Doctor Who: How Nardole proved me wrong in Series Ten

There are some characters in Doctor Who that you love instantly. Others take time to grow on you. And perhaps one of the biggest examples of this is the character of Nardole.

Occasionally one can be too quick to judge. This goes for life in general; however this is not a life advice website. It is a Doctor Who one. The sentiment about casting doubt too quickly will be applied to Doctor Who. In particular, the character Nardole (played by Matt Lucas) and his inclusion in Series Ten.

Commentary swirling around Doctor Who is nothing new. There have been more high-profile moments of judgement – Matt Smith being cast as the Doctor, Catherine Tate becoming a full-time companion to name two prominent examples. In the case of both Smith and Tate, they humbled the majority of naysayers with exemplary dramatic performances.

The return of Matt Lucas as Nardole grew much apprehension, including from myself. As the dust from the Series Ten finale settled, however, it truly dawned upon me how much the character had proven me wrong.

Introduction

Nardole was first introduced in the Christmas special, The Husbands of River Song. Matt Lucas imbued Nardole with the mannerisms you might very well expect. Buffoonery and farce all wrapped up in a childish demeanour.

I didn’t find it irritating, but the character didn’t particularly gauge my interest. Nardole, through no fault of Matt Lucas, felt like a cookie cutter comic-relief character. Merely a bit of light fluff to sprinkle over a Christmas special and nothing more. Eventually becoming the head for King Hydroflax, Nardole’s fate seemed final. A one and done character.

Skepticism

Upon hearing the announcement that Nardole, of all characters, would be returning to screens it genuinely angered me a little. Since 2016 was the year of Doctor Who’s hiatus, any news was awaited with baited breath.

Confirmation of Nardole’s return felt like an insult. After all, fans had assumed a year off screens would mean better and new ideas for the show. So a comeback from Matt Lucas seemed like a slap in the face to this notion. After all, there was so much more of the Doctor Who universe to return to.

Why make a one-dimensional slapstick character from a Christmas special a series regular? It just felt tone deaf, after all. I, and many others, suggested the decision was indicative of the creativity behind the scenes, or lack thereof. Perhaps, some touted, the BBC were using the star-power of Matt Lucas in an attempt for Doctor Who to gain greater viewership.

Matt Lucas as Nardole.

(Photo credit: Doctor Who/BBC.

Image obtained from: BBC Press.)

Being won over

After the Series Ten opener The Pilot aired, my fears were not immediately extinguished. This was mainly because Nardole had no real relevance to the story. As a result, he could have easily been left out. His inclusion smacked of a hurried after-thought being awkwardly crowbarred into the script.

As the episodes went by, however, I eventually found myself taking a fond liking to the character. The genius of his inclusion was how Nardole slowly weathered down my scepticism. He was interwoven in small ways to layer the character.

Before I knew it, Nardole had blossomed from one-dimensional comic relief to important ally and cherished friend.

He was given back-story and quirks that made you invested in his character. From his illicit past in crime, his android nature and tech capabilities, Nardole now had more depth and offered a role in the TARDIS team. As a result, his inclusion no longer felt meaningless.

A stronger character

Furthermore, Nardole became a window for an alien perspective on human affairs outside of the Doctor’s. I found this gave Series Ten more dynamism and intrigue as a result.

Nardole’s characterisation was fleshed out too. He still had child-like tendencies, but his personality was no longer wholly based around this. Because Nardole also showed great determination and attitude, with fierce loyalty. His affectionate nature had an air of purity, so whilst he could moan, his companionship seemed incorruptible.

All of these key changes to his character made Nardole not only memorable, but also sympathetic. The character I once held in disdain now has a place in my heart, becoming a firm lesson to any Doctor Who fan not to jump to conclusions.

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What are your thoughts on Nardole? Did he grow on you as a character as well? If not him, then which character did appeal to you more over time? Let us know in the comments below.

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