Doctor Who is one of the longest-running science fiction franchises in the world of entertainment. From 1963 to now, the franchise has only grown bigger and turned better with each successive actor playing the time-traveling extraterrestrial. Till now there have been 14 actors who have portrayed the eccentric character.
While the likes of Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and Tom Baker have earned acclaim as some of the best Time Lords, others like Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor have not been so well received, leading to a lot of fans turning aversive to the series. But as Ncuti Gatwa debuts as the 15th Doctor Who, things might just have turned better for the long-running franchise.
Ncuti Gatwa Shines as the 15th Doctor Who
After a terrible reception of Jodie Whittaker‘s Doctor Who, largely due to the writing, Doctor Who is back for another round. Ever since Whittaker’s debut as the 13th doctor, the series received some terrible reviews from the audience, where many fans even explained how they stopped watching the show despite being faithful fans for decades (see Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, Reddit).
But this might all change when Ncuti Gatwa‘s Doctor Who series comes out. Starring him as the 15th iteration of the popular time-traveling character along with Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday, the trailer for the upcoming Disney show is being exceptionally well received.
With some iconic lines like Oh My, Bridgerton and There’s no monsters, just creatures you haven’t met yet, the show will mark Gatwa’s second appearance as the Doctor after his debut in The Church on Ruby Road. And so far there have been majorly positive reviews about the actor’s portrayal, especially since the newest trailer for the series went viral (see X).
The first Black actor to portray the character, his casting was initially met with skepticism and doubt but fans seem to have a change of heart as they appear to be appreciating his character more and more (see Reddit).
Fans Praise Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor Who
Doctor Who has always been a bit manic and eccentric, yet empathetic, kind, and optimistic, something that Gatwa seems to perfectly portray as far as the trailer of the upcoming series is concerned. Not only does he appear to have the iconic Doctor Who charm and gravitas but his portrayal so far seems fun and quirky, making many fans reconsider their relationship with the franchise.
After the trailer for the franchise’s newest season was released, this is how fans have been reacting on the internet:
Holy shit this one actually seems nice.
Did they replace the entire writers team or something?— AnOn (@anon44575173) March 22, 2024
Don't know about how I feel about the Disney part, but wow this actor seems like a good fit for The Doctor.
— Xephyr (@XephyrX99) March 23, 2024
I'm so excited for this, I don't think it's going to beat Matt smith for me personally but I'm sure it'll still be Fantastic!
— Moru (@Moru__221) March 22, 2024
I was skeptical about Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, but he seems to fit the role perfectly !
— Mesh (@fkmyMesh) March 22, 2024
I’ve never seen this show before and this trailer got me hyped
— Matt DH (@DisneyScoopGuy) March 22, 2024
For the first time since David Tennant was the doctor I think I might actually watch Doctor Who.
— Weeaboo Jones DM (@Weeab00J0nes) March 22, 2024
And so while part of the credit also goes to the return of Russel T. Davies as the writer (the brains behind the revival of the sci-fi series in 2005), seeing the fans’ reaction there is no denying that the production made an impeccable choice by choosing Gatwa as the next Doctor Who.
Season 14 of Doctor Who will premiere on Disney Plus on May 11, 2024.
