4 Years Ago, 'Doctor Who’s Biggest Failure Was Just the Beginning of the End

As the longest-running sci-fi show in history, Doctor Who has always placed a tremendous responsibility on whoever takes on the role of the Doctor. For Jodie Whittaker, who debuted as the Thirteenth Doctor in 2017, that responsibility carried extra weight: she was the first woman to play the Doctor, a milestone that immediately stirred up the internet’s worst grifters. With so much at stake for Doctor Who’s creatives, including showrunner Chris Chibnall, the pressure to deliver makes Whittaker’s final episode feel like an even greater betrayal — not just of the show’s future, but of Whittaker herself and her time…