4 days ago
I love Billie Piper but her return proves Doctor Who is doomed
When Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie Piper at the end of the Doctor Who finale, I let out a shocked gasp, quickly followed by a despairing groan.
As a huge Rose Tyler fan, you would think I would have been overjoyed.
I still vividly remember younger-me crying my eyes out when Billie's character was trapped in a parallel universe in Doomsday.
And my sheer excitement at her return during season four, which was delicately teased through the 11 episodes before culminating in an all-star finale (the groundwork for which had also been done with respective spin-offs Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures).
Hey, I was practically vibrating off my cinema seat – sonic screwdriver clutched in hand – when Billie appeared as The Moment in the Doctor Who 50th anniversary.
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I'm even tempted to delve into the recently announced Big Finish audio stories featuring the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and Rose's adventures together.
If there's one thing I'm all for, it's a tasteful cameo from a beloved member of the Whoniverse and the chance for viewers to check in with a fan-favourite.
After all, you need some perks to having a franchise with a rich 60-year history populated with endearing friends and fearsome foes.
However, there is a time and place for this style of fan service. For me, Billie Piper's implied return as the 16th Doctor (although the BBC has yet to confirm that is her role) represents everything wrong with Doctor Who right now.
I already felt like David Tennant's return as the 14th Doctor for a three-episode 60th anniversary stint was pushing it slightly. His reprise overshadowed Jodie Whittaker's exit as the first female Doctor, after all.
In the end, I decided to shake off my hesitation, indulge in his brief return, and instead concentrate on my excitement for Ncuti Gatwa, who I was sure would breathe new life into the show.
Despite showing such promise with his vibrant performance, several thought-provoking episodes and ambitious season-long arcs, ultimately, it felt like the chance to push the sci-fi series into a new era was completely fumbled.
We only got 18 episodes with the 15th Doctor (split between two surface-level companions), making his ending feel alarmingly rushed.
As his run came to an end, I found myself tearing up not from the bittersweet nature of regeneration (as I had for Doctors like Matt Smith and Jodie Whittaker) but because I hadn't fallen as deeply in love with him as I had hoped. I'd simply not had the time.
This was only compounded when Billie appeared at the very end. It felt like a gut punch. Two steps back after dangling the promise of more in front of us.
Frankly, as much as I love Billie, it feels like the antithesis of what the show is all about – a constantly evolving, forward-looking series that pays homage to the past while still soldiering on with a defiant march.
Immediately, my mind started whirring with possibilities.
Either she isn't actually the Doctor, and the upcoming episodes will be caught in an exposition-filled, convoluted plotline that ties itself in knots – something eight-year-old me would be totally baffled by and probably switch off.
Or she will be the 16th Doctor, which likely results in a reduced run (leading to yet another lightning-fast regeneration), which ultimately takes the chance away from a fresh face to control the Tardis.
Even if there was a chance at a meaty, well-thought-out plotline with Billie's character, after how showrunner Russell T Davies has squandered Ncuti, Millie and Varada's potential, I'm not sure I trust him to fulfil it.
I'm not interested in niche returning villains who only have 20 minutes of screentime or a companion (who already has their happy ending) returning yet again for a wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey run.
I mean, I cried about Amy and Rory's exit from the show for days but while I would love them to make a fleeting cameo again at some point, I know in my heart it would destroy their story arc if they suddenly reappeared as main cast once again.
The show needs to stop focusing on what it thinks fans want and give us what we need: A refreshing, fleshed-out Doctor-companion dynamic that is preoccupied with bold new character work and exciting monster-of-the-week adventures – the bread and butter of Doctor Who.
In fact, my favourite aspects of Ncuti's run were episodes like Rogue and Lux that offered this format (as opposed to whatever was trying to be achieved with those overstuffed finales).
I can't see a world in which Billie's return to the show offers this and with this decision, Doctor Who may have lost a whole new generation of viewers who become obsessed with the show by growing attached to their own formative Doctor-and-companion duo. More Trending
As a longtime fan, I will tune in to see how Billie's return pans out, albeit reluctantly. Since I have a soft spot for Doctor Who, I will try and give it a chance, as Billie deserves. If anyone can pull it off, it is her.
However, I can't help but mourn everything the show could have been if Ncuti had stuck around or even everything we will lose by not having a new actor who can stick it out for the long haul to bring back the charm that has won over scores of loyal children for decades.
At least for a little while, it's time to put the past to bed and allow the show to flourish doing what it does best – offering bright new stories that encompass the vast expanse of the universe.
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Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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