The Reality War (TV story)

Most notably, The Reality War was the final chronological appearance of Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, with the story ending with his regeneration, caused by him sacrificing his current incarnation in order to bring Poppy back into existence. The Fifteenth Doctor's regeneration was also the first time since the Ninth Doctor episode The Parting of the Ways ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 1 (BBC One, 2005). that the Doctor had regenerated at the end of the current series; for the rest of the revived run of the series, starting from The End of Time ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2009 and New Year Special 2010 (BBC One, 2009-2010). up to The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One, 2023)., the Doctor had been seen regenerating mainly in specials set in between numbered series. In addition to the Doctor's previous incarnations appearing through archive footage, Jodie Whittaker makes a surprise appearance as the Thirteenth Doctor near the end of this story, marking her first appearance since The Power of the Doctor ^[+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who Centenary Special 2022 (BBC One, 2022)..

The Reality War also featured the return of Omega in an active role as an antagonist for the first time since the Fifth Doctor story Arc of Infinity ^[+]Johnny Byrne, Doctor Who season 20 (BBC1, 1983)., now voiced by Nicholas Briggs, with it also being revealed that Omega's time spent trapped in the Under-Universe had physically altered and deformed him into a monstrous corpse like being. The Reality War also showed the apparent fate of the bi-generated Rani, being eaten whole by Omega, while the Mrs Flood incarnation is shown escaping using their Time Ring.

In a twist, The Reality War and the Fifteenth Doctor's regeneration would end with Billie Piper, having previously portrayed Ninth and Tenth Doctor companion Rose Tyler, being introduced in the final moments of the story, and not being credited with any specific role on-screen.

Synopsis[]

Battle rages across the skies as the Unholy Trinity unleash their deadly ambition. The Doctor, Belinda and Ruby have to risk everything in their quest to save one innocent life.

Plot[]

Cast[]

The Doctor - Ncuti Gatwa
The Doctor - Jodie Whittaker
Belinda Chandra - Varada Sethu
Ruby Sunday - Millie Gibson
The Rani - Archie Panjabi
Mrs Flood - Anita Dobson
Anita Benn - Steph de Whalley
Winnie Petheridge - Sam Lawton
Shirley Bingham - Ruth Madeley
Carla Sunday - Michelle Greenidge
Conrad Clark - Jonah Hauer-King
Poppy - Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps
Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
Susan Triad - Susan Twist
Christofer Ibrahim - Alexander Devrient
The Vlinx - Aidan Cook
Rose Noble - Yasmin Finney
Melanie Bush - Bonnie Langford
Cherry Sunday - Angela Wynter
Voice of Omega / The Vlinx / Dalek - Nicholas Briggs
Lakshmi Chandra - Nila Aalia

And introducing Billie Piper

Uncredited[]

First Doctor - William Hartnell (archive footage)
Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton (archive footage)
Third Doctor - Jon Pertwee (archive footage)
Fourth Doctor - Tom Baker (archive footage)
Fifth Doctor - Peter Davison (archive footage)
Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker (archive footage)
Seventh Doctor - Sylvester McCoy (archive footage)
Guardian of the Edge - Paul McGann (archive footage)
War Doctor - John Hurt (archive footage)
Ninth Doctor - Christopher Eccleston (archive footage)
Tenth Doctor / Fourteenth Doctor - David Tennant (archive footage)
Eleventh Doctor - Matt Smith (archive footage)
Twelfth Doctor - Peter Capaldi (archive footage)
Fugitive Doctor - Jo Martin (archive footage)

Crew[]

To be added...

