This review was made possible by screeners for Doctor Who: The Star Beast. Doctor Who: The Star Beast releases on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ worldwide (excl. UK) on November 25, 2023.
David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who in honour of the long-running sci-fi series’ 60th Anniversary – and what a way to kick off the celebrations… The Star Beast sees The Doctor caught in a fight to the death as a spaceship crash-lands in London. But as the battle wreaks havoc, destiny is converging on the Doctor’s old friend, Donna…
SPOILER-FREE INITIAL THOUGHTS
Of course, this review is spoiler-free, preventing fans of the show from having the experience ruined for them ahead of the three specials. This is classic Doctor Who with the conventional conflict at the centre whilst also heavily being a character-focused story. Following on from Destination Skaro, the Children in Need short and his regeneration, the episode wastes no time in going over the usual post-regeneration mishaps and instead prioritising the story for the special.
If you want to gain an insight into the Fourteenth Doctor’s post-regeneration events, Doctor Who Magazine featured a great comic story titled Liberation of the Daleks for that very reason!
The Star Beast is at its best when The Doctor and Donna are both together, bouncing off of one another’s energy, and it’s very clear just how much fun David Tennant and Catherine Tate are having. I appreciated the role which the Wraith Warriors played, as well as Miriam Margolyes’ hilarious and mischievous portrayal as The Meep.
A NEW ERA FOR WHO
For weeks, speculation has run rampant online regarding the possible re-seasoning (if that is even a legitimate phrase for the process) of the show. For the run of the show’s classic era, each season was numbered from its first (Season 1) right up until its last (Season 26) in 1989. When the show was revived in 2005, rather than opting to title the first series Season 27, following on from the previous iteration, things started afresh, with the two series being individually recognized – the older iteration being known as Classic Doctor Who moving forward.
History now repeats itself, following Russell T Davies revealing that Ncuti Gatwa’s first adventures would be acknowledged as “Season 1”. Rather than “Series 14”, or “Season 40” – if you wanted to count all of Who. I think this could be a good thing for the show, with the potential of bringing back old viewers who ditched the show or even bringing in new ones.
The special works really well as a new starting point for first-time viewers, or as mentioned, people who haven’t necessarily watched it for some time. I would dread to force someone to sit through plots featuring The Timeless Child and Flux, so it’s definitely an appreciated move.
The plot follows on from Series 4 of the show, where we last properly saw The 10th Doctor and Donna’s adventures leading to the meta-crisis disaster. The special’s intro features some exposition so that new viewers aren’t completely left in the dark, which I really liked – even if the scene is framed weirdly and shot on a very obvious green screen and having both The Doctor and Donna seemingly break the fourth wall Deadpool-style.
PLENTY OF REUNIONS
David Tennant returns as The Doctor – a new iteration of the character – but it feels as if the 13 years since his former self’s regeneration have not passed at all. Tennant embodied everything I loved about the show and nothing has changed. His excitement and enthusiasm return, however, the show makes a huge effort to remind us that despite returning to an old face, this is a completely different Doctor.
A delightful reunion we see in this episode is Sylvia Noble meeting with The Doctor to her absolute delight. The delivery of her line, paired with the shift in tone and Jacqueline King’s facial expressions are wonderful. Seeing the pair interact after so long, and considering the circumstances of Donna’s impending doom when possibly reuniting with The Doctor, is just hilarious.
A new addition to the Noble clan is Rose, played by Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney. Finney is a wonderful addition to the episode’s ensemble and the overall Whoniverse, and is the one who first interacts with the extra-terrestrial Meep.
A GOLD-STANDARD PRODUCTION VALUE
There was never any doubt that Disney getting involved with the show would bring with it some production improvements and financial benefits. It is very clear in the case of The Star Beast; its cinematography and direction from Rachel Talalay is raised by the special effects and overall look of the whole thing.
The Sonic Screwdriver receives an overhaul with plenty of new quirks and abilities, aided by the hefty VFX budget, but also as a sign that this is realistically a new iteration of the Time Lord’s device, given the revival status of the show. I liked the changes, and think they are really sci-fi-esque now. Promotional materials for the show have revealed the ability of the Sonic to produce bulletproof walls, as seen in the Noble household. A very cool concept never done before, which looks cool in the heat of conflict.
Talalay returns to the show after directing each of Capaldi’s finales (which you can read my thoughts on here), and what a delightful return! Talalay brings so much enthusiasm and charisma to this world every time she directs, with hints of darkness always present – which certainly does not change in the special. I would certainly love to see her return at some point in the future.
One of the highlights of the first special is the return of composer Murray Gold, who is back for the first time since 2017. Alongside the composer come many motifs and references to scores from the show’s past. A new spin on “The Doctor’s Theme” is heavily present, with the choral motif present throughout the episode. Another piece of music I adored that features during a huge reveal feels like a mix of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory partnered with a hint of Super Mario Galaxy, whilst still having Murray Gold’s Doctor Who written all over it – cannot wait to hear it again!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I really liked The Star Beast – I think it’s a brilliant special marking the perfect start to honour 60 years of a wonderful show. Despite the episode being an adaptation I had zero knowledge of, the story was so exciting to see it all unfold for the first time. The Star Beast is at its best when The Doctor and Donna are bouncing off of one another’s energy, and it’s very clear just how much fun David Tennant and Catherine Tate are having. I cannot get enough of Miriam Margolyes’ hilarious and mischievous portrayal as The Meep, either.
I look forward to watching Blue Wild Yonder following the episode’s final moments, really bringing back the hype of old Doctor Who teasing what is next to come, with a possible mysterious, over-arching plot for the specials.
Doctor Who: The Star Beast is now streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ worldwide (excl. UK). Check out the trailer below:
Fancy reading something else? Why not check out: ‘Doctor Who’ Ranking Every Episode in the Moffat Era
