Ncuti Gatwa isn’t just the primary overtly queer actor to play the Physician, however his model of the character is essentially the most straightforwardly queer we have had but. Not like most earlier Medical doctors, his outfits change considerably with every episode, and plenty of of them go far outdoors the bounds of what the character has sometimes worn of their male, straight-presenting incarnations. In the meantime, Ruby is casually bisexual and surrounded by queer family and friends members, and he or she and the Physician are consistently taking part in round with gender norms and expectations.
It is a enjoyable evolution of Davies’ authentic “Physician Who” run, during which the LGTBQ+ themes and illustration have been largely pressured to be channeled via innuendo and winks to the viewers. As arduous because it is perhaps for some LGBTQ+ followers to think about, there have been loads of Whovians who had no concept Captain Jack Harkness was pansexual till the adult-centric spinoff “Torchwood” made it specific; the brand new “Physician Who” leaves no such room for error.
The opposite notable change is simply how joyful Gatwa’s Physician is. Though he’s nonetheless haunted by the revelations of The Timeless Little one arc, the time to heal that Tennant’s Fourteenth Physician was given actually does appear to have helped Fifteen a ton. This Physician is essentially the most optimistic and lighthearted model of the character we have seen since not less than the traditional collection; even when that is unlikely to final, it is nonetheless an enormous breath of recent air for now. Consistent with the collection’ choice to rebrand itself as a brand new present, a recent begin from the revival collection, this Physician acts like an enormous weight’s been lifted off his shoulders. Though simply two episodes in, the brand new “Physician Who” season has already confirmed itself to be a daring, full of life, kindhearted present; it is nonetheless tacky and awkward at occasions, however that power and pleasure goes a good distance.
/Movie score: 7 out of 10.
“Physician Who” premieres on Disney+ on Could 10, 2024.