Ncuti Gatwa’s ‘Doctor Who’ Christmas Special Debut Is Dazzling

Christmas is a time for celebration. And for Doctor Who, television’s longest-running sci-fi series, it’s also a time for regeneration.

Following a humanoid alien, known as a Time Lord, on adventures through space and time—typically alongside all manner of human companions and alien enemies—the British cult phenomenon was first broadcast in 1963. Since its 2005 relaunch, it’s attracted a loyal fan base well outside the U.K. As any self-respecting Whovian can tell you, the key to Who’s longevity is its propensity for change. Outside of one constant—the TARDIS, a space-time vehicle resembling an old British police box—the series is ever-evolving and famous for recasting its lead; to date, 13 actors have starred as the Doctor, who can regenerate into different bodies at the end of each incarnation’s life, a neat trick that’s allowed a formidable array of stars to take on the iconic role.

From William Hartnell’s stern and grandfatherly original Doctor to Jodie Whittaker’s sunnily optimistic take and David Tennant’s witty, charming incarnation (a fan favorite who, in a twist timed to this year’s 60th anniversary, reprised the role across three special episodes), the Doctor has worn many faces, allowing each new actor to bring a distinct personality to the role. And with this year’s Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road,” the series is changing once again, introducing Rwandan-Scottish actor Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th Doctor.

There are some shake-ups happening behind the scenes, too. With showrunner Russell T. Davies taking the reins back from Chris Chibnall after 13 years away, what’s old feels new again in terms of the special’s sillier, warm-hearted tone. For all it got right in casting Whittaker, the Chibnall era of the series was criticized for convoluted, self-serious storylines. “The Church on Ruby Road,” in contrast, feels light on its feet, playful and unburdened by the emotional baggage that’s accrued on Who in recent years. Introducing a new companion alongside Sex Education star Gatwa’s instantly magnetic debut, the hour-long special (premiering Dec. 25 on Disney+) wipes the slate clean in more ways than one.

It’s a snowy Christmas Eve in Who-ville as a hooded figure abandons a newborn baby on a church doorstep, watched from afar by Gatwa’s visibly emotional Doctor. Fast-forward 18 years, and that baby has grown into Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), a sprightly young woman living in London with her adoptive family. Still seeking answers about her past, Ruby agrees to appear on a Long Lost Family-style reality program that reunites orphans with their birth parents, only for the production to prove nearly fatal due to a series of freak accidents. Never far from the sites of these seemingly random mishaps, which follow Ruby around like the world’s most stubborn streak of bad luck, is the Doctor. He suspects there’s more at play than mere coincidence. (The faint sound of mischievous cackling and occasional glimpses of little goblin hands lead the audience toward the same conclusion.)

Tasked with keeping watch over another Christmas orphan, whom her loving adoptive mother (Michelle Greenidge) and grandmother (Angela Wynter) plan to foster, Ruby is horrified when the baby suddenly vanishes from its crib, carted off by carnivorous goblins. Chasing after the tiny creatures, she and the Doctor are thrown together on a rescue mission that sends them up a mysterious ladder and into the sky, where the goblins are busily preparing for a holiday meal of their own inside a flying pirate ship.

Doctor Who’s family-friendly Christmas specials are known for striking a balance between a little fear and a lot of good cheer. “The Church on Ruby Road” does so exuberantly, going so far as to give the baby-eating goblins a delightfully unhinged musical number as they send a newborn down a conveyor belt toward their gruesome king. (Sample lyrics: “We’ve got a baby, we can feast! We can dine three days at least/ Baby blood and baby bones, baby butter for the baby scones.”) In festive Who fashion, the diabolically catchy track, titled “The Goblin Song,” is already charting in the U.K. ahead of the special’s premiere, with all proceeds benefiting BBC Children in Need.

That said, the episode’s standout performance belongs not to the goblins but to Gatwa, a massively charismatic actor with a glowing, million-watt smile, who quickly sets his incarnation of the Time Lord apart with chic sartorial instincts and an epic, almost otherworldly confidence. Gatwa hits the ground running—and twirling, courtesy of a gorgeously lit night-club sequence that sees him clad in a kilt and ruling a crowded dance floor, mesmerizing Ruby as she watches from a distance.

A more dynamic, devil-may-care Doctor, Gatwa’s incarnation leaps across rooftops and proves unflappable even in free fall; from his mouth, the script’s more ridiculous declarations (“Coincidence is what makes the baby tasty”) go down smooth, which is perhaps the ultimate test of an actor’s Who readiness. Sporting glossy leather jackets, gold necklaces, high-waisted pants, and checkered suits, he’s also magnificently stylish. “The Church on Ruby Road” is only the start of Gatwa’s tenure in the TARDIS, but his first lead turn is tremendously promising.

The same goes for Gibson, the series’ youngest companion to date; for as little as is known about Ruby’s backstory, the 19-year-old actress makes a strong first impression, conveying a youth and ebullience that complements the Doctor’s newfound vivacity while setting up a more playful, high-spirited dynamic between the two than the show’s enjoyed in recent years.

As a Who showrunner, Davies favors a formula heavy on “monster-of-the-week” episodes that pit the Doctor and his companion against new adversaries, developing the characters with each installment while unfurling an overarching plotline. The mystery of Ruby’s origins seems likely to factor into the series’ next season, premiering in May 2024. Until then, “The Church on Ruby Street” is a winningly swift, strange, entertaining special with enough tricks up its sleeve to tide over veteran Whovians and—especially with Gatwa on board—convert some new fans.