Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa Breaks Silence on Why Season 2 Episode Boldly Confronts Racism

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Stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu have commented on the show’s exploration of racism in its recent episode titled “Lux”. In the second episode of season 2, their characters, The Doctor (Gatwa) and companion Belinda Chandra (Sethu), journeyed to 1950s Miami during their travels.

In this humorous episode featuring The Doctor and their companion squaring off against mischievous cartoon villain Mr. Ring-a-Ding, there are instances that delve into the authentic history of the time period The Doctor and Gatwa were in. For example, during a scene, The Doctor explained to Belinda that they were violating the law by merely sitting in a segregated diner since both of them are people of color.

Doctor Who Tackles Racism in Latest Episode “Lux”

While discussing, Sethu emphasized that the TV series should truthfully reflect the challenging circumstances that existed during the era The Doctor and Belinda found themselves in.

Sethu commented in the making-of documentary, “I exclaimed, ‘What a blast from the past! The 1950s are a hoot!’ Yet, it’s clear that it wasn’t enjoyable for all. Everyone, regardless of their race or gender, faced significant hardships.

In another part of the documentary, showrunner Russell T Davies discussed why he chose to address racial issues subtly rather than making them the central focus for this particular Doctor.

Doctor Who Kicked Off Its New Season on April 12

Doctor Who Season 2 Cast
Actor Role
Ncuti Gatwa The Doctor
Varada Sethu Belinda Chandra
Millie Gibson Ruby Sunday
Christopher Chung Cassio
Alan Cumming Mr Ring-a-Ding
Anita Dobson

Historically, the character of ‘Doctor Who’ commands any space he occupies through various qualities – subversion, personality, charm, style, or genuine authority. The show’s executive producer stated that these traits should not be altered for Ncuti’s portrayal of the Doctor, but they should never overshadow other aspects of the story.

Nevertheless, Gatwa emphasized the importance of the show Doctor Who addressing contemporary social matters whenever they align with the main storylines of each episode.

It seems important to tackle those problems, don’t you agree? After all, this is simply a reflection of our current global circumstances.” He further commented.

The character of Doctor Who, consistently, doesn’t avoid exploring political and social issues. In season 11’s episode titled ‘Rosa’, the Doctor (portrayed by Jodie Whittaker) and her companions developed a relationship with civil rights activist Rosa Parks during the Montgomery bus boycotts in the 1950s. In the two-part episodes “The Zygon Invasion” and “The Zygon Inversion,” the Doctor and UNIT attempted to halt the radicalization of a group of Zygons dwelling secretly on earth, which serves as an allegory for religious extremism.

“We’ve got to address those issues, I think it’s good to address them.”

The original series of “Doctor Who” didn’t shy away from addressing contemporary political issues. For instance, in the 1988 serial “The Happiness Patrol,” Sheila Hancock played a character that was a satirical take on Margaret Thatcher, who was then serving as the British Prime Minister at the time.

Going back to the Fourth Doctor’s serial “Genesis of the Daleks” in 1975, it delved into real-world concerns about genocide using the alien Kaled race as a metaphor for examining the destructive consequences of xenophobia and prejudice.

Next Saturday, the show takes a new direction as it jumps from the recent past to far future in the episode titled “The Well,” penned by Davies. The third episode of the season will introduce actors Christopher Chung from Slow Horses and Rose Ayling-Ellis, who previously starred on EastEnders, in guest appearances.

Doctor Who Continues Next Week with “The Well”

The Russell T Davies-Penned Episode sends The Doctor and Belinda to the Far Future

  • “The Well” was written by Davies and directed by Amanda Brotchie, who also helmed “Lux.”
  • Industry‘s Caoilfhionn Dunne and House of the Dragon‘s Bethany Antonia guest star in “The Well,” along with Annabel Brook (The Flash) and Luke Rhodri (Wolf).
  • It was previously confirmed that Christopher Chung will feature in next week’s episode as the mystery character Cassio.

Next week, we journey far into the future to a harsh, unforgiving planet, home to a ravaged mining settlement with just one remaining inhabitant. In their quest for the truth, The Doctor and Belinda will confront utter fear.

Every Saturday, the television series “Doctor Who” is broadcast globally on Disney+, with viewers in the U.K. having the additional options of tuning into BBC One or using the BBC iPlayer service.

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2025-04-20 20:28