Doctor Who Season 11: 10 Reasons To Be Excited

Pearl Mackie’s introduction as Bill Potts was one of the highlights of Peter Capaldi’s final year. A throwback to the days when the companion was very much the audience identification figure, her relatability was a welcome change from Clara Oswald and Amy Pond before her – who whilst both popular, had such extraordinary relationships with the Doctor that they quickly became out of reach. Bill was less ready to accept the fantastic, as evidenced by her tendency to ask the obvious questions of the Doctor and his lifestyle. As a result, she felt more like one of us.

It’s a shame to see her written out so soon, but Chris Chibnall’s determination to start afresh made her return impossible. Instead, we are being treated to not just one, but three new companions.

Inevitably most of the buzz around series 11 centres on the introduction of the first female Doctor. Jodie Whittaker, however, has stressed that this is very much an ensemble piece. She is part of a team – a word that the 12th Doctor would probably have hated. Although we’ve had the likes of Mickey, Rory and Danny Pink joining their respective girlfriends in the TARDIS, there was often a sense that they were the also-rans, there to simply to complicate the relationship between the Doctor and his favoured companion.

The last time the Doctor travelled with a regular team of three was in Peter Davison’s first seasons, with Tegan, Nyssa and Adric. The introduction of Yasmin (Mandip Gill), Ryan (Tosin Cole) and Graham (Bradley Walsh) presents a new kind of dynamic, adding variety to the stories and greater depth to the characterisations. To be fair to the Moffat years, some of that was achieved with the Paternoster Gang, River Song and, latterly, Nardole. But this year it looks like there will be none of the hierarchy of companions we’ve grown accustomed to.