I’ve been a Whovian forever. It was my first fandom and it remains my touchstone. The meter by which other shows are measured.
I watched the 60th anniversary episodes live. I loved them. Donna is my favourite companion, so I was delighted to have her back. And that she got a better ending than last time.
Yesterday, I watched them all again and I have to say they worked better for me back-to-back. My ADHD-addled brain tends to forget little details and so much of Who is in those. Watched in a row, those details were easier to spot.
The Star Beast was always fairly obvious to anyone who’s ever watched sci fi before. The cute critter is evil? Say it’s not so! Still, it’s a nice reintroduction to Tennant, Tate, and The Hair (which really ought to get its own credit, lol). Donna’s mum Sylvia also made a return and I much prefer her character in this episode.
I loved how Donna found herself helping the Doctor before she remembered completely, though some memories were already creeping through. I think that’s why she was driven. But the moment he unlocks her memory and she ‘becomes’ Donna properly remains such a funny scene. Kudos to Tate, who shows that in her expression alone.
Wide Blue Yonder remains creepy as heck. Similar to Midnight, there’s no explanation of exactly what the Not-Things are – or where they came from. Even on a second viewing, the realisation that the Doctor and Donna have been copied remained slow for me. The fact I knew it was coming added to the creep factor.
The end with Wilfred… oh, Bernard Cribbins, how you are missed! That scene broke my heart the first time and there were still tears the second time around. Wilf was an iconic character who added so much heart to the show. Him telling the Doctor he’d be proud to have him as a son! Gotta stop, getting weepy.
Finally, I got to The Giggle. This is still a bonkers episode and I love it to bits. Neil Patrick Harris is good at evil! There’s a definite air of menace to his performance, even the Spice Girls scene. I was too busy laughing to spot it the first time around, but the Toymaker’s cruelty is evident in his treatment of Mel and the poor soldiers (that screaming ball!)
I remember being shocked by the Doctor getting zapped. The disbelief at the bi-regeneration. I do loke the concept. It’s so different. And so needed by Tennant’s Doctor. Gatwa’s gives that list of heartbreaks, tying the present day Who to the classic series in a way the show hasn’t before (though The Night of the Doctor brings Big Finish into canon).
This isn’t complete nostalgia, although it was certainly a ‘yay!’ moment for old fans like me. It gives depth for newer fans without them needing context. It was really well done, imo.
The anniversary specials were touted as a ‘reboot’ to the series, and I think they achieved that, but without excluding fans who’ve been with the show for longer. Gatwa’s Doctor is fresh and fun, without the baggage and trauma of previous generations. He still feels greatly – and I do not agree that’s too much – but he also feels lighter. Having watched his first season, I’m very excited for the Christmas special in a few weeks!