It's a new era for Doctor Who. Chris Chibnall of Broadchurch fame is the new executive producer and he's brought a new star with him: Jodie Whittaker. For the first time in Doctor Who's 50+ year history, the Doctor regenerated as a woman.
"It's exciting," Whittaker told E! News just before she made her Comic-Con debut. "It's amazing. The whole journey of the show has been reinvented every new Doctor. Although, this is obviously a different direction with me being a woman, it's not a different direction for the show at all. It's so much keeping in that world."
Doctor Who has a long history on TV, with recent versions of the Doctor being played by David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi and Chris Eccleston. Whittaker said she's excited about following in their footsteps and hopes she can fill them.
"You're really good," Chibnall said.
The show has said the Doctor could return as a woman, but this season, season 11, is the first time a woman is actually playing the title role.
"It's amazing. I think that it's 2018, it's the right time," Whittaker said.
Not only is there a female in the title role, but the main cast is diverse, something Chibnall said was important to do.
"Representation really matters," Chibnall said. "I wanted to make sure Doctor Who is a big, inclusive, mainstream, accessible show. I wanted a point of access for everyone."
If Chibnall did his job right, every viewer should have a character they can relate to and "fall in love with."
See for yourself when Doctor Who returns in 2018 on BBC America.