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Whether you’ve got a respected actor who’s taken a position in the Obama administration, or a universally loathed actor who finally quit, a character’s sudden death is a great opportunity to honor or completely debase your coworker.

14 ‘Community’: Pierce Hawthorne

Chevy Chase has been a menace to the cast and crew around him for decades, and Community famously disrespected him by making the character of Pierce reflect the doddering racism of the actor himself. The season after he left the show, it was casually revealed that he died of dehydration while filling up jugs of sperm.

13 ‘Jurassic Park’: Ray Arnold

Samuel L. Jackson played the park’s harried chief engineer, Ray Arnold. Arnold was sent into the danger zone to fulfill his destiny as the It guy — turn the power off and on again — only to disappear under mysterious circumstances. He makes one final appearance...

Jodie Whittaker is well known as the first woman to play the Doctor in the long-running British sci-fi series Doctor Who, making her debut in 2017. But what many don’t realize is that she almost wasn’t the first female to take on the role.

In fact, the idea of a female Doctor was floated more than 30 years before Whittaker’s casting, with several well-known women considered for the part back in the 1980s.

When Whittaker was announced as the Thirteenth Doctor, it marked a historic moment for the show, which had been running for over 50 years without a female lead. She stepped in after Peter Capaldi’s departure, with Steven Moffat also leaving as showrunner. Whittaker’s casting broke new ground by being the first on-screen female incarnation of the Doctor, but interestingly, this change had almost happened decades earlier.

Back in 1986, the show was struggling. Colin Baker’s...

Jodie Whittaker made history in 2017 when she became the first woman to play the Doctor in the long-running British TV show Doctor Who. However, many people don’t know that she almost wasn’t the first female Doctor.

In fact, several women were considered for the role more than 30 years before Whittaker took the part.

The show first introduced the Doctor as a male character and kept it that way for decades. It wasn’t until Whittaker’s casting that fans saw the Time Lord as a woman on screen for the very first time. Even though recent storylines, like the reveal of the Timeless Child, hinted that the Doctor might have been female before, Whittaker’s role was the first real on-screen example. But before 2017, the idea of a female Doctor had already come up several times.

Back in the mid-1980s, after Colin Baker’s troubled run as the Sixth Doctor,...

Will Doctor Who return after the shocking cliffhanger conclusion of this season? That's the question on every Whovian's lips, and now showrunner Russell T. Davies, who resurrected the show after a sixteen-year hiatus in the 2000s, has stated that "we don't know what's happening yet." Davies made the statement in a production diary in Doctor Who Magazine, as reported by Deadline. The uncertainty comes with the end of the show's production deal with Disney+ and declining ratings for the recent seasons of the series.

In a production diary for the season finale published in Doctor Who Magazine, Davies wrote, "We don’t know what’s happening yet, and while everyone works that out, I’ll take a pause on this page … Hopefully, we’ll have news soon." A BBC source clarified, "This letter is a production notes diary for when the show is in production, or on air, and as...

One of Doctor Who's titular Time Lord's main mantras is to, above all, be kind. This is an aspect of the character that the lead actor needs to hold with them beyond the camera, often gracing the stages of charity functions and helping grant the wishes of fans. Now, two of the show's best-loved lead actors, David Tennant and Peter Capaldi, are returning to the sci-fi franchise to do just that alongside fellow alumni.

As reported via Radio Times, Tennant, Capaldi, and other Doctor Who icons, including Jodie Whittaker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Chris Chibnall, Steven Moffat, and Hugh Bonneville, have contributed to Sophie Aldred's new book all about the famous jacket of her former Tardis traveling companion, Ace. Split into two parts, with the first being called Ace's Jacket: The Inside Story, the book is set to generate funds to help support Autism All Stars and the National Autistic Society,...

A new Doctor Whoproject will bring together almost every living actor who has played the Doctor to pay homage to a fan-favorite classic companion. Over the past 60 years, the Doctor’s companions have cycled in and out, making them both memorable and fleeting. When it comes to Classic Who companions, the fan-favorite companion title usually goes to either Sarah Jane or Ace. Since her departure from the show, actor Sophie Aldred, who played Ace, has taken to writing Doctor Who books about her character, and her new Doctor Who project is the most exciting yet.

According to theBBC, Sophie Aldred has released a book titled Ace Jacket: The Inside Story that explores all the patches (over 50) on Ace’s iconic bomber jacket, which Ace wears in all her best episodes. The book, which will be released in two parts, brings together almost every living Doctor, including (but not limited to) David Tennant,...

A Doctor Who story scrapped from the classic series is finally being produced 35 years later. Big Finish has announced a full-cast audio drama based on the lost Doctor Who serial "Alixion."

