{"id":1905145,"date":"2026-04-27T12:15:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1905145"},"modified":"2026-04-27T12:15:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:15:38","slug":"doctor-who-star-peter-capaldi-says-he-doesnt-know-why-people-take-it-so-seriously","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1905145","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who Star Peter Capaldi Says He Doesn&#8217;t Know &#8216;Why People Take It So Seriously&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-cy=\"article-content\" class=\"jsx-2870106660 article-content page-0\">\n<section data-cy=\"article-subtitle\" class=\"article jsx-3932497636 article-section jsx-28683165 news\" data-autopogo=\"true\">\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Former <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/tv\/doctor-who\">Doctor Who<\/a> star Peter Capaldi has dismissed criticism of the show&#8217;s recent lead actors Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, and said he doesn&#8217;t know &#8220;why people take it so seriously.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Capaldi&#8217;s tenure as the show&#8217;s time-travelling hero lasted from 2013 to 2017, when he handed the iconic role to Whittaker, the series&#8217; first-ever female star. Gatwa later became the first Black actor to play the Doctor in a regular capacity, with his short stint ending last year.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Both Whittaker and Ncuti faced online hate simply for their casting, long before either actor actually appeared on screen. Recent years have also seen growing criticism of the series&#8217; writing \u2014 with Gatwa&#8217;s most recent run, largely penned by current Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies, attracting particular ire. <\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The Best Doctor Who Monsters of the Modern Era<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"If there\u2019s something Doctor Who is known for besides time travel hijinks, sonic screwdrivers, and regeneration, it\u2019s having a massive catalog of memorable monsters. And we\u2019re taking a look back at the Doctor\u2019s rogues gallery to highlight the most vicious monsters our favorite Time Lord has run into.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nBefore we begin, a couple of notes: We\u2019ve left off villains that we don\u2019t think qualify as \u201cmonsters\u201d in the traditional sense, so don\u2019t expect to see the Master on here. Additionally, although some of these creatures date back to the classic show, every entry in this list has made at least one televised appearance since the 2005 revival. We just think the \u201cmodern\u201d monsters tend to be more effective (and are more in our wheelhouse anyway). With that settled, let\u2019s get into it. Here are our top 20 Doctor Who monsters.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"20. Macra&lt;p&gt;\n\nAs all PlayStation fans know, few things are as terrifying as a giant enemy crab. Doctor Who first introduced the alien race known as the Macra during the Second Doctor\u2019s era. Initially large, intelligent crabs, they had an interstellar empire and were referred to by the Doctor as the \u201cscourge of this galaxy.\u201d Millions of years later, the Macra fell on hard times and devolved into mindless beasts that survived on noxious gases and ate whatever fell through the cracks of the planet-wide gridlocked motorway of New Earth. They aren\u2019t the most prominent Doctor Who enemy, but would you want to meet one in a dark alley? I didn\u2019t think so.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 21 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"19. Clockwork Repair Droids&lt;p&gt;\n\n\u201cThe Girl in the Fireplace\u201d is commonly considered one of the quintessential Steven Moffat-penned episodes, and as such features a set of memorable antagonists. Those would be the Clockwork Repair Droids, a group of robots with a penchant for 18th century French fashion and stealing organs from human beings. They want to snatch the brain of Jeanne Antoinette \u201cReinette\u201d Poisson, also known as Madame de Pompadour, to repair the computer of their 51st century starship. The audacity of their plan contrasts well with the tender romance between the Tenth Doctor and Reinette, making them the perfect villains for this iconic episode.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"18. Sontarans&lt;p&gt;\n\nThe stocky, dome-headed race of cloned soldiers known as the Sontarans are one of the Doctor\u2019s most recurring foes. Bred for nothing but endless warfare, Sontaran culture is centered purely on the honor of death in combat. But despite their militaristic nature, the Sontarans lose some points by rarely coming off all that threatening because of their goofy appearance and easily outwitted schemes. All that said, the Doctor considers them among the \u201cfinest soldiers in the galaxy,\u201d so they are still worth a spot on this list. Plus, they gave us Strax, one of the funnier and more interesting of the many side characters the Doctor has encountered.