Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special Reaction! - "The Star Beast"

[@emmamatzke]

I did feel kind of weird about the way the trans representation moments were played at first, but I'm starting to realize that those moments standing out might have been the point. It is an exceptionally dark time for trans people right now and passive representation/support isn't enough at the moment. It needs to be loud and direct - and I think Russel T. Davies may have made those moments so obvious on purpose. He very loudly exclaimed that Doctor Who does and always will support and stand with trans people, the same way he did in the early 2000's with Captain Jack Harkness being pan.

[@Mixxie67]

Donna is my absolute favorite companion. Catherine Tate brought so much humanity and compassion to that role. She was just brilliant.

[@davidmadly]

I agree that they were hamfisted about the inclusivity, but I'm rather happy about it. It was a big neon sign that said "bigots, transphobes, ableists, this show is not for you, and we're not going to diminish our characters to make you comfortable." I hope the they keep the inclusivity but with a more natural flow in future implementation, but as an up-front mission statement, the heavy handed approach makes me happy.

[@fayesouthall6604]

I liked that, it’s always been more progressive than most shows. Captain Jack for example

[@taracondon5596]

Yeah-- like, some stuff was on the nose and I did roll my eyes, but it was a loving eye roll every time. I'd 1000% rather it be this way and make the statement.

[@SleepyWaffles]

Hard agree. I'm glad they made it clear just exactly where the show stands on those topics

[@notabannedaccount8362]

⁠@@SleepyWafflesHope more white male Doctors cameo to get their privilege checked! McGann next!

[@gamerboiiiiiii]

​@SleepyWaffles and the downright misandrist coment towards the doctor?

[@HGMyers-yt2fr]

Smart of you to pick up on The Beep of All The Meeps acting cute and innocent a lot earlier than a lot of other people did! The Meep was introduced in a comic in Doctor Who Weekly magazine in 1980. The Meep is a genocidal lunatic who has become one of the more beloved deep cut villains of Doctor Who: generally trying to destroy humanity, and the Doctor in particular, ever since their introduction in a series of comics, and Big Finish audio dramas. With that being said, however, Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout from the Harry Potter films) did a fantastic job at selling the cuteness of The Meep until such time as the "twist" came - and then has a delightful evil snarl for the part.

[@fayesouthall6604]

Perfect explanation!

[@torontomame]

I am a HUGE fan of Miriam Margolyes, and had no idea she'd voiced The Meep until after I'd watched the episode. It was a very pleasant surprise. 😁

[@nuimaleko7]

If you have ever watched , Graham Norton, you have probably seen Marjory Margolis as one of his most outrageous guests .She also played professor Sprout in Harry Potter

[@fayesouthall6604]

She’s fantastic on Graham Nortons show.

[@dh9892x]

Her name is Miriam 😭

[@FizzyWM]

Miriam Margoyles 😂

[@janus1958]

The first l time I caught something that suggested that Donna, at least subconsciously, still had effects from the meta-crisis, is when she says, while stacking the boxes, "Never trust a man with a goatee." A reference to the Master?

[@majkus]

An attic connecting attached row houses in England is a major plot element in one of the Narnia stories. What _do_ they teach them in the schools these days?

[@torontomame]

YES!! It's the very first thing I thought of when they started traveling along the row of houses. I read and reread those books so often when I was growing up. ❤

[@tenmark7055]

Donna still has that troubled relationship with her mother. The irony is that for the last 15 years Sylvia has done everything she could to protect Donna and Donna is unable to see it.

[@sp0ngeb00b7]

Watched this twice fully now and a few reactions up to this point, JUST realised they’re playing a variation of 11’s theme “I Am The Doctor” during the DoctorDonna scene!! LOVE the ways they’re acknowledging and incorporating the history of NuWho into this new RTD era so far, the psychic paper was a nice touch too, Ncuti’s era is said to be a bit of a “reboot” again but more subtle moments like those to keep the show connected would be great :))

[@balletabela]

So far, you’re the fastest reactor to catch the Meep thing! Great review. We know you’re Kenough 😃 I got Tom Baker vibes with the new TARDIS and loved it!

[@anomalysakawendy5096]

When you were wondering where the UNIT scientific adviser lady was... you said, 'surely she...'. And her character name is Shirley. Love that, even if done unpunnily.

[@jondbm]

Subscribing for being such an ally - you're a very thoughtful and smart reactor, we need more like you.

[@fayesouthall6604]

They filmed the ‘steelworks’ about 10 miles from where I live ! A friend who lives close by said Dr who has filmed there before but nothing like the scale of this. Lots of CGI but practical stuff too.

