When it was announced that Bonnie Langford’s Mel Bush would be returning to Doctor Who in season 14, it was incredibly exciting, but after her recent cameo in Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary episodes, it is clear that her character’s revival may be even better than viewers had hoped. Doctor Who is a British sci-fi series which first began in 1963. It follows a humanlike extraterrestrial called the Doctor, who can travel through time and space. Most recently, Doctor Who has released three special episodes in honor of the show’s 60th anniversary. Ultimately, they revealed plenty about what is to come in season 14.
Although Doctor Who season 14 is not set to premiere until 2024, there is a lot of information already out there on what fans can expect from the new season. First and foremost, the Fifteenth Doctor will be played by Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa, while his companion, Ruby Sunday, will be portrayed by Millie Gibson. Gatwa’s regeneration occurred in the 60th anniversary episode, “The Giggle.” Another fact about season 14 is that Mel Bush, a character who appeared on Doctor Who in the 1980s, is making a return. However, the scope of her homecoming was not made clear until the final episode of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials.
Wait, Is Mel Returning To Doctor Who As A Recurring Character?!
When Mel’s addition to Doctor Who’s season 14 cast was first announced, it seemed as though she would just be making a brief cameo appearance in Doctor Who season 14, however, “The Giggle” has insinuated that she could actually be a recurring character in the new season. In the latest Doctor Who episode, “The Giggle,” Bonnie Langford made an appearance as Mel Bush, who is apparently now working for UNIT. Her return to Doctor Who was definitely a surprise, but her new role in the series is even more shocking. If Mel is working at UNIT, then she could feasibly continue to show up in Doctor Who indefinitely.
Mel’s Doctor Who return comes at a time that is full of important homecomings for Doctor Who cast and crew, and in this way, perhaps it is less surprising. For example, David Tennant and Catherine Tate returned to Doctor Who for the 60th anniversary episodes to play the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna Noble respectively. Additionally, the Doctor Who showrunner label was only recently passed to Russell T. Davies, who notably produced the show from 2005 to 2010. In this way, Doctor Who is doing a lot of reminiscing, and perhaps Mel is just another piece in the puzzle.
Doctor Who Can Finally Do Justice To Mel Following Her Mixed 1980s Run
Mel’s Doctor Who return was already great, but if she truly is going to be a recurring character, that is even better. By giving Mel more screen time, Doctor Who can finally fix the problems that made her first appearance on the series controversial. Mel Bush’s tenure as the Doctor’s companion started off in a strange place because she simply didn’t get the introduction that companions usually get. Mel just existed, given to the Doctor without any preamble or flair. Then, Mel’s reputation was worsened even further when she was characterized as being overly positive and energetic to an annoying degree.
Ultimately, Mel Bush was certainly not one of Doctor Who’s best companions, but Doctor Who season 14 has a chance to change that. Although Mel irritated viewers back in the 1980s, the new season can give her a tamer, more likable personality. There could even be a backstory added that would explain why Mel had such intense energy during her previous season. All in all, Mel’s return is a much-needed second chance for her character. She can win the hearts of viewers that she never could many decades ago.
Mel’s Return Pays Off Chris Chibnall’s Best UNIT Change
A final aspect of Mel’s unexpected return is that it makes Chris Chibnall’s UNIT change have a big pay-off. When he was still Doctor Who’s showrunner, Chris Chibnall made it so that UNIT could employ past companions. At the time, this had little to no consequences, but now, Russell T. Davies has taken advantage of this detail and brought Mel back, not just as a cameo, but as a long-standing character. Ultimately, “The Giggle” and Mel’s role in it feels like several Doctor Who puzzle pieces finally fitting into place. Now, audiences will just have to wait and see where Mel Bush’s Doctor Who character goes next.
