There were some major surprises hidden in Doctor Who season 12, and one of the biggest was the shocking return of Captain Jack Harkness. John Barrowman’s immortal Time Agent hadn’t been seen in the Whoniverse since 2011, but he dropped by for a guest spot in episode 5, “Fugitive of the Judoon.” Though it was great to have the fan favorite back again, it was only a small role, with Jack not even getting any screentime with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. As such, the show still owes us a proper comeback for him.
Thankfully, all the signs are pointing to this happening in the upcoming winter special, “Revolution of the Daleks.” Barrowman can be spotted in a YouTube video with the cast, for instance, that is believed to have been filmed at the same time as the special. His appearance in this episode could prove to be highly important, too, as it’s also widely been reported that both Tosin Cole and Bradley Walsh will be exiting in this very installment. So, is there a chance that Jack could actually hop on board the TARDIS again full-time?
Old companions cameoing here and there is fairly common on Who, but one coming back as a regular is extremely rare. Usually we’d dismiss the idea, then, but showrunner Chris Chibnall’s era has turned out to be pretty preoccupied in trying to recapture the series’ past glory days, so it genuinely could happen. Barrowman himself has always remained dedicated to the character as well. He’s been trying to get spinoff Torchwood back on the air for years. With no news of that on the horizon though, he’d probably welcome a full-time job on Who.
Assuming Mandip Gill stays on as Yaz, this would mean the TARDIS team would be back down to just three members, which should be much more manageable than the current four. Jack’s long history with the Doctor would also provide an interesting contrast with Yaz, who still has only begun to scratch the surface of who the Time Lord really is after two seasons. Likewise, the Doctor herself is feeling out of sorts after the revelations of the season 12 finale, so having an old friend around could help her heal.
What do you think, though? Should Captain Jack come back as a companion in Doctor Who season 13? Let us know in the usual place.