The 15 best fan ideas for Doctor Who spin-offs
We asked which Whoniverse characters you'd like to see in their own series, and you came up with some fantastic ideas
Doctor Who fans may not be getting a series in 2016, but with much-anticipated spin-off Class set to air later this year there’s still an awful lot to look forward to. Dark YA themes meeting aliens and monsters? Yes please.
Still, we couldn’t help but wonder – what OTHER spin-offs would work from the fertile world of Doctor Who? Which characters could support their own stories, striking out on their own without the Doctor to save the universe all by themselves?
To find out we asked you, our readers, what spin-offs you’d love to see and were overwhelmed by the quantity, quality and variety of your responses.
These are just a few of our favourites – BBC commissioners, take note.
1. The Paternoster Gang
Connor James: “A spin-off series which sees Madam Vastra and the gang fighting vicious Victorian London Aliens and serial killers. This is the perfect opportunity to bring back that 'educational' and 'humanity as the villain as opposed to aliens' feel that the classics with Hartnell had.
You could have visits to Broadmoor Insane Asylum, run-ins with famous Victorian criminals, the occasional alien manifesting itself into 'Victorian' Culture and probably best of all, possible cameos from famous Victorians and the Doctor himself, who could arrive at any point to help solve a case. I think this could be really effective if done right & I sincerely hope they decide to go ahead with this.”
Ivy Raptor: “I would love to see a series about Vastra and Jenny, how they met, fell in love, got married. All of that and seeing more of River Song and Missy would be incredible.”
Abigail Knowles: “Missy and Pasternoster Gang spin-offs. NOW.”
2. Come dine with Me
Anna Stosica: “Clara and me in a TARDIS diner, but include Captain Jack Harkness as well.”
Paul Edmonds: “I would like to see Torchwood return, but as a spin off or a one off it has to be Clara and Me in their Tardis stuck as an American Diner.”
Alan Kelly: “I'd most definitely like to see Clara and Me in their own spin-off series! Those two together with their unique status' make an extremely interesting companionship! And with them having their own American Diner-shaped TARDIS and the ability to go anywhere in space and time the possibilities are endless!”
James William Clark: “I'd like to see Clara and Ashildr go off on their own adventures, they were both very good in doctor who.
3. Jenny Who
Arvana de Ségalas: “And what about Jenny, the Doctor's daughter?”
Sean Collom: “How about Clara and Ashildr run into Jenny and the three of them have their own adventures. One dead woman, One Myre/Human immortal hybrid, and one Time Lord DNA copy all traveling in a TARDIS.”
Andrew Derek Porter: “Captain Jack going straight and married to Jenny the Doctors daughter, and see the old Doc's face.”
4. Son of Gallifrey
Angela Baker: “The Doctor's early years on Gallifrey, the days when he was up to mischief such as stealing the President's daughter and losing a moon. Discover more about his origins.”
Dylan Meyers: “We could have a doctor who prequel series and call it Son of Gallifrey it could show how doctor who started and how he got the tardis and how he learnt to fly it the possibilities are endless”
5. Pond Life
Genevieve Hargreaves: “Amy living life with Rory back in time because they weren't actually killed just sent back in time.”
Jessica Lindsay: “I know this seems weird, but I'd love a spin-off featuring Amy and Rory's life in 20th Century Manhattan.”
Cassandra Tremblay: “I want to see a spin-off series about Amy and Rory and their life after the doctor, after they got sent back in time by the angels”
6. The Luke Smith Adventures
Becky Naomi Shipp: “Perhaps it's just because I grew up with it (and never quite grew out of it), but I would love a return to the world of 13 Bannerman Road [from The Sarah Jane Adventures], for a catch up with Luke Smith (and friends) because I have always felt, that even without Sarah Jane, following the sad and untimely death of Elisabeth Sladen, they could have done something more with those characters.
Mark Flude: “Luke and K9 protecting the earth along with Luke's friends he met at university.”
7. Kate and Osgood: Alien Hunters
Kenny Colliver: “Give Kate Stewart and Osgood their own series, where they fight aliens with UNIT; Men in Black style.”
8. The Leftovers
Ian Davis Smith: “All I've ever wanted is a sci-fi mystery series starting all the companions the Doctor's left behind on Earth. Jo Grant, Ace, Martha, Mickey, Tegan and Peri form a Doctor's Club, hijinks ensue.”
9. The Search for Doc
Joseph Cpg West: “Basically the doctor is out of action and basically it's about Capt Jack trying to create a team that could replace him. Not only will this bring back all the characters left behind but there’s room for new plus revisiting old doctors. Basically Doctor Who all stars plus a easily manageable rotation of fan favourite characters.”
Clifford Trout: “How about a limited series were a group composed of Jenny, the Paternoster Gang, Captain Jack, Me, Clara, Wilf, River Song, and Missy have to go look for the Doctor after he disappears, looking for Torchwood Four. In this idea, the leader of Torchwood Two turns out to be the android Edwin Bracewell.”
10. Captain Jack: Time Agent
Jack Robertson: “When Captain Jack first appeared in Dr Who he was a rogue Time Agent from the 51st century who abandoned the organisation when he discovered they erased two years of his memory. What happened? Imagine a young trainee Jack alongside a small gang of agents from 3 thousand years in our future, travelling through time and space, almost destroying history and saving the future at the same time.
Much of Moffat’s early episodes reference the 51st century - its where the clockwork robots are from, as well as the library and the church who brainwashed and later arrested River Song - so there is plenty to go on from there. Perhaps Barrowman can even appear as the secret head of the agency itself, pulling the strings in order to make sure his younger self crosses paths with the Doctor.
Think a Torchwood that can go beyond Earth and visit any time. Plenty of terrifying aliens, ambivalent robots and mind bending twists due to time travel. The same basic principal as Who but with a very different dynamic, maybe even a guest appearance from the Doctor himself!”
11. The Eighth Doctor adventures
Colby Rippentrop: “Paul McGann was an amazing doctor in a not so amazing movie. He was supposed to be the first doctor in a new series but instead he REALLY got screwed over.
I want to see more of him. The doctor that ran from the Time War, helping out others when he can while being called as bad as the Daleks. Thirteen episodes is all I'm asking for!
If anybody has any doubt that this would be an amazing spin-off then watch Night of the Doctor and listen to one audio book, then you'll be begging for it!”
12. Doc, the Bounty Hunter
Ben Bambrough Stimson: “I want a spin-off set in the world of Doctor Who but with brand new characters. We need to see the grittier side to the universe - a space western is what’s needed. Maybe a 51st century bounty hunter or smuggler, lots of weird aliens. Could have a brush with the time agency etc.”
13. Doctor Who: Regenerations
Christopher Simard: “Doctor Who Regenerations: A series featuring short multi-part episodes with past doctors. Would love to see Peter McGann, Eccleston, Tennet etc. again. I would even intermingle the multi-parters so you get a different doctor every week.... Wow......!!!”
14. The Time War Chronicles
Tom Bowen: “A four-part series detailing the key events of the time war over four hundred years. With John Hurt reprising his role as the War Doctor and Timothy Dalton returing as Davros. With episodes written by Russell T Davies, George Mann and Steven Moffat. Including an adaptation of George Mann's Engines of War.”
And if NONE of those catch your fancy, we could always try…
15. Knit-wits
Felix Subway: “11's bow tie and 4's scarf become alive after the Doctor visits a planet of sentient fabric. They run away together and open a burrito bar. Unfortunately they commence trade on the planet of sentient burritos and are imprisoned for a thousand years. On their release they married and raised a family of knitted bow ties and lived happily ever after.”
