The Doctor Who Season 10 exodus continues, as Michelle Gomez announces that she too will depart the show following its conclusion.
It’s a big year of change on Doctor Who. Or at least, it will be. Pretty soon.
Peter Capaldi will hang up his sonic screwdriver at the end of Season 10. Steven Moffat will also step down as showrunner and head writer at the conclusion of this season. There’s still no word on whether new companion Pearl Mackie will depart at the end of the season. But let’s be honest, it’s not looking great.
Especially now that Michelle Gomez has announced that she too will be saying goodbye to the Whoniverse later this year. The actress told Digital Spy that she’ll depart Doctor Who at the close of the season alongside Capaldi and Moffat.
The actress plays Missy, a female regeneration of classic Doctor Who villain the Master, and first appeared in the 2014 episode “Deep Breath”. She’s been in nine episodes to date, as Missy vacillated between being an outright adversary and something of a frenemy for Twelve. Gomez is set to appear in three Season 10 episodes: This week’s upcoming sixth installment, “Extremis,” and the two-part season finale.
According to Gomez, Capaldi’s exit felt like the right time for her to go.
"My guys, my lads, Missy’s men – they’re all moving on! Steven writes so amazingly for me – it’s like he’s got my voice in his head, and I don’t know how that would be, moving forward.I’m probably just shooting myself in the foot here. This time next year, I’ll be like, ‘Why did I say that?! I’ll work for anybody!’ – but I don’t know how I’d feel about being The Master to any other Doctor, because I feel like I’m part of Peter’s time."
Slightly good news? Gomez doesn’t entirely rule out a return to Doctor Who at some point. But that point seems pretty far away.
"Never say never. I’m sure in a couple of years’ time, the urge to blow things up will just be too strong and Missy will come in guns blazing But at the moment, it just feels like this is the end of an era – there may be something in the future but at the moment, I feel like this is the end of a chapter."
Clearly, that’s something that can happen pretty easily. Former Master John Simm is (somehow) returning this season to do a story with Gomez, after all. So, stranger things have happened.
But, at the moment, all signs certainly point to a clean slate for incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall. And, honestly, this isn’t that strange. It’s basically what Moffat himself got – the ability to cast his own Doctor and companion, and generally reset the show – when Season 5 started. But it’s sad to see so many familiar things going away, particularly if Mackie goes too. (As she’s been just fantastic so far.)
Next: David Tennant and Billie Piper reunite for more Doctor Who
Doctor Who continues this Saturday on BBC One and BBC America.