Rani’s return in Doctor Who feels familiar — And that’s because it is

The return of the Rani in Doctor Who has evoked a feeling of déjà vu among old fans — and for good reason. Her return in the 2024 specials follows a pattern of storytelling familiar to fans of the show. While the character's return was positioned around a secret identity twist, the format is closely modeled on an iconic comeback of yesteryear.

Doctor Who's Rani's return copies the Master's comeback in 2007. This sums up the comparisons made between the Rani’s transformation and the Master’s reappearance during the Russell T Davies era — and highlights how past storytelling continues to shape the show.

Rani’s return and narrative structure in Doctor Who

During the 2024 specials, Rani returned in the guise of Mrs. Flood, an apparently mundane neighbor who eventually reveals her true self by undergoing a biogenetic transformation. This particular storytelling decision is almost the same as the Master's dramatic 2007 comeback under the guise of Harold Saxon, another pseudonym covering up a dominant Time Lord villain. This technique of keeping the identity of a character secret until the very end generates shock value, but here it's not uncharted territory for Doctor Who viewers.

Showrunner Russell T Davies seems to have employed this format intentionally. Instead of merely reusing old concepts, the similarity to the Master's reveal is done as a deliberate echo designed to trigger nostalgia and tie in the present season to older storylines. It serves as a bridge between the program's history and present, providing continuity and access to both old and new audiences.

Rani: Personality analysis

Played by Kate O'Mara originally, Rani first appeared in Time and the Rani (1987) and The Mark of the Rani (1985). She was among the minimalistic female Time Lords brought into the classic series era and was different from the others in that she had a purely scientific and amoral kind of villainy. In contrast to the Master, she wasn't interested in chaos or conquest — experimentation and control by science were what her objectives entailed.

What makes Rani unique from the Master is her motivating force. She is not consumed with domination or destruction. Her evilness is in being detached. Rani, was an evil scientist without empathy who wasn't so much keen to rule the universe as she was curious to know it, at whatever expense. Such scientific interest, usually without empathy, renders her an intellectually hazardous and morally ambiguous character.

Criticism of the narrative device in Doctor Who

Though Rani's reveal as Mrs. Flood is great, it's difficult not to notice the repetition. The pattern is trusty — it succeeds — but veteran fans immediately commented upon how similar it was to the Master's reveal. The success of the twist can be lessened for viewers who see the pattern, something that could be a concern over creative stagnation.

The Rani is an interesting character with incredible story potential. Such a complicated character, however, could have done with an original return — one more in line with her individual identity than a reflection of another Time Lord's journey. An alternative approach would have opened the door for greater exploration of character and a more shocking effect.

The Rani’s return in Doctor Who is crafted with intention, borrowing from one of the show’s most successful narrative twists — the Master’s 2007 comeback. While the structural similarities are evident and widely recognized, they serve as both homage and device to draw viewers back into the series’ larger mythos. Her identity as a scientific, morally ambiguous Time Lord remains intact, and her legacy continues in this new chapter.

No matter if this strategy comes across as clever or not, one thing is certain: Rani has returned, and she's as mysterious as ever.

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Also read: 1) Doctor Who's mirrored structure in seasons 14 and 15 is no coincidence and it’s more significant than you think

2) Doctor Who unveils a brand new teaser on Christmas Day revealing exciting details

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