Doctor Who Season 15's Unique Doctor-Companion Relationship Previewed By Stars Ncuti Gatwa & Varada Sethu

Ncuti Gatwa is back as the Doctor in Doctor Who season 15, but he's joined by a brand-new companion, Varada Sethu’s Belinda Chandra. Unlike season 14's enthusiastic Ruby Sunday, Belinda is somewhat reluctant about hopping on the TARDIS and traveling through time and space. Having been whisked on an adventure not of her choosing in the season premiere, "The Robot Revolution," she is counting on the Doctor to return her safely home. Unfortunately for her — and fortunately for the audience — the trip back takes slightly longer than expected.

The dynamic between the Doctor and his companion can make or break any era of Doctor Who, and things are off to a good start if the reviews are anything to go by. Not only does Belinda's initial resistance add an interesting flavor to the storyline, but she also represents a callback to a prior season thanks to her casting. The Doctor may not have a specific mystery to work out in regards to her identity, but he has a strong sense of destiny calling him to her.

ScreenRant interviewed Gatwa and Sethi about their relationship in Doctor Who season 15, and the duo were very forthcoming about what makes their "deep bond" unique. The actors also shared how the upcoming episodes add to the lore of the franchise and revealed which episodes in particular were their favorites.

What Sets The Doctor & Belinda’s Relationship Apart In Doctor Who Season 15

“It’s Very Enriching To The Dynamic That We Normally See”

Each new Doctor Who companion is introduced in a unique fashion that cements their status in the franchise’s history, and Belinda Chandra is no different in that regard. Her debut episode, "The Robot Revolution", contains similar beats to previous origin stories, but it also establishes Belinda as an independent thinker who isn’t immediately wowed by what the Doctor has to offer. When asked about what sets the dynamic apart, Gatwa explained, “It feels this season a lot more like a partnership on real equal footing, which I think is very enriching to the dynamic that we normally see.”

What's really special about them is that they fill in the gaps for each other, and they hold each other accountable.

He added some mystery to the proceedings by teasing, “They've got a mission where the Doctor, who normally knows what's going on and has all the answers, has none at all.” But that’s not to say that the Doctor will appear incompetent or dumb himself down to make room for his new friend’s intelligence. Sethu assured us, “They form a team, and they both pull their weight. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, and I think that what's really special about them is that they fill in the gaps for each other, and they hold each other accountable.”

Their strange new partnership is compounded by Belinda’s connection to an already existing Doctor Who character, Mundy Flynn, whom Sethu portrayed in the season 14 episode “Boom.” Sethu revealed, “There's a genetic connection that spans thousands of years, and there's a nod towards that” in the premiere. “It's like an added layer to the relationship between the Doctor and Belinda, and what makes it so special. He's come looking for her.” Gatwa added that, “Destiny's a big theme this season, so it ties into that.”

What Being The Last Of The Time Lords Means To The Fifteenth Doctor

“He’s An Alien Craving Connection”

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Another theme that has recurred throughout several seasons of Doctor Who is his position as the last of the Time Lords, and the responsibility, guilt, and loneliness he carries with him as a result. Gatwa acknowledged that it would be a prevalent aspect of his characterization once more in season 15, saying, “I guess that's just the narrative of the Doctor. He's escaped a genocide and has been wandering throughout the universe on his own for the majority of the time.”

But it sounds like the echoes of that formative trauma will be reflected in the Doctor-Companion bond. “I think you see it play out this season in the relationship that he has with Belinda and how much he leans on her,” he explained. “He's an alien craving connection, and I think you see that play out this season in their relationship and how they lean on each other and support each other.” While it won’t necessarily be top of mind every episode, the actor concluded, “I think you'll see it all this season.”

Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor standing in the TARDIS reaching out his hand

Doctor Who Season 15 Premiere Review: Ncuti Gatwa’s Joyful Performance Elevates An Opener That Makes Me Excited For Future Storylines

Doctor Who season 15 promises better things to come as it establishes a new Doctor/companion dynamic.

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Belinda, is less eager to take on the Doctor’s companionship and jet set through the time-space continuum. She has a nursing shift to get to, after all, so there may be some initial resistance before she adjusts to the excitement of her new adventure. “I think we've all been in situations where we are somewhere we don't really want to be,” Sethu said. “But she realizes pretty quickly that it's not like she has a choice. They can't seem to return to Earth on this particular date.”

“I think the process I figured out was that she has to make the best of what there is right now, and that comes from forming a deep bond with the Doctor,” the actress continued, teasing how that bond changes them both for the better. “There's a deep love and a trust in his instincts and in his intentions to get her home. He also wants her to be happy, so it's a balance between, ‘We have to get through this for me to go home,’ but also ‘I'm enjoying every moment I get to spend with this beautiful alien.’"

Ncuti Gatwa Has Some More Doctors He’d Like To Meet

“That Would've Been The Fashion Moment Of My Dreams”

Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor both looking very shocked in Doctor Who

ScreenRant: Ncuti, you got to work with David Tennant previously. Are there any other Doctors that you think would be fun to bounce off of?

Ncuti Gatwa: All of them! I would've loved to have worked with Jon Pertwee [the Third Doctor]. Imagine Fifteen and Jon meeting. I think that would've just been the fashion moment of my dreams.
But it'd be really cool to just get all the Doctors in one episode, if we could do that. I would love to bounce off 9. That sounds... [Laughs] Let me rephrase that. I would love for Fifteen and Nine to meet. That would be really cool to have that conversation.

ScreenRant: All the different Doctors in the past have had their own distinct look. I think of David Tennant's loose tie or Matt Smith with his bow tie. You're rocking a lot of variety in your wardrobe. Do you expect to eventually land on one distinct fit for your Doctor?

Varada Sethu: I think there's a signature kilt.
Ncuti Gatwa: There's a signature kilt, and there's a signature jacket. But I think to me, 15th's classic look is the long brown leather coat with the blue jeans and white Grensons [shoes], and that's his classic look. But this season it's the blue kilt.
Varada Sethu: I think you have a kilt every season. You have a statement kilt. That's what I love.
Ncuti Gatwa: The kilt as an homage to Scottish roots.

Watch Out For These Doctor Who Season 15 Episodes

All The Scripts Are Incredible, But Gatwa & Sethu Have Some Favorites

Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu- Doctor Who Season 15

ScreenRant: What I love about Doctor Who, especially in the age of streaming television, is that there's an adventure of the week aspect. Are there any specific episodes this season that you're most excited for fans to check out?

Varada Sethu: The Interstellar Song Contest! It's my favorite.
Ncuti Gatwa: It's epic.
Varada Sethu: It is epic. It is joyous, but there are also obviously the much darker themes. There are some big, big moments in it. It's exciting. It's visually a spectacle. I think that was my favorite.
Ncuti Gatwa: All the scripts are incredible, but that was the one where we were like, "Ohhhh, this is [amazing]." Juno Dawson is the writer on it and did incredible things.
There's an episode where the Doctor goes to Nigeria, and I'm so very excited for fans to see that. I feel like it's a place the Doctor hasn't been before, and that episode just had such a nice mix of mythology and sci-fi. I thought they played really well together, so I'm excited for people to see that one.

Doctor Who season 15 premieres April 12 on Disney+, with new episodes dropping every Saturday.

Source: Screen Rant Plus