Doctor Who

Warning : spoiler ahead for Doctor Who season 14 , installment 7

Summary

Dr. Who ’s titular protagonist has constantly evolved over the decades , but season 14 indicate Ncuti Gatwa ’s avatar regret one go back aspect of his predecessors . Since return in 2005,Doctor Whohas been a very dissimilar beast compared to the classical serial publication that publicize between 1963 and 1989 . The " no kissing in the TARDIS " principle has been relax to allow kissing both in and around the ship , fellow traveller do much more than just running around and screaming , and season - long arcs are far more common .

Doctor Whoseason 14 ’s own long - term electric discharge come to a forefront in " The Legend of Ruby Sunday , " which exposesthe One Who Waits as Sutekh . The installment also hold a major reveal regarding the Doctor ’s shaver , as Fifteen allow his own young have n’t yet been hold . In the midst of these revelations , Ncuti Gatwa ’s character subtly read rue over a personality trait have by most ofthe Doctor ’s past regenerations .

We ’ve known that the Doctor has a granddaughter for over 60 years , but what has Doctor Who uncover about the Doctor ’s children between 1963 and now ?

Doctor Who Season 14 Poster

The Fifteenth Doctor Thinks He Was Too Closed-Off In Past Regenerations

Doctor Who Really Did Live Up To Its Name

InDoctor Whoseason 14 , episode 7 , " The Legend of Ruby Sunday , " Kate Lethbridge - Stewart questions the Doctor over why he never discussed Susan , even with his close friend . Fifteen ruefully order the leader ofDoctor Who ’s UNIT team , " I was a different Doctor back then , Kate . The Great Enigma . Still ca n’t shake it off . I ’m trying … " The conversation recognize how previous Doctors were far more reticent , and sustain this is something the Doctor regrets about his past regenerations .

Susan ’s only onscreen , canonDoctor Whoappearance after departing in 1964 came via 1983 ’s 20th anniversary special , " The Five Doctors . "

One of the handsome differences between classicDoctor Whoand the reclaim show post-2005 is the Doctor ’s more open , human personality . Previously , the Doctor was an alien , standoffish , closelipped digit who , despite being extremely empathetic , could always rest slightly detached . The cognitive process of making the Doctor more relatable began with Paul McGann ’s Eighth Doctorin the 1990s , but accelerated rapidly with David Tennant , Matt Smith , Jodie Whittaker , and now Ncuti Gatwa . Gatwa ’s accession of " I ’m trying … " provides a canon explanation for why mod Doctors have become more emotionally available compared to their classic vis-a-vis .

Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor next to a lineup of former regenerations in Doctor Who.

Why RTD’s Modern Doctor Who Needed To Change The Doctor

Changing The Doctor’s Persona Was An Important Part Of Modernizing Doctor Who

The phylogeny of the Doctor from 1963 ’s burry grandfather anatomy to 2024 ’s friendly fashionista is a drastic transition , however gradual it may have been , but modernDoctor Whowith a closed - off Doctor simply would n’t be sustainable . Audience expectations and appreciation have morph massively over the preceding 60 years , with tv set viewer more and more expecting things like fully - formed agonist , more advanced scripts , fictitious character with aroused depth , and respect for canon persistence .

ForDoctor Whoto deliver the goods post - millennium , the persona of the Doctor need to commute . " The Great Enigma " of the classic geological era was ideal for its time , and watch those episodes back stay a hugely enjoyable experience in 2024 , butDoctor Whocould never continue in that vein and realistically bear new generations to invest in its primary character . Even Christopher Eccleston and Peter Capaldi ’s doctor - who both fill the gruffer destruction of the Time Lord ’s personality spectrum - have considerable development across their respective reigns , softening as the season passed .

The Doctor’s “Great Enigma” Regret Fixes Canon (& Makes Doctor Who’s Future More Exciting)

How Fifteen’s Doctor Who Season 14 Admission Impacts The Show’s Past & Future

The Fifteenth Doctor ’s admission that his Greco-Roman regeneration acted like " the Great Enigma " allowsDoctor Whoto retroactively explain a glutinous aspect of the show ’s labyrinthine canon . All regeneration of the Doctor , disregardless of epoch , have always cared about their companions . It always felt peculiar , therefore , that the Doctor never revisited Susan onscreen , or spoke about his small fry , or tried to restore Jamie and Zoe ’s memories . The genuine - world account , of grade , was thatDoctor Whoneeded to keep moving ahead after plaster cast members leave the show , but from an in - universe position , it never made sense - the steadfast refusal to hash out Susan especially .

The Doctor ’s newfound excited maturity date will give up former comrade to stay connected with the Time Lord , just like Mel inDoctor Whoseason 14 ’s final episodes .

The Doctor ’s facial expression of ruefulness in " The Legend of Ruby Sunday " paint the emotionally elusive traits retain by past incarnations as a defense mechanics . In other words , the old Doctors desperately wanted to severalize the Brigadier all about Susan and how gallant he was of his estranged granddaughter , but keep off doing so for fear of picking at an excited wounding . It ’s an explanation that at least attempt to polish over an element ofDoctor Whocanon that has traditionally been very hard to excuse .

Jenny, the Doctor, and Susan with Gallifrey as a backdrop

The latest Doctor Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday.

The First Doctor impart his granddaughter , Susan Foreman , on Earth , but Doctor Who media has allow for several update on her status since then .

The Doctor seek to commute his ways may seem anathema to the part ’s initial design , but it does makeDoctor Whoseason 15and beyond more exciting . utter more openly about Susan - or just acknowledging her world - maintain the door open for her eventual return .

And rather than briskly moving on every time a raw companion enter the TARDIS , the Doctor ’s newfound worked up adulthood will earmark former companions to appease link up with the Time Lord , just like Mel inDoctor Whoseason 14 ’s final sequence . This path , the physician ’s Friend and family begin to attend less like a string of disgruntled exes and more like an ever - revolving bike of friend who come in and go .

The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) looking anguished  in Doctor Who season 14, episode 7.

sequence

Disney+ Release Date

" Space Babies " and " The Devil ’s Chord "

Carole Ann Ford as Susan in Susan’s War Doctor Who cover.

May 10

" Boom "

May 17

Doctor Who

" 73 Yards "

May 24

" Dot & Bubble "

May 31

" Rogue "

June 7

" The Legend of Ruby Sunday "

June 14

" Empire of Death "

June 21

The latest MD Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor , joined by new associate Ruby Sunday .