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“ROSA: A POWERFUL, POIGNANT HISTORICAL THAT PUTS THE WHO IN HUMAN RIGHTS”

In Rosa, Doctor Who returns to its roots with a proper historical episode—the first in Series 11 and the first in years to treat real-world history with such direct seriousness. Chris Chibnall, with writer Malorie Blackman, brings the Doctor and her "Fam" to Montgomery, Alabama, at the tipping point of the American civil rights movement. It’s a bold and weighty setting, and the show handles it with rare restraint and genuine care.

Opening with Rosa Parks in 1944—boarding a bus only to be left behind after refusing to enter from the back—we're immediately given the emotional grounding. This is not the Rosa Parks moment we know, but the one that sets it up. The episode cleverly uses this scene to contrast her earlier hesitation with the strength of her later resistance.

AN UNINTENTIONAL LANDING, A PURPOSEFUL STAY

The TARDIS’s new interface sends the Doctor and company to Montgomery by accident—but once artron energy shows up (a neat little piece of timey-wimey justification), they stay. Their fanboy/fangirl reactions to Rosa Parks ring true and give a touching levity before the hard truths of the setting settle in. The Doctor, Ryan, Yasmin, and Graham are soon immersed in a world that doesn’t welcome them—and that tension becomes the episode’s pulse.

FEELING THE TENSION

What really sets Rosa apart is the way it personalises racism. Ryan, in particular, is the audience’s window into the brutal hostility of the 1950s South. From being slapped for offering help to having to watch every word and step, his lived experience adds weight to the setting. Yasmin’s treatment, though less overt, is also shown to sting, especially in her quietly powerful conversation with Ryan about how far things have come—and how far they haven’t.

The racism isn’t sugar-coated here. From the systemic cruelty of segregated buses to the everyday threats of violence, the world feels genuinely dangerous. This isn’t a monster-of-the-week story. The monster is systemic hate.

THE DOCTOR AS AN ALLY

Jodie Whittaker gives her strongest performance of the season so far. Her Doctor is quieter, more serious, but no less commanding. She burns with quiet fury at injustice, standing up to Krasko, the local law enforcement, and casual racists alike. Her confrontation with Krasko shows her at her most quietly lethal—calm, clever, and utterly uncompromising. There are still flashes of humour (Banksy, anyone?), but the more restrained tone lets Whittaker show a fierce protectiveness that suits her incarnation perfectly.

TEAM TARDIS GETS TO SHINE

This is the first time all three companions are well-used. Ryan and Yasmin take centre stage emotionally, but Graham gets to demonstrate his warmth and ingenuity, especially in the Steve Jobs moment—a hilarious but effective bluff. His final role on the bus, staying seated so that Rosa is forced to take a stand, is a quietly heartbreaking moment that elevates his character beyond comic relief.

A VILLAIN WHO FEELS UNNECESSARY

The one weak spot is Krasko, a time-travelling racist from the future whose motivations boil down to “hate.” He’s from Stormcage (hello, River Song callback!), but his character lacks depth. His plan—disrupt history in small ways to stop Rosa’s act of defiance—could have been executed by the setting itself. Rosa doesn’t need a sci-fi villain; the environment and its people provide enough antagonism. Joshua Bowman’s performance doesn’t add much nuance, and Krasko ultimately feels like a sci-fi box-checking exercise rather than a meaningful obstacle.

That said, his interference does add a layer of tension as the team scrambles to outmanoeuvre him and preserve history. It becomes less about fighting him directly and more about countering his influence through small, clever actions—something that suits the story’s grounded tone.

SMALL ACTS, BIG IMPACT

There’s something beautifully understated about how the Doctor and friends protect the timeline. They don’t take over or dominate events. They assist history rather than shape it. The final twist—that they have to remain on the bus so there are enough passengers to force Rosa to move—is heartbreakingly ironic. They can’t stop it. They have to let it happen. It’s not a moment of triumph for the Doctor, but one of solemn participation. This is how you do fixed points in time with grace.

A CLASSIC WHO TONE, REIMAGINED

Tonally, Rosa is a nod to the Hartnell era—quiet, historical, slow-paced. There’s no explosive climax, but a creeping, emotionally driven sense of purpose. The episode’s slow burn pays off in the final act, where every step Rosa takes becomes a beat of rising tension. We know what’s going to happen—but it still lands with power.

MUSIC THAT MATTERS

Segun Akinola’s score, which hadn’t stood out much before this episode, finally makes itself known. It’s subtle, textured, and full of heart. The needle-drop of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” during the closing montage is a bold choice—very un-Who—but it works, underscoring the emotional weight of what’s just happened.

📝VERDICT: 8.5/10

Rosa is a quietly devastating triumph—a thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely moving piece of historical Doctor Who. By focusing on a real-world event and resisting the urge to overcomplicate it with too much sci-fi, it delivers one of the most grounded and human episodes in modern Who. The companions all shine, Whittaker delivers a powerful performance, and the show proves that it can still use its platform to tell stories that matter. Despite a forgettable villain, this is a landmark story—and one of the best historicals the show has ever done.