Intergalactic Comics: Where Doctor Who Should Go After Peter Capaldi’s Departure

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Where Doctor Who Should Go After Peter Capaldi’s Departure

By: Stephanie Holland

Guess it’s time to regenerate.

Current Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi recently announced on BBC Radio 2 that the upcoming tenth season will be his last. He will make his final appearance in the TARDIS in the 2017 Christmas special. “I feel it’s time to move on,” Capaldi said.

With this announcement, it’s time to think about a new direction for The Doctor.

We’re ready for a female Doctor. Seriously, it’s 2017; the world won’t end if The Doctor is a woman.

This opens a whole new world of storytelling possibilities. Imagine The Doctor having to deal with being a woman throughout history. The clothes alone would provide a wealth of humor.

The everyday struggles that women face like equal pay, civil rights, access to education, and breaking glass ceilings could be brilliantly highlighted using the ancient Timelord’s travels through time and space.

This could also be a chance to shine a light on some untold stories of women’s impact on history. Much like the recent box office hit Hidden Figures, it could be educational and entertaining.

My suggestion is British comedienne/actress Miranda Hart (Spy, Call the Midwife). Her work shows she can handle the delicate balance between humor and drama Doctor Who is known for.

Next, it’s time to lighten up. The 12th Doctor’s tenure hasn’t been the most fun-filled of adventures.

The one thing that has always set Doctor Who apart from other sci-fi shows is its decidedly British comedic tone. The last few seasons have featured death and destruction aplenty, but has been sorely lacking in humor. The show is still wildly popular, but even hardcore fans must admit the last two seasons have been very depressing and tough to get through. The Christmas special “The Return of Doctor Mysterio” was funny, adventurous, and romantic. It was a return to what made the show so popular. Since showrunner/head writer Steven Moffat has also announced his departure at the end of this season, consider this time for a reboot.

And while they’re at it, no more full seasons of two-parters. The idea of longer, more complete stories is a great one, but just once or twice a season.

This is a real chance for a show that’s been going for over 50 years to reinvent itself and become new again, much like The Doctor.

The 12-episode tenth season of Doctor Who premieres Saturday April 15 at 9pm eastern on BBC America. It features new companion Bill (Pearl Mackie) and sometime companion/comedic foil Nardole (Matt Lucas).

Premiering right after Doctor Who is the new spinoff, Class. It follows the adventures of four teenagers at Coal Hill School, which has been involved in many of The Doctor’s adventures. The students must learn to deal with all the usual stress of high school while occasionally saving time and space.