Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special Teaser Reveals Episode Titles
If you've been looking for some clarity regarding the 60th Anniversary Specials for "Doctor Who," you're in some luck: a new teaser's just dropped. It shows us some never-before-seen footage of the specials, plus it gives us the titles for all three of them. Special One is called "The Star Beast," implied to be focused primarily on Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and the 10th/14th Doctor (David Tennant) reuniting under undoubtedly strange circumstances.
Special Two is called "Wild Blue Yonder." Right after giving us this title card, we're treated to some brief footage of Neil Patrick Harris's new character. He's wearing an evil-looking bow-tie and a top hat, and he's having a malevolent dance of sorts with the Doctor. We still don't know much about who Harris is playing; although his vibes are certainly reminiscent of the Master — possibly the Doctor's most famous recurring villain — it would seem premature to bring the character back so soon after Sacha Dhawan's portrayal. One alternate fan theory is that he's the Celestial Toymaker, a powerful, immortal being from the Hartnell era who also liked to mess around with the Doctor. Of course, for any concrete answers, we'll just have to wait and see.
Special Three is called "The Giggle." The teaser shows us very little for this one; just a quick clip of Donna poking a small furry alien in the eye and freaking out at the alien's response. Oh, Donna, how we've missed your loud reactions to weird alien shenanigans.
A nostalgic teaser
Beyond the substance of the clips, the most striking part of this trailer is how familiar it all feels for fans of seasons 1 through 4, the era where returning showrunner Russell T. Davies was first in charge. Not only has David Tennant barely aged, but the lighting and the music all feel like a throwback to the revival show's early years. When the teaser gives us each special title, the images in the background are reminiscent of the Davies era's opening title sequence, not the title sequence for the Chibnall era.
It's not clear yet if these episodes will be released at once or on a weekly basis, but we do know that the three specials will air in November 2023. The specials will pave the way for the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, to have his debut episode "over the festive period," most likely on Christmas. Will the 15th Doctor also make a surprise appearance during the anniversary specials? It's certainly possible, as the 12th Doctor (Peter Capaldi) made a cameo in the 50th Anniversary Special, a full month before the 11th Doctor regenerated.
Either way, these specials promise to be chaotic and utterly unlike anything "Doctor Who" has ever done before, and a particularly nice gift to the many fans who love Tennant's Doctor the most. Along with the teaser, Russell T. Davies has promised viewers, "The titles are just the beginning of the Doctor's biggest adventure yet. Autumn is coming, with three hours of danger, Donna and disaster about to be unleashed!"