There’s a storm of negativity surrounding Doctor Who at present. The dissolution of the Disney deal and an uncertain future with the BBC have left fans fearing it’s the ’80s and Michael Grade all over again. A former writer declared Doctor Who “as dead as it ever has been.” A Disney-era director claimed “something went wrong.” Even Peter Capaldi has described the modern series as a “victim of its success.”
Reading the above, anyone would be forgiven for thinking Doctor Who just spent two seasons doing the sci-fi equivalent of Mrs. Brown’s Boys (whatever that would look like), or airing 60-minute installments of Ncuti Gatwa reading the McDonald’s menu.
But when you look back at Doctor Who seasons 14 and 15 (or “season 1” and “season 2,” as they were officially branded), those 16 episodes hit a surprisingly high bar of quality far more often than general opinion is reflecting.
Doctor Who Season 14 Was A Solid Start For Ncuti Gatwa’s Era
In the ranking of Doctor Who‘s Christmas episodes, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” landed somewhere in the middle, but festive specials are their own strange beast within the franchise, and never a reliable indicator of the show’s overall quality during any given year.
The Ncuti Gatwa era proper began with “Space Babies,” admittedly a rather poor opener that offered little beyond the uncanny sight of babies having grown-up conversations.
But Doctor Who bounced back immediately with “The Devil’s Chord,” its ambitious musical premise and magnetic villain striking the right notes despite being utterly ridiculous and gloriously overblown. RTD2 was finally up and running, and maintained that momentum into “Boom.” Very Moffat-y, but also very good, the Doctor’s static stint on Kastarion 3 couldn’t have been more different from the episode immediately prior, showing a versatility Doctor Who had never previously managed.
Veering into folk horror, “73 Yards” joined the pantheon of Doctor Who‘s greatest episodes – not the first time a Doctor-lite episode achieved such a feat. Based on a terrifying premise James Wan wishes he thought of, this Ruby Sunday solo adventure left the most lasting impression from anything in season 14, but its follow-up didn’t fare too badly either. “Dot and Bubble” may not have lived up to its Black Mirror inspiration, but as Doctor Who‘s take on that format, the story made full use of a gripping concept and clever ensemble.
Sure, “Rogue” performed a shameless Bridgerton tribute act (even acknowledged by the episode itself), but even lackluster villains couldn’t detract from the gorgeous production, intense chemistry between Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff, and devastatingly emotional finale. The reel of holographic Doctors was the icing on the cake.
A two-part finale kicked off with “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” which brimmed with promise. Sutekh’s return, a fully-functioning UNIT, plenty of mysteries, MELANIE BUSH – how could Doctor Who possibly pay all this off? Ultimately, it couldn’t, and “Empire of Death” ended Doctor Who season 14 on a sour note with unresolved questions, overt plot holes, overuse of CGI, and disappointing reveals.
Doctor Who Season 15 Was Just As Good, If Not Better
After an improved Christmas adventure with “Joy to the World,” the Fifteenth Doctor resurfaced a little older, a little wiser, and with a new companion in tow. Doctor Who seasons rarely open with a banger, but “The Robot Revolution” represented a noticeable upgrade on “Space Babies” nonetheless.
As before, the fun really started in episode 2. “Lux” mixed a stylish period setting with an innovative animation gimmick alongside hilarious meta references, putting a (very) new slant on the chased-by-a-monster format. Even better, this particular monster could be utterly terrifying at times.
“The Well” was another corker. A surprise sequel to Tenth Doctor episode “Midnight,” Doctor Who once again dipped its toe into horror. This tense, smart, and creative offering could rightfully claim to be season 15’s strongest moment.
As a Ruby-centric story, “Lucky Day” fell short of the heights hit by “73 Yards,” but a strong central message and thrilling UNIT collaboration elevated it above the median.
“The Story & the Engine” is perhaps one of the most underrated installments in Doctor Who‘s entire modern era. Not immediately accessible due to its convoluted villain plot, the hair-raising visuals and hidden depths make for Ncuti Gatwa’s most rewatchable trip in the TARDIS.
Now for something completely different, “The Interstellar Song Contest” more than delivered on the camp promise of its title. But with Susan, the Rani, and the Fifteenth Doctor’s darker side finally breaking free, this was far more than just a lighthearted jaunt through Europe’s most colorful night of the year.
As with Doctor Who season 14, the two-part finale started strongly. The dystopian alternate universe in “Wish World” intrigued, Archie Panjabi’s Rani enchanted, and it started to feel like Doctor Who‘s many, many mysteries were starting to align into something meaningful. Again, Doctor Who fell at the final hurdle. “The Reality War” ignored major plot points, wasted great villains, and generally made very little sense.
With So Many Good Episodes, Why Isn’t Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Era More Popular?
Examining the individual episodes of Doctor Who seasons 14 and 15, twelve of the sixteen aired were really very good. “The Robot Revolution” was passable, leaving only “Space Babies” and the two finales as actual lowlights.
Compared to past Doctor Who seasons, that isn’t a bad record at all. Had episodes like “Boom” or “Lux” aired during RTD’s first tenure as showrunner, they would have been praised to the rafters.
That partly speaks to why Ncuti Gatwa’s era isn’t more beloved. Not only are expectations higher compared to 20 years ago, the scrutiny is more intense, while Doctor Who must also work harder to avoid repeating itself or succumbing to formula.
But Doctor Who hasn’t helped itself either, and a major reason behind the lukewarm feeling towards Ncuti Gatwa’s seasons is the failure of both finales. Gatwa’s era placed a great deal of stock into long-running angles like Ruby Sunday’s mother, Susan’s return, and Belinda getting home. Missing the mark on those put a big dent in the season’s overall appeal. Game of Thrones knows this all too well – HBO’s fantasy series was the best thing on TV for years, then a misguided final season sullied its legacy forever.
The reception may have been more forgiving if Doctor Who wasn’t coming directly off the back of controversial big swings like the Timeless Child and bi-generation. Two more seasons of unsatisfying finales compounded a long-gestating issue with disappointing mystery boxes at the core of Doctor Who.
As a larger serialized story, Ncuti Gatwa’s two seasons of Doctor Who undoubtedly fell short. When viewed in episodic terms, however, those 16 episodes arguably constitute one of the strongest runs modern Doctor Who has ever been on.
- Release Date
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May 11, 2024
- Network
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BBC One
- Directors
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Alex Pillai, Peter Hoar, Ben Chessell, Julie Anne Robinson, Jamie Donoughue, Amanda Brotchie, Dylan Holmes Williams