Robin Mukherjee was set to make history as the first person of color to write a Doctor Who story in a planned 1990 season that was axed by the BBC amidst falling ratings. The Seventh Doctor Serial would have seen "The Professor" (McCoy) and his companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) checking into a luxury spa, only to find themselves in the middle of another intergalactic entity's bid for interplanetary domination. This being, known as The Queen of the Hive, is able to exploit The Doctor and Ace's own memories by using their darkest fears in order to steal the Time Lord's regenerative life force.

Big Finish Is Producing a Lost Seventh Doctor Serial

Mukherjee reflected on the importance of "Alixion" in his career,...

The following contains spoilers for Doctor Who, Season 2, Episode 6, "The Interstellar Song Contest," now streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney+.

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has broken his silence about the return of classic series villain The Rani in the latest episode. Archie Panjabi made her debut as renegade Time Lady The Rani in "The Interstellar Song Contest."

A mid-credits scene in Saturday's (May 17) revealed that Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson) was actually The Rani hiding in plain sight from old nemesis The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa). Along with The Doctor, Mrs. Flood was sucked into the vastness of space in a terrorist attack at the Song Contest by two Hellions — Kid (Freddie Fox) and Wynn Aura-Kin (Iona Anderson). Although Mrs. Flood was eventually revived, she lamented that the damage to her "double brain steam" meant she'd have to regenerate.

However, Mrs. Flood was surprised when she actually bi-generated, thus splitting...

Doctor Who has paid tribute to classic series cast member Jean Marsh following her death at age 90. Marsh played The First Doctor's companion Sara Kingdom in the 1960s.

BBC News reported that Marsh's friend, the director Sir Michael Lindsay-Hogg, confirmed that Marsh died "peacefully in bed looked after by one of her very loving carers" on Sunday (April 13). Doctor Who later published its own tribute to Marsh on X, saying it was "sad to report" news of the former companion's death.

We're sad to report the passing of Jean Marsh, who played multiple roles in Doctor Who over the years including companion Sara Kingdom, Joan of England and the sorceress Morgaine â¤ï¸â¤ï¸Read more here âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/31gID2TOCqpic.twitter.com/LEhWIpgCln— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) April 14, 2025 Jean Marsh Dies at Age 90

The actress first appeared in Doctor Who in a minor role in 1965's First Doctor serial "The Crusade,...

Doctor Who returns, Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu star, with The Robot Revolution getting us started. Lots of spoilers here.

Last warning: spoilers lie ahead…

Such is the current discourse around the future of Doctor Who, it’s been easy to lose sight of the eight incoming episodes of the show. Ncuti Gatwa’s second season run as the Time Lord gets down to business in relatively quiet fashion then with The Robot Revolution. It’s from the pen of showrunner Russell T Davies, and – as had been widely trailed – Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday is left behind (for now) as Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu, is set to travel along with him.

The Robot Revolution introduces Belinda as she tolerates her boyfriend, but it’s a gift that he buys her – a star named after her, presumably bought off someone on eBay with low ratings – that brings her...

The latest trailers for Doctor Who Season 2 have given fans a look at Ncuti Gatwa's newest adventures as the Fifteenth Doctor and new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu). Trailers have teased a robot revolution, an animated adversary and a trip to the Interstellar Song Contest. Notably, there has been no sign of any returning villains from Doctor Who's classic series in the teasers for the new Season 2. However, Season 1 proved this doesn't necessarily mean fans shouldn't expect to see any familiar foes. The first season of Doctor Who's new era concluded with the return of Sutekh, whose comeback had been kept under wraps until the season finale aired.

Based on the stories that have been teased for the second season of Doctor Who's Disney+ era, some fans think they might have worked out which classic villains could be coming back to screens this time around. If the theorizers are right,...

"Doctor Who" has a famously complicated release history. From its 1960s beginnings to the 2005 revival and the fun, cheesy, and heartfelt Disney+ "Doctor Who" era that kicked off in 2024, the franchise can seem extremely complex even without taking the Doctor's famous reincarnations into account. It gets to a point where even a simple "Doctor Who" beginner's guide on where to begin watching the long-running sci-fi classic now needs to offer multiple starting point options.

One of the British sci-fi gem's most notorious aspects is the 15-year hiatus the show took after Sylvester McCoy's exit. McCoy's seventh Doctor ended his tenure in December 1989, and the show didn't return until Christopher Eccleston's ninth Doctor took over in 2005. However, "Doctor Who" wasn't entirely absent in live-action during these years. In 1996, Paul McGann portrayed the eighth Doctor in the made-for-tv "Doctor Who: The Movie," clashing wits with an Eric Roberts incarnation of his mortal enemy,...

