Summary
Ncuti Gatwa is stepping in as the Fifteenth Doctor after David Tennant’s return to
Doctor Who
, accompanied by Millie Gibson and Varada Sethu as companions.
Gatwa’s admiration for the Ninth and Tenth Doctor eras, overseen by Russell T. Davies, is good for the series.
Doctor Who
will attempt to revitalize the series after some disappointment towards the previous two seasons.
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Fifteenth Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa speaks on the two previous Doctor Who eras. Following David Tennant’s brief return stint as the Fourteenth Doctor, Gatwa has stepped in to play the next Time Lord. Accompanied by companion actors Millie Gibson and Varada Sethu, Gatwa’s first full season, Doctor Who season 14, will soon kick off on May 11.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Gatwa unveils his thoughts on the Ninth and Tenth Doctor eras. Gatwa recounted his experience binging every Doctor Who episode that featured David Tennant and Christopher Eccleston. Doing this came easy to Gatwa, as he “just fell in love with it” while watching the seasons to prepare for the role. He was so absorbed in Doctor Who that he said the “show was taking all [his] attention.” Check out the full quote from Gatwa below:
“I just fell in love with it. It was so easy to put my phone in airplane mode and just not reply to anyone because this show was taking all my attention.”
Why Ncuti Gatwa’s Reverence Towards the Ninth and Tenth Doctors is a Good Sign
It is extra important that Gatwa look up to Davies’ previous work on the series, as it represents their creative alignment.
While it is great for the Doctor Who actor to love any and all parts of the franchise, the seasons to which he is referring are of particular importance for the upcoming season of Doctor Who. The series’ Ninth and Tenth Time Lord eras stem from Russell T. Davies’ original tenure as Doctor Who showrunner, which spanned from 2005 to 2010. After a hiatus from the series, Davies made his return to Doctor Who for last year’s 60th anniversary specials, and will act as showrunner again for Doctor Who season 14.
Related Doctor Who Season 14 Cast Guide: Every New & Returning Character The cast of Doctor Who Season 14 is filled with popular actors and actresses to push this classic sci-fi drama into the next generation.
In preparation for the upcoming season of Doctor Who, Davies has mentioned that he would like to return the show to its roots. This is likely motivated in part by Davies’ desire to undo the widely-considered wrongdoings of his predecessor, Chris Chibnall. By returning Doctor Who to the spirit of the previous season, Davies can hopefully gain back the trust of the fan base. Thus far, this is doing well, as the Doctor Who 60th anniversary episodes and holiday special have done well on streaming.
Thus, it is extra important that Gatwa look up to Davies’ previous work on the series, as it represents their creative alignment. His careful study of the Ninth and Tenth Doctor eras will also make it more likely that the new Time Lord actor takes after some of the positive elements of Eccleston and Tennant’s performance. From the brief glimpse of his Time Lord thus far, it seems that audiences are responding positively to Gatwa’s Doctor Who performance. Hopefully, he can continue that momentum and become as well-liked as the previous Time Lords that he was enamored by.
Source: EW
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
Release Date November 23, 1963
Seasons 26
Writers Mark Gatiss , Toby Whithouse , Neil Cross , Steven Moffat , Chris Chibnall
Franchise Doctor Who