'Doctor Who Unleashed' to Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Modern Revival

Given that the franchise has been around for over sixty years, Doctor Who has a lot of anniversaries to celebrate. As a general rule, it usually likes to go all out for them, in ways that most frequently involve copious applications of former Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. (See the global cinema screenings for the show's 50th birthday back in 2013, and its month-long celebrations when the series turned sixty in 2023.) But some longtime viewers may have noticed that a fairly significant moment passed recently — the 20th Anniversary of the 2005 revival — which went almost unremarked upon.

After the embarrassing failure of the 1996 Eighth Doctor movie (we love you, Paul McGann!), Doctor Who went on an extended hiatus and didn't return to our screens until nearly a decade later. Starring Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper, the 2005 revival established modern Who as we know it today, yet the 20th Anniversary of that relaunch has been largely ignored by the powers that be. In some ways, this is understandable: It's a nerdy anniversary, and the show's promotional efforts have been primarily focused on the new-new reboot's latest season (which it calls Season 2!) featuring Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor. 

But, the importance of the show's modern reboot is finally about to get the recognition it's due, thanks to the behind-the-scenes documentary series Doctor Who: Unleashed. Unleashed is the latest in a long line of companion series meant to give fans an inside look into how the world of Who comes together, and it's continuing that effort with a forthcoming special edition meant to celebrate the modern revival in style and take a look back at how this era came to be.

Doctor Who: Unleashed premiered alongside the 60th anniversary special "The Star Beast", but it's just the latest in a long line of companion documentary series that include the beloved Doctor Who Confidential that aired through Season 6, and the smaller-scale Doctor Who Extra that later chronicled the Peter Capaldi years. Hosted by Newsbeat presenter Steffan Powell, the half-hour episodes are released immediately following each new Who installment. Though it doesn't stream on Disney+ in the U.S. alongside the flagship series, American audiences can stream each Unleashed on the official Doctor Who YouTube channel.

The anniversary installment will feature some of the most recognizable faces from the past twenty years, including former Doctors Tennant and Jodie Whittaker; former companions Piper, Pearl Mackie, and Mandip Gill; and former showrunners Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall. As the current residents of the TARDIS, Gatwa and companion Varada Sethu will also take part as well as current showrunner Russell T. Davies, who also brought the show back in 2005.

“After the season's climactic end, it’s great to celebrate the 20 years that led us here," Davies said in a statement. "I hope this is a party for faithful viewers, with a galaxy of stars, Doctors, companions, Billie Piper reunited with David Tennant, and the making of our first ever Dalek!”

Here's the synopsis. 

Steffan Powell is once again set to take a trip through the time vortex as he invites viewers on a journey celebrating the last twenty years since Doctor Who returned, and he will be joined by a host of cast and creatives that have played a part in bringing the show back into the Whoniverse.

As well as chatting with the stars about what Doctor Who means to them, Steffan will be revealing secrets from behind the scenes with interviews with those who work behind the cameras to bring Doctor Who to life

"What a joy to be giving the Unleashed treatment to 20 years’ worth of Doctor Who history," Powell said. "To see the lasting impact the show has had on those who helped bring the magic to screen has been a privilege, and a reminder of just how much the show means to so many.”

The special episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed will air on BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Wales at a still-to-be-determined date next month. Though the press release has not confirmed it will also stream on the official YouTube channel, every episode has so far done so; therefore, it seems like a fairly safe bet. 

Previous episodes of Doctor Who: Unleashed are available in the Whoniverse on BBC iPlayer and on the official Doctor Who YouTube channel. The current run of Doctor Who Season 2(/15/41) continues with new episodes on Saturdays on Disney+ in the U.S. Previous seasons of the revival series are on Max, and every classic episode in existence is on BritBox.