Doctor Who: Flux — the 13th season of the sci-fi series that comprised a six-part miniseries — has to be one of the most ambitious runs of the modern show, as it took place across time and space and was stacked full of allies and enemies, new and old. One of the new allies was Karvanista, a canine alien with a curmudgeonly attitude who was really a loveable furball, as he helped the Doctor and her friends save the Earth multiple times.
While there were some casualties in this past weekend’s finale, Karvanista managed to survive Flux intact and was last seen heading off into space with Jacob Anderson’s Vinder and Thaddea Graham’s Bel. With the couple expecting a child, this set up a fun, twisted family dynamic, with the parents, the baby, and their dog, so it would be fun to explore that elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, then, actor Craig Els is eager for a spinoff.
Chatting with RadioTimes.com in the wake of the finale, Els stated he suspects Karvanista likes Vinder and Bel more than he would admit and he thinks a bond could develop there that’s worth revisiting.
“Obviously, the last time you see him, he’s on that ship with Bel and Vinder,” said Els. “You sort of think: well, what’s he going to do now? Although he’s trying to give it all: ‘Oh, I don’t want these on my ship. I want them to go’ – I think if they stuck around a little while longer, he wouldn’t be too disappointed.”
Els added that he would “absolutely” come back to reprise Karvanista in a spinoff, even if that took the form of an audio drama series from Big Finish.
“I’m living for it,” he continued. “I’m waiting for the phone call. It’s a Dog’s Life, starring Karvanista and Bel and Vinder [laughs]. Bring it on!”
Warning: Spoilers to follow.
The last episode also dropped a major revelation about Karvanista’s past. He was the Doctor’s companion himself during her days with the Division, the memories of which are lost to her. He couldn’t tell her about their time together, however, as the Division had implanted something in his head that would kill him if he spilled their secrets. There has to be more to dive into here, and Els thinks exploring this would be a priority if Karvanista ever returned.
“If the character were ever to come back, it’d be really interesting to explore that idea of who he was before, and at what stage in the Doctor’s life he was the companion, you know?” Els pitched.
With Jodie Whittaker only having three episodes left to go, time is running out for her to reunite with the last of Lupari, but he could well turn up in one of the upcoming specials that will be spread across 2022. The first of which, the annual Doctor Who winter special, airs on BBC America this New Year’s Day.