[@dh9892x]

My absolute favourite part is Donna full on ready to drop kick that furry wee fuck for calling Rose weird😭 Also for Donna and Rose simply just letting go of the metacrisis, the running theory fans have is that Donna as one person had too much consistently running through her mind and therefore couldn’t work out how to fix it, with it split between her and Rose they both were able to figure out that as Female presenting time lords they both have wayyyyy more power than male presenting ones, Romana in Destiny of the Daleks is a prime example of this.

[@sheerave3577]

Oh my gosh Yes!!! Doctor Who! I got up at 4:30am On Sunday for the episodes release in my country. Did that for that last 3 weeks. David Tennant is my forever favourite doctor

[@Ontir]

UNIT'S Shirley Anne Bingham was also in RTD's Years & Years. If you've not seen it, I HIGHLY recommend reacting to that.

[@mitchellhp]

I finally was able to watch this ep yesterday & loved it! It had me back deep into the Whovian vibes. Great reaction, Derek! As someone who always looks for more good inclusivity, i’ll admit that there were a couple lines that were very on the nose for me. I loved that Rose inherited some Time Lord energy, very clever. That whole scene was beautiful and had me in tears. But tbh the male/female/nonbinary line threw me off because I’m still not quite sure what that had to do with sharing the Metacrisis. I also don’t think the audience knows that Rose in nonbinary for sure - at least it wasn’t clearly communicated. Rose’s line of The Doctor not knowing how to solve the problem of the Metacrisis because he’s male presenting also had me lost. Perhaps because his thought process is too rigid? But then again, he’s The Doctor - kinda the opposite of rigid. Plus, they just minutes before reminded the audience that The Doctor is all & neither, so 🤷🏽‍♀️ But overall, it was a great episode. I love Rose’s character & the revelation of aspects of her life that were the Metacrisis seeping through. Donna’s husband is perfect for her, a real Just Roll With it guy. I’ve also watched a few reactions to this ep now, and I think you’re the first I’ve seen not to be completely fooled by The Meep’s cuteness 😂

[@lox5962]

I think anyone who has watched you hopefully knows you are not phobic about any group. I think if they had more time, they would have been more nuanced. But I agree, part of it is to let new viewers know what this show is. Doctor Who has always been political, its goal was always to educate, inform and entertain. What is great is that diverse characters are written, not tokenised or stereotyped, with their perspectives being introduced to people who may not have met people with different experiences. I also appreciated that they included the dead naming, as well as Donna’s mum makes mistakes in misgendering without ill intent but she will keep trying and asking questions when she struggles to understand. Can you imagine the new stories and burst of creativity we can have now our worlds have expanded? Shows like this hopefully will help us all be kinder and more understanding of each other. Great reaction!

[@torontomame]

Your post-reaction discussion was better than ever. So many great points and insights. Especially your thoughts about being concerned that your theory about Timelord energy in Rose's DNA sounded like it was removing some of the agency from their transition. I tell ya, if you are an indication of the younger generation (I'm quite older) then I feel there is still hope for the future. Well done. 👏👏👏

[@corgiluver9718]

Great reaction & discussion. Really enjoyed the episode. Loved seeing Tennant back as The Doctor and Tate as Donna. Donna may also be my favorite NuWho companion (its close with Rose & Amy). Donna certainly made me laugh the most. At first I didn't recognize Rose from Heartstoppers (such a sweet show) but I loved seeing Yasmin here. Looking forward to the next two specials (and of course your reactions to them).

[@mura7102]

i loved this episode, people keep saying they ruined star beast by making it "woke" but it was really enjoyable, cant wait for more!

[@FizzyWM]

Doctor Who has always been “woke” and the people complaining about it are just morons crying about anything they can. If they haven’t noticed Doctor Who is woke before now, it’s because they have the media literacy of a baked potato.

[@francissturner4385]

As a trans person, don't feel worried about being transphobic with your theory about Rose. I actually came to the same conclusion. When I reflect on my personal experience, it actually does make a lot of sense. Figuring out / coming to terms with the fact you are trans really does feel like you have a little meta-crisis inside of your mind.

[@lynnhettrick7588]

39:25 I could definitely see that. It kinda takes you out of it. Sometimes things can be heavy handed. I liked Yasmin in Heartstopper because her story wasn't about transitioning, her story wasn't about ticking a box on a list, her story wasn't about trauma. Her story is just her story. 45:15 I thought it was plausible. Seems like a good enough explanation. I don't think your wording was transphobic, by accident or otherwise.