When a series has been on the airwaves for decades, it can almost seem daunting for new viewers to find a comfortable place to hop aboard. Thankfully, "Doctor Who" has mostly been pretty good about that, whether it be the introduction of a new actor playing the Doctor, the arrival of a different companion, or both. 

When the beloved British sci-fi series returned to the airwaves in 2005, it had been 15 years since Sylvester McCoy's last season, and about a decade since Paul McGann starred in "Doctor Who: The Movie." Within the first episode of Christopher Eccleston's tenure, a whole new generation was not only introduced to the Doctor, but also their new traveling companion: Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). As the 19 year-old working class girl gets swept up in the Doctor's sense of adventure throughout time and space, so do we, with Rose serving as an audience surrogate of sorts.

It's no secret that The Hobbittrilogy is dramatically different from J. R. R. Tolkien's novel. For one thing, it's a single book rather than a series. In turning the adventure into three different films, Peter Jackson added a lot of content. The film adds new stories and brings in parts of Tolkien's world that weren't in The Hobbit, like Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy). It also changes elements of the original story, and one of the most notable ways the films do this is by expanding the role of Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans).

The Lord of the Rings tells the story of a dangerous time in Middle-earth. With Sauron gaining power, everyone bands together to fight back. Men and Elves fight side by side, Hobbits leave the Shire, and even the Ents go to war. But among the many powerful characters in the fictional world, the five wizards are among the most impressive. Known as the Istari, these individuals are Maiar sent to Middle-earth by the Valar to oppose Sauron – which is what the War of the Ring is about. Yet only two of them are seen in the films. Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Saruman (Christopher Lee) play major roles, with Gandalf being part of the Fellowship and Saruman fighting against them. There is an excuse for the Blue Wizards' absence, as they have been missing for many years. But the final Istar, Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy), is somewhere in Middle-earth but doesn't show up at all.

Quick LinksThe 2005 Revival Had To Convince Audiences The Show Could Be Taken SeriouslySeries 1 Established The Foundations Of The RevivalThe Ninth Doctor And Rose Tyler's Character Arcs Are Near Perfect

It's hard to believe that Doctor Who's revival is 20 years old. Doctor Who's modern era started with a bang on March 26, 2005, and ushered in one of the most successful resurrections of a program in TV history. The revival would run for fourteen series, with a fifteenth series due to air this year. The man ultimately responsible for its enduring success is the first and also most recent showrunner of the revived show, Russell T Davies. His undying passion for Doctor Who, alongside his strong writing, gave it the best start it needed to reignite viewers' interest in the franchise. Resurrecting the show was no easy feat, however. Russell T Davies had many problems to deal with, including the public's negative perception of the brand,...

Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to play the iconic lead on BBC's hit sci-fi series Doctor Who, has reflected on her time on the series and the issue of dealing with toxic fans. Whittaker played the Thirteenth Doctor from 2018 to 2022 over the course of three series and 31 episodes of television. Sadly, Whittaker's casting made headlines for both good and ill. Many fans loved her tenure as the Doctor, but there were also plenty of audience members who made their disdain for her incarnation of the time lord known, often critiquing the idea of a woman in the role of the space alien as "woke," a criticism her predecessor, Ncuti Gatwa has also faced.

Speaking with The Times to promote her new Netflix series Toxic Towns, Whittaker spoke about her time working on Doctor Who, notably the toxicity around her casting and the pressure she felt.

"It was a noisy...

The Hobbit trilogy was, in many ways, the ideal prequel. It expanded the world of The Lord of the Rings with familiar characters, like Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), while exploring an entirely new story that did nothing to change the stakes of the original. Though there were flaws in the trilogy, especially in places where it deviated from the source material, it went deeper into J. R. R. Tolkien's lore, specifically surrounding the Istari. The Hobbit films introduce Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy), making him the third of the five wizards to make it to screens. However, the other two are brushed over.

Shepka Productions has announced the digital release of their new revenge thriller, Dead Before They Wake. Perhaps the most interesting cast member in this one is Sylvester McCoy — yes, the Seventh Doctor — but it sounds like his role is a minor one. Alex is a nightclub bouncer who’s about to encounter a more grisly side of night life. He’s been hired by a retired lawyer to track down a missing teenage girl. It’s as bad as they think — she’s been abducted by a trafficking ring, and they’ve got a limited amount of time to find the bad guys, take them down and bring her home. Dead Before They Wake stars Nathan Shepka, Grace Cordell (Cara), Manjot Sumal, Kareem Nasif (The Job). Also starring Doctor Who legend Sylvester McCoy and Patrick Bergin. The film was directed by Andy Crane and Nathan Shepka, and features an original...

