As season 15's last episode, The Reality War, played its final scenes, it closed with a dramatic shot of Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into none other than Doctor Who legend Piper, who previously starred as companion Rose Tyler.
Despite being a huge fan of Doctor Who (and of Piper's), for me, what could have been a jaw-dropping reveal is tinged with sadness, as Piper's return unfortunately highlights what I think is this season's biggest problem – and what was once Doctor Who's biggest strength: its character development.
Russell T Davies has previously said that, in bringing Doctor Who back to screens in 2005, he had a secret weapon in Piper. More than that, though, he had a secret weapon in Rose.
Not only did Rose have family and friends that became fully formed characters in their own right (do we need to say more about the iconic Jackie Tyler, played by the inimitable Camille Coduri?), she had hopes and dreams, insecurities and flaws, and a personality that we came to know inside out.
Despite brilliant performances from Millie Gibson and Varada Sethu, who have worked beautifully with what they were given, Doctor Who's companions feel nothing short of neglected this time around.
As many fans have pointed out, that means we've lost small but important moments between the Doctor and the companions – for example, little moments in the TARDIS that show their connection and give us a sense of their dynamic.
There have also been some strange writing choices when it comes to Ruby and Belinda – perhaps due to the lack of time in the season, or perhaps for other reasons. Both companions appeared to have incredibly rushed and even unfinished exits by the end of season 15, with Ruby not even getting a goodbye from the Doctor during her final scene in the TARDIS.
Meanwhile, Belinda, a character who began the season by rejecting expectations that were projected onto her, appears to have a personality transplant by the end of the season, giving up everything to be a mother. Sure, it's an arc that could certainly work within Doctor Who, but it didn't seem to fit with Belinda's character at all.
Then there was Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman, our first ever companion, whose long-awaited return was reduced to a series of brief and unexplained cameos. Presumably, there'll be more to come from her if and when Doctor Who returns, but it's a strange note to end the season on.
Now, Doctor Who seems forced to rely on nostalgia, taking a step back to reintroduce an actor who reminds fans of what could be seen as a golden age of the show – a worrying turn of events for a series whose entire point is to regenerate and move forward.
When it does, I'm hoping Davies will allow it to return to its roots, with longer seasons and a return to prioritising characters above all else. He's done it once before, and I have every faith that he can do it again.
After all, as Rose Tyler so beautifully represented, despite the monsters and the aliens and the big battles, Doctor Who has always been a story about humanity, and we urgently need to get back to that.
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