It’s fair to say that every new Doctor inDoctor Whoexperiences growing pains as they slot into the role, but Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor could be perfect with some minor adjustments. There are very few shows that are so focused on change and embracing new and different things thanDoctor Who, but that doesn’t stop fans from having strong opinions on every minor adjustment in the show. For all of the 60 plus years that the show has been running, Whovians have held firm beliefs about who and what the Doctor is supposed to be.
At his core, he is an alien with two hearts, who has taken a liking to Earth, and tends to spend much of his time on the planet and in the company of the human race, whom he has a particular fascination with. However, theDoctor is not a human, and he has a special ability that allows him to regenerateand transform in moments where his life would otherwise end. Thisregeneration causes him to change physically, but also mentally, often changing core parts of their personality and highlighting new aspects that were less apparent before.
Why An Emotionally Open Doctor Works For Doctor Who
The Fifteenth Doctor’s Emotions Make Sense
While this regeneration appears to be largely random, there are also indicators that the Doctor transforms into whatever they may require to best deal with their new challenges and process the lives that came before. While the first generation was one of the most closed-off and Stoic versions of the character, in their Fifteenth iteration, theDoctor is now a deeply emotional being, who appears to shed tears freely, and experience incredible depths of empathy. While this has been criticized occasionally, it makes sense for the Doctor to be more emotionally open in their Fifteenth regeneration.
Doctor Who: In Defense Of Ncuti Gatwa’s More Emotional Fifteenth Doctor
Ncuti Gatwa is Doctor Who’s most emotional version of the Doctor yet, and while that has proven controversial, the new direction makes perfect sense.
This Doctor experienced regeneration a little differently to many others, as they came through a bi-generation which saw themsplit from the Fourteenth Doctor. However, it was a very short time from the Thirteenth Doctor’s regeneration to now, which could make the Fifteenth feel somewhat uncertain. In addition, theThirteenth Doctor was one of the most private, secretive, and closed-off Doctorsin the modern show, often hiding much of herself from her companions. So, seeing Fifteen become more emotional and expressive, it feels like a natural progression for the character.
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But this same emotional nature has led to some fairly large issues for the Fifteenth Doctor. While many of the earlier Doctor’s had a handle on their emotions, and as a result, they could remain highly perceptive and aware of their surroundings, Fifteen has walked into several problems which could have likely been avoided entirely if they had a little more focus. At one point,Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor stepped onto a mine in the middle of an active warzone. One episode later, they step into a mystical fairy circle and disappear, leaving their young companion all alone.
Fifteen has walked into several problems which could have likely been avoided entirely if they had a little more focus.
While the emotionality of the Doctor is not an inherent problem, and appears to be something that the character needs after being somewhat emotionally stunted, it’s led them to become clumsy and more accident-prone. If the Doctor could find some kind of balance, and ensure that they had enough control and presence of mind to avoid making simple mistakes, they would be one of the best regenerations of the character in a long time. Hopefully,Doctor Whoseason 15can recognize the need for this shift, and try to shape the character into something a little more refined.
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Doctor Who: Released on August 10, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
