Series 1

Mia Daines

Michael Christie

The first series of Aneurin Heyark's era of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who began on 16 March 2030 with the broadcast of "Legends, Part 1". This marked the start of the "Heyark Era", the period of the show's history which was headed by showrunner Aneurin Heyark. The finale "Heal Thyself" was broadcast on 8 June 2030 is among the most watched episodes of the show ever. The first series, as the twentieth series overall since the 2005 revival, consisted of 13 episodes, of which Heyark wrote six. Former showrunner Russel T Davies served as executive producer.

The show depicts the adventures of a mysterious and eccentric Time Lord known as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in his time machine, the TARDIS, which normally appears from the exterior to be a blue 1950s British police box. With his companions, he explores time and space, faces a variety of foes and saves civilizations, helping people and righting wrongs.

The first series introduces Sean Kelly as the seventeenth incarnation of the Doctor, accompanied by Mia Daines, as his first companion Tilly Lewis, whom he meets when marooned on an island in the Carribean. Tilly Lewis is a pirate, disguised as a man under the pseudonym "Trager". The Seventeenth Doctor also travels with Alfie Jenkins, played by Michael Christie, a slave worker from the alternative Twenty-First century. Episodes n the series form a loose story arc, which involves the Doctor and his companions investigating a broken history.

The main series, which ran between March and June, was followed up by two specials. The first special, which was broadcast on 23 November 2030, Doctor Who's 67th anniversary, guest starred Michael O'Reilly as Napoleon Boneparte. The second special, which broadcast on Christmas Day, guest starred Idris Elba as the Dream Lord.

## Production

Russel T Davies announced in 2027 that he would be departing as showrunner to take a step back from the main show. Bad Wolf Studios announced that Aneurin Heyark, a recurring writer through the Sixteenth Doctor's era, would take over as acting showrunner for Series 19 in 2028. In addition, the BBC announced that the show would go on hiatus in 2029 through the tranisition and the hiring of a permanent showrunner.

The Sixteenth Doctor regenerated in the 2028 Christmas Special, with the ending being left blank and without a new Doctor. It was announced in January 2029 that Aneurin Heyark had been confirmed as the show's permanent showrunner, alongside Davies as executive producer. In the announcement, Bad Wolf confirmed that Heyark would be "redefining Doctor Who" with a multi-series story arc for the Seventeenth Doctor.

In May 2029, Sean Kelly was officially cast in the role of the Seventeenth Doctor, with Aneurin Heyark confirming Kelly was "among the first we auditioned" and "our favourite for the show's new direction". Kelly was later joined by the announcement that soaps star Mia Daines had been cast as the Doctor's companion. The series entered full production in June 2029 and finished in December of the same year.

Aneurin Heyark was announced to be writing six of the series' twelve episodes, including a "swashbuckling series opener". In addition, Heyark confirmed early that the series would see the re-definition of the Cybermen. Heyark was joined in the writer's room by Doctor Who veteran writer Junior Meyer, as well as UNIT writer Yasmin Bernard. In addition, Nathan Carr joined the writing team to pen the Cyberman two-parter.

It was heavily speculated that Russel T Davies would continue to write for the new series. However, it was announced that his role as executive producer would not include writing credits. Heyark later confirmed that Davies was originally set to pen a Dalek episode, before scheduling eliminated this possibility.