The 60th anniversary special of Doctor Who, titled "The Star Beast," features David Tennant returning as the Doctor alongside his companion Donna and a charming alien character portrayed by Miriam Margolyes. Get ready for some exciting adventures!
Can you believe it's been over a year since we said goodbye to Jodie Whittaker in a special episode filled with references to classic Doctor Who moments? We were so unsure of who would be appearing at the end of the episode that we had to liveblog it to keep up with the excitement.
Indeed it has. Following a unique introduction for new viewers, Russell T Davies, David Tennant, and Catherine Tate quickly transitioned into a fresh era of Doctor Who. The show is now produced by Bad Wolf Studios and distributed worldwide by Disney, with a noticeable increase in the budget.
The second era of Davies' show was expected to be a major reimagining, but this special episode fell short of that. However, it was still a solid holiday special that aimed to be a mix of humor and scares suitable for the whole family. The episode effectively combined a monster story involving kids with an emotional reunion of Tennant and Tate reminiscent of Sarah Jane Adventures.
Miriam Margolyes's voice, paired with the cute appearance of the Meep character, was charming. Even when the Meeps became bloodthirsty, their "Most High" remained endearing. It was also great to see Jacqueline King return as Sylvia Noble. In his first time as showrunner, Davies introduced memorable yet somewhat tough mothers for the Doctor's Earth companions. However, King had the opportunity to showcase a wider range of emotions and show more empathy towards her daughter's struggles.
Yasmin Finney portrayed Rose as a cheerful and compassionate character. Those who found the Whittaker era of the show too focused on social issues may be surprised by a scene where the Doctor is corrected by Rose for making assumptions about the Meep's pronouns in a science fiction show known for promoting progressive values.
Can you see the impact of the larger budget in the final product? Absolutely. The producers of Doctor Who from the 1970s would have been thrilled to have the resources to create a drone-shot street battle scene like the one featured in this episode. However, the main focus was on the dynamic between the Doctor and Donna, which was heartwarming to watch as Tennant and Tate brought their characters' connection back to life.
Can you summarize it in one sentence?
The Meep makes a memorable appearance as the 14th Doctor returns to the life of Donna Noble and her lively family.
Living on the Tardis was an exciting experience. Although we didn't see much of the interior, we were introduced to a new and stunning design. The new Tardis is filled with round decorations and pays homage to the classic era of the show. It was suggested by Tennant himself to have the characters running on ramps, a concept that became tiresome for him after multiple takes according to Davies.
The Star Beast was inspired by a comic book, with villains that were typical of comic book characters. There weren't any truly scary moments, unless you were worried about Donna's safety, even though you knew Tate would be in the next two specials. The Wrarth Warriors didn't evoke fear either, especially after hearing their posh voices that wouldn't be out of place in Doctor Who from the 1960s.
There are still many unknowns in the world of Doctor Who. We are unsure about the identity of the 14th Doctor, Unit's current status after being disbanded and manipulated in recent episodes, the destination of the Tardis in the upcoming episodes, and the mysterious boss mentioned by the Meep. However, it is likely that Neil Patrick Harris will appear as the Toymaker in the third special, suggesting that the three specials may be connected.
Further into the whirlpool
The Star Beast is a story from a 1980 comic strip in Doctor Who magazine that featured the fourth Doctor, Beep the Meep, and the Wrarth Warriors. It was created by Pat Mills, who also created 2000AD, and John Wagner, who co-created Judge Dredd. The artwork was done by Dave Gibbons, known for his collaboration with Alan Moore on Watchmen. This story is highly regarded by Doctor Who fans, and the plot of children finding a crashed alien predates Steven Spielberg's ET by a few years. Unlike Beep the Meep, ET was not interested in drinking anyone's blood.
We found out that Wilf is now living in assisted living, and we remember that Bernard Cribbins filmed scenes last year, but he wasn't in this episode. Tennant mentioned in April that they weren't able to film as much with Cribbins as they had planned. Hopefully, we will get to see Cribbins' final appearance in the Doctor Who universe in the next few weeks. Cribbins first appeared in the Tardis in the 1966 movie Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 AD, so it would be a special treat and tribute to see him one last time for the show's 60th anniversary.
Tennant had a new sonic screwdriver in a Doctor Who magazine comic story called Liberation of the Daleks, which continued from his regeneration scene and led into a skit for Children in Need. Jodie Whittaker's sonic screwdriver design faced challenges in the story. Fans who don't like the sonic screwdriver being used frequently in modern Doctor Who may not appreciate the new features it had in this episode.
