As soon as upon a time, I used to be an enormous fan of Physician Who after binge-watching each episode that was accessible once I first found the 2005 revival. I’ve watched and rewatched a few of David Tennant’s prime episodes as Ten, I warmed as much as Matt Smith as Eleven, and sure, I do decide individuals who simply skip over Christopher Eccleston’s transient however glorious run as 9. Someplace alongside the best way, although, I fell out of affection with the long-lasting present and by no means recommitted to testing the varied Medical doctors that I missed.
Then, I occurred to be scrolling on X (previously often known as Twitter) after the newest episode of Ncuti Gatwa as Fifteen within the 2025 TV schedule, and I noticed by happenstance that it referred to as again to one in every of my favourite episodes from the Tennant period. That was sufficient for me to signal into my Disney+ subscription and take a look at my very first episode of Physician Who in a number of years.
Once I Fell Out Of Love With Physician Who
First issues first, although! I first began Physician Who as a very clean slate when solely the primary six seasons had been accessible streaming, to the purpose that I did not even learn about regeneration till I noticed Christopher Eccleston remodel into David Tennant. I laughed, I cried, I grew overly connected to companions after which cried some extra… within the 4 seasons and specials produced below showrunner Russell T. Davies, a.okay.a. the Eccleston and Tennant eras, earlier than Sherlock‘s Steven Moffat took over.
Contemplating that the one Physician-heavy episodes penned by Steven Moffat that I ever actually liked had been within the first season and I’ve a longstanding grudge in opposition to “The Woman within the Hearth,” I wasn’t shocked that the brand new route for Matt Smith as Eleven with Moffat as showrunner simply wasn’t working for me. To every their very own, in fact, and the sooner storytelling model simply hooked me greater than all of the twists, turns, and grand timey-wimey explanations that might match by means of a crack within the wall. I nonetheless suppose Moffat’s personal Weeping Angels had been scarier within the RTD period.
That is to not say that I did not chortle and cry on the proper locations throughout Eleven’s run as soon as I began watching dwell, and I dutifully tuned in to the fiftieth anniversary particular regardless of waning curiosity. However I did not come again for Peter Capaldi as Twelve or Jodie Whittaker as 13, and even David Tennant’s complicated return did not get me again on the Physician Who practice. It wasn’t till I noticed a clip on X that includes previous footage of Tennant in a brand new Ncuti Gatwa episode that I needed to test it out, and that was as a result of the previous footage was from none apart from “Midnight.”
Why “Midnight” Was A Nice Episode
For those who’ve missed out on “Midnight” or simply want a refresher, here is a crash course on Episode 10 of Physician Who‘s fourth season. Airing again in 2008 and written by Russell T. Davies, “Midnight” was about as mild on particular results as any episode I can recall and really mild on Donna (Catherine Tate), each of which really labored fairly nicely for the plot.
What was imagined to be a sightseeing tour on the uninhabitable however stunning planet Midnight went sideways when the passengers – together with the Tenth Physician – discovered that one thing apparently might survive deadly radiation exterior of the car. The creature was by no means seen or named, however first manifested by knocking on the perimeters of the shuttle after which took over the thoughts and physique of one other passenger, Sky Silvestry.
And from that time on, essentially the most harmful risk of “Midnight” wasn’t the mysterious creature, however from the people who had been giving into their worst Lord of the Flies-esque impulses on the shuttle, egged on by one another’s worry. With out Donna there to humanize him, the Physician’s ego backfired by alienating the human passengers, and he could not even communicate for himself when the entity took his voice as nicely.
The storyline was largely offered by the performances, significantly from David Tennant and Lesley Sharp as Sky. It should not have been all that scary, however the threats inside and with out had been fairly nice, and it is chilling to suppose again and keep in mind that the Physician would have been thrown out to his demise if not for the sheer luck of Sky/the creature quoting “Allons-y” at simply the proper second to clue anyone else in about who actually wanted to be destroyed.
I nonetheless return to rewatch “Midnight” each from time to time, so how might I not take a look at the sequel episode all these years later with Ncuti Gatwa? Ten was scared sufficient again in “Midnight” that I had no hassle believing how Fifteen would describe his worry a whole lot of hundreds of years sooner or later, so let’s get into that new story now!
How Disney+’s Physician Who Referred to as Again To The Tenth Physician
Episode 3 of Physician Who‘s second Disney+ season was referred to as “The Nicely,” co-written by Russell T. Davis and Sharma Angel-Walfall. I went into it hoping that I would be capable to make sense of the story with out figuring out the latest lore. I knew because of Twitter that it will tie again to “Midnight,” however this was my introduction to Ncuti Gatwa as Fifteen and Varada Sethu as Belinda.
I felt proper at dwelling from the beginning, because of Fifteen telling Belinda concerning the TARDIS’ language translation, using psychic paper, and Britney Spears’ “Poisonous” to take me again to “The Finish of the World,” the second-ever episode of Physician Who‘s 2005 revival that additionally was written by Russell T. Davis. (That episode is streaming now with a Max subscription.)
The story shortly turned creepy, with a base stuffed with corpses and only one survivor, Aliss, who was solely nonetheless alive and sane as a result of she could not hear the mysterious villain whispering to her. The Physician and Belinda had been cut up up as he went to attempt to clear up the thriller whereas she tried to assist Aliss, and the consequence was some severe suspense as Fifteen related the dots again to the planet Midnight whereas Belinda was more and more spooked by what she thought she was seeing.
The demise toll of “The Nicely” was a complete lot increased than “Midnight,” and I used to be really reminded extra of the Tenth Physician Season 2 two-parter of “The Unimaginable Planet” and “The Devil Pit” for a lot of the hour, however there was no mistaking the monster. The size and results of “The Nicely” additionally made it really feel much less creepy to me than “Midnight” did nicely over a decade in the past, and the visitors on Ten’s unlucky shuttle really feel extra memorable to me than these in Belinda’s traumatizing tour with Fifteen.
Ought to I Get Again Into Physician Who?
Regardless of my nostalgic love for “Midnight” rating it above “The Nicely,” it felt good to be again in some Physician Who shenanigans once more. Plus, I did not really feel as misplaced as I anticipated with out figuring out the lore behind the mysterious girl on the finish or why no one had heard of Earth and the human race. So, is it time for me to leap again into the Physician Who deep finish and watch frequently once more?
Truthfully, that at the very least considerably depends upon whether or not I can simply begin watching Ncuti Gatwa’s episodes fairly than return a number of Medical doctors to catch up. I’ve nothing in opposition to Peter Capaldi or Jodie Whittaker, however that is loads to make amends for when Gatwa, Disney+, and the return of Russell T. Davies make for a brand new period of the present. I’ll have to seek the advice of some Physician Who followers who stored up with the sequence to determine my strategy!
On the entire, I am glad that I discovered concerning the “Midnight” connection to encourage me to take a look at “The Nicely.” Whether or not or not I am able to fall again in love with Physician Who, I had enjoyable watching it, and Ncuti Gatwa looks like a enjoyable star for the sequence that basically offered me on Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, and Matt Smith again within the day.