Doctor Who: David Tennant Sees

This fall, The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Yaz (Mandip Gill), and Dan (John Bishop) return for the “Centenary Special”- and they’re not coming alone. As we saw from the official teaser released after “Legend of the Sea Devils,” we have Cybermen, the Master (Sacha Dhawan), Ace (Sophie Aldred), Tegan (Janet Fielding), and more familiar faces showing up for what is the final run from Whittaker and showrunner Chris Chibnall. After that, Russell T. Davies returns as showrunner, reportedly bringing the Fourteenth Doctor along in Fall 2023. But there have been rumblings that Davies may also be eyeing some one-off specials focusing on returning Doctors and companions, with David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Catherine Tate being just some of the names being buzzed about. So what better time than German Comic Con Spring 2022 for Tennant to be asked about the rumors And from the sounds of things, it looks like the impact of Andrew Garfield‘s masterfully impressive lying about not being in Spider-Man: No Way Home, even in the face of heavy evidence showing otherwise, is beginning to be felt.

“I’ve learned through bitter experience that there’s not any point in even answering [questions about returning to play the Doctor] because whatever I say is spun by whoever wants to hear it,” Tennant explained. “So there’s no point in me denying it, there’s no point in me confirming it, there’s no point in me fudging it. Whatever I say will become whatever the internet wants it to be.” Hmmm… okay. We’ll buy somewhat into the idea that the internet is a large part of the speculation & doubt. But let’s be honest. We live in a “PG World” (“Post-Garfield World”) now so all bets are off.

Recently, Chibnall opened up to the RadioTimes.com about if he will pull a Davies and return at some point, why it’s important for a showrunner to make their own mark on the long-running series, and if he believes Davies will follow up on some of the bigger additions to the show’s lore that he added during his time:

Chibnall Isn’t Shy Addressing If He Will Ever Return to “Doctor Who”: “Absolutely never again! Clear red line, final script. I never expected to come back after working with Steven [Moffat], really, and I’d turned it down a couple of times after that. I never thought I’d be offered the job and built into that is why I wanted to keep it to a very specific three-series thing. Supervising teenagers’ revision is taking up my time now and there’s lots of other things to write! I will happily sit back and watch. For all that it’s been gorgeous all along, now it’s like, ‘Oh I remember this. This is what real life is like!'”

Chibnall: “Oh, I Fully Expect Russell to Ignore It!”: “You’re not carrying a vase across a room – you’ve got to get in there and say what you want about the show, the character, and the world. It’s one of the few drama series without a written bible, and every era contains a contradiction or left-turn from what has come before. Any future showrunner will ignore it or run with it,” Chibnall explained when asked if he thought Davies would follow up on the things he brought to the show’s lore.

Chibnall on Why Davies’ Return is Good News for “Doctor Who” Fans: “Everybody should have a big smile on their face. Russell is one of the elite showrunners and ‘Who’ is very lucky to have him, especially off the back of ‘It’s a Sin,’ one of the greatest shows of all time. For him to have incredible ideas and passion for it, to want to take it forward again – that’s fab. Nobody has a greater love for “Doctor Who.'”