The Doctor Who franchise is undergoing a reboot right now. It's got a new, bigger budget thanks to Disney's involvement, and a fresh new Doctor in actor Ncuti Gatwa. But nothing shows the new direction more than the marketing. Returning showrunner Russell T. Davies is keen to expose the Whoniverse to new audiences, and that means starting again from scratch. The new season is not season 40, or 14 of the 'New Who' era. It's simply season 1.
The reasoning for the rebrand is clear and understandable. People shouldn't have to think they need to catch up on almost 900 episodes of television before embarking on a new adventure. The new season will attract hardcore fans regardless; bringing on a new generation will help the Whoniverse endure.
“Who is interested in Season 67, or whatever it is? It genuinely starts again," Davies recently told Rolling Stone. "The reason why it’s survived for all these years is that every so often, Doctor Who stops, opens the door and refreshes itself, and gets a new audience in."
Of course, Russell T. Davies ushered in the revival of Doctor Who in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston after the classic era ended in 1989. His revival of the franchise was a huge success, bringing with it some of the best Doctors of all time, from David Tennant to Matt Smith. Davies knows what it takes to rejuvenate a franchise, and he hopes bringing a new generation into the TARDIS will inspire future storytellers. "There are children who will come and watch this, who will be me in 20, 30, 40 years time making this stuff."
Ncuti Gatwa's debut as the Doctor alongside Millie Gibson (Ruby Sunday) in "The Church on Ruby Road" was a fantastic start to his journey. The adventures continue on May 11 on Disney+ — take a look at what's in store!
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