The Cutprice Guignol

So, what about that Billie Piper reveal, huh?

I have been in plenty of fandoms over the years, and I don’t think I have ever seen one in shambles like I did at the end of The Reality War this weekend. And I very much count myself amongst that shambles – I reviewed this episode when it came out, but I’ve still got a bunch to say about the big reveals that came in this finale; specifically, the return of Billie Piper and the end of Ncuti Gatwa’s era. But let’s start with Piper, into whom Gatwa apparently regenerated at the close of the last episode.

And I want to make this very, very clear right upfront that none of my dislike of this decision comes from my feelings about Piper as an actor. Quite the opposite – in a vacuum where she hadn’t played Rose (and brilliantly at that) for so many years, I would have been beyond delighted with this casting. She’s an incredible performer with such a fantastic grasp of comedy and drama, and if she was bringing that to the show without all the baggage she has with the Whoniverse, I wouldn’t be writing this article at all.

But that’s not the case – no, Billie Piper has an iconic history on the show, very much unlike other actors who have returned to play the lead, like Peter Capaldi. It’s stunt casting, without a shadow of a doubt, and trying to argue anything else is putting a bit too much faith in Russel T Davies et al and how cynical their management and promotion of the show has been in this era. I could just about let David Tennant’s return slide, given that it was for an anniversary special and that invites a bit more nostalgia and reflection, but this? Nah, I’m not buying it as anything other than a selling point. Fundamentally, Doctor Who has always been a forward-facing show for me, and these constant neck-cranes to the past undercut that.

So, she’s here – but what exactly does that mean? Well, as most people have clocked by now, the credits did not identify Piper as the Doctor – for my money, I think there’s a bit of fudging going on here as to whether or not Piper will actually be playing an official incarnation of the Doctor based on how the reaction to her appearance goes. And, while I think that such a legacy actor for the show is the wrong choice to play a mainline incarnation, it would be far less cynical if she actually does. If this is truly the beginning of a new Doctor’s arc led by Piper, then at least her involvement is more than just a blatant attempt to stir up a bit of conversation and invoke enough nostalgia to bring distant fans back to the fold – if you’re going to make a big swing like this, then it’s far better to actually see it through than to functionally confirm that it was nothing more than a gimmick to boost ratings for a flagging show.

But, and I’ll be honest, I don’t think she’s going to be playing the Doctor in a traditional season/s of the show. The lack of name given to her character leaves things wide open for just about any eventuality – I’ve seen predictions that she’s the Valeyard, some version of the Master, a God in the vein of the pantheon that dominated much of the last two seasons, the lot. And, while several of these possibilities do offer some intriguing plot points that might make for a genuinely compelling return for Piper, I think the most likely option is for her to feature in a few specials as some version of one of the previous characters she’s played on the show – as Rose, Bad Wolf, or the Moment from the 50th Anniversary Special.

With David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor still wandering about this world, as far as we know, it’s hard to imagine that a show that has become so dedicated to rooting through the past will miss the chance to shove them on to screen together once more, perhaps even to resolve the bigeneration plot point that has raised some obvious issues in the world of Who. Given rumours of Gatwa’s rather abrupt exit from the show, it wouldn’t surprise me if her casting served as a flashy and attention-grabbing way to wrap up the rest of the ongoing storylines in his seasons before handing the reins over to another mainline Doctor.

But this is all just my speculation on the matter, and I would love to hear what you think of Piper’s return. What would you like to see from her time on the show? What do you think is likely to actually unfold? Let me know in the comments below!

If you liked this article and want to see more stuff like it, please check out the rest of my Doctor Who reviews! I’d also love it if you would check out my horrible short story collection, and, if you’d like to support my work, please consider joining me on Patreon!

(header image via TV Insider)