Has it been over year since we last talked TARDIS, my friends? Indeed it has (looking at my last Doctor Who recap from October 2022). But everything old is new again as David Tennant and Catherine Tate return for the first of three adventures to honor the show’s 60th anniversary and set up the Fifteenth Doctor. It’s time to meet “The Star Beast” – – but don’t forget, Spoilers!
1. The TARDIS Shaped House of Mouse
Outside of the UK and Ireland, this is the first Doctor Who episode to air on the Disney+ streaming service, considered by some to be a re-introduction to the franchise here in the States after years on BBC America. With over 150 million subscribers (as of the fourth quarter of 2023), it’s a no-brainer for the series to buddy up to the House of Mouse. Consider the subscriber counts of Doctor Who in its previous home on BBC America (80.8 million households as of 2018), and (HBO)Max, the streaming home of the revival series up to this point (50 million subscribers as of 2022).
Another perk of the move to Disney+, at least for us Americans: no commercials. BBC America, like all of the BBC’s overseas channels, does not receive funding from its parent network in the United Kingdom, so it relies on other sources of revenue (translation: ads). Over the years, BBC America moved from airing the series edited for commercials to keeping original run times but adding in the ad time – an improvement, but ad breaks still occurred at odd spots. Watching uninterrupted provides for a much more pleasant viewing experience.
And the partnership shows in production quality. This is one of the crispest, slickest, Doctor Who shows of recent memory. That drone fight alone is big bucks that only Disney’s deep pockets could fund.
With some lulls and changes in the Marvel and Star Wars catalogues on the streamer, this could be the way to keep some subscribers who came on board for the non-Disney content around for a bit longer. (Indeed, my house was considering cancelling our subscription for just this reason!) Let’s hope that the back catalog of the current era also makes the move to the streamer soon so that those who watched this can have one stop shopping to discover more David Tennant content.
2. Getting the Band Back Together
After a year off of our TV screens, with a new (old) face, a bit of reintroduction is in order, which the Doctor and Donna Noble (now Donna Temple through marriage, though she kept her maiden name) go back and forth about their lives pre and post-TARDIS. After the Doctor erased her memories of their time together to save her life, she got married, got a lot of money in the lottery (but gave it all away), had a daughter named Rose (who is trans, as discovered in a scene where some local boys deadname her), and is now presently unemployed. Mom Sylvia drops in for the occasional curry, and grandfather Wilf is in separate sheltered accommodation. (David Tennant mentioned in interviews that the late Bernard Cribbins did film some scenes, but not enough, sadly.) Despite this solid life, Donna still feels like something is missing . . . and that’s just when the Doctor drops in.
Also conveniently, a spaceship crashes in London near the Millson Wagner Steelworks. Should we find out what’s inside? Let’s go poke it with a stick.
3. Meet The Meep, Meet The Meep, Step Right Up and Greet the Meep…
(Those of you who know me well enough in real life should know this joke was going to make its way in here. *stares at our esteemed Senior Editor Mr. Salvatore*)
Inside this spaceship is a rather Ewok/Beebo/Furby-like creature called The Meep, who claims to be on the run from the Wrarth Warriors, hunters of the Meep for their fur. And with those big eyes and shaky scared voice, we’re all just about sold on picking up this frightened alien and giving The Meep a hug when . . .
. . . it turns out that The Meep is cute but deadly. The story of The Meep being prey and Wrarth Warriors being predators is actually the reverse. The Meep, the last one of its kind after its home planet’s sun turned psychedelic and turned them into bloodthirsty warriors, is hellbent on conquering Earth and fueling its ship. And with UNIT soldiers under The Meep’s control (after their investigation of the ship), looks like Earth’s in trouble yet again.
Continued belowMaking The Meep, the most Disney-like of Doctor Who aliens, the villain, is a fun twist on the standard alien invasion Doctor Who story that often is a part of these specials.
And in a nice Easter egg for old school Whovians, the story of The Meep comes straight from a 1980 Doctor Who Magazine comic strip. Classic Who meets the next generation.
4. Seems Just Like Old Times
If you weren’t in love with David Tennant after this special, check your pulse because you might be dead.
Fourteen years after being in the TARDIS and Ten/Fourteen hasn’t lost his step or spark. The manic energy that shows when he runs around his new TARDIS for the first time, reveling in its retro decor. The fierce love he holds for Earthlings and his desire to protect Donna from remembering him at all costs. Those stolen split seconds of joy and sadness when he hears the name Rose, thinking it’s his beloved Rose Tyler. Every move of Tennant’s, large and small, overflows with expression. And that’s what makes him so endearing, so easy to love.
And Catherine Tate hasn’t missed a step as Donna either. That sarcastic wit, that quick study, that forceful conscience is all back and taken up to eleven (or should we say Fourteen?) now that she’s a wife and mother. Once she remembers the Doctor and their time together, she doesn’t care if that will kill her – just that her family is safe.
But while everything about this episode oozes family reunions and reboots, there’s still touches of 2023, from a reminder from Rose not to assume pronouns for The Meep to UNIT advisor Shirley Anne Bingham in a wheelchair (with rockets!). This Doctor Who special steeps in series history, but has a foot in the pool of the present time.
5. The DoctorDonna Dilemma
As one can expect in an adventure like this, the Doctor and Donna save London and defeat The Meep. But what to make of the return of DoctorDonna? Once they were able to shut down The Meep’s ship, Donna collapsed . . . but not to her death. Some of that knowledge Donna absorbed passed on to Rose when she was born. She too has memories of The Doctor, manifesting in the toys she makes to sell online. (I want that cute crocheted Ood, or at least the pattern to make one of my own!) Although they both live after this incident, and appear unharmed, the Doctor remains concerned. But the solution is a simple one (perhaps too simple): they can just let the energy go, which they both do.
This leaves Donna free for some new adventures to visit Wilf and let him know all is well. Except Donna’s coffee ends up spilt in the TARDIS, freaking out the controls and sending the two to . . . well, who knows where? There wasn’t a trailer for next week’s episode after this one, and information has been quite limited and heavily guarded.
So we’ll all be surprised next week as the TARDIS heads to the “Wild Blue Yonder.”
