Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum: monster named, new photos

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Cultbox has new information about the main threat in the fifth episode of Doctor Who Series 11, The Tsuranga Conundrum plus new photos from BBC America.

First, the guest cast list:

Suzanne Packer: Eve Cicero
Ben Bailey Smith: Durkas Cicero
Brett Goldstein: Astos, a medic
Lois Chimimba: Mabli, a medic
David Shields: Ronan
Jack Shalloo: Yoss Inkl

New information from TV & Satellite Week magazine:

[Eve] Packer plays General Eve Cicero, a former heroic space fighter pilot, who we meet in a futuristic hospital with her brother Durkas and robot servant Ronan.

Durkas and Eve Cicero, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
David Shields as the robot Ronan, Doctor Who. The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America

The description from the magazine continues:

The Doctor and her companions Graham, Yasmin and Ryan are incapacitated and recovering at the same hospital after being caught up in a ‘sonic mine’ explosion on a planet that’s piled high with junk.

Two hospital medics Astos and Mabli are treating them.

Astos, Yaz, Mabli, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
Mabli, Ryan, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
“We’re in Hospital” A still from the Doctor Who The Tsuranga Conundrum trailer, BBC
Mabli, Astos, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
Yaz, Doctor Who, The Tsuramga Conundrum, BBC America

The magazine goes on to describe the main threat:

However, there’s no rest and recuperation at the hospital as the TARDIS travellers, the medical staff and other patients – including a pregnant man, Yoss whos about to give birth – come under attack by from a small, ferocious creature known as a Pting.

Ryan, pregnant man Yoss Inkl, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum
Pregnant man Yoss Inkl reclining at left in a still from the BBC Doctor Who Series 11 trailer

Further information from the magazine:

Meanwhile, at the heart of the mystery is something called the Tsuranga Conundrum…

…this adventure sees the team rely on each other more than ever before as they try to solve a series of tricky clues to defeat the deadly critter.

Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
The Doctor, Doctor Who, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC America
The Tsuranga Conundrum, Ben Blackall, BBC
Eve Cicero, the Doctor, The Tsuranga Conundrum, BBC
Mabli, Ronan, The Tsuranga Conundrum trailer, BBC
A still from the Doctor Who The Tsuranga Conundrum trailer, BBC
A still from the Doctor Who The Tsuranga Conundrum trailer, BBC

A “critter” called a Pting? That and the reported size of the monster doesn’t sound especially threatening.

However, the risk to life is “absolute”, according to the official synopsis.

Neither photos nor footage of the Pting show up in any of the official promotional material for The Tsuranga Conundrum. It seems we’ll have wait to see the Pting when the episode airs on Sunday, November 4, 7:00 p.m. on BBC One and 8:00 p.m. on BBC America.