“Astonishing”: Ncuti Gatwa Detail in Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 5 Ending Revealed By RTD

One startling aspect about Ncuti Gatwa’s filming of “Dot and Bubble’s” catastrophic closing sequence is revealed by Doctor Who creator Russell T. Davies. The Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) attempted to free a city full of young adults from the sway of a pervasive social media trend in Episode 5 of Gatwa’s first season. In the closing moments of the show, it becomes clear that prejudice and hatred are all too common among people who live in Fine time, and that the slug-like Mantraps are merely a small portion of a much darker reality.

During an interview for the most recent episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed, Davies said that the actor recorded Gatwa’s heartfelt sequence as the first item for the upcoming season. The showrunner and other executives were left questioning if it would be wise to have Gatwa play such a scene on his first day on the set because the actor was taking on such a big moment from the moment he arrived, even though they were left utterly amazed by the actor’s performance. See Davies’ justification below:

You know, I was apprehensive when we gave Ncuti the script. Especially considering that this was the first thing he shot, I was thinking, “My god.” It is incredible because he enters… He performed the regeneration with David a long time ago, but the moment at the conclusion of episode five marks his first official day with us.

There was a collective hush as we thought, “There’s no way you’d start off any lead actor.” We discussed whether to reschedule or give him more time to get settled. Shall we postpone this scene? Finally, we make the decision to try, and whoa—what a fantastic performer.

OVERVIEW
The first thing Gatwa filmed was an emotional sequence from “Dot and Bubble’s” ending, which stunned the team.
Even before the episode aired, Gatwa demonstrated the power of his performance and his skill as a superb Doctor actor.

The film “Dot and Bubble” is notable for its somber and profound theme, culminating in an unforgettable and arresting scene.

How Did Ncuti Gatwa React To “Dot and Bubble’s” Ending Reveal?

Gatwa’s Performance Solidifies Him as A Great Doctor Actor

Though it is possible that Davies and the other voices behind Doctor Who were first hesitant to cast Gatwa in such a potent yet extremely unsettling scene first, it is obvious the actor understands and emphasizes the moment’s full effect even before season 14 aired. Gatwa hinted that a then-unknown season 14 moment in November 2023 that episode 5 required him to “dig deep” and create a lasting effect on viewers upon airing, more than seven months before season 14 began. And given how drastically “Dot and Bubble’s” ending changes the entire episode, it is hard to argue against its success.

It is evident from a few chosen lines spoken by Lindy (Callie Cooke) and the other Fine time survivors that “Dot and Bubble” is not your usual Doctor Who season 14 episodes, as their bigoted viewpoints alter the way audiences perceive each of her interactions with the Doctor. In addition, it is revealed that the Doctor helped numerous survivors escape, indicating that they had experienced prejudice on numerous occasions before to her. In the end, the Doctor is left feeling disappointed and incensed by the survivor’s prejudice, condemning them to death even after having offered them a way out while being aware of their beliefs.

It is obvious why Davies and the people behind the scenes at Doctor Who might have been hesitant to have Gatwa film the episode’s ending first, since “Dot and Bubble” deviates into such an unexpectedly weighty subject while dropping small indications throughout. However, it is evident that a lot of thought and care went into making sure Gatwa felt at ease while filming and producing a powerful ending. As so, Gatwa’s poignant portrayal of a hurt, disappointed hero helped “Dot and Bubble” emerge from one of Doctor Who’s worst endings as one of its most memorable.

Every Friday, new episodes of Doctor Who are concurrently released on BBC I Player for viewers in the UK and Disney+ for viewers worldwide.

Doctor Who (1963)

Doctor Who is a science fiction television series that debuted in 1963 and centers on a formidable entity called a Time Lord, also known as the Doctor. With a variety of companions, the Doctor journeys across time and space on an interdimensional time-traveling vessel called the TARDIS. Together, they solve a few puzzles and both nearly cause and prevent disaster. Despite being the same person throughout, the Doctor undergoes regenerations that enable them to be recast every few seasons as a distinct immortal with fresh characteristics.

Cast: Jenna Coleman , Jodie Whittaker , Alex Kingston , David Tennant , Matt Smith , Peter Capaldi , Ncuti Gatwa , Millie Gibson

Release Date: November 23, 1963

Seasons: 14

Network: BBC

Streaming Service(s): Prime Video , Tubi , Brit Box , The Roku Channel

Franchise(s): Doctor Who

Writers: Mark Gatiss, Toby Whithouse, Neil Cross, Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall

Doctor Who Season 14: Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Everything We Know

Now that Jodie Whittaker’s tenure has ended, the Fifteenth Doctor will soon be on screen, and Doctor Who season 14 is looking to be a daring reinvention for the always evolving iconic sci-fi franchise. Under three distinct showrunners (Russell T. Davies, Steven Moffat, and Chris Chibnall) and five very different Doctor regenerations since its return in 2005, Doctor Who has seen tremendous success. Ncuti Gatwa, the new Doctor in Season 14 of Doctor Who, will usher in a new era, yet one with a lot of well-known characters both in front of and behind the camera.