Seemingly inspired by the Rotherham child rape scandal, Nathan Shepka’s film has both a streak of sentimentality and an appetite for violence

Here is a vigilante thriller co-directed, written by and starring prolific low-budget Scottish film-maker Nathan Shepka, which has a kind of grim integrity despite the uneven acting and numerous rough edges. Seemingly inspired by the Rotherham grooming gang scandal, but transposing the story to Glasgow, Shepka plays laconic nightclub bouncer Alex, who is asked to do a Jack Carter and rescue a teenage girl from sex-trafficking hell.

Not that this takes place in a world where anyone does anything out of innate goodness. The job, and the accompanying 20 grand, are sent his way by a retired lawyer (ex-Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy) who is trying to cover up the fact that the girl’s mother is a heroin addict sleeping with a major politician. But Alex isn...

While there are plenty of memorable Doctor Who episodes, there are also several underrated stories that simply aren’t as appreciated as they should be. The greatest Doctor Who stories of all time stand out for their iconic villains, gripping plots, and brilliant characters. However, there are other installments from both the classic and modern eras of the show that also contain these elements, yet are underrated by audiences for various reasons.

The post 2005 reboot of Doctor Who is typically remembered better by current audiences, and while there are some harsh realities of Doctor Who’s classic era, there are still many great stories to enjoy. Every incarnation of the Doctor has a serial or episode that isn’t as well received as others, but this doesn’t mean they’re terrible, either. Regardless of why, it’s important to know that these underrated Doctor Who serials are still endearing and fantastic watches,...

One of the most important details about The Lord of the Rings' Gandalf is his staff, which he changes multiple times throughout the movies. Gandalf is one of the most vital characters in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, with Ian McKellen playing the role in all six films. McKellen consistently delivers one of The Lord of the Rings' best performances and successfully brings one of J.R.R. Tolkien's most important characters to life.

Throughout Gandalf's many appearances, his staff is one of his defining features. The staff is not just used as a way to wield and enhance his magic, with Gandalf being capable of performing magic without a staff. Gandalf's staff has tremendous symbolic value, signifying his authority as a wizard and as one of The Lord of the Rings' Maiar. During his time as Gandalf the Grey and as Gandalf the White,...

Stars: Nathan Shepka, Grace Cordell, Sylvester McCoy, Rebekah Clark, Manjot Sumal, Patrick Bergin | Written by Nathan Shepka | Directed by Andy Crane, Nathan Shepka

Nathan Shepka’s been a busy man, over the past couple of years and working in various combinations of actor/writer/director/producer, has given us a trio of solid, if rather low budget films, the crime thriller Holiday Monday, its sequel Lock & Load and the mystery When Darkness Falls. His first foray into horror, a nunsploitation film The Baby in the Basket, will drop in February.

Today, however, the film up for review is Dead Before They Wake, a crime film that gets considerably dirtier and grimmer than his previous efforts. It opens as Alex (Nathan Shepka) has to break up an attempted rape behind the Glasgow nightclub where he works as a bouncer.

Most of the time, though, his life is rather dull. He lives alone in a trailer park,...

Despite rumors swirling for decades about a female Doctor happening in Doctor Who, the BBC avoided it until Jodie Whittaker's run as the Thirteenth Doctor. As the first female Doctor, Whittaker was failed by showrunner Chris Chibnall, whose controversial "Timeless Child" storyline drastically changed Doctor Who canon. Still, as the first woman to play the Doctor, Whittaker herself was praised for her fun, fresh take on the Doctor, her warm, lively personality bubbling through as one of the most empowering female TV characters of the decade. So to say the first run of a female Doctor was a mixed bag would be accurate.

That's not to say Doctor Who hasn't come close to a female regeneration - it has, a few times. But it never panned out, for various reasons, though arguably the real reason has never been given publicly. For a show that's as long-running as Doctor Who,...

Doctor Who aired episodes out of order back in 1988, and created a ridiculous plot hole. Modern Doctor Who viewers are used to the idea there's a loose narrative flow running through the series, one that typically builds to a climax in a season finale. Sure, there's some debate over whether Doctor Who season 14 was broadcast in order, but otherwise everything seems to flow pretty well.

Classic Doctor Who was a little different. Stories ran through multiple episodes, but tended to be stand-alone. There were occasions where continuity mattered, usually involving major events in a companion's life, but otherwise the stories were all designed as fresh jumping-on points. All that began to change in Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor era, which foreshadows modern Who in quite a few ways. Unfortunately, this caused a subtle plot hole that remains rather amusing to this day.

Ace's Jacket Has The Wrong Pin In Doctor Who...

