First-look images at this weekend’s penultimate episode of Doctor Who: Flux have confirmed what many fans had suspected: UNIT is back!
The military organisation has been a recurring presence in the sci-fi drama, but its most recent reference in 2019’s New Year special suggested that it had been closed down due to government cuts.
The unfortunate development angered many fans, so UNIT’s return under long-serving Chief Scientific Officer Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) will no doubt come as a pleasant surprise.
The character made a brief appearance in the ‘next time’ preview at the end of Village of the Angels, but it’s not yet clear exactly what her role in new episode Survivors of the Flux will be.
Kate is the daughter of classic Who character Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (Nicholas Courtney) and has appeared opposite Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi’s incarnations of The Doctor.
But she isn’t the only character featured in new images from this week’s chapter, with Swarm and Azure also returning for episode five, portrayed by Sam Spruell and Rochenda Sandall respectively.
!["Doctor]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/11/doctor-who-series-13-flux-a64de63.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"doctor-who-series-13-flux\"")
Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of Doctor Who without the Time Lord’s trusted companions, with Dan (John Bishop) and Yaz (Mandip Gill) seen venturing through a tunnel, accompanied by Kevin McNally’s Professor Jericho – a character that some fans are hoping will get a spin-off.
!["Kevin]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/11/doctor-who-flux-episode-5-dan-yaz-jericho-131b42e.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"doctor-who-flux-episode-5-dan-yaz-jericho\"")
The Doctor’s new ally Vinder also returns this week, as portrayed by Game of Thrones star Jacob Anderson, seen here stealthily sneaking a peek at something – but who or what?
!["Jacob]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/11/doctor-who-series-13-episode-5-vinder-5e477b0.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"doctor-who-series-13-episode-5-vinder\"")
There are just two episodes left of Flux, which is sowing the seeds for Jodie Whittaker’s departure from the series, but there’s still no word who the next Doctor will be. Watch this space.
Doctor Who continues on BBC One at 6:25pm on Sunday 28th November. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.