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“ROGUE: A COSPLAYING, HEARTBREAKING BLAST OF BRIDGERTON CHAOS”

The final standalone episode before the two-part finale, Rogue transports Fifteen and Ruby to the heart of a Bridgerton-inspired Regency romance—complete with dancing, drama, and deadly bird-like shapeshifters. It's a bold genre mash-up that leans fully into period costume, with a wickedly fun alien twist and one of the most heartfelt emotional arcs of the season. At once camp, clever and touching, it’s the kind of bold storytelling only Doctor Who can pull off.

From the very first scene, the Doctor and Ruby are already perfectly at home in this powder-puffed era, fanning themselves at a lavish costume ball, giggling over the dresses and soaking in the gossip. While Ruby’s path pulls her into the mystery of the Chuldur, the Doctor becomes increasingly fascinated—and romantically entangled—with the enigmatic time-traveller known as Rogue.

A DOCTOR IN LOVE: NCUTI'S SOFTEST MOMENT YET

The heart of this episode lies in the surprisingly romantic rapport between the Doctor and Rogue, played with irresistible charm by Jonathan Groff. Their flirtation is immediate and electric, brimming with witty banter and emotional vulnerability. There’s a real chemistry here, elevated by Ncuti Gatwa’s warm, emotionally open portrayal—this is the Fifteenth Doctor at his most sensual and soft. Rogue, meanwhile, is more than a match: clever, cautious, and just as enigmatic. The show plays deftly with expectations, initially framing him as a possible antagonist. The moment he holds the Doctor at gunpoint is classic Who ambiguity—but it’s clear from early on that there’s a connection neither of them can ignore.

The emotional high point comes aboard Rogue’s ship, where the Doctor annoys his captor by gleefully dancing to Kylie Minogue—perhaps the season’s most joyful sequence—before the mood turns tender. Rogue scans the Doctor’s memories, catching glimpses of past faces, including the long-abandoned Shalka Doctor, now cheekily nodded back into canon. It’s a scene that balances the playful and profound, moving swiftly from laugh-out-loud fun to revealing Rogue’s own tragic past. The quieter follow-up in the TARDIS gives the Doctor a chance to be a comforter and a confidant—rarely has a romantic subplot in Doctor Who felt so natural and earned.

THE CHULDUR: COSPLAY KILLERS WITH A TWIST

But this isn’t just a love story. There are aliens afoot—cosplaying, shapeshifting bird creatures known as the Chuldur, led by the ever-fabulous Indira Varma (Torchwood’s Suzie Costello) as the sinister Duchess. While the idea of shapeshifters is nothing new in Doctor Who, the Chuldur stand out thanks to their deliciously campy conceit: they’re a squabbling, roleplay-obsessed alien family who cosplay their favourite historical figures... and then kill the originals for accuracy. It’s peak RTD-era absurdity with a bite, echoing the Slitheen but with a sharper satirical edge.

Their plan? To infiltrate the upper echelons of British society, take over political leaders, and incite global war—just for a bit of fun. It's an enjoyably twisted take on cosplay culture and power fantasies, with the added absurdity of birds in bonnets sipping tea and plotting colonial conquest. While the Chuldur aren’t explored in too much depth until the final act, they offer a fun threat that fits perfectly into the episode’s over-the-top tone.

REGENCY DRAMA, KILLER COSTUMES, AND A FAKEOUT DEATH

Visually, Rogue is one of the most stunning episodes of the season. The costume work is sumptuous, the atmosphere rich and romantic, and the make-up design for the Chuldur—each one with a distinct look—is top-tier. It’s a rare Doctor Who historical that fully embraces the fantasy of its setting and takes just as much joy in the aesthetics as it does the storytelling.

Ruby doesn’t get much to do for the bulk of the episode, but when she does take centre stage—pretending to be a Chuldur and delivering a cracking fight scene—Millie Gibson shines. There's even a dramatic fakeout where Ruby is seemingly killed, sending the Doctor into a frenzy of grief and rage. It's a potent reminder of how much Fifteen fears failing his friends, as his devastation gives way to a darker, angrier side—one rarely seen in Gatwa’s portrayal so far.

A HEARTFELT GOODBYE: ROGUE'S BITTERSWEET ENDING

The climax delivers on both action and emotion. The Chuldur are unleashed, chaos erupts at the party, and our heroes must act fast. In a tragic twist, Rogue ultimately sacrifices himself, swapping places with Ruby to be banished to a mysterious other dimension. His fate is left deliberately ambiguous—gone, but not forgotten, and very much ready for a future return.

It’s a romantic, operatic finale to a whirlwind episode, landing the emotional beats with sincerity. The Rogue/Doctor bond, while formed quickly, feels utterly real thanks to how much time the episode invests in their connection. If we never see Rogue again, this ending works as a powerful standalone tragedy. But if he does return, it’ll be to cheers.

📝 VERDICT: 8/10

Rogue is one of the most unique and emotionally rich episodes of the season. It wears its heart on its ruffled Regency sleeve, balancing swooning romance with campy alien hijinks and laugh-out-loud moments. While the Chuldur plot takes a while to get going and some tension-building is delayed until the final act, the payoff is worth it. A lavish production, a fantastic guest turn from Jonathan Groff, and a deeper exploration of Fifteen’s emotional landscape make this a standout. It’s Doctor Who at its boldest and most sincere—and that final sacrifice lands like a punch to the hearts of fans everywhere.