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Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Special Recap: The Star Beast Returns with David Tennant and Catherine Tate

The 60th anniversary special of Doctor Who, titled "The Star Beast," features David Tennant returning alongside his companion Donna and a lovable alien character portrayed by Miriam Margolyes. Let's go!

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 had to liveblog the episode because we were unsure if David Tennant or Ncuti Gatwa would make an appearance at the end.

It certainly has changed. Following a unique introduction for new viewers that breaks the fourth wall, Russell T Davies, David Tennant, and Catherine Tate quickly moved forward with a fresh era of Doctor Who. This new era is being produced by Bad Wolf Studios and distributed worldwide by Disney, with a noticeable increase in the budget for the show.

The second era of Davies' show was promised to be a significant reimagination, but this episode felt more like a strong "holiday" special. Davies aimed for it to be a mix of humor and scares, similar to a Pixar movie, suitable for the whole family. The episode effectively combined a monster story reminiscent of Sarah Jane Adventures with an emotional reunion of Tennant and Tate's characters.

The combination of Miriam Margolyes's voice and the cute appearance of the Meep character was endearing, and even when the Meeps became violent, their leader remained charming. It was also great to see Jacqueline King return as Sylvia Noble. Previously, under Davies' leadership, the Doctor's companions' Earth mothers were memorable but sometimes harsh. However, King's portrayal showed a more compassionate side and a deeper connection to her daughter's struggles.

Yasmin Finney played the character of Rose in a positive and compassionate way. Those who found issue with the Whittaker era of Doctor Who being too politically correct may have difficulty with a scene where the Doctor is corrected by Rose for assuming the pronouns of the Meep alien. This show has always had a history of promoting progressive values.

Can the increased budget be seen in the final product? Absolutely. The creators of Doctor Who from the 1970s would have been thrilled to have the resources to film a drone-shot street battle like the one featured here. However, the main focus was on the dynamic between the Doctor and Donna, which was heartwarming to see Tennant and Tate bring to life once again.

In one sentence, the 14th Doctor's return disrupts Donna Noble's life as the Meep character becomes a standout.

Living on the Tardis was a unique experience. Although we didn't see much of the inside, we were impressed by the new interior design. The Tardis is filled with circular decorations and has a classic feel reminiscent of the original series. It was suggested by Tennant himself to have scenes of running on the ramps, but after multiple takes, it seemed to become less enjoyable for the actor according to Davies.

The TV show The Star Beast was adapted from a comic book, so the villains were very much like typical comic book characters. There weren't any truly scary moments, unless you were worried about Donna's fate, even though you knew Tate would be in the next two episodes. The Wrarth Warriors didn't seem intimidating once they spoke with posh voices that would have fit in on Doctor Who in 1963.

Uncertainties and inquiries

There are still unknown reasons behind the choice of the 14th Doctor's face, the changes Unit has undergone since being disbanded in Resolution and manipulated through time during Flux, the destination of the Tardis, and the identity of the boss mentioned by the Meep. However, it is likely that Neil Patrick Harris will appear in the third special as the Toymaker, and the three specials are likely to be interconnected.

Further into the spiral

The Star Beast originates from a comic strip in Doctor Who magazine from 1980 that featured the fourth Doctor, Beep the Meep, and the Wrarth Warriors. The story was written by Pat Mills, the creator of 2000AD, and John Wagner, the co-creator of Judge Dredd, and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, known for his work on Watchmen with Alan Moore. It has always been highly regarded by Doctor Who fans, with a plot involving children finding a crashed alien before the release of ET by a few years. Unlike Beep the Meep, ET did not have a desire to harm anyone.

We have learned that Wilf is living in a protected housing facility, and although Bernard Cribbins filmed scenes last year, he did not appear in this particular episode. David Tennant mentioned in April that they were not able to film as much with Cribbins as originally 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.

If you're curious about why Tennant had a different sonic screwdriver in the Power of the Doctor episode, Doctor Who magazine has been releasing a 14th Doctor comic story called Liberation of the Daleks. This story continues directly from the regeneration scene and leads into the recent Skaro-based Children in Need skit. In this comic, Jodie Whittaker's sonic screwdriver design has faced some challenges. Those who dislike the frequent use of the sonic screwdriver in modern Doctor Who may not appreciate its new features in this episode.

In the current moment, there hasn't been a separate trailer released for Wild Blue Yonder. Readers may have more information than the Guardian at this point. The episode is described as "weird" by Davies and has pushed the design team to bring the script to life. Tennant has mentioned that it is different from any other Doctor Who episode. The guest cast for the episode has been kept a secret. It remains to be seen what the episode will bring. Stay tuned for next week's episode – let's go!

Doctor Who: detailed summaries of each episode from the show, including special episodes for its 60th anniversary.

First special: The Star Creature

Second special: Untamed Skies

Third special: The Laugh Out Loud

Holiday special: The Chapel on Ruby Street

Flow / Season 13

Chapter one: The Halloween Apocalypse – The first chapter of the story is centered around a Halloween-themed event.

Chapter two: War of the Sontarans – The second chapter focuses on a battle with the Sontarans.

Chapter three: Once, Upon Time – The third chapter delves into a time-related theme.

Chapter four: Village of the Angels – The fourth chapter is set in a village inhabited by the Angels.

Chapter five: Survivors of the Flux – The fifth chapter follows the survivors of a cataclysmic event called

Season 12

The first episode is called "Spyfall part one" followed by "Spyfall part two", "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". Additionally, there is a special episode for New Year titled "Revolution of the Daleks".

Eleventh Season

Season 11 of Doctor Who consists of 10 episodes, starting with "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" and ending with "The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos." There is also a New Year's special episode titled "Resolution." Each episode follows the Doctor and her companions as they encounter different challenges and adventures.

Season 10

Season 10 of Doctor Who consists of 12 episodes, starting with "The Pilot" and ending with "The Doctor Falls". The Christmas special for 2017 is titled "Twice Upon A Time". Other episodes include "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", and "World Enough and Time".

Season 9

Season 9 of Doctor Who includes the following episodes: "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." Additionally, there are two Christmas specials: "The Husbands of River Song" in 2015 and "The Return of Doctor Mysterio" in 2016.

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," and "Death In Heaven." The 2014 Christmas special is titled "Last Christmas."

Season 7

Season 7 of Doctor Who includes episodes such as "Asylum of the Daleks", "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship", "A Town Called Mercy", "The Power of Three", and "The Angels Take Manhattan". The 2012 Christmas special was "The Snowmen", followed by episodes like "The Bells of Saint John", "The Rings of Akhaten", "Cold War", and "Hide". Other episodes include "Journey to the Centre of the Tardis", "The Crimson Horror", "Nightmare in Silver", and "The Name of the Doctor". The 50th Anniversary special was "The Day of the Doctor" and the 2013 Christmas special was "The Time of the Doctor".

Season 6

Season 6 of Doctor Who includes the following episodes: 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. Additionally, there is a 2011 Christmas special titled The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe.

Season 5

The first episode is titled "The Eleventh Hour," followed by "The Beast Below" for episode 2, "Victory of the Daleks" for episode 3, "The Time of Angels" for episode 4, "Flesh and Stone" for episode 5, "The Vampires of Venice" for episode 6, "Amy's Choice" for episode 7, "The Hungry Earth" for episode 8, "Cold Blood" for episode 9, "Vincent and the Doctor" for episode 10, "The Lodger" for episode 11, "The Pandorica Opens" for episode 12, and "The Big Bang"

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