Doctor Who legend Sylvester McCoy has hinted that past incarnations of The Doctor “may be coming back” to the show. McCoy originally played the Seventh Doctor between 1987 and 1996.

McCoy, and several other classic Doctor Who stars, returned for the spin-off show Tales of the Tardis, which was launched for the franchise’s 60th anniversary. The series used the conceit of the Memory Tardis to bring back past Doctors and companions to reflect on key moments from their journeys together. McCoy featured alongside former co-star Sophie Aldred, who originally played companion Ace, to revisit the 1989 serial “The Curse of Fenric."

Sylvester McCoy Says Classic Doctors Are Re-Appearing For An Important Reason

Doctor Who: Every Multi-Doctor Story, Ranked

Every so often in Doctor Who, the Doctor will cross paths with their past incarnations, often to face a threat too great for one Time Lord.

McCoy recently appeared on The 50% Doctor Who Podcast...

Doctor Who is a sci-fi series unlike any other, with a protagonist who not only travels through time and space, but who also regularly changes their face. To date, there have been 15 different Doctors leading the show, alongside a handful of others who have only appeared in supporting roles or flashbacks to the Doctor's forgotten past. Of course, any character who travels through time long enough is sure to eventually run into themselves, and a character who changes their appearance while could meet one of their past selves. The Doctor has run into their own past incarnations several times throughout Doctor Who history.

The tradition of multi-Doctor stories, which see multiple incarnations of the Doctor teaming up, began in 1973 with "The Three Doctors," as a way of marking the series' 10th anniversary. Since then, major anniversaries for Doctor Who have often featured appearances from multiple Doctors. A few other multi-Doctor...

A classic Doctor Who star reveals how Russell T Davies set up a return for former Doctors in future episodes, and his interest in coming back again. While the cast of Doctor Who has almost always focused on the main character in any given era, the show is no stranger to reintroducing Doctors from previous parts of the series. This includes those who were around prior to its 2005 revival, such as Sylvester McCoy, who portrayed the Seventh Doctor, returning to his role in the 2022 special, "The Power of the Doctor."

Speaking with The 50% Doctor Who Podcast (via Radio Times), McCoy revealed that Russell T Davies actually set up returns not only for his Seventh Doctor, but other classic leads from Doctor Who's history. The actor revealed the 60th anniversary spinoff show, Tales of the Tardis, which revealed new adventures from classic Doctors, was meant as a bridge to reintroduce them into the main series.

The best Christian Christmas movies remind viewers just why celebrating the holiday is so important - and not just because of the Biblical event that led to the holiday in the first place. While there’s no shortage of Christmas movies out there, those that devote themselves to keeping themes like love, family, gratitude, and togetherness at their core feel few and far between by the 2020s.

This is what makes Christian Christmas movies so important. What’s more, the best Christian films to watch at Christmas aren’t limited to retellings of the birth of Jesus, either. There are many movies with all sorts of settings and characters that have an important faith-based message about the holiday, and viewers seeking a solid seasonal holiday film with Christian themes have no shortage of variety to choose from.

The Christmas Candle (2013) Available To Stream On Amazon Prime Video

Your changes have...

"Someone has to get her out." An official trailer has debuted for an indie thriller called Dead Before They Wake, made by indie actor / filmmaker Nathan Shepka as is latest creation. Yet another story involving the entirely fictional and yet apparently super scary "sex trafficking network" that many films are using as a villain these days. Conspiracy theory Bs but whatever. Nightclub bouncer Alex is tasked with tracking down a young girl suspected of being snared by a sex trafficking network weeks ago. As he delves deeper into the dark depravity within the city's seedy underbelly, he begins to question his own morals and comes to believe that the safe return of the girl will lead to his ultimate redemption. Starring Nathan Shepka (of Lock & Load), Grace Cordell, Manjot Sumal, Kareem Nasif, along with Dr Who legend Sylvester McCoy and Patrick Bergin. Not really sure this film will save any lives despite its noble intentions.

Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers Of London novels are heading to the small screen at last, and details have landed.

Writer Ben Aaronovitch came to prominence to many of us for writing two two seminal Sylvester McCoy Doctor Who stories – Remembrance Of The Daleks and Battlefield. These were in the late 1980s, under the stewardship of script editor Andrew Cartmel. Incidentally, if you want to know what the day to day process of creating this era of Doctor Who was like, Cartmel’s book Script Doctor, a collection of diary excerpts chronicling his time on the show, is well worth reading.

Post-Doctor Who, Ben Aaronovitch struck gold with novels. In 2011, he wrote Rivers Of London, the first in what would become a phenomenally successful, bestselling fantasy series.

The synopsis for that first book reads as follows:

Rivers of London follows a young officer in London’s Met Police, Peter Grant. After...

