Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and the Doctor Who Crossover That Never Was

For years, fans of two of television’s most enduring science fiction franchises—Star Trek and Doctor Who—hoped for an official on-screen crossover. Akiva Goldsman, co-creator and executive producer of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, recently confirmed that he and Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies held serious discussions about merging the two universes. Despite these efforts, the crossover did not materialize, leaving the potential team-up between the USS Enterprise and the TARDIS as one of sci-fi’s great “what-ifs.”

Why the Star Trek and Doctor Who Crossover Failed to Launch

The ambition to link the two franchises was driven by a mutual respect for their shared history as pillars of science fiction television. According to interviews with Akiva Goldsman published by the Radio Times, he and Russell T. Davies spent years “sussing out” the logistics of a collaborative episode. Goldsman noted that the creative teams were “not unclose” to making a deal, but ultimately, the complex requirements of navigating two massive, distinct intellectual properties proved insurmountable.

Goldsman’s specific creative vision for the crossover involved the character Pelia, played by Carol Kane. As a Lanthanite—a species capable of living for thousands of years—Pelia served as the perfect narrative bridge. Goldsman suggested that her long lifespan provided a plausible reason for her to have once served as a companion to the Doctor, traveling in the TARDIS centuries before joining the crew of the Enterprise. While this would have firmly established the two shows within a shared multiverse, the idea remained a conceptual exercise rather than a produced narrative.

The History of Sci-Fi Crossover Teases

While an official, canon-crossing episode never aired, the relationship between Star Trek and Doctor Who has been marked by decades of subtle nods and unofficial tributes. These instances demonstrate how writers and creators have long acknowledged the symbiotic influence the two shows hold over the genre.

• Easter Eggs: In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Neutral Zone,” eagle-eyed viewers can spot the names of the actors who had portrayed the Doctor on a background computer panel.
• Shared Terminology: The Next Generation episode “I, Borg” referenced the “Argolis Cluster,” a direct nod to the 1980 Doctor Who serial The Leisure Hive.
• Non-Canonical Comics: The publisher IDW Comics bridged the gap in their 2012 miniseries Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation², which featured the Eleventh Doctor teaming up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
• Visual Winks: A recent, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance of a TARDIS-like object in the background of a Strange New Worlds episode served as a fan-focused acknowledgment, though producers have clarified it is not a declaration of a shared universe.

The Legacy of Near-Misses in Genre Television

The desire for a Star Trek and Doctor Who crossover reflects a broader tradition of “fan-baiting” and crossover culture within the sci-fi community. Historically, franchises have experimented with these concepts through spin-offs or guest appearances to test audience interest. Star Trek’s original series famously attempted this with the character Gary Seven, an enigmatic, time-traveling figure introduced in the episode “Assignment: Earth,” which was originally intended to function as a backdoor pilot for a separate series.

For now, these remain distinct universes. While Russell T. Davies has expressed interest in the concept during industry conventions, the logistical hurdles of corporate licensing and creative consistency mean that for the foreseeable future, the Doctor and the crew of the Enterprise will continue to navigate their respective corners of space-time separately.

Key Takeaways

• Akiva Goldsman confirmed that he and Russell T. Davies engaged in years of high-level talks to bring the two franchises together.
• The proposed narrative would have positioned Pelia (Carol Kane) as a former companion of the Doctor.
• No official crossover exists, despite numerous “Easter egg” references embedded in Star Trek episodes since the 1980s.
• The 2012 IDW comic book series Assimilation² remains the most significant, albeit non-canonical, collaboration between the two properties.