As Doctor Who continues along its new era under returning showrunner Russell T Davies, key cast members are pushing back hard against long-running fan backlash and criticism that the show has embraced ideological messaging at the cost of its storytelling.
In a new interview with The Standard, actress Millie Gibson, who plays new companion Ruby Sunday, directly addressed backlash surrounding the show’s perceived political slant.
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor and Jonathan Goff in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
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“The show is so pure and beautiful and is literally about two best friends travelling the universe, so just watch it and get over it somewhat!” Gibson said.
She dismissed concerns that Doctor Who has shifted tone or content to appease political trends, arguing that this type of storytelling has always been part of the show.
“I remember watching an episode where David Tennant goes back, I think it’s with Martha, and they meet Shakespeare. And he’s like, ‘Oh yeah, Shakespeare’s quite hot.’ [This is] literally what Who does,” she claimed.
Jinkx Monsoon in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
She’s not alone. Varada Sethu, who joins the TARDIS team later this season, echoed Gibson’s sentiments on the Doctor Who backlash in a recent interview with Radio Times magazine, calling the criticism as a sign that the show is on the right track.
“There’s been a couple of Doctor Woke [references] or whatever, but I just think we’re doing the right thing if we’re getting comments like that,” she said.
Sethu added, “Woke just means inclusive, progressive, and that you care about people. And, as far as I know, the core of Doctor Who is kindness, love and doing the right thing.”
Russell T. Davies at San Diego Comic-Con via Doctor Who YouTube
Those comments follow similar remarks from Davies himself, who recently brushed off online criticism during a BBC Radio 2 special titled Doctor Who: 20 Secrets from 20 Years.
“Someone always brings up matters of diversity,” Davies said. “And there are online warriors accusing us of diversity and wokeness and involving messages and issues…And I have no time for this. I don’t have a second to bear. Because what you might call diversity I just call an open door.”
The show’s defenders see these statements as a rallying cry for a modern, inclusive version of Doctor Who. But longtime viewers and critics argue that the show has lost its sense of narrative wonder, opting instead for overt social messaging and self-congratulatory casting decisions.
Episodes featuring over-the-top villains like Maestro and awkward musical interludes have received mixed reviews, while online buzz about the show’s direction continues to trend more negative than positive.
Screenshot of Doctor Who Series 14 ratings from Doctor Who TV
While the cast and crew remain defensive of Doctor Who’s current direction, the numbers tell a different story — one that even the TARDIS can’t escape.
Since Russell T Davies resumed control of the franchise and launched the Disney+ co-produced reboot, Doctor Who has suffered its lowest ratings in the show’s 60-year history. Episodes in the latest season have consistently underperformed, with viewership falling well below historic averages — a stark contrast to the show’s heyday under Davies’ original run with David Tennant.
In the UK, where the BBC relies on taxpayer funding, that decline is especially troubling. Fans footing the bill through mandatory TV licenses are tuning out, signaling that the embrace of virtue signaling and identity-driven storytelling isn’t resonating with the broader audience.
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who (2024), BBC
Defensive statements from the actors may earn applause in media circles, but they don’t pay the bills. The audience does — and right now, they’re leaving The Doctor behind.
Despite its strong international branding and Disney+ distribution deal, Doctor Who has struggled to find the ratings strength it once commanded — raising the stakes for Davies and company as they double down on their creative choices.
Key art for Doctor Who (2024), BBC Studios
Whether viewers embrace the new approach or continue tuning out may decide whether this latest Doctor Who regeneration is a revival… or a final gasp.
How do you feel about Doctor Who stars firing back over the show’s backlash? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
