Doctor Who's Rani Twist Copies An RTD Trick From David Tennant's Era Almost Exactly

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Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 15, episode 6, "The Interstellar Song Contest."Doctor Who's classic era very happy indeed. Originally played by Kate O'Mara, the returning Time Lady poses a similar threat to when the Master pops up through time and space.

When I say that the Rani reveal reminds me of a specific David Tennant episode, I don't mean the moment when his Fourteenth Doctor surprised everyone and bi-generated in 2023's "The Giggle." Instead, I'm referring to Tennant's time as the Tenth Doctor, and a specific twist from his second run as Doctor Who's leading man. It's not an exact imitation, but there are enough similarities between both reveals for the Rani twist to bring to mind the Tennant scene in question almost immediately.

Doctor Who's Rani Return Copies The Master's Comeback In 2007

Mrs. Flood's big reveal isn't entirely original

When the Master returned to Doctor Who in 2007's "Utopia," Derek Jacobi was the first character to play the notorious Time Lord since Eric Roberts in Paul McGann's 1996 movie. Jacobi was already a veteran actor by the time of his Doctor Who debut, so his presence as a guest star seemed like enough of a surprise casting by itself. So, when it's revealed that Professor Yana is the Master hiding in human form, his regeneration into John Simm's version of the character becomes a far more effective twist. Interestingly, the Rani's reveal in season 15 follows a similar blueprint.

Mrs. Flood regenerates and blows her cover as a human character, revealing herself to be a Time Lord like the Master, but isn't replaced so severely by a new actor.

Anita Dobson may not be quite as well-known to international audiences, but she has appeared in over 250 episodes of UK soap opera EastEnders. So, there were swathes of viewers who would have recognized Dobson and pondered the show's decision to cast her, as those in 2007 probably started speculating about Jacobi's role in "Utopia." Ultimately, Mrs. Flood regenerates and blows her cover as a human character, revealing herself to be a Time Lord like the Master, but isn't replaced so severely by a new actor.

Archie Panjabi stepping in as the Rani also feels like holding up a mirror to Simm's 2007 Doctor Who debut. Panjabi certainly has no shortage of experience, but the Rani is arguably a breakout role for her. Simm had recently appeared in a trippy British police drama called Life on Mars, which was successful, but Doctor Who took his fame to new heights. So, even behind the scenes, their respective debuts boast compelling parallels.

The Big Difference Between RTD Revealing The Master & The Rani

The Rani's return was far more foreshadowed than the Master's

The Rani holding a baby in the Doctor Who season 15 episode "Wish World."

Derek Jacobi voiced the Master in a 2003 animated Doctor Who project called Scream of the Shalka. However, the series is largely believed to be non-canonical. Therefore, "Utopia" remains the actor's sole performance in the main continuity as the Master. His role was to kickstart the Master's return, and the arc he helped to set in motion was then carried by John Simm, with the role eventually ing to Michelle Gomez and then Sacha Dhawan. The Rani's return is a little different.

Mrs. Flood has appeared several times since her debut in 2023's "The Church on Ruby Road."

Mrs. Flood has appeared several times since her debut in 2023's "The Church on Ruby Road." She has been one of Doctor Who's most mysterious figures and has now been revealed to have been the overarching villain since Millie Gibson's first appearance as Ruby Sunday. So, Dobson's workload has been far greater than Jacobi's was before their respective reveals.

Peter Capaldi looking upset as the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who

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Furthermore, Jacobi was fully replaced by Simm in a traditional Doctor Who regeneration sequence. Although Mrs. Flood immediately became subservient to Archie Panjabi's new version of the Rani, the fact that they bi-generated means Dobson didn't disappear from the cast, as would usually be the case. Two Ranis is especially bad news for the Doctor, and presents a very different scenario from the time Steven Moffat oversaw a multi-master story during Peter Capaldi's time as Doctor Who's star.

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