Regardless of indications that Ncuti Gatwa would proceed starring in Physician Who for a 3rd season, the period of the Fifteenth Physician is over. On the finish of “The Actuality Struggle,” which aired final month on the 2025 TV schedule, 15 regenerated right into a kind resembling Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, although given the way in which Piper was credited, it’s unclear if she’ll be labeled because the Sixteenth Physician or not. It’s simply one in all many issues nonetheless up within the air with Physician Who following Season 2’s conclusion, together with whether or not the present will proceed being a Disney+ subscription-exclusive present exterior of the UK.
Proper now, nonetheless, I’m fascinated about how Ncuti Gatwa’s comparatively brief time on Physician Who was its most LGBTQ-friendly but. Whereas queerness has been constructed into Physician Who because it was revived in 2005, it’s mainly been by way of different characters and barely targeted on with The Physician. However with 15, the adventuring Time Lord’s personal queerness was delivered to the forefront, which was was arguably greatest demonstrated by way of his passionate kiss with Rogue in Season 1. Alas, as a result of Gatwa has now left the present, I can’t assist however be pissed off by the place issues stand with Jonathan Groff’s character.
The place We Left Off With Rogue In Physician Who
Rogue was featured within the aptly-titled Physician Who Season 1 episode “Rogue” as a bounty hunter who was employed by the mysterious “Boss” (no, we nonetheless don’t know who that’s but) to kill a member of the Chuldur, an avian-like shapeshifting species, in 1813 England. He initially thought The Physician was as soon as of those aliens, however the mixup was quickly cleared up. The 2 males then teamed as much as cease the Chuldur, albeit beneath The Physician’s situation all these foes have been despatched to a different dimension fairly than killed.
They have been profitable, but it surely got here at the price of Rogue being transported to that very same dimension, as he took Ruby Sunday’s place inside their lure when she was by chance additionally caught inside it. Earlier than he disappeared, Rogue requested The Physician to search out him, a line that ought to have simply include a neon signal flashing, “This storyline will proceed!” However was Rogue rescued in Physician Who Season 2? Nope!
As a substitute, Rogue made a cameo look in “Want World,” Physician Who Season 2’s penultimate episode, the place he despatched a cryptic message to The Physician that helped him notice that Conrad’s World was not the way in which actuality was meant to be. Jonathan Groff shot this cameo again in 2023 when he was engaged on “Rogue,” so there was by no means any plan for the Frozen actor to have any main position in Season 2, which is ok.
Why I’m Pissed off The Lingering Rogue Storyline
The issue now could be that as a result of Ncuti Gatwa’s time on Physician Who is completed, there’s solely two methods I can consider for a way this Rogue storyline is resolved. The primary is that… nicely, it isn’t resolved. Rogue simply stays trapped in that hellish dimension, and he even said that he won’t survive for for much longer. The second is that Rogue is rescued by one other incarnation of The Physician, whether or not it’s Billie Piper’s (once more, we don’t know if she’ll be named as such) or a good later one
Each these choices are lower than perfect for me, however particularly the latter one. As I discussed earlier, the Fifteenth Physician being queer was an integral a part of his characterization. This was the primary time The Physician was present actively pursing a romantic reference to somebody of the identical intercourse. Sure, the Thirteenth Physician had emotions for Yaz, however she by no means actually acted upon them, one thing that was acknowledged when she appeared in “The Actuality Struggle.”
Jack Harkness kissing the Ninth Physician was definitely an enormous deal in 2005, however Rogue and the Fifteenth Physician kissing was a a lot larger second in Physician Who historical past. Like I mentioned earlier, it was abundantly clear that Rogue would seem on the present once more in some unspecified time in the future, although I understood it won’t occur for some time given how busy Jonathan Groff is. Regardless, I used to be wanting ahead to seeing the Fifteenth Physician rescue Rogue from that different dimension and pursue a romantic relationship with him.
I’m Not That In Rogue Assembly One other Physician
Frankly, I’m not practically as invested in Rogue getting romantically concerned with one other Physician. If that occurs years down the road with one other male Physician, then it’ll nonetheless function one other instance LGBTQ illustration, however I’ll stay upset that Rogue and 15 didn’t get extra time collectively. Granted, I wasn’t anticipating their relationship to be explored for practically the identical size of time as River Music had with the Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Docs, however a multi-episode arc would have been good.
After which if Rogue meets a feminine model of The Physician, nicely that simply makes additional exploration of this relationship even much less interesting. We’ll be again to Physician Who delivering what in the end quantities to a different heteronormative relationship for its title character, solely this time it’s The Physician who’s the lady. To be clear, I don’t thoughts a feminine Physician having a romantic reference to a male companion or another character, I simply don’t need it to occur with Rogue.
My fandom and enthusiasm for Physician Who is in a bizarre place proper now, and I’m hoping I gained’t really feel the identical means at any time when the present returns, which could not be till 2027. What’s not going to vary is my emotions about how Rogue was dealt with and the lack of what might have been. Whether or not this storyline is revisited or simply left unresolved, it’s simply disappointing what might have been one other large step for Physician Who on the LGBTQ entrance will now not get the decision I, and I’m positive many different followers, have been hoping for.