Editor's note: This post was updated following the announcement on that a new Doctor Who Christmas Special is set to air in 2026.
When Doctor Who brought back David Tennant to lead the show in 2022, I was absolutely thrilled, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. While there is an element of nostalgia when I think of Tennant's time as the Doctor, I also think he's objectively one of the best to ever play the part. After the divisive Chris Chibnall era, Tennant's electric performance as the famous Time Lord was just what Doctor Who needed to be jolted back to life.
After debuting as the Fourteenth Doctor in a surprise regeneration twist at the end of 2022's "The Power of the Doctor," Tennant was the star of three episodes written by returning showrunner Russell T Davies that celebrated Doctor Who's 60th anniversary. While his final appearance also introduced Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor, the unexpected bi-generation sequence meant the focus remained on Tennant as Gatwa's Doctor departed to kick-start his era.
So, with "The Power of the Doctor" first airing in October 2022, Tennant's most recent comeback is three years old. Since then, Doctor Who has started to come under fire for uneven scripts and confusing twists that seem to be included for shock value more than anything else. Considering the huge waves Tennant's 2022 return made, the dip that followed is somewhat surprising.
David Tennant's 2022 comeback suggested Doctor Who's return to form
As I've already mentioned, Chris Chibnall's time in the showrunner's chair isn't remembered all that fondly by Whovians. Chibnall made several additions to Doctor Who canon that didn't make that much sense and felt like they were included simply as a way for him to make his mark on the show. The Timeless Child storyline is at the top of that list of disliked twists, but there are others.
So, when it was announced that Russell T Davies was taking back control of the show, it seemed like the BBC was steadying the ship. The announcement that followed, which also confirmed Tennant's comeback, reinforced that theory. The theory ultimately turned out to be correct, as the anniversary trilogy formed the most consistent run of episodes in years.
Furthermore, the BBC's deal with Disney+ provided a noticeable cash injection into the show. Doctor Who suddenly looked the most visually spectacular it ever had. It all looked very different, while feeling comfortingly familiar. Unfortunately, this renaissance wasn't destined to last, and Doctor Who fell back out of favour after two seasons. Thankfully, it's now confirmed to be coming back after months of indecision.
Davies' bi-generation twist is a big reason for Doctor Who's recent falloff
I'll start by saying that I loved Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor. He brought something to the character I'd never seen before, and did himself justice with astounding performances every second he was on the screen. Unfortunately, I can't help but feel that his era was overshadowed by the ongoing possibility of another comeback from Tennant as Fourteen.
In "The Giggle," Davies made it so that Fifteen spawned from Fourteen rather than a more traditional regeneration sequence taking place. This made it possible for Tennant's Doctor to remain in existence, perhaps indefinitely. Davies has insisted that Fourteen won't be back, but it's impossible to ignore as a canonical possibility — if not a borderline inevitability.
As a result, those entrenched in Doctor Who's past have been given the opportunity to hold onto the hope that Tennant might show up again, which made it more difficult for them to fully embrace Gatwa as the show's new star. For a franchise that's built on the very concept of ongoing change, it seems like something of an oxymoron to keep Fourteen around indefinitely, even if he's off-screen.
That being said, I can understand why Fourteen didn't make an exit like his predecessors. Tennant's original version of the Doctor, the Tenth, was often portrayed as a Doctor who feared regeneration. This was a new and compelling trait, and made Ten's departure even more emotional than usual. So, it's pretty wholesome that what is essentially Ten's resurrection allows him a far longer life to allow him to come to terms with his eventual "death." It's just a shame that the storyline has come at such a cost.
The upcoming spinoff is no longer the only confirmed Doctor Who project
The confusing return of Billie Piper during Gatwa's final episode has people wondering if she's actually going to be taking over as the Sixteenth Doctor. Working out how to navigate this bizarre left turn is probably part of the reason why Doctor Who took its time announcing when and if it'll be back. With the announcement of the show's 2026 return with a new Christmas Special, it seems Davies finally has a plan.
The War Between the Land and Sea is expected to fulfill the final stages of the deal between BBC and Disney, although it also has no confirmed release date yet. Thankfully, the UNIT-heavy spinoff is no longer the only Doctor Who show in the pipeline, with the parent show set to resume active production with a 2026 Christmas special and news of a new season on the horizon.
If I could travel back in a TARDIS to 2022 and explain to my past self that Tennant's comeback would eventually lead to Doctor Who clinging to existence, I'd probably have called myself a liar. It was a very surprising turn of events for the long-running franchise, and I'm very glad that Doctor Who is being given another shot at redemption.