Doctor Who fandom has long speculated about the nature of the dynamic between the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and Yaz (Mandip Gill) – but new episode Eve of the Daleks has made the subtext of their relationship very much text.
For the first time, the series addressed Yaz having romantic feelings for the Doctor – something that certain fans felt had been implied on previous occasions.
The first clue that a reveal might be coming arrives when Elf Storage manager Sarah (Aisling Bea) admits she is growing fond of “good-hearted weirdo” Nick (Adjani Salmon).
“My best friend Lauren says that good-hearted weirdos are actually the keepers,” says Sarah, with Yaz then shooting the Doctor a look. The Doctor notices this, but Yaz dismisses it.
Later in the episode, it’s made clear that Dan (John Bishop) had twigged how Yaz feels during the years they spent isolated from the TARDIS and travelling the world together in the previous series.
“Have you ever told her?” asks Dan. “How you feel about her?”
Though an embarrassed Yaz initially denies how she feels, Dan tells her, “I spent four years travelling the world with you, I saw it then.”
“I don’t know what to do, Dan,” replies a tearful Yaz. “I’ve never told anyone. Not even myself.”
Dan urges Yaz to be honest with the Doctor about her feelings, reminding her that he took too long to be honest with Diane (Nadia Albina) and then “everything got messy”, which led to her rejecting him. “I wouldn’t want that to happen to you, Sheffield,” he says.
Before their heart-to-heart can continue, the pair are interrupted by Daleks and have to get back to the business at hand – escaping not just the monsters but also the time loop they find themselves trapped in.
!["Doctor]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/03/Doctor-Who_S12_TardisPortraits_Yaz_02-c3ffaaf.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"DOCTOR")
That’s not quite the end of the story, though. Dan later pre-empts Yaz’s confession (give the girl a chance, Dan!) and tells the Doctor how his friend feels.
The Doctor pretends not to understand what Dan is saying, but he’s having none of it and again urges her to speak to Yaz about their relationship.
This on-screen acknowledgement is a major step for the pairing that fans refer to as “Thasmin” – but does the Doctor reciprocate Yaz’s feelings? Can an ancient alien and a human being ever be in a romantic relationship?
We might find out in the next episode, Legend of the Sea Devils, though it’s possibly telling that the Doctor and Yaz do exchange meaningful glances during Eve of the Daleks’ climactic fireworks display…
Mandip Gill previously discussed the desire from some fans to have the two characters become romantically involved.
“People have asked about it, people have wanted it,” she told Radio Times. “Me and [Jodie] have a lovely relationship as people, as actors, and our characters have a really, really nice relationship. And I think it’s been written very naturally.
“I’d like to think where it heads people [will] have gone ‘Yeah, that’s what it’s supposed to be.’”
Read more about Doctor Who:
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks’ time loops explained
- Doctor Who brings back surprise character from Jodie Whittaker’s debut
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks addresses series 13 Flux plot holes
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