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"17. Vashta Nerada&lt;p&gt;\n\nWhy is every species in the universe afraid of the dark? According to Doctor Who, it\u2019s because of the Vashta Nerada, microscopic carnivores that are essentially piranhas living in shadows. These invisible terrors encountered the Tenth Doctor at the Library, a planet that the Vashta Nerada had rendered devoid of life. While the sight of their skeletal victims trapped in their spacesuits is definitely spooky, the Vashta Nerada suffer a bit from how they actually \u201cwork\u201d not being as clear as it should. They basically kill whenever the script wants them to, but the Doctor having no plan for them beyond \u201crun\u201d certainly makes them a credible threat.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"16. The Vespiform&lt;p&gt;\n\nIn what other show could an episode be an Agatha Christie style murder mystery that actually includes Agatha Christie as a character, and also the murderer is an evil alien wasp in disguise? That\u2019s exactly what Doctor Who gave us with \u201cThe Unicorn and the Wasp,\u201d one of the most deliriously eccentric episodes of the Tenth Doctor\u2019s tenure. The Vespiform, a giant wasp that can shapeshift into human form, plays the part of a serial murderer at a 1920s dinner party. We won\u2019t spoil the identity of the creature (it\u2019s a mystery, after all), but as one-off Doctor Who villains go, the Vespiform is one of the more memorable for its genre-bending mischief.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/culture\/tv-radio\/article\/peter-capaldi-why-do-people-take-doctor-who-so-seriously-29w2dxf0g#selection-2415.193-2415.463\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Times<\/a> has put criticisms of Doctor Who&#8217;s &#8220;excessive wokeness&#8221; to Capaldi \u2014 who simply responded that he doesn&#8217;t understand why the series, a British cultural institution, continues to prompt such a strong response.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It reflects its times and it&#8217;s a good thing in the world, though it&#8217;s become a bit too big, too important for the BBC or whoever,&#8221; Capaldi said, admitting he no longer keeps up with the show. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;When I was a kid and watched it, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I dunno why people take it so seriously.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Production on a new series of Doctor Who is currently on hiatus, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwas-sudden-regeneration-required-extensive-reshoots-fans-believe\">following the departure of Gatwa in reshot scenes<\/a>, and <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/new-report-alleges-doctor-who-disney-deal-fell-apart-after-plans-to-marvel-ize-the-franchise-failed-to-work-out\">Disney&#8217;s decision to end its co-funding deal for the series<\/a>. The BBC has announced a one-off special episode that looks set to wrap up the show&#8217;s current cliffhanger, which is due to air at Christmas. After that, however, the series&#8217; future remains uncertain. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">It remains to be seen whether the Christmas episode will introduce a new, regular actor to play the Doctor, following the surprise appearance of returning star Billie Piper at the end of the series&#8217; 2025 finale. Among fans, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/doctor-who-fans-think-this-years-climactic-christmas-special-is-a-sequel-to-one-of-the-series-most-beloved-episodes-following-official-rose-tyler-tease\">the expectation is that the episode will effectively wrap up the remaining story threads from Davies&#8217; era<\/a>, before the showrunner also exits, and Doctor Who is left to return at some point later in the future with a blank slate.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It&#8217;s been back for 20 years, which is an awfully long time,&#8221; Doctor Who writer <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/as-doctor-whos-future-remains-in-the-balance-writer-and-actor-mark-gatiss-says-it-may-be-time-for-the-show-to-rest\">Mark Gatiss said last year<\/a>.  &#8220;Almost as long as its original run. That&#8217;s pretty spectacular. So maybe it&#8217;s time for another rest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Image credit: Carlo Paloni\/BAFTA via Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Tom Phillips is IGN&#8217;s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/tomphillipseg.bsky.social\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@tomphillipseg.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><span class=\"stack jsx-1475529924\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 adunit-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"jsx-2155806329 bobble bobble-1 pogocnt pg-article\">\n<div data-mix-name=\"secondaryMedrec\" data-pos=\"1\" data-pogo-hide=\"1\" class=\"jsx-343126785 pogo-slot\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<section class=\"article-page\">\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Former <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/tv\/doctor-who\">Doctor Who<\/a> star Peter Capaldi has dismissed criticism of the show&#8217;s recent lead actors Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, and said he doesn&#8217;t know &#8220;why people take it so seriously.