Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill Will Revisit Doctor Who with ‘The Pondcast’

In a lot of ways the world of Doctor Who is like the proverbial Hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never really leave. Former Who actors regularly return to the flagship series for anniversary specials and guest spots, occasionally pop up on spinoffs, star in Big Finish audio dramas that expand the world and stories of their former characters, and show up at conventions where all anyone wants to talk about is their time in the world of the TARDIS. It’s honestly one of the best things about the franchise, this way that it kind of makes family of us all. 

Now former companions Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill are reuniting for an exciting new kind of treat: A rewatch podcast that looks back on and shares stories from their time on the show. The duo played (eventual) husband and wife Amy and Rory Pond for two and a half seasons opposite Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor and starred in stories that ranged from the genuinely terrible (“Dinosaurs on a Spaceship”) to the near-sublime (“The Girl Who Waited”). 

Speaking to the Radio Times, the pair confirmed that the project, which is set to be called “The Pondcast,” will see them both reflect on their experiences as part of Doctor Who (which, let’s not forget, took place just as the series’ was finally exploding in popularity in America.) 

“We really get on and we catch up quite often. We had such a good time [on Doctor Who],” Darvill said. “It was so long ago and we’ve forgotten so much that happened, but it was such a formative thing, that we feel now that we’re able to look back and celebrate it.”

As for the show itself, it sounds relatively low-key, though former showrunner Steven Moffat is already confirmed to have taken part.

“I’ve not seen half of it, so we’re going to rewatch it and talk about it. We’ve recorded a few episodes already and it’s really fun,” Darvill said. “It is just me and Karen messing around so I’m not quite sure how many new facts you’ll get, but it’s really nice to kind of go back and reminisce about it.”

Both actors have gone on to significant personal success since their time in the TARDIS concluded, with Gillan taking on a major role in the MCU (she’s Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy films) and Darvill has appeared in everything from Broadchurch to Legends of Tomorrow. 

There’s just one little problem they’re going to likely going to need someone like the Doctor’s to help them solve: The name The Pondcast is actually taken already. It belongs to — and I swear I am not making this up – a show that’s focused on the turtle and tortoise community and which has already recorded over 100 episodes. I guess Amy and Rory are going to have to brush up on their herpetology?  

The Pondcast doesn’t have a release date yet but recording is currently underway.