Doctor Who series 14
The fourteenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 11 May 2024, and aired through to 22 June. The series is also known as "Season One" following the production changes and the acquisition of Doctor Whos international broadcasting rights by Disney+. It is the fifth series led by Russell T Davies as head writer and executive producer and the first since his return to the show, having previously worked on it from 2005 to 2010. This series is the fourteenth to air since the programme's revival in 2005, and the fortieth season overall. The fourteenth series was announced with Davies' return for its 60th anniversary in 2023 and beyond, with Bad Wolf becoming a co-producer.
The series is the first to star Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, a new incarnation of the Doctor, an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box from the outside. The Fifteenth Doctor was introduced in "The Giggle" through a "bi-generation", in which he split from his predecessor, the Fourteenth Doctor, rather than replacing him. The series also introduces Millie Gibson as the Doctor's newest companion, Ruby Sunday.
Preceded by a Christmas episode on 25 December 2023, the series consists of eight episodes directed by Julie Anne Robinson, Ben Chessell, Dylan Holmes Williams, and Jamie Donoughue. Alongside Davies, who wrote six of the episodes, the writers are Kate Herron, Briony Redman, and former showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat. Filming began in December 2022 and concluded in July 2023. It was the first series to be produced at Wolf Studios Wales, following the move from Roath Lock Studios for the preceding anniversary specials. Reviews for the series were mostly positive, although some criticized the resolution to the series' story arc.
Episodes
; Notes
Casting
Main characters
Auditions for the role of the Fifteenth Doctor started in December 2021, assisted by casting director Andy Pryor. Davies was interested in casting "new talent" and someone "younger", with most of the actors who auditioned under the age of 30. There was no limit on gender or background, with auditions held for men, women, and one non-binary actor. Pryor said of casting the Doctor: "you always want someone unexpected... an actor who contrasts with what's gone before yet still brings those essential qualities that the Doctor has". Ncuti Gatwa was the final candidate to audition for the role. Gatwa was previously best known for his role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education. Davies said that the production team "thought had someone and then in he came and stole it", describing it as "the most blazing audition". Executive producer Phil Collinson stated that Gatwa "did things with that I'd never seen an actor playing Doctor Who do".Davies wanted a "more emotional Doctor" who's open about their feelings and "carries those emotions on the surface more visibly instead of hiding them away." He described this iteration as "a hero for a young audience"; contrasting the Doctor to traditional superheroes who "punch through walls", but instead he's the "cheeky kid at the back of the classroom". Gatwa was cast in February 2022, and was officially announced as "the new Doctor" on 8 May 2022. Gatwa described the role as "an institution", and said that "unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show." Many reports stated that Gatwa would play the Fourteenth Doctor and that Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor would regenerate into an incarnation portrayed by Gatwa. Upon Whittaker's final appearance as the character, she instead regenerated into a form seemingly identical to the Tenth Doctor. This character, portrayed by David Tennant, was confirmed to be the Fourteenth Doctor, with later clarification that Gatwa would actually portray the Fifteenth Doctor. Davies admitted that the team placed "a few false stories" in the media to inhibit any guesses of Gatwa.
Davies wanted this Doctor to have an "energetic" and "youthful" relationship with Ruby Sunday, his new companion. Millie Gibson was suggested due to Davies' familiarity with Coronation Street and her role as Kelly Neelan. Gibson attended in-person auditions on 24 September 2022 at the Bad Wolf production offices in London. Gatwa was also present for the audition. He said that he felt that his Doctor "needed someone that has that same sort of slightly tapped, slightly crazy energy", which Gibson delivered in her audition; and described their pairing as the equivalent to "two troublemakers". Gibson was cast nearly three weeks later on 12 October 2022. During Children in Need on 18 November 2022, Gibson was officially announced as the Fifteenth Doctor's companion. According to writer Steven Moffat, Davies described Ruby in early stages as "the classic companion - she's not a quirky 'different' one", adding that she's similar to the likes of Amy Pond and Rose Tyler, two previous companions in the show. Davies said that he wanted to continue his tradition of inventing companions who start as "the most ordinary people", capturing the essence that "the TARDIS could land on a street corner and take anyone... who doesn't want to go to those endless horizons?". Davies elaborated on the character of Ruby, stating:
In December 2023, Gatwa commented that he was told off for using profanity while in-costume, and that the younger audience of Doctor Who contrasted with what he had become used to from his previous role on Sex Education.
