Doctor Who season 15's initial audience score has been revealed. This season of the classic sci-fi series is the second full year to feature Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Gatwa was first introduced in the last of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials in late 2023. ed by companions played by Varada Sethu and Millie Gibson, Gatwa's Time Lord will travel everywhere from an intergalactic Eurovision competition to Nigeria this season. Doctor Who season 15 premiered on Saturday, April 12, and will continue episodes weekly through Saturday, May 31.

The Rotten Tomatoes audience score has now been revealed for Doctor Who season 15, and it is not as strong as the series may have hoped. At the time of writing, the series holds a 45% Popcornmeter with over 100 ratings thus far. This score is subject to change, as the season is still early in its releases, and the smaller review total may not accurately depict all opinions on the series.

What This Means For Doctor Who

The Show's Negative Streak Continues

Unfortunately, this Doctor Who Popcornmeter has continued a negative streak for the series. Gatwa's debut season also had a negative audience score, getting a 30% Popcornmeter with over 1,000 reviews. As Doctor Who attempts to reinvent itself for a new era, bringing back showrunner Russell T. Davies, it has not connected with all viewers. The Gatwa season's scores are higher, however, than Doctor Who seasons 12 and 13, which got 16% and 26% Popcornmeters, respectively. The negative audience reviews range from criticizing the portrayal of the Doctor to review bombing.

One additional notable element of the Doctor Who season 15 audience score is how different it is from the critical reaction. Whereas the Popcornmeter falls into negative territory, critics' reviews have currently positioned the season at a perfect 100% Tomatometer. One of its champions was ScreenRant's Sarah Moran, who gave Doctor Who season 15's premiere episode 7 out of 10 stars, praising Gatwa's performance and the "intriguing mystery teased." As the season goes on, it will be interesting to see how much viewers and critics diverge on these opinions.

Our Take On The Doctor Who RT Scores

This Could Point To Gatwa's Exit

News of the negative audience score for Doctor Who season 15 comes after showrunner Davies hinted that there may be a long gap between season 15 and the show's next installment. However, he has also said he is planning his story to continue for years to come. The show has not been renewed, with both Davies and the BBC saying a decision would not be made until the current season was airing. As most leads of Doctor Who only herald the show for a few years, Gatwa's run may only last two seasons.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes