1 Ncuti Gatwa Moment Teases The Fifteenth Doctor’s Hidden Dark Side In Doctor Who Season 14
SUMMARY
- Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor brings a cruel edge to the role, adding unconventional humor to the character’s persona.
- Doctor Who season 14 marks a new era with Gatwa as the lead, showcasing a darker sense of humor in the character.
- Scaring the Space Babies may seem out of character, but Gatwa’s Doctor balances humor with genuine concern for their wellbeing.
Doctor Who‘s title character is often a stereotype of kindness, but Ncuti Gatwa brings a cruel edge to the role in the season 14 opener that’s hard to ignore. Of every actor to play the Doctor, Gatwa isn’t the first to tinge his performance with unconventional quirks, as Doctors like Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth and Colin Baker’s Sixth often deviated from the traditional heroic archetype. However, in Doctor Who season 14, episode 1, “Space Babies,” it suggests that Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor is willing to put making himself laugh before certain other aspects of an adventure.
Gatwa leads the Doctor Who season 14 cast as the show enters a new era. Although the Disney era of Doctor Who technically began with David Tennant returning to play the famous Time Lord, the ending of the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials resulted in Tennant passing the baton to Gatwa on a more permanent basis. Gatwa’s first full episode was the 2023 Christmas special, but “Space Babies” marks the beginning of his first set of consecutive episodes. The evil glint in Fifteenth’s eye wasn’t as present in the festive installment, but it’s on full display in the season 14 opener.
Fifteen finds humor in strange places
The station’s unconventional crew in “Space Babies” have all the same traditional likes and dislikes as more realistic infants. While they love being fawned over, they’re understandably terrified of the mucus-based creature lurking on the lower decks. Fully aware of how scared the Space Babies are of the Bogeyman, the Doctor still fires up the viewscreen on the bridge to scare the adorable crew completely on purpose. Not only that, but he goes on to laugh about his actions as the children begin to wail in fear.
The move is an unexpected one from the Doctor and arguably out of character, but new personality traits emerging after the regeneration process is nothing new in Doctor Who canon.
The move is an unexpected one from the Doctor and arguably out of character, but new personality traits emerging after the regeneration process is nothing new in Doctor Who canon. Regeneration results in what is essentially a complete overhaul of the Doctor’s persona and physical appearance, so it would make sense that the character would act unpredictably in the wake of the transformation. Fifteen was also brought into existence via Doctor Who‘s bi-generation twist, so this variation on the process could have instilled especially quirky behavior as demonstrated in “Space Babies.”
Why The Doctor Scaring The Space Babies Still Isn’t Out Of Character
Gatwa’s version of the character still doesn’t do the babies any harm
It’s certainly jarring to see the Doctor terrorizing innocent children, but it’s not something that’s done out of any notable malice. After the Bogeyman is unexpectedly fired onto the screen for all to see, the Doctor’s laughter turns to one charismatic apology, even as Ruby tries to settle the startled youngsters. Ultimately, no one is hurt by the prank, and the moment quickly passes without any lasting trauma.
It’s clear from Fifteen’s other interactions with the Space Babies both before and after he scares them that he’s genuinely concerned about their wellbeing.
If the Doctor had displayed a cold demeanor toward the Space Babies before scaring them, then the scene would have been borderline unforgivable, as there was nothing to be gained from the act. However, it’s clear from Fifteen’s other interactions with the Space Babies both before and after he scares them that he’s genuinely concerned about their wellbeing. He even helps them get to safety at the end of the episode.
A Doctor With A Darker Sense Of Humor Will Be Great For Doctor Who
Whatever makes the Doctor laugh often changes between regenerations
Humor is a big part of the fabric of Doctor Who, and it plays an equally important part in the storytelling as the show’s dramatic moments. As such, it’s important that the Doctor has a sense of humor – even if their various iterations don’t all agree on what’s funny. For instance, the David Tennant era of the show was filled with zany quips, and Matt Smith’s Doctor was always hilariously misreading social situations and landing himself in figurative hot water. However, other Doctors tend to gravitate toward a drier tone, with the humor deriving from their lack of levity.
Gatwa’s early episodes are already establishing that his Doctor enjoys a laugh or two of which his predecessors may not have approved, striking a delicate balance between what’s acceptable and what isn’t. This is a welcome change to the show, as it adds a new facet to the Doctor’s personality as the Disney era of the long-running saga begins. It also separates Gatwa massively from Jodie Whittaker, who was the last actor to play the Doctor on a full-time basis, as her version of the Time Lord in Doctor Who was often friendly to the point of it seeming insincere.
