12th Doctor Peter Capaldi Weighs In On Doctor Who's Current State: "A Victime Of Its Success"

12th Doctor Peter Capaldi claims Doctor Who has become a "victim of its success," as the iconic British sci-fi show's future feels increasingly precarious. Though Doctor Who will return with a 2026 Christmas Special, the international production and distribution deal with Disney+ has officially come to an end after two seasons and a still-to-be-aired spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea.

The final episode of the new "season 2" (or season 15), featuring Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Doctor, ended with a major cliffhanger twist: the Doctor inexplicably regenerated into former companion Billie Piper, leaving audiences and critics alike reeling. The latest iteration, led by former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, included plenty of big swings and returning Classic-era monsters, with the show feeling slicker than ever before.

According to Capaldi, however, the series' growing narrative scope and focus on branding have changed what made Doctor Who so appealing in the first place. "The show became very, very big. And it was never like that when I loved it. So it became a different thing. I think the responsibilities of playing the part became more. There were more of them," the actor told The Mirror.

Capaldi also noted the difference between how the show used to be perceived and promoted and now:

"There were more things that you had to do rather than just, I mean, I think in the old days, you know, if you were John Pertwee or Tom Baker or something like that, you probably, you know, you spend most of your year making it and then a bit of your year promoting it. But it wasn't this in-your-face kind of thing that suddenly was really important to the BBC, or suddenly really important to a brand that had to be maintained."

Capaldi also explained how Doctor Who used to be made for a different demographic, rather than being marketed as an adult-oriented franchise. "It was just a show that some kids really loved and other kids didn't care about, but wanted to watch football or you grew out of, you know. It became this sort of very important thing. I think less in a cultural way and more in an economic way."

Capaldi also shared how the show's "small" amibitions allowed it to survive, and as such, thrive:

"I think the show is a little bit of a victim of its success. You know, the show that I loved was a tiny thing, a little small thing that survived. It just survived, but nobody knew that it was warming its way into the culture in such a deep way. And I think that's what I have an affinity with."

There's a marked difference between the latest episodes of Doctor Who and the first few NuWho seasons with Ninth Doctor Christopher Eccleston and 10th Doctor David Tennant, budget-wise, story-wise, and visually; one of Doctor Who's most effective and terrifying episodes, "Midnight," occurs during Tennant's first tenure, and takes place almost entirely in one enclosed location without ever showing the monster's face.

These smaller, one-off stories have become less common in Doctor Who's most recent seasons. As interconnected universes, franchising, branding, reboots, remakes, and sequels become ever more prevalent in today's media landscape, the BBC's and Doctor Who's desire to become a full-fledged, international sci-fi "universe" is understandable.

The question is whether that kind of growth, the story's increasing shock factor, and reliance on nostalgia (nostalgia which arguably only caters to a small percentage of the show's loyal audience) undercut what made Doctor Who so inventive and beloved in the first place.

Doctor Who spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, will premiere on Disney+ in 2026.