Summary
Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 5, “Dot and Bubble.”
Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 5 featured a brilliantly meta cameo from one of Ncuti Gatwa’s former cast mates that probably went unnoticed by the vast majority of viewers. So far,Doctor Whoseason 14hasn’t been short on guest appearances, with famous faces such as Jinkx Monsoon, Aneurin Barnard, and Anita Dobson all popping up along the way. While the latest episode may not have been packed with A-list stars, it did feature a delightfully crafty cameo.
Entitled “Dot and Bubble”,Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 5 took place in Finetime, a city populated by social media-obsessed young adults who communicate via a bubble-shaped interface that forms around their heads. A Doctor and companion-lite episode,“Dot and Bubble” predominantly focuses on the character of Lindy Pepper-Bean, withDoctor Whoseason 14’s main charactersonly appearing in person at the very end. Among the many personalities that populate Finetime is one who has a highly pleasing Ncuti Gatwa connection.
Doctor Who Season 14 Episode Guide
Doctor Who season 14’s eight episodes are brimming with important details, fun cameos, and major lore callbacks. Find everything you need here.
Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 5 Features Sex Education’s Max Boast
Sex Education Was The Show That Thrust Ncuti Gatwa Into The Spotlight
Possibly the strangest character to appear in “Dot and Bubble” is Dr. Pee. As his name suggests, Dr. Pee is a urine specialist who appears on Lindy’s bubble interface to tell her when she needs to go to the toilet. The character is something of a running gag throughout the episode. However, arguably the better joke is thatDr. Pee is played by Ncuti Gatwa’s fellowSex Educationalumnus, Max Boast.
Doctor Whoseason 14 continues with “Rogue”, which is set to premiere on Disney+ and BBC iPlayer on August 08, 2025.
Ncuti Gatwa played Eric Effiong, one ofSex Education’s main characters, for the Netflix show’s entire run. Meanwhile, Boast appeared in two episodes ofSex Education’s first season. The nature of the episode meant that Gatwa and Boast didn’t share any scenes in “Dot and Bubble.” Nevertheless, the fact that one of Gatwa’s fellowSex Educationstars made an appearance in his debutDoctor Whoseason is a neat move for the series. There’s also a tinge of irony to it, given that the reason Gatwa didn’t appear more in episode 5 is that he was too busy filmingSex Education’s final season.
Max Boast’s Sex Education Character Name Makes His Doctor Who Cameo Even Better
He Shares A Name With A Monumental Figure Of The Show’s History
Max Boast’s appearance inDoctor Whoseason 14 isn’t his only connection to the show. In fact, Boast’sSex Educationcharacter shares a name with a very well-knownDoctor Who-related figure: Tom Baker. It’s well-known that Tom Baker played the role of the Fourth Doctor for a lengthy stint during the sci-fi series' original run. Known for his long scarf, curly hair, and whimsical personality,the fourth version is widely regarded as one of the most belovedincarnations of The Doctor, and much of his popularity can be attributed to Baker’s portrayal.
Fans can now say that Tom Baker has featured inDoctor Who’s latest season (sort of).
In contrast, the Tom Baker who appears inSex Educationis a geeky student who is caught sending an intimate photo of a girl to his friend. In other words, besides their names, the two Tom Bakers share very little in common. It’s unclear whetherSex Education’s Tom Baker is a deliberate reference to the actor. Equally, it’s not known whether Max Boast’s casting in “Dot and Bubble” was intentional or just a happy coincidence. Either way, fans can now say that a Tom Baker has appeared inDoctor Whoseason 14.
