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.”
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).
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+). 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.”
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).
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