Rumours indicate that new showrunner Chris Chibnall will switch up the Doctor Who formula by decreasing the number of episodes per year but extending the running time of each from 45 minutes to an hour.
As a result, Jodie Whttaker’s first season on board the TARDIS will only be ten episodes long rather than the usual twelve or thirteen.
According to The Mirror (so employee your own salt measuring unit) Chibnall has also ordered a redesign of the TARDIS (cue hilarious ‘She’ll paint it pink’ yuks), a brand-new console, and an update to the Sonic Screwdriver for his first season in charge. Which is to be expected considering Moffat made the same changes when he took over the show from previous showrunner Russell T. Davies.
Quoting a shadowy insider, The Mirror said:
“It is traditional for new showrunners to come in and shake things up to stamp their mark on the show and Chris is not doing things by halves.
“Expect something fresh and brilliant, with more of the stories travelling backwards in time, to interesting historical eras, as well as forwards.”
Which to be fair, doesn’t at all sound that revolutionary. Hasn’t the show always done that? Although the lack of a contemporary focus is interesting perhaps we’ll get companions from across space and time and spend less time establishing the Doctor’s place on Earth.
As for the lack of episodes, When Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith played the Doctor, each series lasted for 13 episodes plus a Christmas special. This fell to 12 plus a special when Peter Capaldi took on the role – and that doesn’t account for the long delays between series which have harmed the show. Here’s hoping this new run of ten will be a consistent run; with a fixed air date and time each year.
However, that’s the future. Before we usher in the new we must say goodbye to the old when Peter Capaldi departs the show – alongside showrunner Steven Moffat – on Christmas Day in Twice Upon a Time, which, of course will also be our first introduction to Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor.
A release date for the upcoming series remains unknown.
