Thirteenth Doctor Promises Hope, New Best Friends, No Daleks

Doctor Who unveiled a brand spanking new trailer for the upcoming 11^th series this week at San Diego Comic Con. Like the teaser that aired during the World Cup final this past weekend, the trailer promises new companions, new friends, new worlds and new adventures. I’ve been cautiously optimistic about the new series. After this week, I might as well be the captain of the hype train.

Because the trailer wasn’t the only new content or news to drop for Doctor Who this week. During the Doctor Who panel, Whittaker made her debut as the new doctor, wielding none other than the new sonic screwdriver! And if you weren’t able to make the panel, the new screwdriver is prominently featured on the new official poster that also made its debut this week.

Looks like we’re getting new artistic design and direction as well.

And yeah, the vibrator jokes have already started. But, I ask you this: if this were a male Doctor or if Moffat hadn’t made that parody special where a female doctor made parallels between a vibrator and a sonic screwdriver, would people be making such comments? I think not.

Anyway, I like the new design. It fits with the energetic, off-the-wall vibe that Whittaker’s Thirteen seems to have. We don’t know much about the new companions—Graham, Yasmin, and Ryan (played by Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill, and Tosin Cole, respectively)—but the number stands out. We haven’t had three companions as a regular feature of Doctor Who since it’s reboot. Yes, a third companion might show up every now and again, but never has a series started with three brand new companions right off the bat. I’m excited. And the new Doctor seems to be as well, based on her question to her new companions,

“If I asked really nicely, would you be my new best friends?”

Showrunner Chris Chibnall also confirmed that the Daleks, the bane of the Doctor’s adventures (and, in some fans’ minds, of the show the past three years), will not appear in the upcoming 11^th series. Most encouraging to me of the SDCC news is prospect of a new tone and focus for Whittaker’s Doctor. At the SDCC panel, Chibnall remarked on what he sees to be the central tone of the new series, thanks to Jodie Whittaker as Thirteen.

“We need a pillar of hope in these times. And that’s Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor.” – Chris Chibnall, speaking the truth. #DoctorWho #SDCC

— Lacy @ #gally1 (@LacyMB) July 19, 2018

So, there you have it. The new series and new Doctor promise to be a beacon of hope, and we sorely need one in our science fiction. And if that weren’t enough to get us talking, we have all the other new aspects to speculate about between now and the premiere: new companions, new worlds, new friends, new screwdriver, and new monsters.

And we don’t have long to wait to explore this whole new era of the Doctor; the new series is slated to premiere in October!

Images and Trailer from Doctor Who Courtesy of the BBC