Doctor Who‘s future is up in the air right now. The BBC is officially putting the show out for tender, seeking bids to produce the next season. We have no idea how long that will take; previous examples have taken roughly six months, but this one is expected to be rather more complex. The fandom fear a new “Wilderness Era,” with Doctor Who off-screen for years to come
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But BBC director general Matt Brittin remains positive. Speaking alongside publication of the BBC’s annual report (per Deadline), he noted that change is baked into Doctor Who‘s format. “That’s a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history, and we’ll do so again,” he said. “I think that’s one of the great things about the 100-year history of the BBC. We can do that, and we can creatively renew shows that people love, and we’ll be working hard on that right now.”
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It’s easy to understand why Whovians are concerned. Doctor Who was canceled before, in 1989, after a period disturbingly reminiscent of the show’s last decade; a time of uneven storytelling, an obsession with nostalgia and lore, and declining viewership. But there’s one big difference between 1989 and the present day. Back then, BBC Controller Michael Grade had long despised the world’s longest-running sci-fi TV show, and he remains something of a villain to the fandom even now. In contrast, the BBC’s current director general is known to be a fan.
Brittin’s statement is all the confirmation you need. He’s absolutely right that regeneration is key to Doctor Who‘s success; the show has a reset button at its heart, meaning everything can and will change as soon as a new teak take over and a new Doctor is cast. Notice the different words Brittin slips into his statement, particularly renewal; that was the original word used for regeneration, back in the Patrick Troughton story “The Power of the Daleks.” It’s delightful to see a BBC director general tossing out just the right jargon, confirming to Whovians that he really is on board with Doctor Who.
Here’s the truth: Doctor Who has not been canceled. The BBC is a public broadcaster, and it is legally required to put 100% of applicable shows up for competitive tender by the end of 2027. Since that first announcement, I’ve spent some time looking through BBC records; I can say with confidence that I am yet to find any example where the tender process has been unsuccessful. While I fully understand Whovians’ concerns – I’m a child of the Wilderness Years myself – I genuinely believe all we’re going to get is a break, ahead of a new incarnation that I consider inevitable.
Doctor Who only requires two things to succeed: commitment and creativity. Brittin’s comments prove the commitment is there, with the BBC dedicated to the show’s future. There are only two questions that really matter, then; who will win the tender, and what will their creative vision be? We won’t know those answers for months, but we will eagerly await them
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