Varada Sethu shares her reaction to some of the criticism about her Doctor Who exit. Sethu appeared in one episode of season 14, but was added to the cast of Doctor Who season 15 as the Doctor’s companion, Belinda Chandra. Belinda became an unwilling companion after being saved by the Doctor and only wants to get back to Earth.

The Doctor Who season 15 finale saw Belinda become the mother of a young girl, Poppy. Poppy was created as the result of a wish, which originally had her as the daughter of the Doctor and Belinda. However, after reality is changed, Poppy is shown to still have Belinda as her mother, but a human father. Some viewers found this to be a poor way for Belinda to leave the show, as she had motherhood forced upon her.

In an interview with MTV UK (via RadioTimes), Sethu responds to the criticism around her departure. She shares that the majority of the reactions she has seen are positive, and thinks some of the negativity is “a bit unfair.” Sethu believes that Belinda’s story was tied up perfectly. Check out her comments below:

I feel like the majority – it was so much love. Reactions that always make me laugh… it’s a bit unfair because I think the writing was beautiful. I think it was tied up in a way that was perfect, I cannot think of a better way of completing that circle.

But it’s always like, ‘Oh, I can’t believe I won’t get to see Belinda’. It’s a frustration that comes from people loving Belinda so much that they’re like, ‘I can’t believe I don’t get more.’

What This Means For Doctor Who

The Finale Had Some Big Surprises

The most recent Doctor Who finale had plenty of big surprises. Along with Sethu, Ncuti Gatwa also exited the show after just two seasons. In the closing moments of the finale, Gatwa’s Doctor regenerates into a character played by former Doctor Who star Billie Piper. It is unknown if Piper will be playing the Sixteenth Doctor, but that is the most likely explanation at this point.

There is a possibility that Belinda could return to the sci-fi series. One prevailing theory is that Poppy is Susan Foreman’s mother, the Doctor’s granddaughter. If that turns out to be true, it would make sense to have Sethu return as Belinda. Depending on how this potential storyline could be handled, it may make Belinda’s arc more satisfactory to viewers.

Our Take On Belinda’s Exit

Her Life Is Forever Changed

There are different sides to how Belinda’s character was handled. It was interesting to have a companion that did not want to be part of adventuring on the TARDIS and questioning the Doctor, instead of the wide-eyed wonderment most companions show. Although Belinda is happy at the end of season 15, the show took some strange steps to get to that point.

The future of Doctor Who is unknown, including where or if the show will continue to air. When Doctor Who hopefully returns, there is space for Belinda to reappear and tell more of his story.

Source: MTV UK (via RadioTimes)

Doctor Who

5/10

Release Date

December 25, 2023

Directors

Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Richard Martin, Peter Moffatt, Pennant Roberts, Lennie Mayne, Chris Clough, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Gerald Blake, Graeme Harper, Waris Hussein, Rodney Bennett, Mervyn Pinfield, Hugh David, John Gorrie

Writers

Russell T. Davies, Dave Gibbons, Kate Herron, Steven Moffat

Franchise(s)

Doctor Who / Whoniverse