Another WHO spin-off planned?

The UK's Sun newspaper isn't exactly the most reliable source, but a few days ago they printed a story that Russell T. Davies, the outgoing Doctor Who show runner, is planning yet another Who spin-off. This one would reportedly be based on two characters who appeared in the Planet of the Dead episode that recently aired in the UK - a pair of UNIT agents played by Lee Evans and Noma Dumezweni.

Davies' tenure as Who chief has already seen two UK spin-offs - Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures - and there's also the Australian children's series based on the Doctor's robot dog companion, K9. Could Davies actually be planning a fourth spin-off?

He said: “Lee and Noma are a spin-off series waiting to happen. UNIT soldiers often work best as half of a double-act, so Magambo needed a foil, though we never dreamed we’d get to cast the part so well.” He added the spin-off could even make it to air late this year.

Russell, who quits the show after the next three specials, said: “The team is busy on more projects which might give an extra boost to Doctor Who fans in the autumn.

Well, let's bear a few things in mind. As we already noted, the Sun has a reputation as a bit of a gossip rag. It's possible Davies was misquoted, or that his remarks were taken out of context. Also, Davies is a man with a lot of ideas, not all of which pan out. He wanted to make a Rose Tyler spin-off, to have Doctor Who cross over with Enterprise, to have Britney Spears appear on the show. Also, he's prone to hyperbole, which sometimes leads to silly media speculation. (If he says a guest star is so good that he could be the next Doctor, that does not mean that actor will be taking Matt Smith's job.) And finally, Davies is mischievous and likes to tweak the press.

So, a UNIT spin-off isn't impossible, but at this point it looks it looks about as likely as those rumors of Tom Baker appearing as the Master.

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