Gregor Fisher and Greg McHugh star in Scottish sitcom Only Child, and the BBC has released a first trailer. More here.

Gregor Fisher will always be inextracably intertwined with Rab C. Nesbitt, the permanently plastered Glaswegian festering in squalor alongside long suffering wife Mary Doll, played by Elaine C. Smith. The show became so popular that writer Ian Pattison adapted it into a stage show, and stars like Sylvester McCoy, Stanley Baxter and Richard E. Grant appeared in the show. Series 3 episode Touch features a very early television appearance by David Tennant, who guest stars as barmaid Davina.

As we approach the festive season, Fisher also features in arguably the sweetest story in Richard Curtis’ Love Actually, about the friendship between his character Joe and Bill Nighy’s rock star Billy Mack.

Now though? Gregor Fisher is returning to the small screen for sitcom Only Child.

Watch the trailer below:

According to the BBC,...

Doctor Who said goodbye to David Tennant for the first time in 2009 when the Tenth Doctor regenerated, but his iconic departure stands apart from that of his predecessors in a way that the show never openly acknowledges. Of all the actors to play the Doctor, Tennant's Tenth arguably experienced the most drawn-out version of the regeneration process. While preparing to change his face, he managed to hold off the ordeal long enough to visit all his old friends one last time. However, there's another reason beyond Ten's emotional farewell tour that makes his regeneration so unique.

Every Doctor Who regeneration sequence comes with consequences, but the main one is that the long-running sci-fi show's lead actor is replaced. The phenomenon has contributed massively to the franchise's 60-year history, as no single actor is required for the story to continue. That being said, there was a time when the Doctor's...

Upon the revival of Doctor Who in 2005, many longtime fans of the franchise were left scratching their heads as to why the series didnt follow the tradition of showing the regeneration from one Doctor to another. This includes Paul McGann, who portrayed the Eighth Doctor in the 1996 made-for-tv film Doctor Who: The Movie, and was unceremoniously left out of the mix when Christopher Ecclestons Ninth Doctor ushered in the modern era of the series.

In an interview with Doctor Who Magazine (via the official website), McGann revealed that when he first heard the rumblings that a new TV show was in the works that would once more bring the iconic franchise back to the small screen following its cancelation in 1989, he was ready and waiting for a phone call to at least make an appearance so that they could film the regeneration between him and Eccleston. Unfortunately, that call never came,...

Carole Ann Ford, the last surviving cast member of the original season of Doctor Who, is hoping to soon return to the long-running series. If it happens, the return would close a gap of six decades since Ford's last appearance on the show as one of its main characters.

In 1963, Ford was featured in the debut Doctor Who season as Susan, the granddaughter of William Hartnell's Doctor. The character has just recently been mentioned in new episodes of Doctor Who featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the newest version of The Doctor, so it wouldn't be a stretch to next include an actual appearance from Ford as Susan. Per BBC News, Ford was recently at Luton Comic Con where she confirmed her interest in making a special appearance 60 years after she was written out of the show 1964 during the second-ever season. The one issue, as Ford explained, is that the big...

As any hardcore Whovian knows, the final TV episode of the original run of Doctor Who ends with a surprising plot hole. The current era of Doctor Who has been going strong since its 2005 revival. However, the original run of Doctor Who serials and storylines ran from 1963 until an ending in 1989 that left audiences with one glaring question.

"Survival Part 3" served as the original series finale, the final TV episode of Doctor Who. There, Sylvester McCoy's Seventh Doctor found himself in conflict with Midge, a friend of the Doctor's companion Ace who had become infected with the Cheetah Virus from Cheetah World, morphing him into an antagonist. Under the guidance of the Master, the Doctor's biggest rival, Midge challenges the Doctor to a game of chicken in which both men duel via a motorcycle collision. In the explosive aftermath, the Seventh Doctor miraculously survives, landing on a couch and a rolled mattress.

The second actor to lead Doctor Who is behind one of the show's silliest tropes, although the gag itself is often wrongly attributed to another Doctor. While every actor to play the Doctor has put their own spin on the character, the fact remains they're all embodying the same persona. As such, there are quite a lot of traits that cross over between Doctors as well as differences that emerge. Earlier Doctors, like Patrick Troughton's Second, helped build a solid foundation on which his successors could stand - even if he isn't correctly credited for all his contributions to the character.

Troughton played the Doctor in some of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time. His version of the Time Lord was known for being much more lighthearted than his predecessor, as well as his signature unkempt appearance. One of the harsh realities of Doctor Who's classic...

