Doctor Who (3 Viewers)

[Josh Steinberg]

I am e-mailing some of the responses here to my wife. After years of watching and enjoying Dr. Who with me “The Flux” did her in and she has vowed never to watch the show again. I hope you change her mind!

I mean I think not liking Flux means that she’s not enjoying Chris Chibnall’s tenure as the showrunner, not necessarily that all Doctor Who forever onwards will be as disagreeable to her. If she enjoyed the years with Eccleston and Tennant as the Doctor, then it may be worth her checking out the next Doctor since the series is switching showrunners back to the person who was in charge during those years.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Jodie Whittaker will regenate into Ncuti Gatwa in the BBC centennial Doctor Who special this fall:

The Future is Here - the new Doctor is revealed​

The BBC has today announced Ncuti Gatwa is the new Doctor set to take charge of the TARDIS.
Published: 8 May 2022
Updated: 8 May 2022

Ncuti Gatwa

“There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart, but I am giving it all to this show.”​

— Ncuti Gatwa​

Star of stage and screen Ncuti is best known for his critically acclaimed performance in Sex Education as the iconic Eric Effiong, for which he was awarded Best Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTAs in 2020 as well as numerous nominations, including Best Male Performance in a comedy programme at this year’s BAFTAs.

Speaking of his new role, Ncuti says: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my utmost to do the same.

"Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground. The entire team has been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Russell T Davies, Showrunner, adds: “The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars. Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but we’re rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie’s epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!”

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer, says:“Ncuti has an incredible dynamism, he’s a striking and fearless young actor whose talent and energy will set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures under Russell T Davies’ new era."

Further details will be announced in due course.

MO

He's really great on "Sex Education", so I'm happy with this choice.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Good riddence to this godforsaken hell era of Doctor Who.

 

[Edwin-S]

The Product Details include, “Number of Discs: 1.”

Good riddence to this godforsaken hell era of Doctor Who.

To what? Chris Chibnall? A female Doctor?

 

[F451]

I don't know Ncuti Gatwa -- I trust RTD picked an excellent actor and I hope Gatwa gets good material to work with.

BBC's brought back RTD, ok, but how about bringing back Murray Gold? I miss his main title and his orchestral/choral scoring which gave us a sense of adventure and excitement, thematic development and textual coherence. YMMV.

Any news on who RTD has tapped for composer?

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Never heard of him.

And I'm glad. I always hate it when Doctor speculation goes on between the announcements and everyone starts championing big names.

I want to see the role of The Doctor make a star, not it be "Oh, look, it's Greg House in a blue box".

 

[David Weicker]

All I can say is that Whovians across the land are cursing autocorrect today

 

[jayembee]

I don't know Ncuti Gatwa -- I trust RTD picked an excellent actor and I hope Gatwa gets good material to work with.

I'd never heard of him, either, but apparently, he's gotten a few BAFTA nominations, and one win, so he's no slouch.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'd never heard of him, either, but apparently, he's gotten a few BAFTA nominations, and one win, so he's no slouch.

I’ve never seen him before but my wife had and her response was that he’s young, but he has eyes that look old and wise, which seems perfect for the Doctor.

 

[David Weicker]

I’ve never seen him before but my wife had and her response was that he’s young, but he has eyes that look old and wise, which seems perfect for the Doctor.

Which is very similar to what was said about Matt Smith when he got the role.

Incidentally, Matt was about two years younger when he was announced

 

[NeilO]

This will be interesting

They're back... David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who

The big question is, just what brings the Doctor and Donna back together?

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Garysb]

This will be interesting

They're back... David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who

The big question is, just what brings the Doctor and Donna back together?

www.bbc.co.uk

I think the show will hint at their return similar to how Rose Tyler was seen in the background for a few seconds throughout Donna's season before she returned for the last three episodes. It would be nice if we got them for that long but that probably won't happen especially since the series have fewer episodes these days which I assume will continue. I don't believe they will appear in any significant way until the new Doctor is established.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

The plot thickens...

