The identity of Mrs. Flood, the seemingly ordinary yet oddly knowing neighbor in Doctor Who, has been a hot topic among fans. While shrouded in mystery, the 2024 Christmas special, “Joy to the World,” dropped hints that might have unveiled her true identity. The episode introduced Anita Benn, a new acquaintance of the Doctor’s, with whom he spent a year while waiting at the peculiar Time Hotel. Though the festive special served primarily as a standalone adventure, it subtly deepened the intrigue surrounding a crucial character: Mrs. Flood.
While “Joy to the World” didn’t explicitly confirm a link between Anita and Mrs. Flood, a compelling Doctor Who theory suggests they might be one and the same. Season 14 sprinkled breadcrumbs regarding Mrs. Flood’s identity, yet none were definitive enough to solidify fan conclusions. However, “Joy to the World” may have just provided the missing piece to solve the Mrs. Flood puzzle, pointing towards a surprising origin for Ruby Sunday’s observant neighbor.
Anita’s Time Hotel Career: A Hint at Mrs. Flood’s Future?
After the Doctor successfully navigated the chaotic events of “Joy to the World,” a mysterious Time Hotel employee extended a job offer to Anita at the Sandringham Hotel. Anita, recognizing the “Auld Lang Syne” card, immediately knew the Doctor was behind this orchestrated opportunity. This setup mirrored the Doctor’s past acts of kindness, such as securing Martha Jones a position at UNIT following the tumultuous “Year that Never Was.”
The Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and Anita (Stephanie de Whalley) at the Time Hotel desk in Doctor Who, showcasing their initial friendly relationship.
The episode strongly implied Anita accepted the Time Hotel job, further reinforced by the appearance of a shop named “Mr. Benn’s,” a clear nod to her surname. The Time Hotel, existing outside the conventional flow of time, suggests Anita could have had a long and successful career there, possibly even predating the present or future existence of the shop itself due to the time-bending nature of the location. However, time, as it always does, marches on. Eventually, Anita would have retired, and considering the physical similarities between actresses Steph de Whalley and Anita Dobson, it’s not a stretch to imagine a younger Anita evolving into someone resembling Mrs. Flood.
The Theory Unfolds: Mrs. Flood as a Future Version of Anita
Several clues point towards the intriguing possibility that Mrs. Flood is indeed Anita from a future timeline. While “Joy to the World” didn’t explicitly detail Anita’s life post-job acceptance, subtle nods and references bolster the theory that these two characters are connected. Fans were aware that Anita wouldn’t become a companion in Doctor Who season 15, given Varada Sethu’s casting announcement. But what if Anita’s journey took an unexpected turn, transforming her into someone else entirely?
The Inevitable End of a Time Hotel Career
Retirement from the Time Hotel would place Anita in a world drastically different from her origins. Despite acclimatizing to the Time Hotel’s temporal oddities, a desire for familiarity could understandably lead Anita to seek a return to a semblance of normalcy. However, stepping back through the Sandringham Hotel’s 2024 door was not an option, as it would lead to a paradox by encountering her younger self.
Instead, Anita might have exited through a different time door, perhaps into an era where she had no existing connections. Alone and seeking help, she might have turned to the one person who offered her kindness: the Doctor. Given their year-long acquaintance, it’s plausible the Doctor mentioned Ruby during their conversations, sparking Anita’s future quest. Knowing the Doctor hadn’t yet experienced the events of “Joy to the World” from his perspective, Anita remained discreet, already possessing knowledge of the TARDIS and the Time Lord’s name from their prior interactions.
Echoes of Anita Dobson in Mrs. Flood
The most apparent link between Anita and Mrs. Flood lies in the shared first name of the actresses portraying them: Anita. However, the connections extend further. Anita Dobson’s marriage to Queen guitarist Brian May, who also holds a PhD in astrophysics and participated in a NASA project concerning the asteroid Bennu in 2023, adds another layer. Anita’s surname, Benn, eerily mirrors this celestial connection, hinting at a deeper, perhaps intentional, link between the characters and the actress herself.
The Curious Case of the Tiny TARDISes
Throughout his year at the Sandringham Hotel, the Doctor amassed a collection of miniature TARDIS figurines, eventually gifting one to Anita upon his departure. It’s conceivable Anita received these deliveries at the front desk, perhaps noting a return address that would later aid her in locating Ruby Sunday.
But a lingering question remains: who manufactured these TARDIS models? The Doctor claimed to purchase them online, yet it’s peculiar that such items are readily available for sale. Could Anita, in her future as Mrs. Flood, be the enigmatic creator and vendor of these TARDIS figurines? Knowing the Doctor’s 2024 purchasing habits, she might have realized the need for a supply chain in the first place, establishing herself as the source.
Mrs. Flood: Friend or Foe Turned Bitter?
Despite the warm friendship forged between the Doctor and Anita in “Joy to the World,” time and circumstance can alter even the strongest bonds. Anita might have harbored resentment towards the Doctor for orchestrating her Time Hotel job, especially if she felt trapped there until retirement or struggled to return to her original time.
While the Time Hotel offered myriad doors to different eras, access to specific points in time might not be guaranteed. Anita might have been forced to exit decades before her own time, compounding feelings of displacement. Furthermore, the Doctor’s indirect goodbye, sending a Time Hotel employee instead of a personal farewell, could have made Anita feel undervalued, diminishing the significance of their shared year in her eyes.
Mrs. Flood’s distinctly sharp and occasionally bitter demeanor in Doctor Who season 14 could stem from such accumulated resentment. If years passed without a single visit from the time-traveling Doctor, Anita’s hurt and disillusionment could easily morph into the cynicism and knowing glances we see in Mrs. Flood. The theory that Mrs. Flood is a future, embittered Anita offers a compelling and narratively rich explanation for her mysterious presence and peculiar knowledge of the Doctor and his world.
