As a long-time fan of Doctor Who, I must admit that Ncuti Gatwa‘s portrayal of the Fifteenth Doctor has truly captured my heart. Having grown up watching the series, I have seen many incarnations of our beloved Time Lord, but none quite like this one.
Approximately a year and a half ago, during Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary celebration, Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor emerged in an unconventional manner. Unlike David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor undergoing a regular regeneration, he actually bi-generated, which caused him to split off from the Fourteenth Doctor while the latter continued to exist. However, the Fourteenth Doctor is now a thing of the past, with the Fifteenth Doctor reappearing just a few weeks following “The Giggle” for the Christmas special titled “The Church on Ruby Road.” Subsequently, he led the first season of Doctor Who exclusively available on Disney+ outside the UK. We’re now only a few days away from Gatwa’s Doctor returning for this year’s Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” followed by the debut of the next Doctor Who season sometime in 2025.
Despite Gatwa’s Doctor having just one season so far, he has quickly climbed up my list of favorite iterations of the unconventional Time Lord. I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who (it’s quite accessible to watch) for a dozen years now, and while it might take another 15 seasons for him to become my ultimate favorite Doctor, he undoubtedly belongs among the top contenders in my opinion. Here are some reasons why he stands out for me.
He’s Bringing Much-Needed Representation To This Series
To set the record straight from the start: Ncuti Gatwa is not the first Black actor to embody The Doctor; that distinction goes to Jo Martin, who portrayed The Fugitive Doctor during Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the Thirteenth Doctor. However, unlike the Fugitive Doctor, whose role was primarily a plot device for 13’s story, Gatwa will be the main focus in his run, and it’s long overdue! It’s hard to believe that a show like Doctor Who, which has been on air since 1963 (with a hiatus from 1989 to 2005, excluding one TV movie), hasn’t had a lead actor of color until now. But we’ve finally reached this significant milestone, and Ncuti Gatwa, who has previously acted in Sex Education and Barbie, possesses the talent to captivate audiences on the small screen.
He Has One Of The Best Companion Relationships
For every “Doctor Who” enthusiast, there’s a favorite Doctor and companion duo, with mine being The Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald. But the new pairing of The Fifteenth Doctor with Millie Gibson’s character, Ruby Sunday, brought back a heartwarming friendship dynamic reminiscent of the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond. In “The Church on Ruby Road,” 15 and Ruby quickly formed a bond, even though I was hoping for more TARDIS adventures featuring them together. Still, it’s evident that they have a strong, deep platonic connection. Although I’m excited to see Varada Sethu as the new companion Belinda Chandra, I’m also happy that we won’t be saying goodbye to Ruby just yet.
He’s Much More Open With His Feelings
Speaking as someone who’s been captivated by the Doctor’s journey, I can’t help but notice the striking similarity between the Fourteenth Doctor and his Tenth incarnation. Donna Noble suggested this resemblance might be due to the Doctor’s body signaling emotional exhaustion, requiring a break to heal from centuries of traumas. It appears that this rest period has done wonders for him, as we’ve witnessed a more emotionally balanced version since then.
He Balances Being Funny With His More Serious Qualities Quite Well
Playing the role of The Doctor is a complex task, requiring a quick switch between delivering witty remarks and technical jargon, and portraying deep emotion as if the character carries the burden of the universe. Remarkably, Ncuti Gatwa masters this for the Fifteenth Doctor. His humor is consistently amusing, while his ability to convey seriousness is evident, whether it’s persuading prejudiced individuals from marching towards their demise or shedding tears over a friend embarking on a new life phase without him.
He Has Great Fashion Sense
It appears that the increased budget for “Doctor Who” due to its Disney+ deal might be a factor, but let’s set that aside. Unlike past incarnations of The Doctor who typically wore one or a few outfits, the 15th Doctor sports a variety of clothes throughout his journeys. From a sharp blue pinstripe suit in “The Devil’s Chord” to casual attire like a white t-shirt and cargo pants in “Empire of Death,” he has quite an eye for fashion. Even focusing on just one of his ensembles, I particularly admire the brown leather trench coat he first wore in “The Church on Ruby Road” and has since donned multiple times.
He’s Opened Himself Up To Romantic Love Again
During the original run of Doctor Who, The Doctor was mostly asexual. However, when the series returned, the Time Lord started showing more interest in romantic love, notably with companions such as Rose Tyler and Clara Oswald. Nevertheless, since the Twelfth Doctor said goodbye to River Song (and there’s a chance they might meet again), the Thirteenth Doctor didn’t display any romantic inclinations towards Yasmin Khan. But it appears that the Fifteenth Doctor might be open to romance once more, specifically with Jonathan Groff’s character Rogue. Despite being stuck in another dimension at the moment, there’s a good chance we’ll see Rogue again.
He’s The Doctor I Want To See Reunite With Susan
Initially, it seemed at the end of Ncuti Gatwa’s first season as Doctor Who that Susan Triad was actually his grandmother Susan, but this turned out to be a trick by Sutekh. With Susan being frequently mentioned in the last season compared to minimal mentions in previous modern seasons of Doctor Who, it leaves me wondering if she might reappear during the Fifteenth Doctor’s term. I would enjoy seeing her return after such a long absence, and I believe it’s fitting that the Fifteenth Doctor is the one who gets to reunite with her due to her rich history with The Doctor.
Without a shadow of a doubt, my affection for the Fifteenth Doctor is bound to deepen once I watch “Joy to the World” and the upcoming season of Doctor Who in 2025. For now, I’ll be busy catching up on some of his episodes on Disney+ and pondering about what lies ahead for Ncuti Gatwa’s character.
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2024-12-21 02:07