Season 14 of Doctor Who is almost entirely blank after Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor regenerated once more (but not before David Tennant made a fleeting appearance in the Doctor Who specials). Ncuti Gatwa, star of Sex Education, will portray the Fifteenth Doctor, marking a significant advancement in diversity as the first actor of Black descent to take on the position. Beyond pushing the envelope in terms of equality and representation, Doctor Who season 14 promises plenty more to look forward to, as returning showrunner Russell T. Davies is bringing in plenty of well-known allies and adversaries.

OVERVIEW
The sci-fi series will get a daring makeover in Doctor Who season 14, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor and a cast full of varied characters.
The events of season 14, which debuts on May 10, will be set up in the 60th anniversary special in November 2023.

Returning to his role as showrunner, Russell T. Davies explores the show’s nostalgic element by taking the audience back to the 1960s while bringing back well-known characters and antagonists.

The Latest Doctor Who Season 14 News

Episode Titles & Another Trailer Is Revealed

Another teaser for Doctor Who season 14 has been released, marking the growing proximity of the Time Lord’s current adventure’s release date. The teaser for season 14 further reveals the locales visited by Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor, who is shown traveling to a ball in the Regency Era that appears to have been taken directly out of a Bridgerton episode. In addition, the teaser introduces viewers to the new antagonist played by drag star Jinx Monsoon and features Yasmin Finney’s Rose Noble.

In other developments, the titles of the future episodes of Doctor Who season 14 have been disclosed, along with the writers and directors of each episode. The eight-episode schedule, which was revealed through a sequence of tweets on the official Doctor Who X page (previously Twitter), has a combination of Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat’s writing. View the schedule of upcoming episodes below:

Episode Name Writer Director

“Space Babies” Russell T Davies Julie Anne Robinson

“The Devil’s Chord” Russell T Davies Ben Chessell

“Boom” Steven Moffat Julie Anne Robinson

“73 Yards” Russell T Davies Dylan Holmes Williams

“Dot and Bubble” Russell T Davies Dylan Holmes Williams

“Rogue” Kate Herron & Briony Redman Ben Chessell

“The Legend of Ruby Sunday”Russell T Davies Jamie Donoughue

“Empire of Death” Russell T Davies Jamie Donoughue

Doctor Who Season 14 Release Date

The TARDIS Lands in May

The 14th season of Doctor Who is scheduled to premiere on May 10, 2024. Only a few months after his introduction in the 2023 Doctor Who specials, the Ncuti Gatwa era of the venerable science fiction series officially begins.

Disney+ will stream season fourteen of Doctor Who.

Doctor Who Season 14 Cast

The New & Returning Faces of Season 14

The official cast list for Doctor Who season 14 has revealed a few actors, including Ncuti Gatwa in the lead role. Yasmin Finney has been paired alongside Millie Gibson as the Doctor’s new sidekick, Ruby Sunday. Returning to her role as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart is Jemma Redgrave, while Aneurin Barnard makes her acting debut as Roger ap Gwilliam. Jack Forsyth-Noble will portray Will, and Anita Dobson will portray Mrs. Flood. Veteran of Doctor Who Bonnie Langford will return to the character of Mel Bush, the sixth and seventh Doctors’ companion.

Jinkx Monsoon has been cast as a villain in Doctor Who. Monsoon’s costume is seen on the official series Twitter page, where he is referred to as “the Doctor’s most powerful enemy yet!” Jonathan Groff, star of Mindhunter, will also make a cameo in an untitled role. A few other performers have also been chosen for roles that are not yet public.

The following people make up the full cast of Doctor Who season 14:

Actor Doctor Who Role

Ncuti Gatwa The Doctor

Millie Gibson Ruby Sunday

Yasmin Finney Rose Noble

Jemma Redgrave Kate Lethbridge-Stewart

Aneurin Barnard Roger ap Gwilliam

Anita Dobson Mrs. Flood

Jack Forsyth Noble Will

Bonnie Langford Mel Bush

Jinx Monsoon Unknown Villain

Jonathan Groff Unknown

Michelle Greenridge Carla Sunday

Indira Varma The Dutchess

Lenny Rush Morris

Alexander Devrient Colonel Christopher Ibrahim

Genesis Lynea Unknown