There is more to Doctor Who than the television show. There is a long tradition of tie-in materials creating their own additions to the Doctor Who universe, and the 13th Doctor (as played by Jodie Whittaker) is no exception. There are comic books, comic strips, books, and even video games, all set within the 13th Doctors era, and featuring the fam. Some of the ideas created during this era of tie-in media have been very strong, and deserving of a spotlight in the television show in their own right.
Although Captain Jack recently showed up in Revolution of the Daleks, Torchwood only received a mention. In fact, apart from a trip to MI6, spy agencies have been noticeably absent from Doctor Who as of late. That could be changed in the upcoming 13th series, but what if the show had an episode with The Legion of Smoke instead? The Legion of Smoke made its debut in the novel, Doctor Who: Combat Magicks, and it’s very similar to Torchwood, only it’s Roman. On its own, a simple change of time period might not sound very impressive, but it completely changes the context with which an episode could tackle them. A secret agency with technology they shouldn’t have in the 21st century is not so strange, but finding a similar organization in ancient Rome would be a much greater shock for the main characters. In Combat Magicks, there is a scene in which Ryan is unable to fool a Roman with his mobile phone because she is used to alien technology, and that twist to the expected could be explored to get success in an episode of the show. It could also be the opportunity to introduce a companion not from the present day, with one of the legion’s members joining the Doctor on her adventures.
It’s not just prospective allies that the show could pick from its tie-in media, but enemies as well, and the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip has an enemy that would be perfect; Berakka Dogbolter. Berakka is a media mogul with a grudge against the Doctor due to the latter’s dealing with the former’s father. The idea of a media mogul with a beef against the Doctor is one with a lot of potential for the show proper because she could be used in different ways depending on the episode. She could be a background presence, popping up on a show within the show for short cameos so the audience can see more of the consequences of the Doctor’s actions, or how the Doctor herself is viewed by the people who are aware of her actions. Alternatively, she could be the main threat of the episode, using her vast resources out of greed or a desire for vengeance. Using her in the show proper would be a chance for the writers to come up with another recurring character, something which occasionally feels lacking from Doctor Who outside of the monsters or the companions.
Plot elements from the tie-ins could also be used when constructing a mystery for a given season. It’s been done before to great effect, with the episodes Human Nature and The Family of Blood serving as adaptations of Human Nature, a Doctor Who book. In the comic book story arc, Hidden Human History, the companions mention a podcast which they are a fan of, and the fan discovers that the podcast contains information about periods in history which coincide with their adventures.
An in-universe podcast about the Doctor’s adventures could be a great puzzle for her to solve. She could go to different events it mentions in the hope of figuring out who is making it, and why. The comic had a touching reveal about the podcaster’s identity, but a future series could come up with its own solution. Maybe it’s an enemy trying to lay a trap, maybe it’s a companion trying to leave a warning from the future. Maybe it’s something else entirely. There is so much that could be done with it that it would be a shame not to see it used on-screen one day. Jordan Peele’s take on TV classic, The Twilight Zone has already proven how much tension could be made with this premise. The concept is basic enough to be easily understood, and it’s open-ended enough for the show’s writers to put their own spin on it.
The greater Who Universe is a gold mine of characters, monsters, and plot points. There is so much to be gained from taking these ideas and seeing what could be done with them given the benefit of the TV show and the visual spectacles they could offer. If nothing else, going to the tie-in media for inspiration could be just what the writer’s need to help them move away from relying on the show’s favorite faces, and it would be a good way to show fans who stick to the television show what they have been missing.
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