Summary
Jodie Whittaker is amazed and emotional about her Doctor’s story being a part of Ncuti Gatwa’s era of Doctor Who. Gatwa’s first Doctor Who episodes explore and address the Timeless Child storyline, which was previously met with a divisive response. The inclusion of Ruby Sunday as a fellow foundling allows the Timeless Child story to have new weight and impact in the series.
Thirteenth Doctor star Jodie Whittaker reacts to Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who era acknowledging major storylines from her tenure as the Time Lord. Whittaker took on the role from 2017 to 2022, when her Doctor faced revelations casting doubt on her past, leaving her questioning her place within the universe. While Whittaker’s Doctor would find some closure by the time she departed in “The Power of the Doctor,” Gatwa’s “The Church on Ruby Road” addressed his new history ahead of Doctor Who season 14, which will be his first as lead.
Speaking with RadioTimes, Whittaker shared her reaction to Russell T Davies’ new era of the show and its references to her time on the series. The Thirteenth Doctor actor was left amazed by her incarnation’s story playing a part in Gatwa’s adventures and being firmly enshrined into the canon of the series. Check out Whittaker’s full response below:
It’s amazing. It’s so emotional as well because, for us, it was such a present thing. We were in it and we were living it in real time, and now to be part of the canon and reference points, it’s really magical.
Gatwa’s Doctor Who Era Gives Timeless Child Story The Exploration It Needs
Doctor Who season 12 establishes that the Time Lord is not from Gallifrey and was instead a foundling discovered and used by the Time Lord scientist Tecteun to develop the species’ ability to regenerate. However, this creative decision was met with a divisive response. While the storyline added complexity to Time Lord society and mystery to the Doctor, some deemed it an unnecessary change to the lore. Additionally, many felt the twist wasn’t adequately explored in Whittaker’s era.
Going into Gatwa’s era, it was unclear if Davies would ignore or acknowledge the Timeless Child storyline. However, the showrunner immediately confronted the decision, starting with the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, which explored the Fourteenth Doctor’s unresolved trauma. He then paired Gatwa’s Doctor with new companion Ruby Sunday, a fellow foundling whom the Doctor immediately relates to through his own experiences. As such, the Timeless Child story has finally been given a thorough and impactful on-screen exploration.
With Ruby a key Doctor Who season 14 character and appearing in part of the following season as well, many fans hope to see the pair establish a strong connection through their foundling status. By allowing the Doctor to interact with someone in a similar situation, Doctor Who has reframed the Timeless Child story and given it new weight. As such, it’s good to hear Whittaker’s joyous reaction to her contributions to the series continuing to have an impact to this day.
Doctor Who season 14 begins airing in May 2024. Episodes are set to release on Disney+ for international audiences and BBC One and BBC iPlayer for UK viewers.
Source: RadioTimes
Doctor Who
Release Date November 23, 1963
Seasons 26
Franchise Doctor Who
Writers Mark Gatiss , Toby Whithouse , Neil Cross , Steven Moffat , Chris Chibnall