Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who Does 2 Things No Other Doctor Would Ever Do

The Arrival of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor

Ncuti Gatwa was introduced as the Fifteenth Doctor in the final 60th anniversary special, 'The Giggle,' in which he unexpectedly teamed up with Fourteenth Doctor David Tennant against the Toymaker. Now, 'The Church on Ruby Road' has brought Doctor Who back to Christmas in style.

Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa Nightclub Dance

Gatwa has already established himself as a powerful Doctor, one who can command just as much attention as Tennant himself - which is something of an accomplishment in its own right. 'The Church on Ruby Road' allows viewers to see this new Doctor for who he really is, though, a mysterious and enigmatic time traveler who no longer carries the trauma of the past, and is willing to embrace life in all its fullness. But this Christmas special also confirms the Fifteenth Doctor is unlike any other incarnation, with the Doctor shown doing two remarkable things.

Doctor Who Goblins

Ncuti Gatwa's Clubbing Scene Proves The Fifteenth Doctor Is Very Different

The first of these two moments - one actually seen in the Doctor Who Christmas special trailer - sees the Doctor go clubbing. Previous incarnations of the Doctor have been able to dance formally (Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor), or dance awkwardly, as a manifestation of their social anxiety (Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor). But Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor is a raver, able to lose himself in the joy of music and bring joy to all who see him dance. The moment is actually a beautifully poignant one, because showrunner Russell T. Davies based this on how he met his late husband, Andrew Smith, back in 1998.

At the same time, though, it's important to note Davies' approach is not unusual. Doctor Who has a long history of trying to base itself in the real world; it's part of the magic of the best alien invasion stories, while many monsters are designed to take advantage of everyday things ranging from statues to shadows. In fact, the first Doctor to be seen in a nightclub was actually William Hartnell's First Doctor, in the 1966 story 'The War Machines.' He even picked up two companions there, to boot.

Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Is The Most Musical Doctor Yet

But that's not the only surprise in Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor. Gatwa is undeniably the most musical Doctor yet, as seen when he uses a musical number to distract the Goblin King while he plans his escape from the Goblin ship. Other Doctors have been able to sing a tune too - Pertwee's Third Doctor used music to tame the beast Aggedor on the planet Peladon - but Gatwa sings for no other reason than his Doctor clearly likes the idea of doing so.

There have been rumors Doctor Who season 14 will see the show finally embrace the potential of a musical episode, an idea that's all the rage in popular culture (and, in truth has been since Buffy the Vampire Slayer's 'Once More With Feeling'). After 'The Church on Ruby Road,' these rumors feel a lot more likely. And that's a thrilling possibility, because it means Doctor Who really is going where the 60-year-old science-fiction TV show never has gone before.