Rogue (Doctor Who)

Did You Know?

• A novelisation of the episode was written by Kate Herron and Briony Redman and released as both a paperback and audiobook on 8 August 2024 as part of the Target Collection.
• The episode was filmed in Wales in May 2023.

Plot

The Doctor and Ruby travel to Bath in 1813 for a ball. There, the Doctor meets a bounty hunter named Rogue, and they step outside to talk. Ruby meets a woman called Emily and accidentally interrupts her marriage proposal, which ends with the man rejecting Emily. Ruby consoles her. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Rogue find the Duchess's dead body. Rogue captures the Doctor and locks him in a sealing device on his ship. Rogue scans the Doctor and, because the scan identifies him as a shapeshifter, believes he is a Chuldur—a race of shape-shifting avian humanoids. Rogue threatens to incinerate the Doctor, but the Doctor shows him his Time Lord biology and past incarnations to convince Rogue to spare him. The Doctor then modifies Rogue's sealing device to send the Chuldur to an alternate dimension instead of killing it, and offers Rogue a chance to travel with him.

Ruby and Emily find a housekeeper's body and reunite with the Doctor and Rogue. The Doctor realizes the Chuldur, like Ruby, are fans of Bridgerton and can be drawn out by scandal. He asks Rogue to dance and stages a fake argument, during which Rogue declares love and offers a ring. They storm off as part of the act, and the Duchess follows. The Doctor and Rogue discover there are four Chuldur, not just one, and flee. They adjust the sealing device to handle multiple Chuldur. Emily then reveals she is a Chuldur, apparently kills Ruby, and shapeshifts into her.

The Doctor interrupts the Chuldur's mock wedding and uses the sealing device on them. Ruby escapes Emily but cannot escape the seal. Rogue arrives, knocks Emily into the seal, kisses the Doctor, and steals the device that activates the seal. Rogue jumps into the seal, throws Ruby out, and asks the Doctor to find him as he and the Chuldur are sent to an unknown alternate dimension. The Doctor puts Rogue's ship into orbit around the Moon and tells Ruby he may not be able to find Rogue because of the infinite alternate dimensions. He puts on Rogue's ring before leaving.

Production

Set in Bath, Somerset, during the Regency era of 1813, this episode of Doctor Who draws comparisons to both Bridgerton and Pride and Prejudice, with the former name-dropped directly in the dialogue. Showrunner Russell T Davies noted that he and Bridgerton executive producer Shonda Rhimes are mutual admirers, pointing to a Grey's Anatomy episode where Doctor Who fans squabble over the showrunner's autograph in an emergency room. Davies saw the Bridgerton-inspired outing as a way to return the favour. Executive producer Phil Collinson brought on Jack Murphy as choreographer after learning of his work on Bridgerton. The episode's British broadcast was dedicated to William Russell, who played original companion Ian Chesterton, following his death five days prior.

First-time Doctor Who writers Kate Herron and Briony Redman co-wrote "Rogue." Herron previously directed and produced the first season of Loki, where the title character briefly mentioned his bisexuality. In 2021, Davies publicly criticised that moment as a "feeble gesture" for queer representation, but later contacted Herron to apologise. That exchange led to a friendship, and Davies eventually asked if she would write a Doctor Who episode. Herron then introduced him to her frequent collaborator Redman.

Costume designer Pam Downe, who had recently worked on a Regency-era film, aimed to dress the cast in a broader colour palette than was typical for the period. She blended inspiration from her own paintings, Bridgerton, and modern fashion. In the episode, Gatwa wears white trousers with a velvet jacket, which Downe saw as a nod to previous Doctors' outfits, especially Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor. Groff's costume features a navy blue tailcoat.

Reception

The Doctor Who episode "Rogue" debuted in the UK on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on 8 June 2024, with a simultaneous release on Disney+ in the United States a day earlier on 7 June. Disney managed the episode's distribution beyond the UK and Ireland. Overnight viewership hit 2.11 million, a slight dip from the 2.12 million who watched the prior episode, "Dot and Bubble." Over seven days, consolidated figures reached 3.66 million, and over 28 days, that number climbed to 4.34 million.

Critics widely praised the performances of Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff. Jim Trinca of VG247 gave a positive review, highlighting the script and the episode's echoes of earlier series, particularly the second. Robert Anderson of IGN also approved, noting the Doctor's characterization, Groff's acting, and the Chuldur villains, though he felt the heavy references to Bridgerton were a drawback. Louise Griffin of Radio Times called the episode a fun shift in tone from the season's earlier installments, even if it wasn't a timeless classic; she also criticized the Chuldur and the Bridgerton nods.

Rebecca Cook of Digital Spy commended the chemistry between Gatwa and Groff, as well as the performance of Indira Varma. Stefan Mohamed of Den of Geek praised the sharp writing, fun scenes, clever twists, and "sensational" costumes. He found the performances, especially Groff's, on point, and lauded the romantic chemistry between the Doctor and Rogue, but thought the Chuldur's sudden escalation into a world-ending threat felt rushed. Emily Murray of Total Film agreed that Groff was the standout, citing the "electric chemistry" and the unique tenderness it brought to the Doctor. However, she criticized Ruby's lack of involvement and the sidelined Chuldur plot.

On the other hand, some reviewers argued that Rogue bore too strong a resemblance to Jack Harkness, and that the romance between Rogue and the Doctor felt hurried. They also panned the Doctor's failure to confront the Chuldur about their actions or put himself in danger to stop them, a criticism they likened to issues previously leveled at showrunner Chris Chibnall.