AsDoctor Whoseason 15 saw the TARDIS return to one of the Doctor’s darkest adventures, showrunner Russell T Davies explains why he dared to make a sequel to a David Tennant-era episode. In season 15, episode 3, “The Well,” the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Belinda’s (Varada Sethu) journey home brings them to an abandoned mining colony. As the pair find the settlement’s sole survivor, however, it is soon revealed that something onthe planet has a terrifying connection to the Doctorandthat he has visited this world long ago.
WithDoctor Whoreturning to the planet of Midnight, Davies explained toDoctor Who Unleashedhow he decided to revisit one of season 4’s most highly acclaimed adventures. According to the showrunner, while he understood that the connection to “Midnight” may be controversial, the factors of the story eventually lined up so well that establishing it asa sequel to the Tenth Doctor adventure was the best decision.Check out Davies' full explanation below:
“It’s the sequel no one ever expected, and it’s the kind of episode you should never do a sequel to. So… That’s where we went, frankly, right to that. The elements kind of said to me, like, it’s a mining planet, and it’s deserted, and it’s deadly, and it’s poisonous and there’s something hidden, people have disappeared. All those scary things are in place. So that all just kind of… In the end, just kind of demanded… It said, actually, ‘Don’t try to pretend this is something else. This is the same planet.'”
What Davies’ Response Reveals About Doctor Who Season 15’s Surprise Sequel
Doctor Who May Be Following In The Footsteps Of Another Sci-Fi Sequel
As Davies hypothesized, the decision to make “The Well” a sequel to “Midnight"has not been without its controversies among theDoctor Whofandom, as viewers online debated whether the connection enriched or diminished each episode. For some, many preferred the open-ended ambiguity of “Midnight,” while others felt that the new layers added to the story helped enrich the entity as a monster. However, with Davies affirming that it initially wasn’t crafted as a sequel, it is clear that careful thought was put into tying the adventure together.
It would be best to compare “Midnight” and “The Well” to howAliensbuilt upon the foundations thatAlienestablished. Much like howAliensis a more action-heavy and bombastic feature, whileAlienis a smaller, personal, and character-driven affair, “The Well” adds a similar twist to the lore established in “Midnight.“The Midnight Entityis placed in a new environment,the elements of its physical terror are ramped up and is pitted against a militaristic faction that is vastly unprepared. As such, viewing “The Well” through this lens could give viewers a better appreciation.
Our Thoughts On “The Well’s” Sequel Connection
“The Well” Has Taken The Fandom By Surprise
While the episode may be divisive, it is clear that “The Well” will stand out as one of the stronger episodes of Gatwa’sDoctor Whorun. Alongside being a strongly rated episode by critics, the positive celebrations of the episode show that while there are criticisms, the risk of surprising audiences by being a sequel has paid off. With “The Well” success, many may wonder whichDoctor Whoepisode may receive a surprise sequel next.
