Doctor Who’s Carole Ann Ford Breaks 62-Year Record in Series Return

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In its latest installment, the long-running British sci-fi series “Doctor Who” welcomed back one of its original stars, breaking a significant record that spans 62 years since her first appearance. Interestingly, this show, which joined Disney+ only recently, has been captivating audiences for over six decades now. The more recent seasons have featured a host of familiar faces from different periods, all appearing alongside Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor. These include ’80s companion Mel Bush, the ancient villain Sutekh, and most recently, the Fugitive Doctor.

In Episode 6 of Season 2, titled “The Interstellar Song Contest,” the show delivered one of its most significant surprises in recent years by welcoming back Carole Ann Ford as Susan Foreman, the Doctor’s granddaughter and initial traveling companion. With her reappearance, Ford broke the record for the longest-serving actor on this science fiction series from the UK.

In a sequence of enigmatic encounters, the timeless figure from the renowned “Doctor Who” series appears before me, Ncuti Gatwa, in a series of vivid visions. It seems as though she’s within my very TARDIS, all while the intergalactic excitement of “The Interstellar Song Contest” swirls around us. The significance of these encounters is yet to be fully unveiled.

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself in awe as I reflect upon Jodie Whittaker’s remarkable journey with Doctor Who. At mere 23, she stepped into the TARDIS, and now, at an impressive 84 years old, she’s returning to the series – breaking records with a staggering 62-year tenure in this iconic sci-fi role. This surpasses the previous record holder by nearly a decade, making her run almost 59 years long. Simply put, Jodie Whittaker has made history on Doctor Who, and I can’t wait to see what adventures await!

Previously, the record was held by William Russell, who initially appeared in the debut episode of the 1963 series titled “An Unearthly Child,” portraying Ian Chesterton. Initially introduced as one of Susan’s teachers who uncovered her alien heritage and subsequently joined her and the Doctor on their journeys, Russell briefly reappeared as Chesterton in 2022.

In “The Power of the Doctor,” the original TARDIS voyager made a brief appearance, joining a group of the Doctor’s past associates. This elderly companion was taken aback when John Bishop’s character, Dan, brought up Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor, to which he responded, “‘Pardon me, but did you say her?’

Tragically, Russell passed on in June 2024, nearly two years following his return to the role of Doctor Who, with Ford now being the sole remaining cast member from the original series.

Since his departure from “Doctor Who” in the “Dalek Invasion of Earth” episode in 1964, Carole Ann Ford has portrayed Susan only on two other occasions. She reprised her role as The Doctor’s granddaughter in “The Five Doctors,” aired in 1983, and again for the series’ 30th anniversary in 1993 with “Dimensions in Time,” an unusual collaboration with the British soap opera “Eastenders.

Who Is Carole Ann Ford’s Susan in Doctor Who?

1963 marked the commencement of “Doctor Who” with the episode titled “An Unearthly Child.” At that time, Susan Foreman was just like any other schoolchild, attending Cole Hill School. However, this changed when her teachers, Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, trailed her to the scrapyard where she resided with her grandfather, who happened to be The Doctor, within the TARDIS.

Even though Susan is The Doctor’s granddaughter, the series never disclosed her parents or grandmother’s identity, leaving the details of her background a mystery.

Apparent companion, Susan, seemed to be by The Doctor’s side when he secretly took the TARDIS from Gallifrey, initiating an endless journey through time and space filled with exciting escapades.

Since 1964, when the role of the Doctor was portrayed by William Hartnell, there has been no record of him meeting Susan again. Her final recurring appearance took place in the story titled “The Dalek Invasion of Earth.

In the heart of the 22nd century, as I battled against the oppressive Dalek takeover of Earth, I encountered a courageous freedom fighter named David Campbell. A spark ignited between us almost instantly. Later in our shared struggle, David extended his hand in marriage, but I found myself torn between my newfound love and my beloved grandfather.

In the realm of time travel, I found myself compelled by an unexpected turn of events. The Doctor, my trusted guide, had sealed the TARDIS and declared, “Your destiny is intertwined with David.” With a final dematerialization from Earth’s distant shores, he vanished without a trace, leaving Susan behind – a tantalizing hint that our reunion might yet be possible.

