For the better part of the past decade or so, the Doctor Who fandom has been the one I’ve danced around, trying to get into it but never fully committing. What made it so challenging was the staggered release schedule, with the UK getting episodes first while those of us in the U.S. had to wait. Often, to my consternation, I’d end up seeing spoilers on Tumblr months in advance, which was discouraging to say the least. However, when the partnership between the BBC and Disney was announced with the plan that it would air all globally on a regular schedule, I was excited to jump back in. That and I was a huge fan of new Doctor Ncuti Gatwa from his Sex Education days.
Sure, it was like make-up homework to watch the five episodic specials, which showed what happened when the 13th Doctor regenerated into the 14th with the visage of David Tennant’s 11th version of the Time Lord. But it was fun to get that refresher through the familiar dynamic between the Doctor and Donna to explain the lore in a short amount of time. And it was nice to give that version of the Doctor a new identity separate from them splitting into Gatwa’s Time Lord. Once he met his first companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) we were off to the space races.
There have been some incredible episodes, including the alien Bridgerton one, which introduced the Rogue (played by Jonathan Groff) as the Doctor’s love interest and expanded on a new lore for this iteration of the character. Sometimes, though, the series gets bogged down with rehashed ideas from other Doctors or threads that aren’t getting paid off and overplayed (Mrs. Flood). Sometimes it seems to hold back on fully committing to Gatwa’s potential as the first Black Time Lord. And as a result some episodes that attempt to address how that does influence how humans tend to see him now feel constrained or as if they are pulling punches.
In the wake of Disney suddenly taking steps back in representation seemingly due to the current political climate, for example by removing the trans storyline in Pixar’s show Win or Lose, it’s felt harder to find Doctor Who on Disney+’s landing page, a move that’s a little bit concerning as a regular watcher of the show on the platform. When I go to see if a new episode is dropped, I often have to search for the show and find the lack of advertising disappointing. It’s a shame because this new era is exciting and captivating because of Gatwa’s magnetism. It drives the show, and every time he meets a new companion or makes friends, it feels as if he could be yours too. So it’s a bummer that Doctor Who isn’t being featured alongside other juggernaut fandoms like Marvel and Star Wars.
The most Disney has done? Last year, the TARDIS showed up at Disneyland for photo ops. That made me wonder if Disney Experiences recalled that Doctor Who‘s presence goes back years. In fact, one of my first tries at dipping my feet into the Whovian world was maybe 13 years ago when I was at Disneyland on the Mark Twain river boat, and I saw the strangest sight on Tom Sawyer’s Island. There were men in fez hats and bow-tied suits or cloaked coats running around. People at the park that day were dressed as various Doctors and companions. When I got off the boat, I asked one of the participants what was going on, and it turned out to be the unofficial Doctor Who meet-up coinciding with Gallifrey One, the Whovian convention in LA. This was well before Disney had any inkling of acquiring the show and the friends I made that day inspired me to watch the show. But like I said, back then the internet was filled with spoilers.
I’m surprised that Disney hasn’t made moves to connect with the audience that came to them even before the show’s acquisition, especially at the theme parks. Recently, other movie-inspired theme parks have begun hosting their own after-dark fandom events, drawing on all their IP partnerships including major sci-fi properties. I’ve wondered if that could mean Disney might finally see Doctor Who as an asset to include in its own fandom offerings. Imagine if Disney finally featured the Doctor during Halloween’s Oogie Boogie Bash, allowing fans to meet face characters inspired by the Fifteenth Doctor and his companions and potentially re-engaging those hesitant older fans by alternating meet-and-greets with the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna.
Hopefully Disney will continue to amplify the show and not miss the opportunity to bring it to life in ways that could bring in more fans and reinvigorate older ones for an era that’s filled with so much potential. I’m frankly tired of the internet’s discourse already fueling rumors of impending cancellation. It’s such a great new chapter that really deserves a chance—the past few episodes with the Doctor’s second companion have been a delightful showcase of Gatwa’s chemistry alongside Andor’s Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra.
Even with a platform as far-reaching as Disney+, it somehow still feels like people are unaware that the show is back and should remain part of the cultural conversation. Gatwa is someone you really can’t take your eyes off as he embodies the magic of the Doctor in ways that allow the glee and joy to shine through during adventures that have served as weekly appointment viewing. If any of the Doctors showed up outside my door, the Fifteenth is who I’d dance with.
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