How did Ncuti Gatwa's bi-generation go down with Doctor Who fans?
Ncuti Gatwa's 15th Time Lord made a wild entrance in Doctor Who's third and final 60th anniversary episode 'The Giggle'.
Airing on BBC One on Saturday night, the action built up to a skyline stand-off between David Tennant's 14th Doctor and The Toymaker (played by How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris), with his nemesis forcing the TARDIS-dwelling hero to regenerate for the last Trilogic Game.
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Ripping up the Whovian manual, Gatwa's Doctor bi-generated; withdrawing himself from his predecessor's body and able to exist at the same time, much to their shared disbelief.
Traditionally, one Doctor will regenerate into another, with their replacement taking on the mantle of universal explorer alongside a companion. This time however, Tennant's incarnation didn't fade away and instead settled for a life on Earth with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate).
Quite a bold move, then, which welcomed mixed reactions on social media as the scene played out.
"I'm fine with bigeneration as a zany new sci-fi concept - fans will have baulked at regeneration once too and that's now rightly hailed as the show's saviour - but the idea that no Doctor ever truly stops existing somewhat lessens the drama of any future departures," pointed out one fan.
"THIS MEANS DAVID TENNANT CAN EASILY RETURN FOR MORE SPECIALS IN THE FUTURE" and "Sad to see the last (for now?) of David Tennant and Catherine Tate. And - wow - Ncuti Gatwa really hit the ground running. Buckets of charisma. Doctor Who is in safe hands," wrote two more.
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Further divided responses read: "The Giggle was so stupid (bigeneration! sure!) and silly and inventive. the best ending for Tennant's doctor - finally able to enjoy life with [his] best mate. Ncuti shooting out into the stars with a smile on his face", "Ncuti's Doctor is a SASS icon I love him already", "I'm a bit iffy with the bigeneration but Ncuti Gatwa was fantastic" and "I think bigeneration is an interesting concept, and a great send off for David Tennant - but my fear is that it will completely undermines Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor. I think duplicating the TARDIS is a big part of that problem."
I love the bigeneration it’s a great twist and seeing the two doctors bouncing off eachother is #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/mVqls6Zjc0
— Rob Gilbert-Warsop (@robpw2) December 10, 2023
Well last night's #DoctorWho was bonkers & I loved it!
Ncuti nailed it straight out of the gate - I think his Doctor is going to be an absolute joy! pic.twitter.com/FtwAQkrbjF— Emma (she/her) (@poprockgeek) December 10, 2023
Already feel like bigeneration is something that’s never gonna sit right with me.#DoctorWho
— Rhys (@rhysbas) December 9, 2023
Bigeneration. Two Doctors. I am cool with it. It has been 60 years. You have to change stuff up. It can't be the same old. If you over do it it becomes old. #DoctorWho60 #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/4plPyzV5RD
— Hezra R (@HezRas) December 10, 2023
#DoctorWho
Not sure how to feel about the idea of "Bigeneration", on the one hand its nice a version of The Doctor gets to actually just relax and enjoy quietness, on the other hand, I fear it might make Ncuti and any future Doctors feel like 'a clone' rather than a continuation— Ramona Flowers (Not That One) 🏳️⚧️ (@HiccupMistress) December 9, 2023
Not sure how folks can be mad about bigeneration when there’s already a second 10 in an alternate universe with Rose! It’s Dr Who, it’s timey wimey, it’s unexplainable… I loved it! 🥰🥰🥰 #drwho #doctorwho
— @frustratedpoet (@frustratedpoet) December 10, 2023
Doctor Who will return on Christmas Day on BBC One at 5.55pm.
Watch: The moment Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa regenerates as Doctor Who's Time Lord
This article originally appeared on Yahoo TV UK at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwa-bigeneration-fan-reaction-110451677.html