The SFRA has been publishing analysis and reviews of science fiction since 1971 and I am privileged to have had one of my reviews accepted. I chose to write on the latest season of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th+ Time Lord.
Here’s the introduction to give you a taste. You can read the whole review at the SFRA site here: Doctor Who Season 14 Review
Doctor Who, the longest-running science fiction television series in the world, has continually reinvented itself since its debut in 1963. The latest rejuvenation, under the aegis of Disney+, introduces Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, accompanied by Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. This new series, characterized by its innovative blend of magic realism and traditional science fiction elements, marks a significant shift. Russell T. Davies, returning as showrunner, has emphasized his intent to break new ground (Bhuvad 2022), casting Gatwa to bring a fresh emotional depth to the character.
While Doctor Who is not averse to magic realism, having used it in several stories in the classic (1963-1989) and new series (2005-), this was sporadic, usually as part of a deux ex machina narrative enabling the Doctor to get out of an impossible situation. In this series it is used in almost every episode, appearing first in the 2023 Christmas special The Church on Ruby Road. Released earlier than the rest of the series, the story features goblins, evoking European fairy tales, yet explained through characteristic pseudoscientific rhetoric with “the language of rope” and a goblin ship that surfs “the waves of time”. This sets a precedent for the supernatural themes that follow. Also, the Doctor and Ruby engage in a musical number with the goblins, a first for the series, signaling a new direction under Davies’ vision.
Continued here: Doctor Who Season 14 Review
