First Doctor

When the BBC announced that it was partnering with Disney to bring Doctor Who to its international streaming audience under the show’s latest era, there was some bristling that the House of Mouse would have an element of creative control, rather than simply financial involvement. But speaking on Disney’s influence on the show so far, returning showrunner Russell T. Davies revealed they were responsible for the addition of one key scene in “The Church on Ruby Road.”Alan Cumming on playing King James in Doctor Who“The…

In contemporary fandom, canon is king. This is not a jab against an admiration of an ordered continuity and worldbuilding, the necessary aspects of creating a story to be lost in. But what goes beyond it—a yearning for raw, wiki-able data and facts that can be collated and held in amber, where interpretation gives way to a singular thesis—often threatens to override it. Which is why for Doctor Who, a show that has spent 60 years growing and changing and writing over and under itself, its latest shock is less about…

For a show that is often so optimistically forward thinking—and where change is baked into its hearts—Doctor Who often has a bittersweet view of its own past. Heroes and friends come and go, goodbyes are frequent and brief, and a lot of them are permanent, especially when part of the key to its longevity is that its main character dies every few years. But as a wise Time Lord once said, every once in a while, just occasionally, everybody lives.'Even AI Rappers are Harassed by Police' | AI Unlocked“The Giggle,” the third…

In just a few short days, Doctor Who will conclude its trio of 60th anniversary specials in a flurry of spectacle—a climatic battle, the death of its familiarly faced current hero, and their regeneration into a new era starting just a few weeks later. For the most part, it’s celebrated this event without the typical trappings of past milestones, and replaced them with what has turned out to be a pretty radical concept: what if Doctor Who celebrated sticking around for 60 years by just being the best version of itself it…

After Doctor Who’s triumphant return this past weekend in “The Star Beast,” all eyes are now on this weekend’s second of three 60th anniversary specials, “Wild Blue Yonder.” But the fact that those eyes are upon it and the BBC is not willing to say almost anything of substance about it is leading Doctor Who fans to go a little bit doolally with the wait.“Even AI Rappers are Harassed by Police” | AI UnlockedWe knew a lot about “The Star Beast” in the run up to its release—it’s arguably the special we saw the most of in…

Human drama suffused with alien weirdness? A shotgun blast of emotional sincerity to sweep you away from barely coherent sci-fi technobabble? The power of love, specifically encapsulating queer love? David Tennant and Catherine Tate running around the place having the time of their lives? Do not adjust your clocks friends: it is indeed 2023 rather than 2008. But for one November night, Doctor Who certainly made it feel that way.Who’s This Thing Actually for? | PlayStation Portal Hands On“The Star Beast,” the first in a…

When it comes to Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebrations, all eyes are on this weekend as the series prepares to kick off a trio of weekly special episodes. But on Doctor Who’s anniversary itself yesterday, fans were treated to a wonderful couple of surprises that offered some lovely nods to the show’s future.Turtle Power with Melissa Navia | First FandomsOn BBC 4 last night, a special double bill of the colorization of Who’s second-ever serial “The Daleks” as well as a rebroadcast of the 50th anniversary docudrama An…

For a show that is about the capability to be everywhere and anywhere, any period in time, Doctor Who is a show that is arguably burdened with context. Now 60 years old today, the thought of navigating any of its stories without an awareness of its place in that history is almost unthinkable. But every once in a while, in a very long while, Doctor Who wields that context to set itself free.Alan Cumming on playing King James in Doctor WhoThat’s the paradox—as well as the philosophy of John Rawls—that sits at the heart of…

Image: BBCIt’s been a long time in the making, but as Doctor Who celebrates its 60th anniversary this weekend, it enters a new era—one that will, at least, close the book on the recent tenure of Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor. But as the actress begins to launch her own next chapter, she is still fondly looking back on her time as a Time Lord.Alan Cumming on playing King James in Doctor WhoSpeaking to Radio Times this week as part of its celebration of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, Whittaker—who, the day after Doctor…

Image: BBCThe 14th Doctor has arrived—a little earlier than we first expected. Although Doctor Who will return to TV in a little over a week in a big way to celebrate its 60th anniversary in a trio of specials, tonight the BBC released a short scene marking the first onscreen adventure for David Tennant’s latest take on the Time Lord.Alan Cumming on playing King James in Doctor WhoAired as part of the BBC’s annual charity telethon Children in Need, this clip sees the 14th Doctor cross paths with a mysterious man (Mawaan…