One of the most interesting one-off Doctor Who characters has to be Jenny, the Doctor’s clone daughter.
Showing up back in season 4’s fittingly-titled “The Doctor’s Daughter,” Jenny was created from the Time Lord’s DNA and looked to be an interesting addition to his life. However, at the end of the episode she flew off into space on her own, never to be seen or heard from again.
Naturally, the question of what happened to Jenny was one that Doctor Who showrunners Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat were asked a lot by fans over the years. And, in order to draw a line in the sand, the pair jokingly agreed that she’d simply flown straight into the moon at the end of the episode and died. Though not exactly what folks wanted to hear, it was still assumed to be canon by the fandom.
Now, however, that’s been proven wrong, as Big Finish Productions, who create officially-licensed audio dramas based on the sci-fi show, are releasing a spinoff series starring Jenny. Actress Georgia Tennant (nee Moffett) – wife of former Doctor David – is back to play the character and while discussing the release with Radio Times, she said that she never expected to have such an impact on fans.
“I’ve always been aware of what Doctor Who brings to it, and what you then carry on throughout your life,” Tennant told RadioTimes.com. “But because it was just one episode I thought ‘Oh…that’ll just come and go.’ But it hasn’t, and everyone’s so lovely.”
Continuing on, she added that there’s one simple reason why she hasn’t returned to the show yet – despite everyone wanting her to. And that’s because the producers haven’t asked her to come back.
“Everyone’s wanted me to do this, and at conventions everyone’s been like ‘Why don’t you come back and do something? And you know, obviously they never asked me on the TV show…”
Jenny’s a character with so much potential – even spinoff series potential – that it’s crazy to think they’ve never brought her back in the ten years since her first and only appearance. Still, at least now that an official production has proven that she’s alive, there’s the possibility that she could return one day.
Besides, while Davies and Moffat might not have wanted to use the character again, new showrunner Chris Chibnall may feel differently. Given Jodie Whittaker’s casting as the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, it would definitely be fun to see Jenny’s reaction if she discovered her dad was now her mum, don’t you think?