This month, the longest-running sci-fi series returns to screens in all its wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey glory. I’m talking about the latest season of Doctor Who (which you’ll have heard called season 15 and season 2, but let’s not get bogged down in that).
With one full season and three specials under his belt, Ncuti Gatwa has firmly put his stamp on The Doctor, who this year will gain a new companion called Belinda Chandra, played by Varada Sethu. She follows in the footsteps of the bubbly Ruby Sunday, portrayed by Millie Gibson, who departed the blue box for pastures new.
The BBC and Disney have been drip-feeding fans with teasers for the new season, but with such sprawling lore, it can be hard to keep track of what the most anticipated things are, especially if you’re a casual viewer.
To help cut through the noise, I’ve spoken to three experts in the Whovian world, all with different backgrounds and takes, to find out what they want to see.
Mrs Flood mystery reveal
All three of the fandom experts agreed unanimously that Ruby Sunday’s ominous neighbour deserves to take the spotlight in the 2025 season of Who.
“I’d love it if she turned out to be the Rani”
Christel Dee
Played by Anita Dobson, Mrs Flood made headlines when she debuted in Fifteen’s first Christmas special, breaking the fourth wall and having a very unsettling moment with Ruby’s grandma Cherry (Angela Wynter) just before the arrival of Sutekh in The Legend of Ruby Sunday.
BBC/Disney/Bad Wolf Studios
Content creator and creative freelancer Christel Dee was hired by the BBC to host Doctor Who: The Fan Show on YouTube, and later The Official Doctor Who Podcast on BBC Sounds. She’s also co-authored two Doctor Who books for BBC Books and occasionally contributed articles to Doctor Who Magazine.
Her expansive knowledge leads her to believe that Mrs Flood is an older face from the Classic Who, masquerading in plain sight: “I’d love it if she turned out to be the Rani – she was last seen in Doctor Who in 1987 (or 1993’s Dimensions in Time if you count that as canon), played by Kate O’Mara. She’s a Time Lord villain like the Master and the last time we saw her, she was wonderfully eccentric and camp!”
The latest trailer featured the character paying a visit to the Interstellar Song Contest (Eurovision fans, rejoice), while showrunner Russell T Davies has teased that big things are to come for Mrs Flood in season 2 – Rani or otherwise. She’ll be making an appearance in every episode, so stay tuned.
More of Fifteen’s unique personality
Every Doctor has their signature take on the role, and Ncuti’s first foray into the TARDIS was bright and bold – and our fandom experts want even more this time around.
His style is a perfect example of these traits. For cosplayer, audio producer and TikTok Doctor Who quiz host Dominic G. Martin, it adds an extra challenge to his work: “Ncuti is the first Doctor who completely overhauls his costume in every episode… Of course, impossible to keep up with cosplay-wise, but I respect anyone who tries!”
Martin’s channels replicate famous Doctor Who outfits, and Fifteen’s ever-changing wardrobe means there’s plenty to enjoy: “I’m very much looking forward to what cracking fashion statements that he’ll be doing this year! We’ve already seen some dashing looks in the trailer and naturally there will be more to come.”
Dee also wants to see more madness from Fifteen, though not necessarily in his outfits: “One of my favourite recent moments was in Joy to the World, when he spent a year working at a hotel with a human called Anita – he was having fun and showing off which was such a joy to watch. Most Doctors have had an eccentric streak, and I’d love to see that dialled up a bit more.”
Fans may recall Eleven’s love of fish fingers and custard and Twelve’s habit of busting out a guitar solo, so it’d be interesting to see Fifteen have his own strange quirk – a fashion show could be just the thing!
Season 14 featured two Doctor-lite episodes, which Davies explained was partly due to filming conflicts with Sex Education for Gatwa. That shouldn’t be an issue with the next instalment, so hopefully there will be more opportunities to see Fifteen’s personality flourish.
“Ncuti is the first Doctor who completely overhauls his costume in every episode… Of course, impossible to keep up with cosplay-wise”
Dominic G. Martin
A complex companion dynamic
While it was certainly fun to see the Doctor and Ruby be as thick as thieves, previous seasons of the show have proved that some of the most compelling relationships don’t follow that path.
Ellie Littlechild is a presenter for the popular YouTube channel, WhoCulture – turning her love for Doctor Who into a profession where she shares news and thoughts on some of the hottest topics in the Whovian world. As such, she watches along with “a far more analytical eye than I ever used to”.
This allowed her to recognise a fatal flaw from the last season, as she “found the dynamic between Fifteen and Ruby to be too clean and therefore it felt a little unrealistic”. It seemed that some fans and critics agreed, with complaints surfacing around how much of the bonding between the pair happened off-screen.
Audiences may get their wish for a more gritty and complicated bond this time around. As Littlechild puts it: “All relationships have moments of conflict and I find that the Doctor/companion relationship works best when they challenge each other, which I feel Fifteen and Belinda will do.”
BBC/Disney/Bad Wolf Studios
Martin agrees that Belinda may be a more unwilling companion: “She wants to go home, and she isn’t going to get there for a while if the trailer is to be taken at face value!”
This trailer confirms that Belinda is dedicated to her job as a nurse and isn’t necessarily looking to be swept up into an adventure through time and space. How the Doctor will navigate this tension will be interesting to see.
“I find that the Doctor/companion relationship works best when they challenge each other”
Ellie Littlechild
Doctor Who’s fear factor
Despite being known for its sci-fi roots, horror is a staple in Doctor Who. To this day, I must keep my eyes glued to any weeping angel statue thanks to Blink, while the phrase “are you my mummy?” from The Empty Child still sends shivers up many of my friends’ spines.
Dee notes that there are similar tones present in the trailers such as “a massive spider lurking in the dark, a jump scare while Kate Stewart walks down a corridor and a giant cartoon character coming to life in the most unsettling way”.
The latter element is a cartoon character called Mr Ring-a-Ding, voiced by Scottish acting royalty and Who alumni, Alan Cumming. Showrunner Davies has already teased that this character will “bring terror”, so it seems fans wishing for the days of more creepy storylines will get their wish.
Littlechild is particularly enthralled by this episode due to its unique visual elements: “I have always loved films/TV that mix live action with animation – think Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Mary Poppins – so this whole concept really appeals to me.”
Last season’s most unsettling episode was 73 Yards, but this was more an omnipresent dread rather than straight-up horror. But will that change in the next instalment?
We won’t have to wait long to find out.
Doctor Who returns to screens on Saturday 12 April. UK viewers can catch the first episode on BBC iPlayer from 8am BST and on BBC One in the evening, while US viewers can watch it on Disney+ from 3am ET/12am PT.
