"How wonderful!" were the first words of the Thirteenth Doctor in the Doctor Who Christmas special last year. They also happen to pretty accurately sum up the fantastic and very cool decision to cast Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor—making her the first woman to play the part in the 50-year history of the program.

To mark this momentous occasion in sci-fi entertainment, such esteemed players as Jodie Whittaker [The Doctor], Tosin Cole [Ryan], and Mandip Gill [Yasmin], showrunner Chris Chibnall, and executive producer Matt Strevens made their way to San Diego Comic-Con to speak to a jammed Hall H about the eagerly anticipated season. Prior to this assembly, the gang had conversed with the press members to whisper about the tantalizing season that’s coming up.

Starting from its inception, ‘Doctor Who’ has always been able to pull a dedicated cult of millions of viewers. Any actor cast in the role of the Doctor would have a hard act to follow, and this is especially true for whoever is anointed with the mantle for the first time as a woman. Yet, Jodie Whittaker was confident about playing the part no matter which human previously owned the role.

I think it’s super liberating for her to be the first woman Doctor because it really has meant the breaking of boundaries, and it’s been extremely cool to have regeneration – to bring all of yourself and everything that came before to shape your particular interpretation. It doesn’t change that dynamic at all. It’s fascinating because I’ve never thought about how a woman would think about a role; I just assume that identity. I don’t know if a man has ever thought about how a male actor would go into an scene. You just live in the role and it reflects your perspective. To me, the energy and method come from some kind of primal place that feels devoid of gender.

One fairly noticeable one is the shift from companions to friends with Dan in introducing the Doctor into the next season. Speaking on behalf of Chibnall, the executive producer, and showrunner, the rule regarding this change is not something that fans need to follow from here on out, but it seemed right at the moment.

It's not like you enter a room and say, ‘here are my friends.’ Most likely, you designate them as your friends, which mirrors the egalitarian angle of the Thirteenth Doctor. Speaking in this manner feels more emotionally resonant.

Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill share a touching moment at SDCC. Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for BBC America.

While die-hard Whovians may want a peek of known friends or foes, Chibnall stressed, “This is all new stories, all new monsters, all new villains.” It’s something that was crucial for Chibnall as he wanted to ensure that any viewers who were not familiar with the previous seasons of Doctor Who could engage with the show and have just as much fun as those who had an in-depth knowledge of its history.

For all Whovians out there, make sure you bring a friend who has never seen the show before to your living room for Jodie's first episode. And with this season – hopefully, it will be as inclusive, accessible, and entertaining as possible, the Doctor Who installment that a broader audience can get behind. We want to wow people who have never seen it with the fact that it’s considered one of the best ideas in television history.

Saved from Whittaker herself as she shared her wish that the forthcoming episodes draw in new viewers who may have hesitated to watch.

Definitely for the fans—Whovians, and accessible to newbies. Not much of the story—one barely needs to know anything about Doctor Who to step into the story. We have wrote ten individual episodes with huge character development and even though if you count from the fourth episode, it has its separate adventure.

Whittaker-Lego-Chibnall emphasized that while there is a big aim of bringing in new audiences, it is certainly not at the expense of neglecting long-time fans of the show, promising them “a strong dose of everything they cherish about the series.”

Another great and quite appreciable alteration in this season of Doctor Who is the much increased diverse casting along with the crew. Chibnall said, “this year included the first writers of color to contribute to Doctor Who,” as well as, “two female writers in the guest slots…and two female directors throughout the series.” This, for Chibnall, made complete sense since he argued, “the whole concept of Doctor Who is that anyone can travel anywhere and accomplish anything.” He also put a point blank that this program “should be the most inclusive show on television.”

While many people are happy with Whittaker’s casting and see this as a step in the right direction, there are many critics who do not approve of Chibnall’s decision. Whittaker has one message to those detractors:

‘“It's fine to be a fan of ladies. It is something to be welcomed not feared. This show is for all of you.”