The Big Picture
- Doctor Who has always been a show that explores social and political issues, and the latest episodes have made queer themes a more distinct part of the show’s DNA.
- Ncuti Gatwa is the first openly queer actor to play the Doctor, making the show even more welcoming for LGBTQ+ audiences. Gatwa celebrates the progress and inclusivity of the series.
- The Doctor’s ability to regenerate and take on different appearances opens up the possibility for the character to look like anybody. Gatwa acknowledges and appreciates the stars who played the Doctor before him.
As a progressive science fiction series from the 1960s, Doctor Who has often been at the forefront of pushing social and political commentary amid its campy tales of adventure and whimsy. From climate change to gun control, the series has touched on a vast range of topics in the six decades since it first began airing on the BBC. While queer themes have been a part of the show for quite some time — at least since showrunner Russell T. Davies rebooted the series in 2005, if not earlier — the latest episodes have brought those themes out of side plots and off hand comments and made them a more distinct part of the show’s DNA.
Now, Ncuti Gatwa is the first openly queer actor to step into the role of the Doctor, and with his presence, and the Doctor’s on-screen actions, have made Doctor Who an even more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ audiences. With Davies exploring the Doctor’s attraction to more than one gender, as well as the concept of the doctor being male, female, and non-binary in “The Star Beast,” the latest episodes feel like a breath of fresh air in a television landscape that has vastly pulled back on queer representation.
Ahead of the upcoming Christmas special, I sat down with Gatwa to discuss his experience stepping into the legendary role of the Doctor. During our conversation, Gatwa celebrated the turning point for the series noting how beautifully the queer themes reflect the forward-looking core of the series. When asked about playing a Doctor that more people can see themselves in Gatwa said:
“Yeah. It just means a lot. It does feel like quite a landmark moment, and it feels really special to have it kind of the 60th, as well, and to see how far the show has come. It’s always been an incredible, amazing show that we’ve always known and loved, but to see how it’s come along is really special because Doctor Who is, at its core, it’s a show about change. It’s a show about progress. It’s a show about looking forward to the future, embracing the new, which is great and beautiful, but it’s also a show that has existed for the amount of time that it’s existed and therefore it can act as a bit of a mirror, a bit of a reflection to Britain and to society, and to what is happening in the world. I believe, truly, that we were always gonna get to this point.”
Ncuti Gatwa Is Grateful for the Doctors That Came Before Him
As he becomes the Doctor, Gatwa is mindful of those who came before him in this role. “Thank my lucky stars that I can sit atop the shoulders of all the Doctors prior to me,” he told Collider, sharing a specific “shoutout to Jo Martin and Jodie Whittaker, two Doctors that came and exploded the possibilities of what this Doctor can look like.”
Gatwa went on to beautifully explain that, as “an alien from outer space,” the Doctor “can look like anybody.” He continued, noting the importance of representation on-screen:
“They’ve opened this door up for everybody to be able to play, and so I’m very lucky that I follow in their footsteps. I think it’s so important that we have this show and I think it’s so important that this show makes people feel seen and represented because, like I say, it is a mirror of society and there’s lots of us in it. There’s not just one group of people that are in society, so let’s see them on our screens, please. I think it would be good.”
Doctor Who’s new Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road” will be available to stream on Disney+ on December 25 at 12:55 PM ET. You can watch the three 60th anniversary specials on the streamer right now. Don’t miss our review and stay tuned at Collider for our full conversation with Gatwa.
Doctor Who
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord “The Doctor” who is able to regenerate, and the Doctor’s human friends. The Doctor and companion’s journey through time and space in the TARDIS – a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box – saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.
- Release Date
- March 17, 2006
- Rating
- TV-PG
- Seasons
- 14
- Studio
- BBC America
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
