Doctor Who is on hiatus until it returns later in the 2026 TV schedule with this year's Christmas special, which gives plenty of time for all involved, past and present, to share their thoughts about the current state of the beloved franchise. Fortunately, we got a chance to hear from former showrunner Chris Chibnall, and his thoughts on his episodes being referenced in the new seasons caught me in my feels.
Despite the controversial response from fans to The Timeless Child and Flux storylines in Doctor Who, Russell T. Davies chose to embrace them rather than retcon their impact on the overall story. On top of all that, Jodie Whittaker reprised her role as The Doctor in Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration episode, bringing the first female Doctor back to the franchise once more. Chris Chibnall confirmed to Radio Times that he was happy to see his work referenced in the series, and explained the feeling in detail:
It's like, you don't realise you've contributed to it while you're doing it, because you're just doing the job and it's within your control. But then if you get a callback, or if somebody mentions Karvinista or Flux, let alone Jodie popping up, it's really like, 'Oh, that was a thing!'
I love hearing Chris Chibnall express joy about this, especially after all the flak his seasons of Doctor Who received. I feel that, while some of his ideas were poorly received in the moment, they've stood the test of time as good fodder for future episodes. Also, in hindsight, did it really matter that The Doctor now has unlimited regenerations?
While the former showrunner said he requested Russell T. Davies not spoil him on any plans for upcoming seasons and couldn't comment on what's up next for Billie Piper's Doctor, he did comment on the unique experience of seeing his own contributions become a part of Doctor Who's lore:
Yeah, it's quite unusual. There isn't an equivalent experience anywhere else. So, it's lovely and surprising. Because you're doing that from previous series, you're sort of laying a fire almost, you're putting your sticks on top of the sticks that are already there. And you're very conscious of doing that. I'm very conscious of ‘I'm making a reference back to The Deadly Assassin or The Brain of Morbius, or something like that. But when somebody does it to you, it's like, 'Oh! That's a real surprise and a delight.
Chris Chibnall's positive comments are a ray of sunshine, keeping fans in the United States warm until we learn when The War Between the Land and the Sea will be available with a Disney+ subscription. Despite the streamer ending its partnership with The BBC, it will air the spinoff at some point in the new year.
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As for what's ahead for the flagship series, that remains a big mystery. It seems we won't get any concrete answers on why The Doctor transformed into one of his former companions until Christmas at the earliest, unless someone in the cast spills the beans first.
We will also see this year if the BBC can find another co-producer for the series, which may help the show sustain the boosted budget it received from splitting the cost with Disney. Otherwise, Doctor Who viewers who tune in may find the return a pared-down experience, and I'm not sure how they'll react to that. I'm not sure I can go back to low-budget Who after seeing it with money, but I still enjoy some of the best classic episodes, so I can give it a shot.
As mentioned, Doctor Who will air a Christmas special in late 2026, and presumably we'll have news on when it will return for a new season by then as well. Stick with CinemaBlend as we continue to sniff out interviews for any updates in the meantime, and celebrate the bright points along the way.
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