WARNING: There are spoilers ahead for Doctor Who! The Fifteenth Doctor wrapped up his second season on Saturday in “The Reality War,” and fans were shocked to find that this is the end of his tenure. The BBC has now confirmed that the Doctor will regenerate, and Ncuti Gatwa will be recast. Fans were extremely caught off guard, as this is an incredibly short time for an actor to hold the coveted role, and a new Doctor has always been announced in advance before, with plenty of fanfare. To top it all off, the newly-regenerated Doctor will be played by Billie Piper, who played the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler in a previous season. All of this has fans wondering if this change is real, or if it’s some kind of stunt.
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Doctor Who fans were drowning in rumors and speculation before the season finale this weekend, and now that it’s over, it’s still hard to sort the truth from the unconfirmed. The latest episode showed us the Doctor regenerating from Gatwa into Piper, but the change is so unexpected that some fans are still having a hard time believing it. Many are wondering if Piper will really be counted as the Sixteenth Doctor, or if this is some kind of short-lived stunt, like the reunions and cameos by past franchise stars in Doctor Who TV specials.
“Just how and why she [Billie Piper] is back remains to be seen,” said the BBC in a cryptic press release. Fans are puzzling over that, as well as the credits at the end of the episode. While previous regenerations have read, for example, “And introducing Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor,” this one only said: “And introducing Billie Piper.”
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If this is an act, Gatwa is carrying it out well. He issued a heartfelt statement on Saturday that sounded pretty final, thanking fans for the support and wishing the franchise well without him. “I’ve loved every minute of it, but now is the time to hand over the keys to that beloved blue box and let someone else take control and enjoy it every bit as much as I have,” he said. “I’ll truly miss it, and forever be grateful to it, and everyone that has played a part in my journey as the Doctor.”
Fans have speculated that this unexpected change is related to the recent report that Doctor Who is suffering low ratings, both on broadcast TV and international streaming platforms. Disney made a deal with the BBC to stream the new season week-to-week in the U.S., but the return on that investment has reportedly been relatively low. Viewership data for the latest batch of episodes has not been made publicly available so far.
For now, Doctor Who fans can only speculate and look out for further announcements. The show is streaming now on Disney+ in the U.S., including this momentous Season 2 finale.
