Russel T Davis Weighs in on Erasing Jodie Whittaker Era from Doctor Who

Doctor Who’s former showrunner, Russell T Davies, is here to set the record straight about Jodie Whittaker’s time as the Thirteenth Doctor. 

At the end of her run, there was a twist as her Doctor appeared to regenerate into the Fourteenth Doctor, portrayed by the returning David Tennant. 

Whittaker’s era stirred up some controversy, mainly due to the Timeless Child storyline, which altered the Doctor’s origin. This led to speculations that Davies might be planning to wipe the slate clean of Whittaker’s era.

Now, let’s put those rumors to rest. Davies has no intentions of disregarding Whittaker’s run. 

He playfully addressed these rumors in a letter featured in Doctor Who Magazine. Davies took a humorous jab by pretending to be a fan himself, sharing his thoughts on the first of the three Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials. He even dropped references to the Snyder cut of Justice League and Donald Trump’s infamous “covfefe” tweet to make the response as hilarious as possible!

Check out Davies’ witty response below via RadioTimes.com.

Oh my God, that’s London, too much London? I liked Sheffield, SHEFFIELD SNUB. It’s still very rude to the people of Sheffield, I will post about this and get REACTIONS to the SNUB….

Oh my God, the TARDIS, the Jodie exterior, she has NOT been erased (and yet by not erasing her, are we erasing the argument that she’s been erased and therefore this is an act of erasure, IS IT?)

… Release the Snyder Cut…

Will they upscale this to 5K and ruin it? Covfefe! What will this track be called on the soundtrack… We are, faithful viewer, 30 seconds in. Good luck.

Davies’ message, while aiming for humor, still offers valuable insights into the show’s future. He’s not only referring to the 60th Anniversary specials but also running for Doctor Who season 14, which these specials will lead into. 

This means Davies’ decisions will directly impact all the upcoming seasons. Regardless of how controversial Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the Doctor may have been, her time on the show is part of the established continuity and deserves recognition.

Doctor Who 2023 - 60th Anniversary Specials Trailer | BBC

Continuity has always been a crucial element of Doctor Who. Even though ‘The Timeless Child’ got solid backlash, it helped build on the continuity of the Seventh Doctor’s run.

Sylvester McCoy’s time as the Doctor reintroduced the mystery surrounding the character and sowed the seeds that Whittaker would later nurture. 

Rather than keeping the Doctor a typical Time Lord, McCoy hinted at a mysterious past linked to the origins of the Time Lords. 

Russel T Davis Weighs in on Erasing Jodie Whittaker Era from Doctor Who
Jodie Whittaker | Source: IMDb

Davies has a deep fondness for the show’s classic era, so it’s not shocking that he wants to keep Jodie Whittaker’s tenure intact. It wouldn’t make much sense to wipe out the legacy of the first female Doctor, either. 

Davies has already demonstrated his commitment to respecting the makers and actors over the years, and that’s definitely a positive sign for what’s to come in Doctor Who.

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About Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a British sci-fi TV program produced by the BBC since 1963. The series aired from 1963-89 and was then again revived in 2005.

The program depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called “The Doctor,” an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-traveling spaceship called the TARDIS.  With various companions, the Doctor combats foes, saves civilizations, and helps people in need.

Over the years, many actors like Jodie Whittaker, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, and Peter Davidson have played the Doctor. Hartnell was the first actor to be cast as Doctor Who.

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