Steven Prusakowski
If you heard an odd, unexplainable whooshing sound this weekend, don’t worry, there’s nothing to fear, The Doctor is in. That was probably the sound of the TARDIS landing as Doctor Who landed on Disney+ for its simultaneous global premiere with a new season, a new Doctor in Ncuti Gatwa, a new companion in Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), and a returning showrunner who proves that everything old is new again in Russell T. Davies.
Those who took part in the two-episode premiere probably felt a slight shift in the series, not only because of the new Doctor or the looming effects of the bi-generation, but also in how The Doctor got groove his back, literally. There is a restored sense of whimsy or as Ncuti called it, “cheeky chaos” to this season that has already delivered two very unique episodes. The first two episodes already introduced some creative new villains including: The Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon) in “The Devil’s Chord” who graces the screen with some terrifying musical skills and also a terrifying boogeyman of sorts who places our time and space traveling duo in a stick situation for “Space Babies”.
Since the last time Davies served as showrunner back in the 2010 we have seen several Doctors helm the TARDIS from David Tennant to Matt Smith to Peter Capaldi to Jodie Whittaker and back to David Tennant. In addition to all that has changed and regenerated (and bi-generated) in the Whoniverse, the real world has also changed significantly since the last time Davies helmed the TARDIS.
Awards Radar spoke with Davies, Gatwam, and Gibson about the new season (full video interviews can be found below). During our conversation Davies discussed how the changing world helped shape what he wanted to say with this season.
“I think, especially for a young audience, it’s a difficult world now,” expressed Davies. “I think 24-hour streaming news makes us despair of the state we’re in and children are forever being told that. I think something we should all worry about is the state of the younger generation’s mental health.
So in that maelstrom, I wanted to show that was actually full of life and joy and delight. Yes, we have scares and monsters and terrors, but Doctor Who‘s always been very good at representing those kind of childhood terrors, the stuff of nightmares, and banishing them and beating them. I think that’s a very healthy process,” Davies continued. “So we still do that. We still have terrifying things happening, awful things happening, chases, excitement, danger, but there is a profound optimism to Doctor Who.”
Photo Courtesy of Disney+
That optimism is unbound across the new season and displayed across our screens in the most colorful, joyous of ways. I will not spoil how here, but let’s just say there’s always a twist in the end. Davies shared how much that positive energy permeates the series, “I’ve pushed that further beyond optimism to actual joy and fun and laughter on screen. We have a doctor and companion in Ncuti and Millie who simply bounce and sizzle off each other. It’s joy to watch, and that’s what I wanted. I’m very pleased with those two.”
While Gatwa and Gibson expected some wild adventures, neither quite anticipated the showmanship including singing and dancing that the season would ask of them. “I knew it was going to be a lot of energy,” recalled Gatwa. “I remember Russell, when he was signing the scripts over, was like, ‘We go everywhere, we do everything this season.’ So I knew it was going to come with a punch and that we’d be sweating, but we had no idea about it.”
While the moments of pure fun are present there are breadcrumbs dropped along the way hinting at much more trying times for our Doctor and new companion. While details were spared we know that the first bi-generation does not come without consequences. “It’s going to tougher,” said Davies. “I do believe in a season opener that’s fun, and that’s a great thing. It’s a party. Come and join the party. Then I hope you stay – immediately the next episode is by Stephen Moffat (showrunner from 2010-17) the master of the form, an episode called “Boom”, which is as tense and as clever and as dangerous as any episode you’ve ever seen. And yet we still have enormous fun along the way.”
The ability to be scary one minute, funny the next, adding in a touch of drama, and entertaining all the way through is something that marveled Gibson. “Russell ends up having every single genre in every single episode,” said the new companion. “I don’t know how he does it.”
“This season, The Doctor’s facing monsters that have more power than he’s ever faced before,” continued Ncuti. “And he hasn’t got a tool kit, a skill set to battle them with. So it’s interesting seeing The Doctor sort out of his depth. But like always, there’s always going to be such tragedy and dramatic moments in the season. Plus, we need to get to the bottom of the mystery of Ruby Sunday and what’s going on there.”
“We’re both puzzles in this season,” added Gibson.
While it sounds like a lot to promise, Davies seems confident that this season The Doctor delivers the right medicine and it sounds intense. “We’ve got a Bridgerton episode coming up that is just sweepingly gorgeous and full of romance and color and pictures and joy, all heading up towards the series finale. That is one of the toughest stories the Doctor and Ruby will ever go through, and I hope they make it out alive. I genuinely hope that.”
My conversation with Davies ended with the three words that he felt best described the new season: ”Joy. Danger. Extremity.” Combine that with Ncuti and Gibson’s three words: “Timeless. Chaotic. Musical.” And throw in, “Romance” for good measure, and it sounds like the making for quite the amazingly, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey adventure Whovians old and new will truly enjoy.Courtesy of Disney+
Doctor Who is now streaming on Disney+
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