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Another return for the 60th (I'll spoiler it just in case)

Spoiler

Bernard Cribbins Returning as Wilfred Mott for 60th | Doctor Who TV

Welcome back Wilf.

www.doctorwhotv.co.uk

I know I'm setting up for disappointment, but I'm kind of excited about post-Chibnall Who.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Another return for the 60th (I'll spoiler it just in case)

Spoiler

Bernard Cribbins Returning as Wilfred Mott for 60th | Doctor Who TV

Welcome back Wilf.

www.doctorwhotv.co.uk

I know I'm setting up for disappointment, but I'm kind of excited about post-Chibnall Who.

That warms my heart. One of the most lovable characters in "Doctor Who" history.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Just a reminder that the Doctor Who BBC Centenary Special "The Power of the Doctor" (which features Jodie Whittaker's regeneration into Ncuti Gatwa) airs today. 19:30 BST on BBC One in the UK, and 8:00 PM Eastern on BBC America.

 

[NeilO]

Though I don't think we know for certain that we will see Ncuti Gatwa

Spoiler: But

I just saw an email from the BBC with the subject "The new Doctor is here!" and appears to have text about watching the regeneration. I am not going to read any more of that until later tonight.

Spoiler: And after seeing the special

I guess I was right above. Not Gatwa. I knew that there were going to be specials with Tenant, but I didn't think she'd regenerate into him.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

This was the first Chris Chibnall scripted episode that I unreservedly really enjoyed. What it got wrong was far outpaced by what it got right. The Master's plot was suitably devious, and the Doctor's countermoves suitably ingenious. And I loved how it celebrated the legacy of the franchise, going back to the beginning:

Spoiler: Legacy Reappearances

They got all of the surviving classic series Doctors (aside from Tom Baker) back, with a better William Hartnell deepfake with David Bradley as the First Doctor. And The Fifth and Seventh Doctors (or at least an AI approximation of them) got moments with real weight and substance with the companions that they traveled with.

And then, at the end, all of past companions at the support group near the end. In addition to Yaz, Graham, and Dan from the Thirteenth Doctor's run, and Tegan and Ace returning for the main part of this special, we get to see Melanie Bush, Jo Jones, and even Ian Chesterton again. The last one is particularly special, both because Ian was one of the original companions, and because William Russell is 97 and I never thought we'd get to see him play that character again.

Spoiler: And after seeing the special

I guess I was right above. Not Gatwa. I knew that there were going to be specials with Tenant, but I didn't think she'd regenerate into him.

That was definitely unexpected!

Spoiler: Last five minutes

I'm wondering if took a while to find the next Doctor, and so RTD brought back an old favorite as a stopgap to give himself time to do the search right. We see Gatwa in the teaser for next year's specials, but I'm guessing he doesn't appear until the last one?

 

[NeilO]

Spoiler: Last five minutes

I'm wondering if took a while to find the next Doctor, and so RTD brought back an old favorite as a stopgap to give himself time to do the search right. We see Gatwa in the teaser for next year's specials, but I'm guessing he doesn't appear until the last one?

My current

Spoiler: theory

based on what we see in the teaser is that Gatwa may appear a few times in the specials. The new Tenant Doctor is not stable and we'll see him flickering into Gatwa for a bit every now and then before finally finishing the regeneration at the end.

 

[Garysb]

The special seemed to get almost no promotion in the US. I think it was only officially announced when it was airing at the beginning of October. There didn't seem to be any interviews or anything else . The hype had all been about what happens next with the return of Donna Noble and the 10th Doctor and how they return. We now have 13 months to wait.

I wonder if the next 3 specials will all run in November and December 2023 or if they will space them through 2024? Since they apparently are one story I would hope there wouldn't be months between episodes.

Spoiler

I liked the ending with the support group for former companions. Would have loved to see Martha included in the group or Donna as a tease to what is coming. How could she be there when she doesn't remember ? Age is a bummer. Most if not all these actors have not been seen since they were on Doctor Who by many of us. It is a bit of a reminder of our own mortality to see them again being older.