Guess ‘Who‘s’ coming to Disney
Disney+ welcomes the ‘Doctor’ after 60 years
Whovians got a taste of what was to come this past holiday season when “Doctor Who” premiered “The Church on Ruby Road” as a part of a selection of Christmas specials on Dec. 25, but this spring is finally time for the real deal. Now that fans of the show — and no doubt some new viewers, as well — have been introduced to the Fifteenth Doctor, played by quickly rising star Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”), the TARDIS is officially preparing to take off on a new adventure through time — and from the looks of it, this may be one of the most exciting seasons (or “series,” to the Brits) to date.
Series 14 of “Doctor Who” premieres Friday, May 10, on Disney+ in the United States and Canada.
Kicking off with the 305th episode in the “Doctor Who” saga, Rwandan-scotsman Gatwa has already been turning heads and garnering great reception in the role of the extraterrestrial Time Lord, thanks to his first appearance in “The Giggle,” wherein the Fourteenth Doctor, played by fellow Scot David Tennant (“Good Omens”), passed him the torch.
“He has everything he needs to be a charismatic and defining Doctor for the second Russell T Davies (RTD) era,” wrote Guardian writer Martin Belam of Gatwa’s performance as the Doctor in “The Church on Ruby Road.”
“Gatwa oozed charm,” Belham later added in his article, stipulating that, “when needed, he turned on the seriousness like a tap, looked mortally wounded at time travel being taken lightly, and totally owned the episode.”
All high praise for Gatwa’s performance, to be sure, but Gatwa is hardly working alone on the series.as mentioned by Belam in his Guardian piece, acclaimed Welsh screenwriter and television producer Russell T Davies (“Torchwood”) is once again attached to the newest string of episodes as lead writer/showrunner. In fact, Davies wrote six of the releasing season’s eight episodes, including the premiere and two-part finale (scheduled to air June 15 and 22). Other writers on the show this season include “Sherlock’s” Steven Moffat, who took up lead writing duties on Episode 4, titled “Boom”; and short-film creators Kate Herron (“Rest Stop,” 2014) and Briony Redman (“Forget Me Not,” 2014), who co-wrote Episode 6, “Rogue.”
Behind the camera, direction duties are shared by Jamie Donoughue (“A Discovery of Witches”), Dylan Holmes Williams (“Servant”), Julie Anne Robinson (“Bridgerton”) and Ben Chessell (“Deadloch”), each providing direction on two episodes.
On screen, Gatwa is also in good company. Joined this season by his partner in time travel, the optimistic Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson (“Coronation Street”), the pair navigate “infinite adventures across time and space in the TARDIS” (per Disney+).
“From the Regency era in England to war-torn futures,” the official description reads, “the duo champion the forces of good while encountering incredible friends and dangerous foes.”
With a name reminiscent of the 1967 Rolling Stones’ song “Ruby Tuesday,” the Doctor’s cohort is described by Doctorwho.tv as “kind, curious and playful” and also carefully notes that Ruby “even has a positive influence on her mother, Carla, whose experience with Ruby inspires her to foster over 30 more children.”
Carla Sunday is portrayed by “After Life” and “It’s a Sin” actress Michelle Greenidge, while Angela Wynter, known for her role as Yolande in more than 400 episodes of “Eastenders,” plays Ruby’s nan, Cherry Sunday. Existing fans of the show will be happy to see Yasmin Finney (“Heartstopper”) and Bonnie Langford (“Eastenders”) return as Rose Noble and Mel Bush, alongside Jemma Redgrave (“The Beekeeper,” 2024) as UNIT head Kate Lethbridge-stewart and Anita Dobson (“Eastenders”) as Mrs. Flood, but the fun hardly stops with the familiar “Who” faces.
Joining the cast for this first Disney+ season are “Torchwood” star Indira Varma as the Duchess; Lenny Rush, who last year won a BAFTA at age 14 for his role in “Am I Being Unreasonable?,” as Morris; Aneurin Barnard (“Dunkirk,” 2017) as Roger ap Gwilliam; Jonathan Groff (“Hamilton,” 2020) in a “mysterious and exciting guest role”; and Jinkx Monsoon, twice a winner of “Rupaul’s Drag Race,” who takes on the enchanting role of the Doctor’s “most powerful enemy yet” (according to Doctorwho.tv).
“I’m honored, thrilled and utterly excited to join ‘Doctor Who,’” drag icon Monsoon said following the casting announcement. “Russell T Davies is a visionary and a brilliant writer — I can’t wait to get into the weeds with him and the crew. I hope there’s room in the TARDIS for my luggage!”
Other guest stars are said to include former Doctor Tennant, as well as Catherine Tate (“Starter for 10,” 2006), Ruth Madeley (“Renegade Nell”), Karl Collins (“Trying”) and Alexander Devrient (“All the Old Knives,” 2022), among many others.
Don’t miss a minute of the series BBC and Disney are marketing as “your cosmic joyride.” The time jumping begins when the first two episodes of the season air back-to-back Friday, May 10, on Disney+ in North America. For those interested in across-the-pond timelines (and we all know “Doctor Who” fans love the nuances of time), the series premieres on BBC Saturday, May 11, right before the Eurovision Song Contest’s grand final.