Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has revealed how Disney test screenings impacted the sci-fi series latest Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road.”
Disney+ became the official home of new Doctor Who episodes outside the U.K. and Ireland starting with the trilogy of 60th anniversary specials that debuted earlier this year. This brings us to the newly-released Christmas special (the show’s first since 2017), which marks the first full appearance of Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. And according to Davies, Disney’s test audiences just couldn’t wait to see the Sex Education star’s Time Lord in action.
In the latest episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed (via ComicBook.com), Davies confirmed that the Fifteenth Doctor’s introductory scene — in which he saves someone from a falling snowman decoration — was the “very last scene to be added.” He elaborated, “Disney always tests a first episode, and they tested this and people wanted to see the Doctor earlier, simple as that. They came back with that note, and I was like, ‘Well, actually, OK, who doesn’t want to see Ncuti?'”
The Disney+ era of Doctor Who is well underway
The Disney+ era of Doctor Who kicked off last month with the debut of “The Star Beast,” the first 60th anniversary special starring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor. Tennant returned in “Wild Blue Yonder” and “The Giggle,” the latter of which also featured the long-awaited debut of Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor.
The Fifteenth Doctor takes over as the star of the show in “The Church on Ruby Road.” Joined by companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), he will continue his adventures in the upcoming 14th season of BBC‘s Doctor Who revival series, which premieres in May 2024. Another Christmas special will air next December ahead of the premiere of Season 15 in 2025.
Like the recent specials, Seasons 14 and 15 of Doctor Who will air on Disney+ in territories outside the British Isles. Meanwhile, Seasons 1-13 still reside on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max streaming service for the time being.
“The Church on Ruby Road” is currently streaming on Disney+.
