If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Doctor Who's new season reveals episode titles, promises a 'Reality War,' and brings in two groundbreaking new writers
The episode titles and writers of the upcoming Doctor Who season have been revealed, and things are looking reality-bending (and shattering some glass ceilings, too, finally)

Popverse's top stories of the day
- Zack Snyder's DC movies "skewed too old" to be successful, says Snyder's own Batman, Ben Affleck
- MEMBERS ONLY: Marvel Matters: How Marvel Studios are realizing its all about the story again, even if it means killing MCU's Nova, Edgar Wright's Ant-Man, and more
- Lore Corner: Heather Glenn may be in a tricky spot in Daredevil: Born Again, but it's nothing compared to her Marvel Comics counterpart
With less than a month to go before the new season of Doctor Who, the BBC and Disney+ have unveiled the traditional tease of the titles for the entire season’s episodes, along with who’s writing which story — and, in the process, kickstarted fan speculation about just what lies in wait for sci-fi’s favorite time-traveler this time out.
The second season featuring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, the upcoming season will also see the return of Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday —as well as the introduction of Varada Sethu’s new companion, Belinda Chandra… who just wants to get back to Earth, which is more difficult than it should be, for some mysterious reason. Could the answer to that mystery be hidden inside the episode titles for the season? Take a look at them and see what you think.
- The Robot Revolution: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Peter Hoar
- Lux: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Amanda Brotchie
- The Well: Written by Russell T Davies & Sharma Angel Walfall, directed by Amanda Brotchie
- Lucky Day: Written by Pete McTighe, directed by Peter Hoar
- The Story & the Engine: Written by Inua Ellams, directed by Makalla McPherson
- The Interstellar Song Contest: Written by Juno Dawson, directed by Ben A. Williams
- Wish World: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai
- The Reality War: Written by Russell T Davies, directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai
Fans online have already wondered if the title of the last episode — and two earlier titles that might be not entirely unrelated, The Story & The Engine,’ and ‘Wish World’ — suggest that the Doctor will spend part if not all of the new season outside of traditional reality and in an alternate, fictional (inside the fiction of the show)reality powered by wishes.
Something also worth paying attention to are the new writers working on the show this year; Inua Ellams is a Nigerian-born playwright and poet moving into television to become, somewhat shockingly, the first Black man to ever write on the show in its 60+ year history, while Juno Dawson — author of one of the most-banned books of 2022 — graduates from writing Doctor Who prose and hosting Doctor Who podcasts to become, again surprisingly, the first transgender writer to work on the show. With the new writing team in place, expect arguments that Doctor Who has become ‘too woke’ to become even louder from the traditional reactionary voices, but just remember: if the famously kind and humane Doctor Who can’t be an inclusive and welcoming space, what show can?
Doctor Who returns to the BBC and Disney+ on April 12.
Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.

Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.