Chris Chibnall’s tenure as the showrunner of Doctor Who has been, if nothing else, bold and surprising. Though the latest episode and its twist ending proved that the writer’s vision for an exciting run goes beyond even our wildest dreams.
The fifth episode of Jodie Whittaker’s second run as the Doctor saw the return of Captain Jack Harkness and introduced us to a secret Doctor from Thirteen’s past, played by the talented Jo Martin. This was a groundbreaking move by Who, as it brought us the first person of color to play the Last of the Time Lords in the show’s 50-year history. And while this was ultimately well-received by fans, the situation with the show’s continuity still remains a topic of speculation.
Now, speaking with the Mirror, executive producer Chris Chibnall shot down some fan theories that explained Martin’s incarnation of the Doctor as a parallel-universe counterpart. In his own words:
“The important thing to say is – she is definitively the Doctor. There’s not a sort of parallel universe going on, there’s no tricks. Jo Martin is the Doctor, that’s why we gave her the credit at the end which all new Doctors have the first time you see them. John Hurt got that credit.”
Obviously, though, we’re going to need some answers as to what this could mean for the show’s lore. And according to Chibnall, there’ll be an explanation, but not the kind you’d expect.
“There will be answers to some of these mysteries this series,” He continued. “But as ever with Doctor Who, answers often reveal new questions. It’s all very deliberate.”
The report also tells us that Chibnall was not scared of people who’d be opposed to the idea of a secret Doctor, let alone one that’s never been even remotely mentioned in the show. To address this particular concern, the producer had the following to say:
“We’re telling an ongoing story and there are plenty of things in Doctor Who that change all the time but I’m very aware of the history and very aware of the continuity.”
The showrunner seems to insist that Jo Martin is a legitimate incarnation of the titular character, though for all we know, this could be a classic red herring move for something bigger to come. I guess we’ll have to wait and find out when Doctor Who returns on Sunday on the BBC.