[@Swenglish]

There were about three or maybe four moments that felt written past making the point, for me, and could have been done a bit less clunkily, but in the grand scheme of things, those are just nitpicks that didn't ruin the experience overall for me. I get why they were there, for the benefit of viewers who might not get what's going on, and while I do think the information could have been conveyed a bit more naturally, it is what it is. The special was still delightful, and Rose spitting technobabble gave me chills as I instantly got what was happening, and those chills persisted even through the subsequent moment of being hit over the head with over-explanation. The idea was strong enough to overcome its own imperfect execution.

[@jq4670]

Got my Disney+ black friday $2/mo sale for this... :)

[@yourlittledogtoo]

The budget is really good now because the production company that makes Doctor Who is now co-owned by Sony Pictures.

[@tenmark7055]

How cool would it have been if whed the Meep showed his evil side, he was still cute looking & sounding? Absolutely no change in demeanor or expression, but spouting all that desire for destruction & carnage. I guess that would be too subtle for Doctor Who

[@DragonLaserBreath2023]

I think something influenced Donna to do that

[@JamesMLeggatJrP2E]

Terrific review - Terrific Episode. And yes, I thought of the potential of the regeneration energy affecting Donna and Sean’s Child making them two in one and nonbinary simultaneously. And I’m gay. Either way, I didn’t care. It all worked. Also, I thought, in addition to shutting down the drill, they did use some timey-wimey reversing stuff to make the damage never happen(?).

[@lynnhettrick7588]

I can't wait to see Ncuti!!

[@psychosoma5049]

I’m sorry but you are really handsome ❤️ loved your reaction to this x

[@torontomame]

As much as I hate to sound shallow, his looks are what made me first start watching his reactions. I subscribed and kept watching watching because he's a damned good reactor and has great content and insight. (But, yeah, the looks are a bonus. 😄)

[@marshsundeen]

I believe you are spot on with why Rose is Trans. I liked Jodie, but she was not given good material. It felt like Doctor Who was back here.

[@lynnhettrick7588]

Oooh! Yay! Watching now...

[@Spiralobsession]

I have never seen a single episode of Doctor Who. I am only here for Yaz. I have chosen you as my guide to help me figure out what the hell is going on here because there's no way I could watch this by myself and understand a single thing. I'm sure this will not help all that much but hey. *UPDATE AFTER VIDEO* Yep, that sure was something that I have now sort of seen (with absolutely 0 context)! Thanks for the "company"!

[@mitchellhp]

I applaud you for giving it a try! It seems that the showrunners are hoping this can be a startung off point for new viewers, but I would think this is a lot to start with for anyone.

[@anomalysakawendy5096]

Such an enjoyable episode... and reaction. Both made me smile. Tennant and Tate are the ultimate team-up for me. They're just so effortlessly in sync together. And they really shined here once again. As has been said, I feel like the 'on the nose' bits were on purpose. But more particularly for that segment who have weirdly believed that RTD would erase or ignore the doings of the Chibnall era. The ones now ranting 'woke' once again. Letting them know they should just move along because inclusivity is part of the Doctor's brand and isn't going anywhere.

[@Thornus_______]

Must be 1980s McDonalds coffee that stuff would melt lead

[@lynnhettrick7588]

"Friendster"? "Fam"? "Sibling"? "Nibling"?

[@bestboyholland3217]

I cant tell if theres a reason donna threw the coffee or the acting was just stiff

[@lynnhettrick7588]

Donna got on my nerves a couple of times in past episodes, but I didn't mind her in this.

[@makisky4495]

Lol commentary on pretenders.

[@notabannedaccount8362]

It’s a shame he’s not still a woman. A male-presenting Tine Lord could never understand.

[@ChicagoDB]

David and Catherine should be embarrassed to have participated in this woke crap.,

[@SleepyWaffles]

They are not on your side. Doctor who has always been progressive

[@fayesouthall6604]

You need to be more aware of what woke means. It’s always been progressive. Can’t handle that then don’t watch.

[@francissturner4385]

Welcome to 2023. It's time for you to wake up. We are over Two decades into the 21st century, and the fact people like you are so hell-bent on turning back the clock 40 years is mind-boggling.

[@MsTendus]

Considering bigots have dedicated so much time to personally harassing David Tenant for having a trans child I very much doubt he cares what you think.

[@ginjamutha]

The first ever story of Doctor Who 60 years ago was progressive. And it was produced by a woman (the first woman to be in that role for the BBC) and was directed by a gay Indian man ffs. Minority representation was built into the very fabric of the show. David has stated publicly that he was very proud to be part of a story that was positively representing trans people. While somewhat hamfisted in its messaging at times, the episode set out very clearly to anyone who thinks the show has suddenly gone “woke”, the show isn’t for them and it never was.