Former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall shook up the franchise in a major way when he introduced the Timeless Child. This new secret piece of the Doctor's history was first mentioned in the 2018 episode "The Ghost Monument" before being fully explained in 2020's "The Timeless Children." It changed everything fans thought they knew about the Doctor. It was revealed that the Doctor was actually a being of unknown origin, discovered beside a mysterious gateway into another universe or dimension. This surprising and unknown backstory displaced the Doctor's previous origins as a Time Lord, born on Gallifrey. However, this wasn't the first time the Doctor's Time Lord heritage had been challenged on Doctor Who.

In 1996, Doctor Who returned after seven years on hiatus with a television movie, starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. The movie was originally intended to launch a brand-new series of Doctor Who, which McGann would lead.

Stars: Tom Butcher, Russell Biles, Ray Calleja, Aryana Neo, Corrinne Wicks, Lola Knight, Sylvester McCoy, Paul Foot | Written and Directed by James Eaves

It was pretty much inevitable that we’d get a movie like The Apocalypse Box at some point this year. With a contentious election and political rioting in both France and the UK, where the film is from, and a divisive vote just a few months away in the US, someone was going to make a politically themed horror film. And that someone is writer/director James Eaves.

Two armed men kill an elderly antique dealer, making her death look like a suicide. A shot of a box-shaped object transitions to one of a ballot box. It’s the day before the election and Piers Stonesmith is making a campaign appearance. Running on the slogan “Keep Britain British” his party is behind by eight points in the polls,...

Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat recently reflected on helming the iconic sci-fi series, revealing he was "endlessly vilified" during his run. Moffat served as showrunner and head writer from 2010-2017.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, Moffat recalled having so much hatred directed at him by fans for his work on Doctor Who. "The level of hate you get could down three passenger jets. I mean, seriously, it doesn't stop," he said. "I was vilified endlessly. I was a homophobe, misandrist, and a misanthrope, and a sexist and misogynist and a racist. I was against so many people I could only be described as an omni-bigot, which I would suggest means I'm treating everybody equally." Moffat humorously added that any Doctor Who showrunner is essentially "chief Satan of the nation."

Related Why Matt Lucas Nardole Left Doctor Who

Nardole was a much-loved...

Seventh Doctor actor Sylvester McCoy defends the political storytelling of Doctor Who. Picking up the role from Sixth Doctor Colin Baker in 1987 through the classic series' end in 1989, McCoy's Doctor was both a guiding mentor and a trickster challenging the powerful forces of the universe. While his tenure would bring the series to a close, the actor reprised his role for Big Finish's audio dramas, alongside on-screen returns in Doctor Who's 1996 TV movie and 2022's "The Power of the Doctor."

As Doctor Who will re-release McCoy's season 25 in a new boxset, the actor was present at a BFI screening of the remastered "The Happiness Patrol," where he commented on why political storytelling is vital to the series' success (via RadioTimes). Defending its place in the franchise from critiques levied by certain outlets in recent years, the actor explained that part of the series' original appeal was how it...

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies cannot guarantee a third-season renewal but is still hopeful the series will get the green light. The fan-favorite sci-fi show currently stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.

Per GamesRadar, Davies told SFX magazine he does not expect news regarding a third-season renewal until at least after Doctor Who Season 2 airs. "Its an industry decision, it's like any business these things take time. I think the decision will come after the transmission of Season 2. That's what we're expecting, that's what we've always been heading towards," he said. The second season does not have a premiere date yet, but the installment is expected to arrive in early 2025. Gatwa's Doctor will be joined by a new companion, Varada Sethu's Belinda Chandra, in the upcoming season.

Related Doctor Who Delivered One of Its Best Seasons 17 Years Ago

Doctor Who is often praised for its extensive canon...

Doctor Who TV movie writer Matthew Jacobs has reunited with Paul McGann for a new Big Finish audio story.

To date, Paul McGann’s total screen time as the Doctor clocks in at under two hours, and the majority of that can be credited to screenwriter Matthew Jacobs, who penned the 1996 TV Movie. Though it’s perhaps not the most beloved piece of Doctor Who media, most fans now acknowledge that it’s an important bridge between the classic series and the glossy sheen and higher production values of the revived show.

The film saw Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor land in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve 1999, before promptly being gunned down outside the Tardis. He regenerates into Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor, and teams up with Doctor Grace Holloway (Daphne Ashbrook) to fight The Master, who’s taken over the body of a paramedic (Eric Roberts) and...

