Doctor Who: Russell T. Davies Teases More to Mrs. Flood Mystery

Doctor Who offered no shortage of good mysteries in its first Disney+ season, folding quite a lot of storylines into Ncuti Gatwa’s debut outing as The Doctor. One of the most peculiar aspects of the season has been Mrs. Flood (Anita Dobson), the seemingly ordinary next door neighbor of Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) whose behavior has grown increasingly bizarre. Across her appearances in Doctor Who‘s 2023 holiday special and 2024 season finale, Mrs. Flood spoke directly to the audience, spouted weird and ominous lines of dialogue, and wore outfits closely resembling several of The Doctor’s former companions. This has led to countless theories surrounding her identity, ranging from White Guardian to Romana to Iris Wildthyme. As Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies explained while teasing the 2024 holiday special, “Joy to the World”, some answers about Mrs. Flood are on the horizon. In a video message to The Official Doctor Who Podcast, Davies teased that Dobson will definitely be reprising her role in future episodes, and that the journey towards her identity will be “the ride of a lifetime.” Based off of Davies’ comments, it is unclear if he means that Mrs. Flood’s identity will be revealed in “Joy to the World”, or in Doctor Who‘s next season.

“Why was Mrs. Flood standing on a rooftop making those pronouncements?” Davies posited. “All I can say is, you are literally in for the ride of a lifetime.”

When Will Doctor Who Return With New Episodes?

Doctor Who will next return with a 2024 Christmas special, which is written by former showrunner Steven Moffat. Season 2 (under the Disney+ branding) of Doctor Who has already wrapped production, although an exact release date has yet to be set. Both Gatwa and Gibson are confirmed to return for Season 2, as well as Varada Sethu as a mysterious second companion.

“It feels so much fun now,” Gatwa previously said of acclimating to the role. “I’ve relaxed and [the Doctor] seems to have sunk down a little bit deeper, from my chest into my gut.”

The first season of Doctor Who is available to stream exclusively on Disney+. If you haven’t signed up for Disney+ yet, you can try it out here.

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