Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 6, “Rogue.”
Summary
Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 6, “Rogue,” introduces a new love interest for the Doctor, and it freshens up the trope after nearly 30 years of the Time Lord’s romantic encounters.Doctor Who’s Disney erahas meant several changes for the show, including a new leading man and a higher production budget. However,Russell T Davies has made sure to keep the Doctor’s romantic lifeactive in spite ofDoctor Who’s soft reboot in the 2023 Christmas Special.
“Rogue” brings in a new member of theDoctor Whoseason 14 castfor a flying visit. The romantic connection between Jonathon Groff’s Rogue and Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor is obvious. Despite the differences in how they live their lives, the pair are clearly well-suited. Rogue’s exit from the show may seem as though the Doctor has missed a shot at happiness, butGroff’s character may not be as doomed as he seemed.
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The Doctor & Rogue’s Romance Avoids The Trope Of Companion Romances
Rogue’s dynamic with the Doctor is more similar to River Song’s than Rose Tyler’s
Doctor Who’s classic erabasically avoided the Doctor having romantic connections, focusing instead on the character’s adventures. Ever since the show’s revival in 2005,Doctor Whohas paid more attention to that particular aspect of its protagonist’s personal life. In fact, Paul McGann’s 1996Doctor Whomovie arguably began the ongoing trend of a Doctor’s relationship with his companions often going beyond the Platonic. After Daphne Ashbrook’s Grace Holloway, the Doctor’s dynamic with his fellow TARDIS passengers changed forever. With Rogue,the Doctor has feelings for someone who isn’t a companionfor the first time in a long while.
Ruby Sunday and the Fifteenth Doctor have a strong “best friend” dynamic that’s similar to that of Donna Noble and David Tennant’s Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor. So, it looks as though any romance between Ruby and Fifteen isn’t on the cards.
Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Amy Pond, Clara Oswald, and Yazmin Kahn, have all either confessed their love for the Doctor at some point or, at the very least, have shared a romantically-charged exchange. There is an argument to be made for River Song being the exception, but she wasn’t a regular companion. Instead,River chose to dip in and out of the Doctor’s timeline. Interestingly,Rogue is similar to River in that both characters are antiheroeswho travel across space and time. As such, River’s fascinating dynamic with the Doctor can be seen again now she’s been replaced by Rogue.
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Although Rogue initially seems doomed at the end of the episode, there are several signs to suggest he’s coming back at some point. Firstly, he tells the Doctor, “Find me,” despite the fact the tri-form in which he’s ensnared is about to make him very hard to locate. So, Rogue wouldn’t have given this order if there was no chance of the Doctor finding him. Secondly,the Doctor catches a bouquet of flowers from Rogue and wears one of his rings- both of which could foreshadow a future union between the two characters.
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Finally, the episode ends with the Doctor sending Rogue’s ship into orbit around the moon so it can, “Wait, for as long as it takes.” The fact that the writers have made the effort to account for the location of Rogue’s ship serves as a clue that Groff’s comeback is inevitable.The Doctor also points out to Rogue earlier in the episode that his ship is designed for two people, despite the fact that Rogue is its lone occupant. The symbology is impossible to ignore, and it thankfully seems as though Rogue will return toDoctor Whoat some point.
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Doctor Who: Released on August 09, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
