The Doctor Who fanbase just clocked a deep-cut reference to Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor in the second 60th anniversary special, “Wild Blue Yonder.“
Eccleston spearheaded the BBC’s Doctor Who revival in 2005. However, his stint on the long-running sci-fi series only lasted a year, due to behind-the-scenes tension between him and the BBC.
Former Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat later invited Eccleston to return as the Ninth Doctor in 2013’s Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor,” but he declined. His absence necessitated the creation of a previously unseen incarnation of the Doctor, The War Doctor (John Hurt).
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Eccleston’s so far been similarly absent from the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials – although “Wild Blue Yonder” still manages to squeeze in a subtle nod to the Ninth Doctor.
Doctor Who fans discover Christopher Eccleston callback in Wild Blue Yonder
Doctor Who devotees recently flagged the second 60th anniversary special’s wink at Eccleston’s tenure in the TARDIS on Reddit. It comes during a scene early on in “Wild Blue Yonder,” in which the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant) refers to an unnamed robot as “Jimbo.”
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This is an easily missed reference to the Ninth Doctor’s own penchant for naming moniker-less machines Jimbo, as seen in Doctor Who Series 1, Episode 2, “The End of the World.” In that episode, the Ninth Doctor applies the Jimbo handle to a robot spider as it scuttles around his ankles.
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Eccleston isn’t the only former Doctor Who headliner whose stint is brought up during Wild Blue Yonder’s 1-hour runtime, either. The second 60th anniversary special also touches on controversial plot points from Jodie Whittaker’s run as the Thirteenth Doctor, including the Timeless Child and the Flux.
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This is in keeping with recent remarks by showrunner Russell T Davies, who insisted he wasn’t going to retcon any changes to Doctor Who canon introduced by his predecessor, Chris Chibnall.
Russell T Davies shoots down Doctor Who reboot rumors
It also reflects Davies’ recent promise that wider Doctor Who continuity will remain intact when Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the show’s lead following the third and final special, “The Giggle.” “It’s completely a reinvention… brand new, but not a reboot,” Davies clarified.
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At the same time, Davies has also made it clear on multiple occasions that Gatwa’s arrival will “reset” the franchise. This will apparently extend as far as the franchise’s chronology, with Davies hinting at plans to rebrand Doctor Who Series 14 as “Doctor Who Season 1.”
Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder is streaming now on BBC iPlayer (UK & Ireland) and Disney+ (everywhere else). For the latest Doctor Who news and updates, check out Dexerto’s full coverage here.
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