Doctor Who’s Rogue: The New River Song That Might Not Happen!

Attention: Potential spoilers for Doctor Who season 15, episode 7 titled “Wish World.” Ncuti Gatwa’s extended tenure as the lead in Doctor Who introduced a character similar to Alex Kingston’s River Song, yet this likeness will only become clear if the series continues past its current termination. In Doctor Who season 14, episode 6 titled “Rogue,” Jonathon Groff made his franchise debut as the titular character. The captivating bounty hunter quickly developed a romantic bond with the Fifteenth Doctor, but Groff’s character’s introduction ended in a manner suggesting an extended absence. Nevertheless, Groff has since reappeared in Doctor Who season 15’s cast.

The character of Doctor Who has hinted at multiple potential love interests, but River Song’s revelation as the Doctor’s wife significantly shaped the romantic narrative. River first appeared during David Tennant’s tenure as the Tenth Doctor and subsequently interacted with both Matt Smith’s Eleventh and Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctors. Her departure from the series in 2015’s “The Husbands of River Song” essentially concluded her marriage to the Doctor, paving the way for a new romantic interest. After nearly a decade, Doctor Who is now introducing a replacement for River Song.

Doctor Who Confirms Rogue Is The Fifteenth Doctor’s River Song Replacement

Rogue’s “Wish World” cameo shows Groff’s character making a heartfelt admission

In the modern era of Doctor Who, Rogue is the third significant romantic interest for the Doctor, following Rose Tyler (played by Billie Piper). Previously, the Time Lord had a complex relationship with River Song that culminated in marriage at some point in their time-traveling love story. Now, Rogue assumes a similar position as Fifteen’s love interest, and their tale shares similar complexities. Their initial encounter in Doctor Who season 14 establishes Groff’s character as a long-term partner. However, he made the ultimate sacrifice to save Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and was subsequently lost in another dimension.

In the 7th episode of season 15 titled “Wish World” in the series Doctor Who, Rogue makes a comeback through a video message on the Doctor’s television set, though Groff himself doesn’t physically appear in the episode. Nevertheless, this interaction allows Rogue to express his deep feelings for the Doctor once more. It’s worth mentioning that their relationship developed quite rapidly compared to the slow-burning romance between the Doctor and River Song. Despite the difference in timeline, both relationships lead to the Doctor having a new love interest to fill the void left by his late wife.

“I gotta go. I miss you. Well, more than that. I love you.”

– Rogue to the Doctor in “Wish World.”

Essentially, Rogue can be seen as a stand-in for Captain Jack Harkness, portrayed by John Barrowman, in many ways. They share traits such as being smooth and solitary wanderers, driven to explore beyond their immediate motivations. Just like Jack, who was one of the earliest and most significant LGBTQ+ characters on “Doctor Who”, Rogue also falls into a similar category. Additionally, his American accent adds to the similarity. However, it’s important to note that unlike Jack, who could potentially reappear in the series from a narrative standpoint, behind-the-scenes factors have so far prevented Barrowman from returning since he last appeared with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor.

Doctor Who Season 15 Is Clearly Setting Up Rogue’s Return

Groff’s comeback is an obvious attempt to bring him back again

In simpler terms, the finale of “Rogue” strongly hinted that actor Dan Groff would reappear on the show in the future. His parting words to the Doctor, “Find me,” suggest a longer, quest-like storyline is coming up. Although his return happened earlier than I anticipated, it wasn’t unexpected at all. It’s unclear if Rogue will physically return before the end of season 15 of “Doctor Who,” but it can’t be denied that showrunner Russell T. Davies plans to fully revive Dan Groff’s character.

The eighteenth episode of the fifteenth season of “Doctor Who,” titled “The Reality War,” is promising an excitingly chaotic climax. The long-awaited reappearance of Omega and the Doctor’s stunning revelation from “Wish World” about Poppy potentially being his biological daughter are expected to be central elements. Additionally, Carole Ann Ford’s return as Susan since the classic era of “Doctor Who” is likely to play a significant role in “The Reality War.” Given all these intriguing developments, it seems unlikely that Rogue will make another appearance this season.

Despite “The Reality War” already having numerous issues to handle without Rogue making another appearance, it would be unwise to assume his brief reappearance in “Wish World” was merely coincidental. The writer could have easily had the Doctor notice that mugs falling through tables is unusual, but instead, Davies opted for Rogue to reveal this fact. This was likely done to remind viewers that Groff’s character hasn’t disappeared and to foreshadow a more significant comeback in the coming episodes.

Rogue’s Story Will Be Wasted If Doctor Who Season 16 Doesn’t Happen

Doctor Who’s future after season 15 remains uncertain

It seems that the anticipated comeback of Rogue might not occur until the sixteenth season of “Doctor Who,” but unfortunately, the announcement for season sixteen has yet to be made, even though season fifteen is almost done. There’s a hold-up in Disney’s deal with the BBC, and there have been whispers that the studios may part ways earlier than expected, which could potentially end the show. In this case, all the story arcs set up for The Doctor and Rogue would be wasted, and their long-awaited reunion since “Doctor Who” season fourteen would never materialize.

The significant transformations taking place between seasons 13 and 14 of Doctor Who led some long-time fans to stop watching the series. This might seem unexpected because Doctor Who, fundamentally, thrives on change. However, it’s worth noting that Russell T. Davies’ return brought a more balanced narrative approach compared to the norm during Chris Chibnall’s tenure as showrunner.

Regarding the initial stint of Gatwa, while I acknowledge some fan concerns, I don’t believe it was an unsuccessful season overall. In fact, Doctor Who season 15 has been exceptionally well-received, with episodes like “The Well” and “Lucky Day” garnering widespread acclaim. Consequently, I remain hopeful that season 16 will materialize, perhaps under the BBC’s sole supervision if Disney’s involvement is delayed or absent. In such a scenario, Jonathon Groff would have an opportunity to reprise his role as Rogue in a more fulfilling manner than he did during Doctor Who season 15’s near-conclusion episode.

Doctor Who Season 15’s Release Schedule On Disney+
Episode Title Release Date (2025)
1 “The Robot Revolution” April 12
2 “Lux” April 19
3 “The Well” April 26
4 “Lucky Day” May 3
5 “The Story and the Engine” May 10
6 “The Interstellar Song Contest” May 17
7 “Wish World” May 24
8 “The Reality War” May 31

Read More

2025-05-25 12:09