Everything seems topsy-turvy as well as timey-wimey in a new trailer for the Doctor Who episodes arriving in November 2023 and featuring the returns of franchise vets David Tennant and Catherine Tate.
Also glimpsed in the teaser above are Neil Patrick Harris as an as-yet-unspecified and OTT Big Bad, plus the live-action debut of Beep the Meep, an adorable E.T. who previously only appeared in the Marvel comics series based on the long-running sci-fi series.
Doctor Who left both its fans and a certain Time Lord remarking, “What?!,” as this year’s third and final special, which aired in October, came to a surprising close. The Power of the Doctor expectedly showcased Jodie Whittaker’s expected exit from the series, but as her Thirteenth Doctor regenerated at the end of the installment, it was none other than David Tennant who (re)appeared.
Showrunner Russell T Davies confirmed that Tennant, who previously played the Tenth Doctor, now is playing the Fourteenth Doctor, meaning that series newcomer Ncuti Gatwa will eventually emerge as Fifteen. In turn, Millie Gibson, who is best known for her role as Coronation Street’s Kelly Neelan, will play the latest companion, the gloriously named Ruby Sunday. (See the dynamic new duo’s fresh fits here.)
“If you thought the appearance of David Tennant was a shock, we’ve got plenty more surprises on the way!” said Davies. “The path to Ncuti’s Fifteenth Doctor is laden with mystery, horror, robots, puppets, danger and fun! And how is it connected to the return of the wonderful Donna Noble (to be played again by Catherine Tate)? How, what, why? We’re giving you a year to speculate, and then all hell lets loose!”
The new episodes of Doctor Who will stream Stateside in November 2023, to coincide with the series’ 60th anniversary. And as well reported, Disney+ is now the exclusive home for Doctor Who‘s new adventures, for territories outside of the UK and Ireland (of course).
(HBO Max will continue to be the U.S. streaming home for the original seasons, 1 through 13, while BritBox will continue to stream S1-26.)