In the present moment, there is no separate trailer released for Wild Blue Yonder. This means that the reader may have more information about it than the Guardian. According to Davies, the episode is unconventional and challenged the design team to bring it to life. Tennant described it as unlike any other Doctor Who episode, and the guest cast has been kept a secret. Therefore, the outcome of the episode is unknown. Stay tuned for next week – let's go!
Doctor Who: summaries of each episode from start to finish, including special episodes for the show's 60th anniversary.
1. The Star Beast is a special episode.
2. Wild Blue Yonder is another special episode.
3. The Giggle is a third special episode.
4. The Church on Ruby Road is
Series 13 of Flux is currently
First chapter: The Halloween Apocalypse
Second chapter: Conflict with the Sontarans
Third chapter: A story from the past
Fourth chapter: Encounter in a village with the Angels
Fifth chapter: Those who survived the Flux
Sixth chapter: The ones who conquer
New Year's special: Dawn of the Daleks
Spring special: Tale of the Sea Monsters
BBC centenary special: The Doctor's Strength
Season 12
The first episode is titled "Spyfall part one" and the second episode is "Spyfall part two". Following them are episodes titled "Orphan 55", "Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror", "Fugitive of the Judoon", "Praxeus", "Can You Hear Me?", "The Haunting of Villa Diodati", "Ascension of the Cybermen", and "The Timeless Children". There is also a New Year's special episode called "Revolution of the Daleks".
Eleventh season
Season 11 of Doctor Who includes episodes titled "The Woman Who Fell to Earth," "The Ghost Monument," "Rosa," "Arachnids in the UK," "The Tsuangra Conundrum," "Demons of the Punjab," "Kerblam!," "The Witchfinders," "It Takes You Away," and "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos." The New Year's special is titled "Resolution."
Tenth season
Season 10 of Doctor Who includes episodes such as "The Pilot," "Smile," "Thin Ice," "Knock Knock," "Oxygen," "Extremis," "The Pyramid at the End of the World," "The Lie of the Land," "Empress of Mars," "The Eaters of Light," "World Enough and Time," and "The Doctor Falls." The Christmas special for 2017 is titled "Twice Upon A Time."
Season 9
Season 9 of the popular TV show includes episodes such as "The Magician's Apprentice," "The Witch's Familiar," "Under The Lake," "Before The Flood," "The Girl Who Died," "The Woman Who Lived," "The Zygon Invasion," "The Zygon Inversion," "Sleep No More," "Face The Raven," "Heaven Sent," and "Hell Bent." The 2015 Christmas special is titled "The Husbands of River Song," while the 2016 Christmas special is called "The Return of Doctor Mysterio."
Season 8
Season 8 of Doctor Who includes the following episodes: "Deep Breath," "Into The Dalek," "Robot of Sherwood," "Listen," "Time Heist," "The Caretaker," "Kill The Moon," "Mummy on the Orient Express," "Flatline," "In the Forest of the Night," "Dark Water," "Death In Heaven," and the 2014 Christmas special titled "Last Christmas."
Seventh Series
Season 7 of Doctor Who included the following episodes: "Asylum of the Daleks," "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship," "A Town Called Mercy," "The Power of Three," "The Angels Take Manhattan," "The Snowmen" (2012 Christmas special), "The Bells of Saint John," "The Rings of Akhaten," "Cold War," "Hide," "Journey to the Centre of the Tardis," "The Crimson Horror," "Nightmare in Silver," "The Name of the Doctor," the 50th Anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor," and the 2013 Christmas special "The Time of the Doctor."
Season 6
Season 6 of Doctor Who includes episodes such as "The Impossible Astronaut", "Day of the Moon", "The Curse of the Black Spot", "The Doctor's Wife", "The Rebel Flesh", "The Almost People", "A Good Man Goes To War", "Let's Kill Hitler", "Night Terrors", "The Girl Who Waited", "The God Complex", "Closing Time", and "The Wedding of River Song". The 2011 Christmas special is titled "The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe".
Season 5
The first episode is called "The Eleventh Hour," followed by "The Beast Below," "Victory of the Daleks," "The Time of Angels," "Flesh and Stone," "The Vampires of Venice," "Amy's Choice," "The Hungry Earth," "Cold Blood," "Vincent and the Doctor," "The Lodger," "The Pandorica Opens," and "The Big Bang." The 2010 Christmas special is titled "A Christmas Carol."
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