We know now that both Jodie Whittaker and Chris Chibnall are leaving Doctor Who in 2022. Thanks to my posting schedule, the news is nearly two weeks old by now, and I’m sure it’s already been discussed to death in various corners of the internet like Twitter that I no longer inhabit regularly. But I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t address it here at all.

So let me start by saying I seem to have jumped the gun just a bit last month when I posted about not feeling anything in particular about this inevitable change. I was vaguely gratified to discover that I don’t seem to be alone in that. I haven’t really dipped my toe back in the social media waters to find out what others are saying, but in the few places I’ve engaged, I’ve noticed others having a similar lack of reaction.

I’m sure much of it is the fact that we’re all completely burnt out thanks to the various stresses the pandemic has put on us all. A lot of it probably also has to do with the fact that it’s been so long since we last had regular episodes appearing every week. Whatever the case, with that particular ending still well over a year ahead of us, it seems far too soon to be thinking about it too deeply.

Usually this is the point in a regeneration cycle when I’d start thinking about what qualities I’d like the next incarnation of the Doctor to have. This time around, though, I can barely even be bothered to think about it. I suppose the usual things still apply. I’d love a woman of color, but I’d settle for anyone who wasn’t a cisgender white dude. I’m not feeling particularly optimistic that we’ll get something else, but time will tell.

And that’s pretty much the size of it. “Time will tell.” I can’t be bothered to think on it any more than that. Will I have Opinions about whoever is tapped to become the new showrunner, and whoever that person casts as their first Doctor? Undoubtedly. Will I experience that familiar combination of anticipation and dread as the the next Doctor’s first episodes approach? Almost certainly. But can I be arsed to worry about it now? Not hardly.