While Doctor Who has a loyal, undeniably passionate fanbase, it doesn't seem unfair to say that BBC's budget for the series has held it back to some extent. Now, with Disney+ involved, as much as triple is expected to be spent on the show from season to season, giving the franchise its best chance yet to break into the mainstream.
Everything we've seen from Russell T Davies' return from the franchise suggests the beloved show has been given a fresh lick of paint, and a new set photo (released via SFFGazette.com) showcases Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor.
Emerging from the TARDIS, he's decked out in a very daring and colourful outfit which definitely separates this iteration of the character from previous actors. The costume is similar but different from the officially released shots, and we can't help but wonder whether he's dressed to fit in with a specific time period.
The latest season finale saw Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor regenerate into a Doctor with a familiar face from the past (David Tennant's), and he will soon be reunited with season 4 companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) for what promises to be a high-stakes battle against Neil Patrick Harris' mystery villain.
The most exciting thing about these upcoming episodes, however, is seeing just how much the franchise has evolved under the returning Davies' watchful eye.
He recently opened up about the show's budget increase as a result of that new partnership with Disney+. "The world has changed. And we're now in the age of the streamer...It wasn't my idea, it was the BBC's notion to go for a streamer [Disney+] to invest in the show worldwide, which I completely agree with."
"We're not on the budget level with Star Wars and the Marvel shows," he'd add. "[The budget is] better than it was, yes yes yes."
"I mean any piece of television costs millions. We're not allowed to talk about budget, and we're not on that Star Wars or Star Trek level, but it's more than I've ever had to work with."
New episodes of Doctor Who will return to screens this November to coincide with the 60th anniversary. Tennant will play the Fourteenth Doctor for three specials, before Gatwa takes over the role as the Fifteenth Doctor.