Doctor Who’s ‘Find Me’ Tease Explained: Will Susan Return Again?

Initial shock gripped fans when Carole Ann Ford’s character, Susan, seemed near death after the Doctor was ejected from the Interstellar Music Competition arena and appeared to freeze due to the extreme cold of outer space.

In this location, the Time Lord hero encountered a vision of his granddaughter within his TARDIS, who urged him, “Return,” and “Locate me.

SUSAN: “Go back. Go back. Grandfather, go back. Find me.”

Next week kicks off a thrilling two-part conclusion to Doctor Who‘s Season 2, starting with the episode titled “Wish World.” The following week will bring us “The Reality War,” continuing the epic finale. Given the series’ reputation for spectacular finales full of jaw-dropping revelations and action sequences, this year promises to deliver yet again.

Susan’s requests for The Doctor to locate her could potentially be fulfilled, bringing the grandparent-grandchild pair together again after many years. However, it’s harder to predict how Susan’s reappearance would factor into the series’ larger enigma surrounding the recently unveiled Rani and the impending doom of Earth.

On the Doctor Who website, showrunner Russell T. Davies playfully teased “The Reality War.” He suggested that the TARDIS team is in upheaval as “the Supreme Triumvirate holds sway,” leaving fans speculating about whether Susan could be the one to thwart their control.

In a grim turn of events, the Doctor finds himself in dire straits, Belinda seems to have vanished, Ruby appears to be stuck somewhere, UNIT can’t intervene effectively, and the malevolent trio known as the Unholy Trinity reign supreme. Moreover, it appears that the Underverse is starting to surface.

Explore further details regarding the final scenes of the “Titanic” as revealed in an exclusive interview with Russell T. Davies on TopMob, during which he also clarified a popular theory surrounding Belinda Chandra.

Previously, the Doctor believed that he would soon meet his granddaughter again during the previous season’s “The Legend of Ruby Sunday.” However, as the enigmatic Susan Triad kept appearing wherever he went, he realized their connection was not as he had thought; instead, they turned out to be unrelated individuals.

It’s intriguing that actress Susan Twist will once again play Susan Triad in the upcoming two-part finale, which might suggest a connection between them. Given that The Doctor’s kind are known for their regeneration ability, and Susan Triad has only had one body so far, it’s possible she could get a new face following Carole Ann Ford’s return to the limelight.

During “The Interstellar Song Contest,” the Doctor repeatedly saw visions of Susan inside the TARDIS, especially towards the end of the episode. Notably, as The Doctor overstepped boundaries in his pursuit of Kid, a young Hellian planning genocide against billions of song contest viewers, Susan begged him to halt, addressing him as “Grandfather.

In the end, The Doctor shared with Belinda the reason behind his cruel behavior – it was set off by Kid’s genocidal scheme since his own race, the Time Lords, were annihilated just like that. He had a brief flash of Susan passing through a TARDIS door, but he brushed it aside, saying, “That can’t be.

“I gave myself quite a scare. The thought of three trillion people perishing instantaneously sent shivers down my spine and made me reflect on my home world. It’s hard to fathom, but every single Time Lord is now gone. Yet, I keep getting this vivid image… It seems impossible.

It’s clear that it won’t take much time for The Doctor to uncover the truth, a revelation that frequently occurs with him. It seems highly probable that Ncuti Gatwa and Carole Ann Ford will meet for the first time in either “Wish World” or “The Reality War.

When considering the manner in which Susan might reach out to her grandfather, it’s interesting to note that beings like Time Lords are capable of establishing mental connections for communication. This could potentially represent her method of contacting him – be it as a cry for help or an offer of assistance.

Following the airing of “The Reality War” on Friday, May 31st, the Whoniverse will reemerge next with “The War Between the Land and the Sea“, a spin-off focusing on UNIT that will present a more mature tone compared to Doctor Who, and introduce fresh characters.

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2025-05-17 17:35