Doctor Who's latest season is underway, and we've been promised answers are coming in the new episodes rolling out for those with Disney+ subscriptions. Russell T. Davies has already confirmed we'll learn more about Mrs. Flood, and he's setting the record straight on fan theories about Ncuti Gatwa's version of The Doctor. While there have been theories that there's a reason his Doctor cries so much, RTD has shut that down pretty handily.
Ever since his bi-generation from David Tennant's 14th Doctor, The Doctor has had no issue letting the tears flow when he's scared, upset, or desperate to get out of a bad situation. Fans have speculated there's a reason in the larger story arc for this, but as Russell T. Davies confirmed to TVLine, the scripts have never specifically called for the character to cry during certain scenes. He explained why and how the decision is entirely up to Ncuti Gatwa on whether he cries:
You don’t tell an actor whether to cry, not to cry, not an actor of that stature. Absolutely not. It’s like, you wouldn’t tell anyone to laugh or not to laugh! It’s beautiful thing he does, and it’s a completely new thing for the Doctor, that opens doorways into whole new experiences. Diversity is many things, and sometimes it’s putting emotions on screen you haven’t seen before, or that the Doctor has withheld himself from.
It's interesting to hear RTD's perspective on how to handle stars of Doctor Who, and that the decision to cry is one of the creative freedoms that Ncuti Gatwa has on the show. He's one of the main reasons I've considered the new era a blast, and others on CinemaBlend consider him one of their favorite Doctors.
Not everyone is a fan of The Doctor shedding tears, of course, as some believe a 1000+ year-old Time Lord should have some thicker skin given all he's encountered over the years. Russell T. Davies shared his response to those who dislike the crying, and speculated they're in the same camp as other fans who tend to complain:
But it does make me laugh…. I know sometimes fans get up in arms about and they complain about it. They’re the same fans who say, ‘Why don’t you do something new with the program?’ and you’re like, 'hello?'
RTD advocates for his star as people continue to speculate how much longer Ncuti Gatwa will remain the star of Doctor Who. Rumors have persisted that the actor is exiting, and the BBC dodging the question, along with the actor taking a role in a play later this year, haven't helped kill that speculation.
So, for anyone upset by the crying, there's a chance we'll see The Doctor get a new face before too long. If that's the case, one would imagine we'd hear about the series searching for its next Doctor, as keeping that under wraps would be a pretty hefty challenge.
Despite a strong start and solid reviews on the season premiere, Doctor Who is still hoping to maintain and likely grow its audience for this latest season. A decision to renew the series will not be decided on until Disney+ and The BBC have had a chance to look at the viewership numbers, and it's looking more likely than not that fans are in for a gap year without a new season of the sci-fi series.
There might even be a chance the show is shelved or put on hiatus, but fingers crossed, fans continue to watch and pull more people in.
Doctor Who streams new episodes on Disney+ on Saturdays beginning at 3:00 a.m. ET. Check out the new season, and be sure to watch as soon as possible if you're someone who wants to see the show keep on going for more seasons.
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