And when he says he’s not an interim incarnation, and he’s equally mystified, I’m here for the ride!
What’s presented offers some classic moments which recalls the early days of the revival (i.e. early Tennant episodes) and plenty of eccentric moments from the classic era. Also, I get the sense that more original companions from the earlier revival years will return too. It’s not just about Donna (Catherine Tate).
These days, she’s been mostly oblivious to all the sci-fi rumblings going around London, and I believe there’s a reason behind it. To not care is a result of what The Doctor did to her when he took away her memories. He believes the knowledge of the Time Lords she absorbed can destroy the fabric of reality and if she keeps it too long, her brain will melt. Even then, that’s the least of his worries when he finds himself back on Earth, and rapidly bumps into this former travelling companion! It’s like someone is orchestrating the course of events.
Afterwards, the tale shifts to simply the Doctor checking out a crashed ship, and the furry gremlin-like creature known as the Beep the Meep steals the show. It’s unabashedly cute! And I’m sure kids will want a doll of him! Although this fur ball was introduced in a Doctor Who comic published by Marvel Comics a long time ago, his redesign is very familiar. While I prefer the Mogwai comparison, some may say he’s more like Baby Yoda. And perhaps, this version is enough to signal the start of the Disney era Doctorin’.
For Russell T. Davies, he’d most likely say this episode was penned well before the studios started negotiation and the executives from Disney had no influence. But only time will tell if Doctor Who merchandise will be sold at the House of Mouse’s many stores. While this “acquisition” will have its detractors, all I can hope for is that the franchise will get the facelift that the BBC never could’ve achieved on their own. Although they could’ve turned to Peter Jackson and WETA FX instead for help, I doubt that’d be enough to satisfy fans of British style entertainment.
Meanwhile, there’s a possibility on why I think this regeneration happened. Because the Meta-crisis Doctor exists, he’s like an anchor to why it’s possible to revert. Also, when considering the past appearances involving Donna have often hinted at rifts happening between parallel universes, I’m sure the writing room was thinking about what made the Tennant era great. During those stories, like in “Turn Left”, she’s was in an alternate realities; and to say if she’s truly back home depends on who you ask. That also includes her interacting with different aspects of the same Doctor under some rather unusual circumstances. As for this alt-Doctor, he’s in some reality happily spending his life with Rose Tylor. Maybe his face was pulled because something caused the past to update itself, and perhaps which incarnation of the Doctor is able to exist at all.
Until the next special, there’s only speculation, and I really don’t want to check reports on the Internet about them so I can watch them fresh. The fact Donna’s daughter has the same name of a former companion implies Billie Piper is coming back in some capacity! No 60th Anniversary can be truly complete without some nod to the past companions and incarnations of the title character. And with Davies back at the helm, the future is in safe hands of an individual who understands the franchise rather than giving it to someone new.
Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials
All Three In One Trailer Beginning With The Star Beast
