The new season of Doctor Who marks the first time in the show's 60-year history that the TARDIS will be comprised solely people of colour: Varada Sethu as companion Belinda Chandra, and of course, Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Naturally, people on the internet are accusing the series of being too “woke,” but Sethu's response to the criticisms is that the show is absolutely "doing the right thing."
As it happens, Sethu has already appeared alongside Gatwa in the Whoniverse, having played Mundy Flynn in season 1 episode "Boom," which was one of the highest-rated instalments of the rebooted series. In the new season, she's playing a different character, but whether there will be links to her original character, it remains to be seen.
Given that the TARDIS is now comprised by people of colour, there's always going to be folks on the internet throwing around claims of 'woke' and so on. But for Sethu, both her and Gatwa reveled in the show's milestone. “Ncuti was like, ‘Look at us. We get to be in the Tardis. We’re going to piss off so many people.’” she told Radio Times.
In addition, she (brilliantly) fired back at the calls of wokeness from a minority of viewers. “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. “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.”
Sethu's journey as a fully-fledged Doctor Who companion begins with the new season on April 12, airing on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ for international viewers. The new batch of episodes will also provide a sendoff for former companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson. Check out the trailer:
Are you excited for Doctor Who 'season 2'? Tell us in the comments down below!
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