WhileDoctor Wholooks to the past withDavid Tennant’sreturnto the TARDIS in a set of three60th anniversaryspecials, showrunnerRussell T. Daviesis looking to the future, teasing what fans can expect from the long-running sci-fi’s upcoming season. Debuting in 2024,the show will be led by Ncuti Gatwa, who will star as the fifteenth incarnation of the Time Lord - and of course, with a new Doctor must come a new companion, asMillie Gibsonjoins the cast as Ruby Sunday. Now, in a new interview, Davies has revealed details regarding the new character’s tragic backstory.
Speaking withSFX magazine, the acclaimed showrunner shed light on the connection between the character andthe title of the show’s upcoming Christmas special, in which she will make her debut; “It’s unashamedly thestory of Ruby, it’s called ‘The Church On Ruby Road’ because that’s where the church is where Ruby was left as a baby in 2004,” Davies explained. “So, she’s named after that church. She’s a foundling, so no one knows who her mother or father is… She was named after the church on Ruby Road.” He also revealed that Ruby’s name will continue to play a part later in the season, as would other elements introduced in the festive episode, as Davies added “not every question is answered inthe Christmas specialand that continues all the way through to the most magnificent finale ever shot on planet Earth. No hype! I swear that’s true.”
A New Beginning forDoctor Who
The upcoming special will usher ina new era for the show, serving as somewhat of a soft reboot, with Davies even referring to the new set of episodes as season 1. Daviesreturns as showrunnerto craft a jumping-on point for new viewers, just as he did nearly 20 years ago when he helmed the show’s revival in 2005 - introducingDoctor Whoto a brand new audience following the show’sinitial cancellationback in 1989.
Daviesnamed the upcoming season"completely a reinvention. Reinvention of the show, brand new, but not a reboot, it’s the same old show, everything starts again, everything’s seen through the eyes of Ruby Sunday and it’s that lovely feeling of here we go, a new era beginning." He continued to tease that the show “kind of goes into territory we’ve never touched before. In many ways that’s… fresher. We’ve never done this before.“Doctor Whoisavailable to streamon Disney+ worldwide and on BBC iPlayer in the UK.
Doctor Who
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord, “The Doctor,” who is able to regenerate, and the Doctor’s human friends. The Doctor and his companions journey through time and space in the TARDIS – a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box – saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery, and kindness.
Watch on Disney+
