If you’d asked a fan in 2011 whether the esteemed sci-fi franchise was the world’s largest fandom, the answer might well have been yes. Before the MCU truly gained traction in 2012, and long before Star Wars and Star Trek expanded their franchises in 2015 and 2017 respectively, it appeared, for a short period until after 2013’s “The Day of the Doctor,” that Who was the sci-fi universe to surpass. So what transpired? A fresh perspective from a longstanding Who contributor might neatly explain why the Disney+ era of this enduring TV travel series didn’t quite hit the mark.
Minor spoilers ahead for Doctor Who Season 2 (2025).
The landscape has shifted markedly since Who dominated geek culture globally during its 2010-2013 peak. Despite the quality of the Peter Capaldi era, the mixed reception of the Jodie Whittaker era, and the highly mixed feelings toward the all-too-brief Ncuti Gatwa era, the future of Doctor Who isn’t the guaranteed geek sensation it once felt destined to be, over a decade ago. In 2023, when Who globally relaunched on Disney+, the series seemed poised for a mainstream upswing: larger budgets, a new lead with crossover appeal beyond sci-fi fans, and exposure on one of the world’s top streaming platforms.
Yet despite the momentum and positive energy from the Doctor Who relaunch (including several nearly flawless episodes), the Who revival fizzled before it truly started. Following the conclusion of “Season 2” in 2025, Disney terminated its agreement with the BBC, signaling Who’s return to its humble origins. But what caused this outcome? Longtime Who writer (and actor!) Mark Gatiss suggests the key issue may have been framing the show as part of a sprawling franchise it doesn’t fit into.
“It’s never going to be Star Wars,” Gatiss said. “The recent seasons looked fantastic; the Disney funding clearly made an impact. But at its core, it’s a spooky, odd show…when it tries to mimic something else, it’s no longer Doctor Who.”
To be clear, the recent Gatwa era included many delightfully strange, authentic Doctor Who episodes. However, as the series has progressed, there’s been a trend of escalating the stakes to universe-ending levels. In the closing moments of Doctor Who’s 2025 rebooted Season 2 episode “The Reality War,” the actual state of the “real” universe hung in the balance, and the Doctor faced off against a colossal skeletal alien—intended to be the latest incarnation of a whimsical,
This may align with Gatiss’ point: Rather than reintroducing a quirky character like Omega via a playful actor in an odd costume, the show presented Omega as a massive CGI monster for the Doctor to battle—feeling, indeed, more like Star Wars or Marvel than Who.
Gatiss also touches on studio and audience expectations of the brand. In the same interview, he references 1985, when BBC executive Michael Grade placed Who on an 18-month hiatus, citing the belief that the show’s declining ratings stemmed from
Gatiss’ underlying point is that, historically, disconnected executives—whether Grade in 1985 or Disney figures in 2025—hold a distorted view of the massive audience Who should attract. To be fair, this is partly because, for a short time in the 2010s, Who genuinely seemed like the preeminent sci-fi franchise of the era.
Yet, by its design and format—a quirky traveler journeying through the universe in a phone booth—Who has always kept its epic scope more contained than overt blockbusters like Star Wars. Thus, expectations for its viewership should, logically, be adjusted.
Doctor Who isn’t a large, sprawling sci-fi epic. It’s bigger on the inside. That’s the distinction.