“Always Changing And Always Evolving”: Doctor Who’s Matt Smith Companion Responds To Ncuti Gatwa Era

Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor companion Arthur Darvill reacts to Ncuti Gatwa’s upcoming Doctor Who era and how the show has evolved over the years.

Arthur Darvill opens up about Ncuti Gatwa’s upcoming era of Doctor Who and how the show has grown over the years. Darvill portrayed the reluctant companion turned loyal and close friend of Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor Rory Williams from 2010’s season 5 to 2012’s season 7 mid-season finale. Gatwa will take on the role of the Fifteenth Doctor during the show’s 60th anniversary storyline, before leading his first full adventure in 2023’s holiday special.

With Doctor Who’s 60th-anniversary stories drawing nearer, Darvill has opened up to RadioTimes about his thoughts for what is in store for the franchise in 2024 and beyond, throwing his support behind Gatwa ahead of his Doctor Who debut. While Darvill admitted he hadn’t seen much of Gatwa’s prior work in Sex Education and Barbie, what he had seen from season 14 and 2023’s seasonal special had left him excited to see the actor’s adventures, as the sci-fi series continues to evolve as it goes on. Check out Darvill’s full explanation below:

Ncuti [Gatwa] is so different to everyone who’s ever played [the Doctor] before. I haven’t really seen any of what he’s done, but I’ve seen a couple of pictures, and it just looks like a whole new thing and I think that’s what the show should be – always changing and always evolving.

Doctor Who Season 14 Will Be A Refresh For The Series Both On-Screen And Behind The Scenes

While former key behind-the-scenes voices including showrunner Russell T Davies and composer Murray Gold coming back and a number of familiar faces characters for Doctor Who season 14 may leave some viewers feeling that the new season could be relying on what has worked before, the franchise is still facing an incredible amount of change that sets it apart from what came before. With the series’ international distribution now being handled by Disney, it has been revealed that the studio has also contributed to the show’s budget. With season 14 featuring an all-star guest cast and the show being viewed by more eyes across the globe, Doctor Who has the opportunity to attract a wider audience than it has seen in recent years.

Furthermore, Gatwa’s new era already promises to stand apart from the prior Doctor Who series by breaking away from many tropes that have become established across the show’s revival. Gatwa’s Doctor will don varied costumes across season 14 that are both fashionable and fit in with when he has traveled to, breaking away from how most of the revived series’ Doctors have only changed their outfits in minor ways or in drastic situations. Alongside a rumored Dalek redesign on the horizon, Gatwa’s new era of Doctor Who is seemingly promising to revitalize the visual style of the series.

While David Tennant’s Doctor Who return has viewers excited for the anniversary celebrations, regular updates and on-set videos have created much excitement for Gatwa’s new adventure. Though Darvill may be unfamiliar with Gatwa’s work, it is clear that he too has been intrigued by season 14’s filming despite having seen the show’s production for himself, creating high expectations for what to expect. As such, Darvill has become the latest key actor from Doctor Who’s past to wish Gatwa the best and throw his support for the Fifteenth Doctor’s future adventures.