 "Fugitive of the Judoon" is the fourth story of Season Thirty Eight (New Series 12) and was written by Vinay Patel and showrunner Chris Chibnall. It was directed by Nida Manzoor. Vinay Patel previously wrote last season’s story "Demons of the Punjab".
An early version of what became "Fugitive of the Judoon" had been discussed as far back as March 2016,
Nida Manzoor directed the third recording block containing this story and "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror" - the previous story. Her previous directing work includes the online BBC comedy-drama Enterprice and a pilot for a series called Hounslow Diaries.
Although Nida Manzoor is credited as having directed this story, Jamie Magnus Stone directed the scenes involving Captain Jack Harkness.
This story featured the introduction of a previously unknown incarnation of The Doctor, with her own TARDIS, though neither Doctor can remember living the life of the other. This other Doctor is said to have used a Chameleon Arch to hide on Earth in her ‘Ruth Clayton’ identity and has a history working for the Time Lords, in an undisclosed capacity. As a result of this revelation, Jo Martin who plays this dual part makes history by becoming the first female non-white person to play The Doctor and the first non-white actor to play a distinct incarnation of the character. Jo Martin is also credited twice - first as Ruth and then with an ‘introducing’ credit as The Doctor - so following the trend for previous new incarnations of the character since the show was revived in 2005.
This story also saw the return of Captain Jack Harkness, who last made a televised appearance at the end of Torchwood series 4 in the 2011 story "The Blood Line". However, it was his first appearance in a televised Doctor Who story in just over a decade with this character last being seen in the 2009/2010 Tenth Doctor story "The End of Time". Although Captain Jack Harkness does not interact with the Thirteenth Doctor during this story he does warn her companions about the Lone Cyberman, setting up a story arc that, until "The Haunting of Villa Diodati" - the seventh story of this season, would go unresolved.
As the name suggested, this story also saw the reintroduction of The Judoon who became the first monsters from the Russell T Davies era to reappear in Chris Chibnall's era. They last appeared as a cameo in the 2015 Twelfth Doctor story "Face the Raven" but had not been as prominently featured in a televised story since the 2009 The Sarah Jane Adventures story "Prisoner of the Judoon". There last major appearance in a televised Doctor Who story has not been since their introductory story - the Tenth Doctor story "Smith and Jones" in 2007.
As well as the re-appearance of The Judoon and Captain Jack Harkness this story sees the return of the Chameleon Arch. The Chameleon Arch was Time Lord technology which could modify the biology of an individual, essentially changing their species. It was first seen in the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Human Nature/The Family of Blood".
John Barrowman's appearance as Captain Jack Harkness was not publicised prior to broadcast. Russell T Davies, executive producer and lead writer of the show between 2005 and 2010, receives an on-screen credit as the creator of The Judoon and Captain Jack Harkness.
The Judoon and The Doctor’s old acquaintance Captain Jack Harkness were added during the scripting process. This story was written and shot as the fifth story but subsequently moved up the broadcast order, swapping places with "Praxeus" - which had originally been designated to be the fourth story.
All the scenes with John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness were recorded on the 26th July at Bristol’s Clifton Cathedral. To preserve the surprise of Captain Jack Harkness’ return, both character and performer were listed on the call sheet as being Roy Lester (an anagram of Rose Tyler).
It has been revealed that John Barrowman had to fake a house renovation in Cardiff to keep it secret that he was filming for Doctor Who. In fact, in order to keep up the ruse, John Barrowman did actually carry out this renovation.
Neil Stuke, who voiced The Crooked Man in the Big Finish Productions audio story "The Crooked Man", was cast in this story playing the part of Lee Clayton.
Location filming for this story took place around Gloucester, including Gloucester Cathedral. This took place on the 22nd and 23rd May 2019. Gloucester had previously been used as a filming location for the 2008 Christmas special "The Next Doctor".
The Doctor discovers that Ruth owns a Lighthouse, which in reality is a hide-out for her TARDIS and the trigger for her real memories.
West Usk Lighthouse served as a filming location for this part of this story. Since 2012, this lighthouse-turned-bed and breakfast has had a Dalek in the foyer and a TARDIS as the changing room for the hot tub on the roof.
