Whovians everywhere were in an uproar when it supposedly leaked that Jodie Whitaker would be leaving after her first series of Doctor Who.

“We’ve only had her for one season!” “She hasn’t even had a chance to finish regenerating.” “OH COME ON!” It was heard across the cosmos. Flashbacks to the ninth doctor caused some undue panic in so many of us. It was metaphorical chaos.

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So now with Series 11 over and Series 12 rumored to premiere Spring 2020, us Whovians have a lot of time to speculate what to expect when our favorite doctor and companions? return to our screens next year. Here’s what we know…

Jodie Whitaker Will Return!

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Sci-fi magazine Starburst reported that Jodie Whitaker and the new showrunner, Chris Chibnall, would be leaving the show due to… I guess we could call it “creative differences” between Chibnall and the BBC. It has since been confirmed that the pair will be back for at least Series 12.

New Episode(s) in 2019

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Although the title gets your hopes up, it has since been clarified that only the New Years Special (typically the Christmas special) will premiere in 2019. But the remaining episodes will premiere after the new year. It’s not quite the news we were all hoping for, but it seems we end up waiting for all our favorite BBC shows and it’s almost always worth the wait.

What About Graham, Ryan, and Yaz?

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In an article by DigitalSpy.com, we can see that BBC confirmed that the trio will be back for Series 12 and then, of course, goes on to speculate about the possible return of a few favorites from Series 11. I know, at least for me, I was not ready to see the three split up. Each character has given this series a refreshed and new feeling, this is of course, what Chibnall had imagined and seems he has, at least somewhat, successfully accomplished.

Daleks, Weeping Angels, Cybermen … No More

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We may have a certain fondness for some of the classic “Who” baddies, but I will be the first to admit that I was getting a little burnt out after countless Dalek-based episodes. The same could be said about Cybermen and the various new forms of this “monster.” I think Bill being turned into a rudimentary Cyberman kinda killed any hope I had for a “fresh take” on old creatures in the new series.

Chibnall has stated that he wanted Series 11 to be a “starting point for new viewers” and with that new look, he has promised new monsters. DigitalSpy.com goes on to explain that they believe Series 12 could be different. As important as it is to get create new viewers (and Whovians) it’s equally as important to keep some elements that stem from the “Classic Who” era.

Chibnall did give this prediction on what’s to come: “Further hatred intensifying [between the Doctor and her enemy]… with more Daleks, probably! via DigitalSpy.com

New People, Places, and Things

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One thing for sure is that Doctor Who always takes us to new and exciting places. I have no doubt that Series 12 will be no different. Series 11 was somewhat of an eye-opener, having a tooth-faced assassin being one of the first villains we were faced with, we experience a great loss right in the beginning, but … at least for me, there’s a new humanity to our favorite time lord. The Doctor throughout the series has protected humanity time and time again. But Jodie Whitaker’s portrayal has added this quirkiness that leaves me saying, “Omg that’s me.”

Beyond the great acting, Chibnall has also taken us back in Earth’s history and tackled timelines like Rosa Parks. If Series 12 is as daring as Series 11, or hopefully even more so, then we are in for a treat. We’ve now had the hint from Chibnall that Dalek’s could return, Jodie Whitaker’s Doctor has finished “cooking” and is established with her companions, all roads are leading us to what is promised to be a ‘fantastic’ series.  

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So what are your predictions, Whovians? Any classic characters or villains you are hoping to see? Leave us a comment!

Featured image credit: BBC