Series 12, Episode 5 | 1 part | First broadcast: 26 January 2020 | Writers: Vinay Patel and Chris Chibnall | Director: Nida Manzoor
Cast
- Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor
- Bradley Walsh as Graham O’Brien
- Tosin Cole as Ryan Sinclair
- Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan
- Jo Martin as Ruth Clayton / the Fugitive Doctor
- Neil Stuke as Lee Clayton
- John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness
Summary
Investigating a squad of rhinoceros-like intergalactic police called the Judoon invading the small English town of Gloucester in search of a hidden fugitive, the Doctor is stunned to discover the target of their manhunt is an ordinary tour guide named Ruth, who suddenly reveals herself to be an entirely unknown, previously unseen incarnation of the Doctor herself, shattering the Thirteenth Doctor’s own understanding of her past and reintroducing former companion Captain Jack Harkness in a brief, mysterious warning cameo.
Interesting Facts
- This episode’s biggest twist reveals Jo Martin as “the Fugitive Doctor,” an entirely new, previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor predating any officially numbered Doctor, and marking the first Black actor to play the role on screen.
- John Barrowman returns as Captain Jack Harkness for the first time since 2015’s “The Day of the Doctor,” in a brief scene cryptically warning the companions of an unspecified danger to come.
- The reveal of the Fugitive Doctor directly kicked off the season’s Timeless Child mystery arc, retroactively complicating the Doctor’s established numbering and history.
- This episode was widely considered one of the most surprising, closely-guarded plot twists in the modern show’s history, with the reveal kept secret from advance press screenings.
- The Judoon, previously seen in episodes like “Smith and Jones,” return here in a significantly expanded, plot-critical role rather than a one-off comedic threat.
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