Jodie Whittaker's tenure as the first female Doctor in Doctor Who concluded with "The Power of the Doctor," an episode that has been retrospectively criticized for its handling of character development and its reliance on past eras. The finale, which saw Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor regenerate into David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor, is seen by some as a missed opportunity to center Whittaker's unique contributions and instead highlighted the perceived shortcomings of showrunner Chris Chibnall's era.
"The Power of the Doctor" featured a multi-episode arc culminating in the Doctor battling classic enemies including the Daleks, Cybermen, and the Master. The Master, disguised as Rasputin, plotted with the Daleks and CyberMasters to trigger global volcanic eruptions and intended to forcibly regenerate into the Doctor. While the Doctor ultimately thwarted these plans, she was mortally wounded by the Master, leading to her regeneration.
Despite being considered one of the stronger episodes of Chibnall's tenure, "The Power of the Doctor" has been faulted for an over-reliance on monologue, a focus on nostalgia, and a failure to adequately develop the relationships between the Doctor and her companions. The inclusion of classic companions like Tegan Jovanka and Ace, alongside returning Doctors, highlighted the importance of the Doctor-companion dynamic, yet the relationship between the Thirteenth Doctor and her long-standing companion Yasmin Khan was criticized for its lack of payoff, particularly its underdeveloped romantic aspect. This is especially noted in contrast to previous heterosexual Doctor-companion relationships.
The episode's conclusion, with the surprise return of David Tennant, while boosting ratings, is viewed by some critics as a retreat to familiar territory rather than a bold step forward for Whittaker's Doctor. This choice is seen as underscoring a reluctance to take risks, a move that arguably left the show on uncertain ground leading into subsequent seasons under returning showrunner Russell T. Davies.