Doctor Who is back with a bang for its first complete series on Disney+. For the first time ever, the show is debuting simultaneously around the world on Disney+ and the BBC, bringing the show to a brand-new audience. I had the opportunity to watch the first two episodes of the new season ahead of their premiere this Friday, and it's safe to say that they serve as a great introduction to the series while also offering something fresh for longtime fans.
The first episode, “Space Babies,” picks up at the end of the Christmas special as Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) steps aboard the TARDIS for the first time, perfectly serving as an introduction to the time travel mechanics of the show. A good portion of this episode is a two-hander between Ruby and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), where their excellent chemistry is immediately on display. The duo show off not only a fun, comedic edge together, but also excellently handle the more dramatic moments, of which there are many – mainly surrounding the mystery of Ruby’s birth.
“Space Babies” revolves around the titular babies, who–without giving too much away–are absolutely adorable, with some CGI wizardry done to allow them to talk to their “mummy” and “daddy” in a way the show may not have been able to manage in the pre-Disney+ era. Of course, there’s also a mysterious creature serving as the mystery of the episode. It’s a perfect, light introductory episode for the kick-off of this brand-new era.
The endless storytelling possibilities of Doctor Who lead to a completely different, and much darker second episode, “The Devil’s Chord.” One of the most powerful foes the Doctor has ever faced is introduced, the Maestro, played with camp glee by the wonderful Jinkx Monsoon. Her performance is absolutely unhinged, able to switch from playful and flirtatious to anger at the flip of a switch.
The episode also brings the 1960s to wonderful, colorful life, with the Beatles making a plot-worthy appearance without actually using any of their iconic (and expensive) music. Speaking of music, it serves a pivotal role in this story, making for a very unique story that only Doctor Who can tell. Both the sound and the imagery of the music throughout “The Devil’s Chord” is highly impressive.
Ncuti Gatwa continues to make the role of the Doctor his own across the two episodes, playing the character with a youthful glee that really hasn’t been seen to this degree before. In reacting to the Maestro, Gatwa shows a more vulnerable side to his Doctor, before gloriously saving the day in the end. In just two episodes, we get to see the Doctor wear more outfits than most other Doctor’s managed across their entire tenure – yet another way new life has been injected into the show.
The new season of Doctor Who is off to a great start with these two episodes, and I for one am extremely excited to see what happens in the next six! You can watch these episodes for yourself when they arrive on Disney+ this Friday, May 10th.