We are fast approaching the next regeneration for the Doctor, meaning Jodie Whittaker's run as the Thirteenth Doctor on Doctor Who will soon come to a close. Her stint in the role will be ending this year as the actress exits the franchise alongside showrunner Chris Chibnall. Russell T Davies, who helped revive the franchise in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston, will be taking back over as showrunner with a new, as of yet unannounced actor replacing Whittaker.
Many Doctor Who fans have been enjoying Whittaker's run, but it's impossible to ignore the criticism online that's been following her since her casting was first announced. Whether it's criticism over her casting being too "woke" or for whatever other reason, Whittaker has taken a lot of heat online from people unhappy to see her wielding the sonic screwdriver. Whatever the case may be, executive producer Matt Strevens, who's also leaving the series this year, believes time will be kind to Whittaker with fans in the future ultimately looking back quite fondly at the Thirteenth Doctor's legacy.
“Every Doctor gets it, every showrunner gets it," Strevens told Doctor Who Magazine, per Radio Times. "I loved Steven Moffat’s reaction when Russell T Davies was announced as coming back recently – writing ‘RTD MUST GO!’ on Instagram. I thought that was so witty, because there’s always someone waiting to have a pop. And that’s good, in a way. The great thing is we have freedom of speech and people are free to say what they want."
Strevens added, "Every era of Doctor Who has had its massive champions, and every era and every Doctor has had people going ‘It’s not like it used to be…’ And then, afterwards, a lot of the kind of contemporary commentary disappears. With a short distance of time, there is huge affection looking back. I think, when the story is written, Jodie’s Doctor will be thought of, quite rightly, with huge affection. And love, quite frankly.”
Jodie Whittaker's Run As the Thirteenth Doctor Is Almost Over
"I've shot my version of regen, and it was singularly the most emotional day on set I think I've ever had," Whittaker recently told EW, confirming that she's wrapped up her final scenes. "It's a really bizarre feeling, because it's the best time I've ever had on a job, and I made the decision to leave it, so it's a really strange thing to do to yourself. It feels like you're giving yourself stitches — like, 'Why have you done it?' But… it felt right."
The soon-to-be-former Doctor Who star went on to say, "It was a wonderfully-celebratory-slash-grief-ridden day that I could spend with the family that I'd made. I suppose the best thing about it is that the episodes are still on. So until they're off, I don't have to really get my head around the fact that it's not my part!"
It isn't yet clear who will be the next person to take the reins as the Fourteenth Doctor. In any case, there will likely be some happy with the casting while others will be disappointed, no matter who gets the role.