Worldbuilding[]

The Doctor reveals that Omega is viewed as the Original Sin of the Time Lords who had discovered time travel, and had been cast out from Gallifrey by the Time Lords because he was insane.
Sue builds a Zero Room at UNIT floor minus 10 at UNIT Tower on the Doctor's instructions.
UNIT has access to Parallax Cannons and can activate Null-Space
The Doctor gives the Upside Down from Stranger Things and Narnia as examples to explain the Underverse.
Belinda mentions she has an uncle named Roo living in Kerala.
The Doctor has never been to Kerala.
There is a planet called New New Delhi in the year 60000.
The Thirteenth Doctor mentions the TARDIS having "a third strand of phenotype markers that can turn a micro-spasm".
After reality is reset by the Doctor's wish, a few glitches are present in the new world: the border between Norway and Sweden has moved seven miles east, the colour teal is more blue and actor Ernest Borgnine is still alive.
After he alters reality slightly with his regeneration energy, the Doctor finds that Belinda met Poppy's new father, Ritchie Akingbola, when she was 21-years-old and that they are now separated, with Belinda raising Poppy as a single parent. Belinda makes the Doctor an honorary uncle to Poppy.

Notes[]

A promotional image of the Doctor and Belinda dancing with a "Happy May Day" banner in the background was released for the episode, but no such scene exists in the final episode. The mother of Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps, who played Poppy, later addressed rumours of a cut ending from the photos, revealing that the original ending would have seen Poppy revealed as Susan Foreman's mother, and would also see Carole Ann Ford appear as Susan.^[1]
Jodie Whittaker wore a blonde wig for her cameo, as she had long brown hair at the time.
Russell T Davies revealed that Jodie Whittaker's codename onset was "Petrol", as he has had the name in mind for a future companion for a while.
Jodie Whittaker said that one of her regrets from her tenure was that she didn't get to interact with Peter Capaldi or David Tennant during the regeneration handover, so getting to interact with Ncuti Gatwa during his own regeneration handover was special and a highlight of coming back for her cameo.
Russell T Davies told Doctor Who Magazine that he was glad that Jodie Whittaker finally got to meet Ncuti Gatwa, as it gave them closure.
Originally, the “First Time Lord” the Rani was planning to unleash was a new character, before Russell T Davies realised that the character was basically Omega, leading to him cutting out the middle man.
Steph de Whalley was pregnant during filming, so Anita's pregnancy was written in.
Unusually, as opposed to previous actors for the Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa's departure from the role was in no way announced officially by the BBC before the airing of this story, nor was a succeeding actor announced as the next incarnation following the Fifteenth Doctor, the BBC would even deny rumours that had begun circulating online a week before The Reality War had aired that Gatwa had left the role.

Comparison between BBC and Disney+ versions[]

To be added

Myths and rumours[]

Ncuti Gatwa would be leaving the show following this story, resulting in the Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into an incarnation played by Billie Piper. (Rumours and even leaks online a week before the airing of this story had seemingly confirmed Gatwa would leave the show and Piper would be playing the next Doctor, despite the BBC going as far as denying these rumours. At the conclusion of the story the Fifteenth Doctor does indeed regenerate into a form identical to Rose Tyler, confirming rumours he had indeed left the show. However, despite Piper's appearance in the final moments she isn't introduced as the Doctor in the credits; her exact role is left blank despite how she appears, making it currently unknown if Piper has indeed been cast as the next Doctor or not)
Omega would return in the form of a giant CGI crab monster. (Partly true; Omega does indeed appear in CGI form, however he doesn't appear as a crab monster, he instead appears in the form of a gigantic deformed skeletal creature)

Filming locations[]

To be added

Ratings[]

To be added...

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

Production errors[]

to be added

Continuity[]

