Doctor Who Confirms The Show’s New River Song, But Only If Season 16 Happens

Warning: Spoilers forward for Physician Who season 15, episode 7, “Want World.”Ncuti Gatwa’s first full season because the star of Doctor Who gave his model of the Time Lord a alternative for Alex Kingston’s River Tune, however the parallel can solely actually come to fruition if the present survives past the tip of its present run. Physician Who season 14, episode 6, “Rogue,” launched Jonathon Groff to the franchise because the installment’s title character. The charismatic bounty hunter instantly struck up a romantic reference to the Fifteenth Physician, however Rogue’s debut led to a approach that implied a protracted absence. Nonetheless, Groff’s already been restored to Doctor Who season 15’s cast.

Whereas Physician Who has teased a number of love pursuits for the Physician, River turning out to be the Physician’s spouse gave the present’s major character a distinguished romantic arc. After debuting throughout David Tennant’s time as the Tenth Doctor, River’s Doctor Who timeline additionally introduced her into contact with each Matt Smith’s Eleventh and Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth. Her exit from the present in 2015’s “The Husbands of River Tune” was functionally the tip of her marriage to the Physician, which opens the door for her to get replaced. It is taken nearly a decade, however Physician Who is doing simply that.

Physician Who Confirms Rogue Is The Fifteenth Physician’s River Tune Substitute

Rogue’s “Want World” cameo exhibits Groff’s character making a heartfelt admission

Rogue is the Physician’s third strong love curiosity in Doctor Who‘s modern era. Starting with Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler, the Time Lord then moved on to marry River sooner or later of their timey-wimey romantic entanglement. Now, Rogue has stepped into an identical position as the article of Fifteen’s wishes, and their story can also be difficult. Their encounter in Physician Who season 14 arrange Groff’s character as a long-standing paramour, however he sacrificed himself to save lots of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and was misplaced in one other dimension.

Rogue’s return in Physician Who season 15, episode 7, “Want World,” comes within the type of a video message on the Physician’s TV, however Groff’s precise character does not seem within the installment. Regardless, “Want World” permits Rogue to reaffirm his emotions for the Physician. Admittedly, the pair did fall for one another very exhausting in an extremely brief house of time, whereas River’s relationship with the Physician was a slow-burning and well-earned affair. Both approach, the tip end result is identical, and the Physician now has a longtime love curiosity to exchange his late spouse.

“I gotta go. I miss you. Properly, greater than that. I like you.”

– Rogue to the Physician in “Want World.”

In a approach, Rogue can also be a alternative for John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness. They’re each suave loners who journey to discover, amongst different motivations. Simply as Jack was one in all Physician Who‘s earliest and most distinguished LGBTQ+ characters, Rogue additionally suits into an identical class, and his American accent additionally helps to additional the comparability. The distinction between Jack and River is that Jack may simply return at any time from a canonical perspective, however behind-the-scenes issues have thus far prevented Barrowman’s return since his appearances alongside Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Physician.

Physician Who Season 15 Is Clearly Setting Up Rogue’s Return

Groff’s comeback is an apparent try to carry him again once more

The ending of “Rogue” made it fairly apparent that Groff’s time on the present wasn’t over for good. His closing phrases to the Physician, “Discover me,” arrange an extended, aspect quest-esque arc that might take for much longer to unfold. The beginnings of his comeback have come ahead of I anticipated, however the truth that it has occurred in any respect is much from a shock. It stays to be seen if Rogue will return within the flesh earlier than the tip of Physician Who season 15, however it is unattainable to disclaim Russell T. Davies’ intention to totally carry Groff’s character again.

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The thriller of Mrs. Flood has lastly be solved, however the reveal left three huge questions that I hope are additionally answered within the close to future.

Physician Who season 15, episode 8, “The Actuality Struggle,” is already shaping as much as be a brilliantly chaotic finale. Omega’s return for the first time in decades will certainly be the episode’s focus, in addition to the Doctor’s last-minute revelation in “Wish World” that Poppy could actually be his biological daughter. Plus, Carole Ann Ford’s comeback as Susan for the primary time since Physician Who‘s traditional period is definitely one other free finish that may should be addressed in “The Actuality Struggle.” Between all that and extra, it is unlikely Rogue can be again a second time this season.

Though “The Actuality Struggle” has quite a bit on its plate with out one other look from Rogue to account for, it might be silly to consider his transient return in “Want World” occurred only for the sake of it. There have been loads of methods the Physician may have realized that mugs slipping by tables is not regular, however Davies selected to have Rogue ship the revelation to remind everybody that Groff’s character remains to be round and to arrange a extra substantial comeback within the close to future.

Rogue’s Story Will Be Wasted If Physician Who Season 16 Does not Occur

Physician Who’s future after season 15 stays unsure

Rogue’s return correct in all probability will not occur till Physician Who season 16. Worryingly, season 16 hasn’t but been introduced, regardless of season 15 being so near wrapping up. Disney’s cope with the BBC is not but full, however rumors have began to swirl in regards to the studios ending their collaboration early, which may result in the present being canceled. If this occurs, the arc that has been put in place for the Physician and Rogue will all be for nothing, and the pair will not get to reunite for the primary time since Physician Who season 14.

The large adjustments that occurred to Physician Who between seasons 13 and 14 resulted in a portion of the long-standing fan base quitting the present. That is maybe stunning provided that Physician Who‘s whole premise is constructed on change, plus the truth that Russell T. Davies’ return introduced with it a extra degree narrative construction than had come to be the norm throughout Chris Chibnall’s time within the showrunner’s chair.

Though I can perceive a number of the grievances followers had throughout Gatwa’s inaugural run, I do not suppose it was a nasty season. Moreover, Doctor Who season 15 has been fantastic so far, and the reception to episodes like “The Properly” and “Fortunate Day” has been resoundingly constructive. So, I am assured season 16 will occur finally, even when it means the BBC carrying on with out Disney’s enter. If and when that occurs, Jonathon Groff can lastly reprise his position as Rogue in a way more satisfying approach than he did in Physician Who season 15’s penultimate episode.

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  Doctor Who
  

  Launch Date

  2005 – 2022-00-00

  Administrators

  Graeme Harper, Euros Lyn, Douglas Mackinnon, Jamie Magnus Stone, Charles Palmer, Rachel Talalay, Joe Ahearne, James Sturdy, Jamie Childs, Saul Metzstein, Toby Haynes, Wayne Che Yip, Nick Hurran, Richard Clark, James Hawes, Daniel Nettheim, Colin Teague, Keith Boak, Azhur Saleem, Adam Smith, Andrew Gunn, Nida Manzoor, Lawrence Gough, Paul Murphy

  
  

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    Jodie Whittaker

    The Physician

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  Doctor Who
  

  
  

  5/10

  Launch Date

  December 25, 2023
  

  Administrators

  Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Richard Martin, Peter Moffatt, Pennant Roberts, Lennie Mayne, Chris Clough, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Gerald Blake, Graeme Harper, Waris Hussein, Rodney Bennett, Mervyn Pinfield, Hugh David, John Gorrie

  
  

  
  

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