When I asked new Doctor Who companion, Varada Sethu (who previously worked in the Star Wars universe on Andor), which “space world” she’d want to live in, she said the Whoniverse. “Just because I can jump into the TARDIS and can go anywhere else as soon as things get difficult, I think I would choose Doctor Who,” she said. Her costar, Ncuti Gatwa, who is back for his second season as The Doctor, laughed in agreement: “That’s the correct answer!”
“In Star Wars, the only way out is through. You’re stuck there. I love being avoidant sometimes,” Sethu clarified. Don’t we all, don’t we all—especially lately.
With the new season of Doctor Who premiering April 12 on Disney+, the Daily Beast’s Obsessed spoke with the stars and the showrunner, Russell T. Davies.
The new episodes are only now airing, yet fans are already worried about the future of the show. As of press time, the popular series hasn’t been renewed.
The stars and showrunner, however, are more concerned with the present. “I suspect the world is darkening around us and getting hotter and more strange—certainly more angry. And that’s when you need a lovely big smile coming at you from the mad blue police box, helping you through the world, helping you through the universe, and that’s why there’s always time for the Doctor,” says Davies, who ran the show from 2005-10 and then came back two years ago to usher in the new era of Who.
When I last spoke with him, Davies was optimistic about the state of the world and the more inclusive direction of the show. But that was in May of last year, even before brat summer! Now, Davies said, “it’s even more important” to voyage in the TARDIS. He said, “Doctor Who has a very unique space” in TV land, because “it’s wild and it’s fun and it’s scary and it has a laugh. When you write Doctor Who you have to write at the peak of your intelligence. It pushes you in every single direction. And it’s beautifully British.” Even though it’s made and was originally popular in Britain, where it was first broadcast in 1963, the show became more widely known in the U.S. after its 2005 reboot.
The new season’s premiere is written by Davies, but a roster of new to Who and returning writers fill out the season’s adventures, including an episode that will be set in Lagos and one that takes place during an interstellar Eurovision contest.
Star Gatwa also believes there’s a vital place in this world for the Doctor because “the show is one that really encourages and is an example of compassion and curiosity and a real yearning to understand others no matter how different they may be to you.”
His iteration is more empathetic and emotional than Doctors of the past. He says he portrays his Doctor as a crier because, Gatwa says, “he happens to be in a male body, and I think it’s important that we see men be in touch with their emotions and not be afraid to express them and let them out.” Gatwa’s Doctor doesn’t cry all the time, though; more often he’s wearing that “lovely big smile” Davies mentioned.
As lovely as it is to be part of a show that champions love and acceptance, it’s not always easy being part of a global phenomenon. Gatwa says being The Doctor “is full-on.” He loves it but, “Not to sound melodramatic, but you give up your life for it. That’s not worded well. It will change your life and take up most of your life. You will be spending the majority of your life at work or being associated with work.” However, he says that commitment is what brings him joy in this job.
Coming from another rabid fandom, Sethu says the Whovians are “more vocal in the best way” than Star Wars fans. She then turned to her co-star and gasped, “oh God I don’t want to upset anyone by saying that.” Fearing the nerds from all reaches of the galaxy is her burden to bear as a member of two huge franchises. Of the Whovians, she says, “I really love the kind people who have taken me in and who have welcomed me. I love all the warmth and the family feeling.”
Being part of the Who family means this family-friendly show promises to keep up last season’s trend of diverse, inclusive storytelling that still manages to be a lot of fun—or at least that’s Davies’ goal. “We keep spinning, we keep dancing, we keep punching, as feisty as ever,” he said.
However, it surprised me to learn that Davies doesn’t believe in time travel. “If there were time travelers, we would have met them by now.” Based on what I’m seeing on the news every day, I’d have to agree.
As we were wrapping up our Zoom, Davies said, “It’s a cold, dark universe with no past and no future.” Then he broke into a hearty laugh and said, “and that’s why I have a good time.” So while there’s no quick fix of a TARDIS to save us from our present, at least we have new Doctor Who episodes to look forward to—for the time being.