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Capaldi&#8217;s tenure as the show&#8217;s time-travelling hero lasted from 2013 to 2017, when he handed the iconic role to Whittaker, the series&#8217; first-ever female star. Gatwa later became the first Black actor to play the Doctor in a regular capacity, with his short stint ending last year.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Both Whittaker and Ncuti faced online hate simply for their casting, long before either actor actually appeared on screen. Recent years have also seen growing criticism of the series&#8217; writing \u2014 with Gatwa&#8217;s most recent run, largely penned by current Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies, attracting particular ire. <\/p>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"jsx-2228525885\"><\/button><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The Best Doctor Who Monsters of the Modern Era<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"If there\u2019s something Doctor Who is known for besides time travel hijinks, sonic screwdrivers, and regeneration, it\u2019s having a massive catalog of memorable monsters. And we\u2019re taking a look back at the Doctor\u2019s rogues gallery to highlight the most vicious monsters our favorite Time Lord has run into.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\n\nBefore we begin, a couple of notes: We\u2019ve left off villains that we don\u2019t think qualify as \u201cmonsters\u201d in the traditional sense, so don\u2019t expect to see the Master on here. Additionally, although some of these creatures date back to the classic show, every entry in this list has made at least one televised appearance since the 2005 revival. We just think the \u201cmodern\u201d monsters tend to be more effective (and are more in our wheelhouse anyway). With that settled, let\u2019s get into it. Here are our top 20 Doctor Who monsters.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\" style=\"background:currentColor\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-list\" class=\"scrollbar jsx-2072772685 jsx-4243969252 images-list\"><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"20. Macra&lt;p&gt;\n\nAs all PlayStation fans know, few things are as terrifying as a giant enemy crab. Doctor Who first introduced the alien race known as the Macra during the Second Doctor\u2019s era. Initially large, intelligent crabs, they had an interstellar empire and were referred to by the Doctor as the \u201cscourge of this galaxy.\u201d Millions of years later, the Macra fell on hard times and devolved into mindless beasts that survived on noxious gases and ate whatever fell through the cracks of the planet-wide gridlocked motorway of New Earth. They aren\u2019t the most prominent Doctor Who enemy, but would you want to meet one in a dark alley? I didn\u2019t think so.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"rounded jsx-412047461 overlay progressive-image jsx-2338608387 expand\" data-cy=\"slideshow-image-overlay\">\n<div data-cy=\"element-caption\" class=\"caption jsx-1762799490\">View 21 Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"19. Clockwork Repair Droids&lt;p&gt;\n\n\u201cThe Girl in the Fireplace\u201d is commonly considered one of the quintessential Steven Moffat-penned episodes, and as such features a set of memorable antagonists. Those would be the Clockwork Repair Droids, a group of robots with a penchant for 18th century French fashion and stealing organs from human beings. They want to snatch the brain of Jeanne Antoinette \u201cReinette\u201d Poisson, also known as Madame de Pompadour, to repair the computer of their 51st century starship. The audacity of their plan contrasts well with the tender romance between the Tenth Doctor and Reinette, making them the perfect villains for this iconic episode.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"18. Sontarans&lt;p&gt;\n\nThe stocky, dome-headed race of cloned soldiers known as the Sontarans are one of the Doctor\u2019s most recurring foes. Bred for nothing but endless warfare, Sontaran culture is centered purely on the honor of death in combat. But despite their militaristic nature, the Sontarans lose some points by rarely coming off all that threatening because of their goofy appearance and easily outwitted schemes. All that said, the Doctor considers them among the \u201cfinest soldiers in the galaxy,\u201d so they are still worth a spot on this list. Plus, they gave us Strax, one of the funnier and more interesting of the many side characters the Doctor has encountered.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"17. Vashta Nerada&lt;p&gt;\n\nWhy is every species in the universe afraid of the dark? According to Doctor Who, it\u2019s because of the Vashta Nerada, microscopic carnivores that are essentially piranhas living in shadows. These invisible terrors encountered the Tenth Doctor at the Library, a planet that the Vashta Nerada had rendered devoid of life. While the sight of their skeletal victims trapped in their spacesuits is definitely spooky, the Vashta Nerada suffer a bit from how they actually \u201cwork\u201d not being as clear as it should. They basically kill whenever the script wants them to, but the Doctor having no plan for them beyond \u201crun\u201d certainly makes them a credible threat.