Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill tease new tension between Thirteen and Yaz in The Return of the Doctor

The Return of the Doctor is the second episode of Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures, an audio drama series by Big Finish. The episodes are released bimonthly, and the second one, The Return of the Doctor, was released on September 9, 2025. It follows Yaz convincing the 13th Doctor to return to their planet of the Zaarians a while after they saved them from an alien attack.

But to their surprise, the Zaarians are in a terrible state, and everything is in ruins. It makes the Doctor question if it was anything she did wrong that led to this massacre, and Yaz is equally shocked while having a strange voice in her head. In Legend of the Sea Devils, the penultimate episode of Doctor Who (2017-2022), the 13th Doctor had confirmed her feelings for Yaz, but she was reluctant about an actual romantic relationship.

Fans have wondered where their relationship is headed next. Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill, who play the 13th Doctor and Yaz, revealed the new tension between their characters in Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures.

The tension between Doctor and Yaz in Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures

According to Big Fish, speaking about the dynamic between the Doctor and Yaz in The Return of the Doctor, Jodie Whittaker said,

"What’s great about this episode is the exploration of Yaz being a bit more combative against the Doctor."

She continued,

"Very often we’re quite in sync, but for the Doctor particularly, getting challenged and having to justify certain bits of her personality, it’s really good for her.”

We haven't seen Yaz challenge the Doctor too much in the past in Doctor Who. Hence, despite being the Doctor's companion and having feelings for her, Yaz is challenging her in The Return of the Doctor, which, as Whittaker points out, is refreshing. We also learn more about the Doctor along with Yaz.

Mandip Gill spoke on the tension between the Doctor and Yaz, saying,

“Throughout most of the TV series, Yaz was learning a lot from the Doctor and so had to listen, but in this series their friendship has developed to a point where she can argue back when she doesn’t agree, she can question some of the Doctor’s decisions and what she thinks the Doctor should be, and can take charge a bit – which might not always be helpful!”

It is interesting to see how, despite their feelings, the Doctor and Yaz have been able to prioritize their responsibilities and also learn from their interactions. Besides, now, Yaz has gotten more comfortable in her role and can finally ask the Doctor why she's doing something she is, which steps away from the concept of the Doctor knowing the best because she is a genius.

The supporting cast of the episode, other than Whittaker and Gill, includes Belinda Stewart-Wilson as Vashir, Charlie Kelly as Azaan, Will Kirk as Talpa, and Stephan Bessant as Taav. The series is written by Rory Thomas-Howes.

Doctor Who – The Thirteenth Doctor Adventures' second episode, The Return of the Doctor, is now out on the Big Finish official website.

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