‘Doctor Who’: River Song And Jack Harkness’ Futures, The Doctor And Companion In Season 9


Jenna Coleman’s future on Doctor Who isn’t the only character return up in the air (though it has become much more likely that she will be part of Season 9, as the Inquisitr has previously reported). Is it possible that characters from the past like River Song (Alex Kingston) and Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) could return?

Based on what Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat told Zap2it, don’t give up hope. Never say never when it comes to seeing River or Jack again, but if they do return, it would be a very big deal.

“It’s never, ever closed off. It’s all about ‘Do you have a story that’s worth it?’ Unless you’ve got a story that is absolutely informed and invigorated by their presence, just bringing a character back in an ordinary story won’t do. …Both River Song and Jack Harkness are massive characters in ‘Doctor Who’ mythology. Their returns would have to be seismic, not routine.”

Kingston last appeared in the series as River Song in the Season 7 finale, “The Name of the Doctor,” while Barrowman hasn’t guest starred as Captain Jack Harkness on the show since “The End of Time: Part Two,” as part of David Tennant’s farewell. Both have been on Arrow since then, with Kingston playing Dinah Lance and Barrowman starring as Malcolm Merlyn.

As stated above, Coleman’s future on Doctor Who may be considered up in the air, though it does look like it’s very likely she will be in Season 9, especially since Moffat told SFX Magazine (as posted online by Doctor Who TV) that he wants to build on “Peter and Jenna,” quickly adding, “if Jenna’s in it.”

While Moffat may want to remain coy about the future of Clara as the companion to Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, he did explain that he is hoping to take a further look at the relationship between the Doctor and the companion.

“Just the depth of that companion relationship. We took the Doctor/companion relationship to a place that’s just more real, much more damaging and with more consequences. And whoever the companion is, you want to continue that idea. It can be a thrilling, exciting relationship but actually it can be a dangerous one too. That felt quite powerful and potent.”

It sounds like the showrunner is hoping to continue to explore the relationship between Capaldi and Coleman’s characters in particular because it allowed them to explore a “version” of the relationship “that would actually happen.”

“What we did this year felt like what it would be like if a young girl got into a very intense friendship with an older time traveller. It’s not the romantic version, it’s not the thwarted romantic version, it’s not the friendship version, it’s not the fairytale version or the imaginary friend version.”

Watch the video below to see Coleman discussing the Doctor and Clara in the first part of the Season 8 finale.

Doctor Who returns with the Christmas special on Christmas Day on BBC America.

[Image via BBC America]

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