The Doctor is saved from the Wish World by Anita Benn, who has become the new manager of the Time Hotel. (TV: Joy to the World ^[+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
Ruby has a poster for the band HL3. (TV: The Robot Revolution ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Anita has witnessed the Eleventh Doctor playing live chess against Gantok, (TV: The Wedding of River Song ^[+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 6 (BBC One, 2011).) the Third Doctor being held captive by the Daleks in an alternate timeline (TV: Day of the Daleks ^[+]Louis Marks, Doctor Who season 9 (BBC1, 1972).) and the Fifteenth Doctor dancing with Rogue in 1813 Bath. (TV: Rogue ^[+]Kate Herron and Briony Redman, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
The Doctor instructs Sue to build a Zero Room to keep Poppy safe from the outer universe. (TV: Castrovalva ^[+]Christopher H. Bidmead, Doctor Who season 19 (BBC1, 1982).)
Kate announces Gold Protocols due to the Doctor's presence on the UNIT Tower's bridge. (TV: The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One, 2023).)
Ruby recalls meeting Poppy on Baby Station Beta in 21506. (TV: Space Babies ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
Mel and the Rani recall their previous encounter on Lakertya. (TV: Time and the Rani ^[+]Pip & Jane Baker, Doctor Who season 24 (BBC1, 1987).)
The Ranis have been following the Doctor's recent adventures with a Time Ring. (TV: Genesis of the Daleks ^[+]Terry Nation, Doctor Who season 12 (BBC1, 1975).)
The Doctor and the Rani mention the extinction of the Time Lords in a genetic explosion at the hands of the Spy Master. (TV: Spyfall ^[+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 12 (BBC One, 2020).)
Kate mentions her father meeting Omega in the 1970s. (TV: The Three Doctors ^[+]Bob Baker and Dave Martin, Doctor Who season 10 (BBC1, 1972-1973).)
UNIT has its own Indigo Device. (TV: The Stolen Earth ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).)
UNIT once again utilises the Galvanic beam canon. (TV: The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One, 2023).)
Conrad recalls the Doctor telling him that people only want to be safe and fed and warm. (TV: Lucky Day ^[+]Pete McTighe, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Ruby mention when she and Conrad were dating, though acknowledges that Conrad had been faking his feelings for her. (TV: Lucky Day ^[+]Pete McTighe, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Anita tells the Doctor that the Boss sends their regards as she leaves. (TV: The Star Beast ^[+]Russell T Davies, adapted from Doctor Who and the Star Beast (Pat Mills and John Wagner), Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)
A chair is placed in the TARDIS control room. (TV: The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One, 2023)., Joy to the World ^[+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
The Doctor throws Belinda's star certificate into space so that it can be picked up by the robots from Missbelindachandra One, ensuring his and Belinda's meeting in a temporal paradox. (TV: The Robot Revolution ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Ruby again shows a recollection of altered time. (TV: 73 Yards ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024)., Wish World ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Ruby reminds the Doctor how he had saved her when the Goblins had caused her to cease to exist in the cracked timeline. (TV: The Church on Ruby Road ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2023 (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)
Belinda remembers the Doctor saving her from the time explosion on Missbelindachandra One. (TV: The Robot Revolution ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 15 (BBC One and Disney+, 2025).)
Sue mentions being born out of the TARDIS by Sutekh barely a year ago. (TV: The Legend of Ruby Sunday ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)
The Thirteenth Doctor comments on a redecoration and not liking it. (TV: The Three Doctors ^[+]Bob Baker and Dave Martin, Doctor Who season 10 (BBC1, 1972-1973)., The Five Doctors ^[+]Terrance Dicks, Doctor Who 20th Anniversary Special (Public Broadcasting Service, 1983)., Closing Time ^[+]Gareth Roberts, Doctor Who series 6 (BBC One, 2011)., The Day of the Doctor ^[+]Steven Moffat, 50th Anniversary Specials (BBC One, 2013)., Deep Breath ^[+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 8 (BBC One, 2014).)
The Thirteenth Doctor notes that she never says she loves someone, and she should tell Yasmin Khan that she does. However, the Fifteenth Doctor tells her that the Thirteenth Doctor never does tell Yaz, but that she knows regardless. (TV: Legend of the Sea Devils ^[+]Ella Road and Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who Easter Special 2022 (BBC One, 2022).)
The Doctor goes to the Star of Bethlehem so that he doesn't have to regenerate alone. (TV: Joy to the World ^[+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2024 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)

Home video releases[]

DVD and Blu-ray[]

to be added

Footnotes[]

↑ Tom Philips (9 June 2024). Doctor Who Actor Seemingly Confirms Finale's Original Ending Plans — Before Those Reshoots Due to Ncuti Gatwa's Departure.

[IGNArticle-1] Tom Philips (9 June 2024). Doctor Who Actor Seemingly Confirms Finale's Original Ending Plans — Before Those Reshoots Due to Ncuti Gatwa's Departure.

[1]