How did Ncuti Gatwa respond to the ending revelation for "Dot and Bubble"?
Although Davies and those behind Doctor Who might have originally had doubts about bringing Gatwa in to film such a strong but profoundly upsetting sequence first, it is obvious the actor understands and accentuates the whole effect of the event even before Season 14 started showing. Gatwa hinted over seven months before season 14 debuted that a then-unknown season 14 episode in November 2023 needed him to "dig deep" and leave a clear impression on viewers upon airing. Denying its success is challenging as "Dot and Bubble's" ending drastically changes the entire episode.
With just a few chosen lines spoken by Lindy (Callie Cooke) and her fellow Finetime survivors, it is evident that "Dot and Bubble" isn't a normal Doctor Who Season 14 narrative since viewers view every encounter between her and the Doctor depending on her racist views. Moreover, the Doctor is revealed to have helped numerous survivor's escapes, implying that she has been targets of prejudice many times prior. The Doctor is finally left disappointed and enraged by the survivor's prejudice, punishing them to death even after providing them with an escape despite knowing their views.
"Astonishing": Ncuti Gatwa Detail In Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 5 Ending Revealed By RTD
Russell T Davies, showrunner for Doctor Who, shares an incredible detail behind Ncuti Gatwa's filming of "Dot and Bubble's" tragic ending scene. In the fifth episode of Gatwa's first season, the Doctor and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) sought to free a city full of young people from the grasp of an all-encompassing social media craze. As bigotry and hate are all too common among people who call Finetime home, it becomes clear in the last minutes of the episode that the slug-like Mantraps are only a small portion of a more terrible reality.
Davies revealed during an interview for the most recent Doctor Who: Unleashed episode that Gatwa's emotional moment was the first he filmed for the new season. Though they were left very stunned by the actor's performance, the showrunner and other higher-ups were left wondering whether having Gatwa do such a scene on his first day would be the appropriate choice given the actor was carrying such a big moment as soon as he arrived on the site. See Davies' following for his explanation:
Doctor Whose: An Old Reviewed
Originally originally televised in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series about the Doctor—a powerful entity known as a Time Lord. Traveling time and space with different companions, the Doctor solves several problems and helps prevent catastrophe as much as he almost causes using an interdimensional time-traveling ship called the TARDIS. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they regenerate to be recast every few seasons as a different immortal being with fresh personality traits.
Given how masterfully Davies performed on his last term as showrunner, viewers have been ready for his return to the show. The franchise is eager about the fresh ideas the showrunner will bring to the series since Davies indicated he plans to use UNIT more often. UNIT might take the stage in fresh stories; perhaps the showrunner will be able to bring the production back alive.
The Part Played by the Doctor
Davies and others behind the scenes at Doctor Who would have had concerns about Gatwa filming its ending first, given "Dot and Bubble" veering into such an unexpectedly weighty subject while laying subtle hints throughout the episode's running length. Still, it is evident that significant thought was given to make sure Gatwa felt at ease during filming and to create an arresting last scene. Gatwa's dramatic portrayal of a tormented, disillusioned hero helped "Dot and Bubble" to leave one of Doctor Who's worst endings among the most unforgettable ones.
Doctor Who airs fresh episodes on Disney+ for viewers worldwide and BBC iPlayer for those in the UK every Friday concurrently.
An Era New for Doctor Who
We presented the scipt to Ncuti, and I was dubious. "My god," I thought, particularly "cos this is the first thing he shot." It is remarkable, 'cause he arrives in. He performed the regeneration with David back then, but really his first day with us, his first true day, comes at the conclusion of episode five.
Thinking, "That's no way you'd start any lead actor off," we were all sort of holding our breaths. We discussed it; should we change our plans, should we let him settle in? Should we cancel this scene? And at last we decide to go for it; bam, that's a fantastic actor. He just strikes it, and among all the performances I have watched, this is among the most amazing.
Doctor-Lite Episodes
There are various Doctor-Lite episodes in the present era of Doctor Who; the Time Lord is absent from the narrative, hence someone else has to step in. These productions will keep building on the franchise. It presents a fantastic chance to compile a gripping narrative.
Source: Doctor Who Unleashed
