspired casting. In tapping into the appeal of The Mandalorian, a Sabalom Glitz series would be the perfect Doctor Who spin-off, exploring the wider fictional universe in a fresh and interesting way.