Recurring and guest characters
After being introduced in "The Church on Ruby Road", Michelle Greenidge and Angela Wynter recurred throughout the series as Carla and Cherry Sunday, Ruby's adoptive mother and grandmother. Anita Dobson also appeared in multiple episodes as Ruby's neighbour Mrs Flood. Jemma Redgrave returned to her role as UNIT leader Kate Lethbridge-Stewart once again, as she did in the 2023 specials, appearing in three episodes. Following her appearance in "Wild Blue Yonder" as Mrs Merridew, Susan Twist held multiple roles in the series' first six episodes as seemingly disparate characters. In the two-part finale, Twist had a final role as Susan Triad, which revealed connections between the characters. Alexander Devrient and Yasmin Finney returned from the 2023 specials to portray Colonel Christopher Ibrahim and Rose Noble. Nicholas Briggs also reprised his role as the voice of the Vlinx. Gabriel Woolf returned to the programme to voice Sutekh, a character he previously voiced in the 1975 serial Pyramids of Mars. Bonnie Langford appeared as former Doctor Who companion Mel Bush.The first guest star announcement for the series occurred on 9 January 2023 when it was revealed that Aneurin Barnard would appear as Roger ap Gwilliam. Davina McCall played a fictionalised version of herself in the Christmas special. Lenny Rush was cast to voice baby Eric in "Space Babies", but after producers were impressed by his performance, Rush was promoted to the role of UNIT scientific advisor Morris Gibbons. Jinkx Monsoon joined the series to play a "major role", later revealed to be Maestro in "The Devil's Chord". Varada Sethu, who had previously been announced as a new companion for the fifteenth series, made a surprise appearance in "Boom" as Mundy Flynn. Davies said her role in series 15 would not be the same character, but that the two would be connected. An additional guest role in the series was announced to be played by Jonathan Groff. Groff ultimately portrayed the titular character in "Rogue". Indira Varma, who previously starred as Suzie Costello in the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood, appeared as the Duchess of Pemberton in the same episode. Paul Forman was cast as Lord Barton. Seven additional guest stars were revealed on 31 March 2024 which included Golda Rosheuvel, Callie Cooke, Siân Phillips, Bhav Joshi, Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy, Tachia Newall and Caoilinn Springall. Other guest roles were played by Amol Rajan, Tom Rhys Harries, Genesis Lynea, and Sian Clifford.
Production
Development
The series is the first to be produced under an international streaming partnership with Disney Branded Television, after the company bought rights in 2022 to stream future episodes on Disney+, starting with the 2023 specials. The BBC were interested in finding a streaming partner to "transform Doctor Who into a global franchise". Davies' vision aligned with the BBC's, adding that the show deserves to be amongst "the big hitters" in the modern streaming world. He also wanted the show to have a higher production value, with the Disney partnership elevating the show's budget. Davies explained that "if you want Doctor Who to have a bigger budget, it's not right that it comes from the licence fee—it is right that we go to a bigger broadcaster, a bigger platform, and go into co-production with them." Before any scripts had been written, Davies pitched "the concept of the entire first series" to Disney, providing them with a "rough format of how it would go and the shape of it and what it would look and feel like." Disney reportedly signed a two-season order for the show.To coincide with launching the show on Disney+, the series was rebranded as Season 1. Davies explained that continuing with "series 14" could turn away new audiences on the platform; adding that "the reason why it's survived for all these years is that every so often, Doctor Who stops, opens the door and refreshes itself, and gets a new audience in." Former showrunners Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall had considered similar titles for their debut series. Davies wanted to modernise the show and "bring 2024 to it", with "new energy" and "territory we've never touched before"; with an aim to make it "madder, wilder and funnier". He also wanted to push "the sense of fun" into the show "because I think we need it... In this day and age, come and have fun." Davies wanted the series to be an escape from a "tough world": "I want people, of all ages, frankly, to turn from the news and to turn from whatever aggression there is online and to come to a nice, safe space, where we'll have a good time." According to Davies, the BBC wanted the show to strengthen its engagement with the younger demographic, with Davies tasked with creating a "simpler and younger" version of the programme.
Julie Gardner, Jane Tranter, Phil Collinson and Joel Collins all continued to serve as executive producers alongside Davies, with Bad Wolf co-producing the show alongside BBC Studios and Disney Branded Television. Moffat was credited as executive producer of the third episode, "Boom", for which he wrote the script and led the production process. Julie Anne Robinson, director of "Space Babies" and "Boom", also executive-produced those episodes.