\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><button data-cy=\"gallery-image\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 gallery-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"16. The Vespiform&lt;p&gt;\n\nIn what other show could an episode be an Agatha Christie style murder mystery that actually includes Agatha Christie as a character, and also the murderer is an evil alien wasp in disguise? That\u2019s exactly what Doctor Who gave us with \u201cThe Unicorn and the Wasp,\u201d one of the most deliriously eccentric episodes of the Tenth Doctor\u2019s tenure. The Vespiform, a giant wasp that can shapeshift into human form, plays the part of a serial murderer at a 1920s dinner party. We won\u2019t spoil the identity of the creature (it\u2019s a mystery, after all), but as one-off Doctor Who villains go, the Vespiform is one of the more memorable for its genre-bending mischief.\n\n\" class=\"progressive-image jsx-2021719738 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-cy=\"progressive-image\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Now, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetimes.com\/culture\/tv-radio\/article\/peter-capaldi-why-do-people-take-doctor-who-so-seriously-29w2dxf0g#selection-2415.193-2415.463\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Times<\/a> has put criticisms of Doctor Who&#8217;s &#8220;excessive wokeness&#8221; to Capaldi \u2014 who simply responded that he doesn&#8217;t understand why the series, a British cultural institution, continues to prompt such a strong response.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It reflects its times and it&#8217;s a good thing in the world, though it&#8217;s become a bit too big, too important for the BBC or whoever,&#8221; Capaldi said, admitting he no longer keeps up with the show. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;When I was a kid and watched it, it was just a monster show in the corner of the room. I dunno why people take it so seriously.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Production on a new series of Doctor Who is currently on hiatus, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/doctor-who-ncuti-gatwas-sudden-regeneration-required-extensive-reshoots-fans-believe\">following the departure of Gatwa in reshot scenes<\/a>, and <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/new-report-alleges-doctor-who-disney-deal-fell-apart-after-plans-to-marvel-ize-the-franchise-failed-to-work-out\">Disney&#8217;s decision to end its co-funding deal for the series<\/a>. The BBC has announced a one-off special episode that looks set to wrap up the show&#8217;s current cliffhanger, which is due to air at Christmas. After that, however, the series&#8217; future remains uncertain. <\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">It remains to be seen whether the Christmas episode will introduce a new, regular actor to play the Doctor, following the surprise appearance of returning star Billie Piper at the end of the series&#8217; 2025 finale. Among fans, <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/doctor-who-fans-think-this-years-climactic-christmas-special-is-a-sequel-to-one-of-the-series-most-beloved-episodes-following-official-rose-tyler-tease\">the expectation is that the episode will effectively wrap up the remaining story threads from Davies&#8217; era<\/a>, before the showrunner also exits, and Doctor Who is left to return at some point later in the future with a blank slate.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">&#8220;It&#8217;s been back for 20 years, which is an awfully long time,&#8221; Doctor Who writer <a class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/as-doctor-whos-future-remains-in-the-balance-writer-and-actor-mark-gatiss-says-it-may-be-time-for-the-show-to-rest\">Mark Gatiss said last year<\/a>.  &#8220;Almost as long as its original run. That&#8217;s pretty spectacular. So maybe it&#8217;s time for another rest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"accent-divider\" class=\"jsx-3449795453 divider jsx-2786329600\"><\/div>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Image credit: Carlo Paloni\/BAFTA via Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Tom Phillips is IGN&#8217;s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/tomphillipseg.bsky.social\" class=\"link jsx-1337145738 jsx-3925284146 underlined\" data-cy=\"styled-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@tomphillipseg.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi has dismissed criticism of the show&#8217;s recent lead actors Jodie Whittaker and Ncuti Gatwa, and said he doesn&#8217;t know &#8220;why people take it so seriously.&#8221; Capaldi&#8217;s tenure as the show&#8217;s time-travelling hero lasted from 2013 to 2017, when he handed the iconic role to Whittaker, the series&#8217; first-ever female [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,243],"class_list":["post-1905145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-ign-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1905145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1905145\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1905145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1905145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1905145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}