The Dark Wizard in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 may not be all evil, as his motives are cryptic and tied to The Stranger's story, as teased by co-showrunner Patrick McKay. Season 2 will explore the temptation of powerful beings to turn evil, echoing Gandalf and Saruman's struggles. The seeming new threat in Middle-earth could be one of two Istari, with ties to the three mysterious female wizards from season 1.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunner Patrick McKay addresses the implications of season 2's Dark Wizard, and where it fits into the original lore written by J R.R. Tolkien. The Prime Video fantasy series explored the rise of Sauron, his quest to construct a ring to rule them all, and the coming conflicts that will shape Middle-earth's Second Age. Alongside the return of Morfydd Clark's Galadriel, Charlie Vicker's Sauron, Robert Aramayo's Elrond,...

With legal issues to work out, a Doctor Who and Star Trek crossover may not happen, but casting beloved Doctors and companions is an easier alternative. Casting Doctor Who stars like Sylvester McCoy and Michelle Gomez in Star Trek shows can attract a wider audience. Star Trek is the one franchise David Tennant hasn't starred in, making him suitable for various roles in the franchise.

Although a crossover with Doctor Who may be a legal and logistical nightmare to achieve, there's no reason that Star Trek can't cast some beloved Doctor and companion actors. At a recent San Diego Comic-Con panel with Star Trek's Alex Kurtzman, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies stated that both franchises "must" get together. While conceding that there were a lot of legal issues to work out, Rtd urged fans of Doctor Who and Star Trek to help make it happen by sharing fan...

Russell T Davies teases Mrs. Flood's bigger role in Doctor Who season 15 after her major season 14 finale twist. Speculation about Flood being a classic character like Romana has also been addressed by Davies, hinting at possible red herrings in the show. Flood's knowledge of Time Lords and her diabolical motives make her a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season of the sci-fi classic show.

With Anita Dobson's Mrs Flood set to take on a greater role in Doctor Who season 15, showrunner Russell T Davies has teased the character's presence and addressed speculation about her true identity. The character made her debut in Ncuti Gatwa's first full story, "The Church on Ruby Road", as the neighbor to companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), who seemingly has knowledge of the Time Lords. Flood would later return in "73 Yards", though her appearance in the Doctor Who season 14 finale...

A new Doctor Who spinoff series is in the works. At San Diego Comic-Con, it was officially announced that the franchise will further expand with a new five-part series for Disney+ and BBC.

As announced at Sdcc, the five-part spinoff will be called The War Between the Land and the Sea. It will include Doctor Who alums Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim. The new spinoff also stars Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

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A lot of actors got started on Doctor Who, and plenty of them went on to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The spinoff is created by Doctor Who showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies, who also co-wrote the series with Pete McTighe. It's noted that the new series will feature the "triumphant return of the Sea Devils," the classic Doctor Who...

Fallout: London mod brings post-apocalyptic franchise to England with new factions, quests, and voice talent from popular actors. Team Folon faced production delays due to Fallout 4's update, working with Gog to release the mod's previous versions of the game. This has currently left the mod unplayable on Epic Games Store due to its lack of rollback features. Console versions of Fallout 4 also lack rollback features, making it unlikely Fallout: London will be released on them any time soon. Further PlayStation restrictions could cause issues with Fallout: London ever releasing on the console.

Three years since its initial announcement, Team Folon's massive Fallout 4 conversion mod, Fallout: London, is finally available to download and play on PC following a surprise announcement on July 25. As its name would suggest, Fallout: London moves the post-apocalyptic franchise to England, showing how another part of the world is coping after the bombs fell, featuring new factions and quests.

Fallout: London is the newest mod for Fallout 4, and players will want to know how to install and play the game. You should be aware that it will only work on PC versions of the game, and that it will irrevocably change your Fallout 4 save. That makes it important to plan accordingly, and the installation itself can be a bit tricky depending on what version of the game you have.

Fallout: London is a brand new mod for Fallout 4, which at last allows players to travel to the British wasteland and head overseas. After spending the vast majority of time in the American wasteland, its a nice breath of fresh irradiated air. Players will have a blast with this mod featuring new characters, a new story, and new weapons if they can install it.

Related Fallout: London Mod Boasts Doctor Who Voice Talent

Fallout: London features Doctor Who stars Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy,...

After 5 years of development, Fallout: London mod is finally available, offering a new area, quests, fully-voiced NPCs, weapons, and more. The mod is free on Gog and requires Fallout 4: Goty Edition, with a separate launcher preventing future incompatibility issues. Team Folon's perseverance pays off as Fallout: London becomes one of the most popular mods in the Fallout community.

It's been a long time coming but those patient Fallout 4 fans who've waited five years for the extensive Fallout: London conversion mod can now finally begin their journey through the derelict streets of the UK's capital. Developed by a group of hobbyists and professionals going by the name Team Folon, Fallout: London is one of the most ambitious modding projects ever seen for any Fallout game and the fact that it exists at all is a testament to the creators' perseverance. Despite plenty of setbacks, launch day is here and...