On reading The Doctor's psychic paper, the Judoon Captain assumes she is an Imperial Regulator.
The Thirteenth Doctor gets offended when the Ruth Doctor gives her points, claiming it as her thing. The Ruth Doctor also calls the Thirteenth Doctor’s sonic screwdriver a ‘cute little gizmo’.
The Thirteenth Doctor remembers the Last Great Time War.
Captain Jack Harkness mistakes Graham for The Doctor (see "Spyfall" and the BBC Books’ New Series novel "The Good Doctor").
When mistaking Graham O'Brien for The Doctor he kisses him as he once did with the Ninth Doctor toward the end of their initial travels (see the 2005 story "Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways"). Before reuniting with the Tenth Doctor, in "Utopia", he expressed his intent to first kiss The Doctor, and then ‘kill him’, when at last they meet again (see the Torchwood story "Fragments").
Captain Jack Harkness is familiar with nanogenes (see the 2005 Ninth Doctor story "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances") and the Cybermen (see the Torchwood story "Cyberwoman").
Ruth uses the Chameleon Arch to disguise herself as a human, complete with false memories and rewritten human biology (see "Human Nature/The Family of Blood", "Utopia" and the Big Finish Productions’ Time War audio story "One Life").
Ruth uses a biodata module disguised as a fire alarm to reverse the effect of the Chameleon Arch.
The Doctor locates the presence of the Judoon on Earth while searching for any evidence that The Master may have escaped the realm of the Kasaavin (see "Spyfall").
The Doctor notes that the Judoon have no jurisdiction on Earth (see the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Smith and Jones", The Sarah Jane Adventures story "Prisoner of the Judoon" and the BBC Books’ Quick Reads novel "Revenge of the Judoon").
During this story we witness a Judoon execute a human for a petty act of assault and hand out compensation (see the 2007 Tenth Doctor story "Smith and Jones").
Ruth refers to The Judoon as ‘rhinoforms’ (see the Big Finish Productions’ Classic Doctors New Monsters Sixth Doctor audio story "Judoon in Chains").
Gat likens The Judoon's noisiness to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
The Doctor notes The Judoon use a Class/Level Seven Enforcement Field. They also threaten to use a Temporal Isolator, a Temporal Blast, to capture their target.
The Judoon Captain cites Judoon Engagement Article 163B. A Judoon also cites Subsection 951 when finding out that both The Doctors and Ruth are the same fugitive.
In post-production, the Judoon Captain is named Pol-Con-Don as a tribute to late Doctor Who fan and friend of Chris Chibnall, Paul Condon, who had died in May 2019.
On learning of Captain Jack Harkness’ message The Doctor tells her travelling companions that the Cybermen are on par with the Daleks (see "Resolution").
The Doctor recalls that Gallifrey has been destroyed twice, by war (see the BBC Books' The Eighth Doctor Stories novel "The Ancestor Cell", written by Peter Anghelides and Stephen Cole, and the 2009 Ninth Doctor story "The End of the World") and then by The Master in "Spyfall".
Ruth's TARDIS has a classic retro-design exterior and a modified classic interior.
The Ruth Doctor names the temporal feedback loop as an event happening to two TARDISes getting too close to each other.
Captain Jack Harkness uses a Quantican Scoop to teleport The Doctor’s travelling companions to his stolen spaceship and back. He reveals that he got it from Ibiza XIII.
A tractor beam brings Ruth's TARDIS to the Judoon's spaceship, which is revealed to be a Judoonese Talwak Freighter.
It is revealed in this story that Henry III was crowned at Gloucester Cathedral in 1216 and that Harry Potter was also filmed in the cathedral.
Gat cites the Blinovitch Limitation Effect as an ‘abomination’.
The Doctor mentions The Master's hologram message to her three travelling companions.
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The Firsts:
The Thirteenth Doctor's first encounter with The Judoon.
The first appearance in the show of the ‘Ruth Clayton’ version of The Doctor played by Jo Martin
The first appearance in the show of Captain Jack Harkness, played by John Barrowman, since the Tenth Doctor story "The End of Time".
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