Russell T. Davies’ return to Doctor Who continues to make its mark as a new spinoff has been announced at San Diego Comic-Con, bringing back two forgotten stars from the Tennant era. Screen Rant was at the Doctor Who panel in San Diego, where new details of what is to come from this new expansion in the Doctor Who universe were revealed. Though filming is yet to begin for the series, the confirmed casting of two incredible British actors comes as one of the biggest movie and TV reveals of SDCC.
The upcoming Doctor Who spinoff will join an already impressive list of shows set in that universe. Since its revival in 2005, there have been three Doctor Who spin-offs. The darker and more adult Torchwood, starring John Barrowman and Eve Myles, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, which focused on beloved companion Sarah-Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen). Most recently, Class aired in 2016 and targeted a more young adult audience. Russell T. Davies’ new show will bethe first Doctor Who spin-off in eight years and makes the return of two incredible acting talents all the more exciting.
Russell Tovey & Gugu Mbatha-Raw Return In Doctor Who’s New Spinoff (In Bigger Roles)
They Will Be Joined By More Returning Doctor Who Actors
The new Doctor Who spin-off, titled The War Between The Land And The Sea, will be helmed by British actors Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Both actors have previously starred in Doctor Who, but in minor roles. Tovey first appeared in the 2007 Christmas Special as Titanic staff member, Alonso Frame, while Mbatha-Raw played Martha Jones’ younger sister, Tish Jones. They will be joined by returning actors Jemma Redgrave (Kate Lethbridge-Stewart) and Alexander Devrient (Colonel Ibrahim).
The War Between The Land And The Sea, written by Russell T. Davies and Pete McTighe, will see UNIT take action against the ancient Sea Devils, whose presence on Earth threatens the whole of humanity. This five-part series will be directed by Dylan Holmes Williams and is set to shake up the Doctor Who universe in a brand-new way. However, there is one big question that must be answered about its two leading actors.
How Doctor Who Can Explain Russell Tovey & Gugu Mbatha-Raw Playing New Characters
There Are Several Solutions To Doctor Who’s Glaring Problem
Screen Rant confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that both Tovey and Mbatha-Raw will not be reprising their previous Doctor Who characters in The War Between The Land And The Sea. Instead, they will be starring as entirely new characters. This initially comes as a huge problem, as both have established characters in the Doctor Who universe. However, several solutions could see them explain their new roles in one of the series.
A better solution would be to acknowledge their Doctor Who counterparts on screen, which the show has also done before.
Firstly, they could ignore their recasting. This isn’t the most ideal solution, especially as Doctor Who has acknowledged recastings in the past and would not do justice to the show’s previous efforts. However, this could give their characters a completely blank slate. A better solution would be to acknowledge their Doctor Who counterparts on screen, which the show has also done before. This could act as a nice bridge to the new spinoff and the main series while also separating the actors from the roles they have previously had.
Doctor Who Recasting Former Actors Continues A Tradition Of The Modern Era
Many Actors Have Played Several Roles In Doctor Who
Another exciting addition to this casting news is that Tovey and Mbathu-Raw will continue a great tradition of main actors playing multiple roles in Doctor Who. Many of Doctor Who’s most famous actors have followed this tradition, including Twelfth Doctor Peter Capaldi, Torchwood’s Eve Myles, and Amy Pond actress Karen Gillan. The casting of Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw is all the more exciting considering the development of their careers after their first Doctor Who appearances.