Doctor Who: Ncuti Gatwa's Debut Season Leaves Out Two Iconic Villains
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies confirms that Ncuti Gatwa's debut season will be missing two beloved villains, while the BBC plans to release a colorized version of the first Dalek story
Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies, recently announced that Season 1 / Series 14 will not feature two of the franchise's beloved villains.
The debut of Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor is scheduled for 2024, accompanied by Doctor Who newcomer Millie Gibson, who portrays the Doctor's companion, Ruby Sunday.
The debut of the pair is officially titled Doctor Who Series 14. However, Davies recently announced a rebrand to "Doctor Who Season 1" by the show's creative team. This change reflects the reset brought by the Davies/Gatwa era, although it is unclear if the "Season 1" label will be used externally. Gatwa's tenure in the TARDIS is expected to revamp the established Doctor Who chronology, while also reinstating the tradition of the Doctor Who Holiday Special on December 25, instead of New Year's Day as in recent years, as confirmed by Disney, the BBC's new international distribution partner.
Two iconic Doctor Who villains won’t appear in Ncuti Gatwa’s first season
Davies, in the meantime, is fully dedicated to pushing the boundaries with the upcoming season of Doctor Who. In light of a recent press screening for the show's 60th anniversary special titled 'The Star Beast' (as reported by Radio Times), the showrunner emphasized that this innovative approach will also extend to the adversaries faced by the Fifteenth Doctor and Ruby. Specifically, it will involve a departure from the traditional villains, or rather, a notable absence thereof.
Davies explained that both Ncuti and Millie Gibson are newcomers to the show, and the whole Disney collaboration is a fresh and exciting venture for them. He wanted to avoid relying on familiar elements like Daleks and Cybermen and instead embrace the new era. Davies acknowledged that the Daleks have been prominently featured in recent Doctor Who series, so it felt appropriate to take a break from them for now.
The BBC to air colorized version of Doctor Who’s first Dalek story
"There have been an abundance of Daleks recently," stated Davies. "In fact, the Christmas specials by the talented Chris Chibnall have consistently featured Daleks. As a result, they have been overused, causing viewers to anticipate their presence every year. Therefore, I believe it is necessary to give them a well-deserved break."
Davies' break from Daleks does not apply to the ongoing Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations. In fact, the Welsh writer is among those in charge of the BBC's recently announced colorized feature-length edition of the iconic Doctor Who serial "The Daleks," which initially introduced the famous adversaries.
"I am absolutely thrilled with the colorized version of 'The Daleks'," Davies expressed in an interview with Doctor Who Magazine. "I believe it truly vindicates our original intentions." Davies further hinted at another Doctor Who serial receiving the same upgrade in 2024, but chose not to provide any additional details.
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Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the news that Ncuti Gatwa's debut season as the Fifteenth Doctor will not feature two of the franchise's most iconic villains, the Daleks and the Cybermen. On the one hand, I understand Russell T Davies' desire to shake things up and introduce new villains for the new era of the show. On the other hand, I'm a little bit disappointed that I won't get to see the Daleks and Cybermen in action again.
I think it's important to take risks and try new things, and I'm excited to see what Davies has in store for us. But I also hope that he doesn't forget about the classic villains that have made Doctor Who so popular over the years. I'm sure there's a way to incorporate them into the new era of the show without making them feel stale or overused.
