Doctor Who: The Story & The Engine Review - 8 Ups & 2 Downs
9. UP - Ncuti Gatwa
Has Ncuti Gatwa ever been as good as the Doctor as he is here? From his explanation of why he goes to a barber shop when the TARDIS does his hair(!) all the way to Omo's betrayal and everything beyond, Gatwa navigates the Doctor's arc impeccably.
If there's a defining characterisitic of the Doctor – regardless of the incarnation – it's an ability to laugh in the face of his enemies. Gatwa gets an amazing moment like that here, puncturing the Barber's moody monologue about being a god of stories. The Doctor's full-throated laugh breaks the tension and instantly reduces the villain to something smaller, not a storytelling god but a traveling storyteller. It's a joy to behold.
When he was cast as the Doctor, Gatwa reflected on how he too had left his home and fled a genocide. "I am the Doctor and the Doctor is me" he said. That's not always been in evidence across his era, but he seems so comfortable in the role here. It's clear that he's relishing the chance to sink his teeth into a script that portrays the Doctor as a rounded individual rather than a two-dimensional hero.