Summary
- Ncuti Gatwa's emotional portrayal of the Doctor has divided fans due to his frequent tears.
- Showrunner Russell T Davies defends Gatwa's emotional portrayal, claiming it adds depth to the character.
- Fans express concern over the excessive emotional reactions in each episode, hoping for more balanced storytelling.
Ncuti Gatwa has been popular with Doctor Who fans for the performances he has brought to the iconic show. While there's a lot of speculation about whether he will remain in the role beyond the current season, fans certainly have no desire to see the Sex Education star leave the science fiction series.
Gatwa has brought a lot of energy to Doctor Who, and his chemistry with his fellow companions has been brilliant to see. However, not every aspect of his performance has been met with positive reactions, as the emotional aspect that he has brought to the character hasn't always been met positively. It's a very important role in television, and anytime audiences find fault with it, there is always going to be a lot of noise.
Doctor Who Must Reveal Who Mrs Flood Is In Season Two
After another tease for Mrs Flood in the second season of Doctor Who proves the series must reveal her true identity.
The Time Lord has shed a tear in almost every single episode since Gatwa landed the role, which has continued in his second season, with the Doctor crying in both of the first two episodes. It has frustrated fans due to how frequent it is becoming, but showrunner Russell T Davies has defended him. He told TV Line, "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."
Deciding to make the Time Lord more emotionally accessible is something that Davies has decided to do on purpose. It does give people the chance to relate to the Doctor more than before, as the emotional responses he has are something people can understand and appreciate. That's important for a character that can often feel too alien to people. It has allowed different stories to be told surrounding him, with the impact of the Doctor's decisions being something everyone can feel because of that. It's a choice that could end up having a role in a much bigger story, too, if Davies is smart, as that would then make it all worthwhile.
The main reason fans don't like the emotional reactions that this version of the Doctor has is because of how frequent they are. They're taking place every episode, sometimes multiple times, and it lowers their impact overall. People don't care about it because there are too many, and that shouldn't be the case, as the Doctor crying should feel like an important moment within the show. However, that hasn't always been the case as the timing of the episodes has meant that things are often rushed to ensure he can get to the end of the adventure, and that means he's often emotional in one moment and then perfectly fine the next, which is the big reason why fans dislike it.
Doctor Who fans had hoped that the emotional responses to his adventures would be toned down for the second season of Gatwa's run in the show. However, that hasn't been the case so far, and given that he has already cried in the first two episodes, it's a safe bet to presume there will be more tears to come in future episodes. Hopefully, they will end up feeling worthwhile if the show builds the story up to the point where Gatwa's tears are validated. But it will remain to be seen whether that happens, or if people will just continue to take issue with this aspect of Doctor Who throughout Gatwa's time in the role.
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
- Created by
- Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson
- Upcoming TV Shows
- The War Between The Land and Sea
- Latest Episode
- The Empire of Death
- Cast
- William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Ncuti Gatwa