While fans of Doctor Who are happy to see Russell T Davies and David Tennant back, the secrecy around their return shortchanges Ncuti Gatwa. Because the storytellers are trying to sell the idea that Tennant is the true 14th Doctor, it makes the arrival of the proper new Doctor feel like something to dread rather than anticipate. Speaking recently about his film Litvinenko, Tennant hinted that there was some nervousness about his return to the role he left 15-odd years ago. Unfortunately, what fans know about his stint back as the Doctor does make it "awkward" for Gatwa.
In the official teaser for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary special, Tennant and Gatwa's characters don't share a scene, and the one shot he's in is edited with a phony background. While Davies is right to try to preserve the surprise of the story, the world already knows Tennant's stay is short, and Gatwa's is in for the long haul. Tennant can reveal nothing about the story to come and Gatwa can't even say anything in the press to tease his run on the show. It's apparent the BBC is going for an Avengers: Endgame-style or Grogu-level secrecy in advance of the 60th anniversary series of specials. Yet, if members of the Doctor Who marketing team were smart, they'd try to emulate Spider-Man: No Way Home to have their secrets and build fan hype.
Russell T Davies and David Tennant Were the Right Call for Doctor Who
The Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker Doctor Who era was bound to be "controversial" since she was the first woman to play the two-hearted, immortal space alien. However, some fans brushed up against story and character decisions, especially in the early part of the run. However, as Star Wars proves time and again, all a divisive iteration of a franchise needs is time, though, a show like The Clone Wars can help as well. This is where Davies and Tennant can play a massively important role but adding "original trilogy" cred to the franchise's last and next iterations.
However, the decision to keep things so secret that fans don't know how or when Gatwa shows up has the opposite effect. Even if fans aren't subconsciously dreading the quick end of Tennant's return, their curiosity is all focused on him. The one thing that teaser needed to do that it didn't was give fans a reason to be hyped about Gatwa's Doctor showing up. All Peter Capaldi needed was a single shot of those intense eyes and brows in the 50th Anniversary Special to do it. Davies doesn't have to give up the gameplan or the playbook, but he must put the top draft pick on the field.
If this strategy continues, the best case scenario is that Gatwa feels like a companion to Tennant's Doctor. In the worst case scenario, Davies may be underestimating how toxic fan outrage can be weaponized. Whittaker's Doctor certainly got the 'Rey Skywalker' treatment from toxic fans. Gatwa's Doctor will also have an uphill battle against bigotry. Spider-Man: No Way Home semi-stole the concept of multiple versions of the same rotating franchise character teaming up from Doctor Who. The BBC should steal their marketing 'strategy' in return.
How 'Leaks' Can Help Market Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary
The impulses of the producers with regard to plot secrecy and the return to a classic Doctor before another "first" is sound. Yet, they should perhaps consider a few well-placed leaks to drive excitement about what's to come. Spoiler-wary fans only ever need the debut date and time, and they can show up and experience the story as Davies' intended. However, some fans need a little more. Like with the alleged return of former Spider-Man actors, enticing elements could leak to give fans something to talk about other than David Tennant's inevitable third exit from Doctor Who.
There is every reason to be skeptical that the No Way Home thing was any kind of coordinated leak campaign. (Though, they did release an in-camera video of Andrew Garfield in the movie.) Marketing campaigns are tough for publicists to shepherd when they're actively involved, and the leaks could even be received poorly. Still, a kind of shadow conversation about what's to come -- good or bad -- would create needed curiosity in Ncuti Gatwa and where Davies will take his Doctor's story.
David Tennant supports Gatwa and Davies hired him. As such, his future as the Doctor is "safe," but empty curiosity is not enough. At the very least, leaking a few things would allow him to coyly deny stuff rather than simply saying he can't talk about the show.
The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials will debut on the BBC in late 2023.