Warning! This article contains spoilers for the most recent episode of Doctor Who.
Doctor Who has revealed its first-ever Black incarnation of The Doctor, portrayed by actor Jo Martin.
Sunday night’s Fugitive of the Judoon episode involved the Judoon – a band of rhino-like mercenary cops from space – chasing down a fugitive on Earth.
Viewers saw the current Doctor, portrayed by Jodie Whittaker (the first female incarnation of the character) stepped in to protect their target, a tour guide named Ruth Clayton.
However, Ruth wasn’t a tour guide at all.
She’s The Doctor. The Time Lord can regenerate when mortally wounded, giving the character a new face and new life, via a new actor. Jodie officially became the 13th after taking over from Peter Capaldi at the end of 2017.
In this case, Jo Martin is not taking over the role but instead seems to be part of the series’ latest story arc surrounding the destruction of The Doctor’s home planet of Gallifrey.
And fans quickly took to social media to celebrate the moment. Dear @bbcdoctorwho@DoctorWho_BBCA Thank you for finally giving a Black nerd and other black nerdy adults and kids a Doctor who looks like us. You really dont know how monumental this was and how much it made me cry. Please don't let her be the only one ever. #DoctorWho— UzamakiJ (@UzamakiJ) January 27, 2020Oh MyGod#DoctorWho just made history by casting its first black Doctor @RadioTimeshttps://t.co/0aMH7XsEbU— Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady) January 26, 2020WE HAVE A BLACK DR WHO.THIS IS NOT A DRILL. WE HAVE A BLACK, FEMALE DR WHO!!! https://t.co/hHsZMbrUWo— Stephy (@StephanieYeboah) January 26, 2020.....oh my GOD. Oh my GOD. IM A BLACK FEMALE. WHO WATCHES DOCTOR WHO. IM— SHES-— himbothée chalamet (@spanishrat) January 27, 2020A black female Doctor Who? I’m here for it— sleekz (@jxnekk) January 27, 2020i haven't really watched doctor who since clara left but like. weaving a black female doctor into the mythology like this???? LOVING IT SO HARD WOW........... 😭💖😭💖😭💖— juno 🦇🌻💖 (@zamothac) January 27, 2020/!\ SPOILER DOCTOR WHO SEASON 12 /!\i'm still not over the fact that the fugitive of the judoon gave us back jack harkness and gave us another doctor who's a black woman and i'm so emo it's awesome— milly 📚 (@myosothys) January 27, 2020My Doctor is a black, dark skinned thic woman #DoctorWhopic.twitter.com/10uurvjNiF— Introducing Jo Martin as The Doctor (@jane_anon) January 27, 2020Jo Martin IS The Doctor! #DoctorWhopic.twitter.com/7BX15njmmw— Morgan Jeffery (@morganjeffery) January 26, 2020A Black Doctor!!!! Oh man #DoctorWhohttps://t.co/JeG740GN59— Jaleesa (@Jaleesa_Nicole) January 27, 2020OKKKKKKK I haven’t watched Doctor Who since Matt Smith but YALL i am gonna have to come thru for a Black woman doctor??? I have to, and captain jack is back???— incredibly underwhelming (@vegtaco) January 27, 2020OKAY!!#bombshell to finish new episode!Black female #DoctorWho& return of Cap Jack Harkness.SURPRISE FOR #DoctorWho FANS!pic.twitter.com/pM10VrFjZ4— Sir Thomas Wynn ⚫️ (@Sir_Thomas_Wynn) January 27, 2020While it’s not yet clear where Jo’s incarnation sits in the timeline, it’s implied she is an earlier Doctor ― perhaps prior to William Hartnell’s original.
However, Jodie’s incarnation clearly has no recollection of Jo’s form.
One thing is clear, given the nature of the show: the new Doctor will almost certainly turn up again.
Given the tight-lipped nature of the show’s production, Jo had to keep a lid on her character... until last night, when she updated her
Twitter pic in celebration:#NewProfilePicpic.twitter.com/wIUxlSuyI7— jo martin (@therealjomartin) January 26, 2020A Doctor outside of the official numbered timeline is not without precedent.
In 2013, in celebration of the show’s 50th anniversary, acclaimed actor John Hurt portrayed an incarnation known as the War Doctor in a crossover episode that included both David Tennant’s 10th Doctor and Matt Smith’s 11th. Related... Whoopi Goldberg Reveals She Was Turned Down After Pitching To Be First Female Doctor Who Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker Hits Back At Claims Show Is Becoming 'Too PC' All Your Questions About New Streaming Service BritBox Answered – Including The Shows To Look Out For