DOCTOR WHO THE STAR BEAST REACTION | Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special 1 | Review

[@Omn1Media]

Use code "OMN1" to receive $5 off for your first #Sakuraco box through my link: team.sakura.co/omn or your first #TokyoTreat box through my link: team.tokyotreat.com/omn

[@tolkientheory]

RTD at one time I believe said that Doctor Who canon had no hierarchy or delineation. It’s all canon , down to the comics. Because he said he didn’t want to tell a small child that the comic book story they love about The Doctor didn’t actually happen. I love that about RTD, and I think it’s why he pulls from them 😊

[@hichaelmartline]

It's basically a "choose your own adventure" type of canon. There are also in universe reasons for this too. 7th Doctor story about the Doctor's past being constantly in flux by a villain. 11th Doctor comic where there are forward & backwards ripples in the timestream due to the Doctor that make the universal history in constant flux too. Everything is & isn't true in the Whoniverse.

[@tenmark7055]

I cant find the quote, but I thought it was Moffatt who said (something like) Respect the canon but never let it get in the way of telling a good story.

[@TheFallofTheEleventh]

@@hichaelmartlineand I love that RTD is actually making that happen. In Tales of the Tardis we basically got confirmation that there are multiple timelines that all have versions of the Doctor, and in some they regenerate like how we know in the main show, and in others they don’t. This directly allows for ALL canon in ALL media to be canon not matter WHAT it is. AND I LOVE IT

[@OnTheHorizon-]

Well that’s just contradicting then as he literally retconned the original comic book the star beast as the doctor had no idea who beep even was, even tho he’s met him twice beforehand.

[@jkfecke]

@@hichaelmartline From a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's a big ball of wibbly wobbly cannony wannony stuff.

[@angelasaunders3558]

Can we give some props to Shaun Noble for taking all this in stride 😊? Nothing seemed to phase him whatsoever 😅. This was definitely an episode in how appearances can be deceiving...in more ways than one. So pleased with this special episode #1.

[@Omn1Media]

Shaun was great!!!

[@reeferman42078]

Big Daddy Noble was stoned, how ELSE would he be so CHILL about all this.??? 😂😂😂❤

[@MavenCree]

We need more Shaun. 😁

[@angelasaunders3558]

@@reeferman42078 🤣🤣🤣

[@ginjamutha]

I married a Shaun a couple of years ago. He’s not called Shaun but he is never phased by anything. He takes everything life throws at him in his stride and with a smile. Everyone should have a Shaun in their lives ❤

[@yazminasporrong8880]

I just love the joy and pride that shines through the Doctor every time he looks at Donna. Their friendship was everything and it showed

[@Thornus_______]

David and Catherine are on point its almost like they never left

[@fayesouthall6604]

They are top friends off screen too.

[@Drakoni23]

This was such a delight on soooo many levels. I do agree, I'm not sure about the "Letting go" metaphor, when it comes to generalising (for reference, I'm a woman, idk what they meant). Where it does work is when it comes more specifically to the Doctor themselves. Especially 10 didn't want to let go, he wanted to hold onto things so at the time that was his only way of seeing things. Now Rose gave new perspective. In the last regeneration, we had 13, who, while she was sad to go, had that playfullness and excitement for a new adventure, saying "Tag you're it.". I'm not familiar enough with the other doctors to draw more from there. But while the generalised metaphor isn't quite clear to me, it was a very quick solution to the problem, it very much does work for the doctor, and 10 specifically imo.

[@houseofsledge6891]

That's a really observation about 10 and not letting go. High five on that one.

[@A.MNeverP.M]

The last incarnation of the Doctor, Jodie, was glad to move on while regenerating whilst while David Tenant as the 10th Doctor didn't want to go. Last time Tenant was the Doctor he stopped a regeneration half way through to stop his face from changing to something different and when the Four Knocks sounded he was almost willing to let Wilfred be sacrificed to survive before making the right choice. The 10th Doctor's selfishness is very similar to how William Hartnell portrayed the original incarnation of the Doctor before mellowing out due to Barbara and Ian.

[@vickster5001]

That's a great assessment. Maybe it would've been better if they'd have joked about that face of the Doctor not being able to let go!

[@bemasaberwyn55]

That's why I was saying

[@blackroomred]

@@vickster5001 yeah i agree with this, i think the wording on that line was just misguided. another way i interpreted it for myself was how rose's and donna's personal opinions on men could shape that line into being. i mean rose is very young but already obv has some very affective bad experiences with boys. and we know in fact about how donna had his own very bad experiences with men. so maybe when we look at that line from their lens it makes more sense to them, but not as a generalization.

[@EndymionDeVere]

If I remember correctly, the Doctor’s Time Lord companion Ramona chose to regenerate without being in danger. She chose to let go of who she was and become someone new. she even got to experiment a little with different possibilities because she willingly let go of who she had been . I think it might very well be about holding onto power/knowledge but also one’s self definition or resisting change to one’s self especially when one has power, knowledge, advantage. Maybe 🤔

[@fayesouthall6604]

River Song too

[@MaskedMan66]

No, she was still the same person; she was just trying on different looks before really regenerating-- all of them female, by the way.

[@EndymionDeVere]

@@MaskedMan66i’d say she was the same person in the sense that Tom Baker and Job Pertwee were the same person. She didn’t keep those potential regenerations on long enough to see what the personality would be like. (Shout out to the late Douglas Addams for writing the ridiculously funny regeneration of Ramona!). The Master was intended to begin as woman called the Mistress when first introduced, but execs shot down the idea. They apparently didn’t feel that the audience would by a woman being that evil. Back in the day, according to the radio series and novels, time lords are initially born in/created vats of genetic material. The high counsel could even grant more regenerations after the final one. So I can’t imagine putting too much stock in Time Lord genders. My favorite complaint about the Whittaker years was that she travelled with more than one companion. Meanwhile, on a cold, wet night in November, 69 years ago, the first ever episode of Doctor had William Hartnell’s Doctor traveling with his granddaughter and her two public school teachers. Then it dropped down to two companions. Pertwee was the first to have one. Baker began with two and brought it back up to 3 which number persisted through Davidson. It was good seeing the Doctor back up to their old tricks. There’s that theory that TARDISes are designed for an operating crew 6 timelords, not one manically running about a hexagonal console in a stolen time ship and often materializing somewhere quite different than intended. Goods Gods, I love Doctor Who. Been Geeking out over this delightful nonsense since the days of Leela and K9, when I had to import jelly babies from the UK to see what the hell he was eating. I don’t recommend them. Not my kind of candy frankly.

[@jakethornton4125]

For that “let it go” sequence, I’m not crazy about it. I think it would’ve been better if, instead of saying “male-presenting”, that Donna said something like “maybe that’s why this face returned. You need to learn to let go.” Because with the possible exception of 12, 10 could NOT let things go. It was his final line! So I think it could’ve been better, and an unfortunate tiny misstep in an otherwise great episode

[@Sellswordking]

YES! Thank you! It’s been bugging me how to reword that scene to make it better, Rose and Donna sharing a look and Donna *specifically* telling Fourteen to let it go would’ve been a fucking banger of an exclamation point on one of Ten’s biggest vices. Bro was deadass incapable of letting go. Of anything. Ever.

[@fxbear]

I love the way they handled Roses status… at the start. It was subtle and the conversation Donna had with her mother in the kitchen was wonderful. It got a bit heavy handed toward the end. A bit too on the nose, but I still loved it.

[@fayesouthall6604]

That was powerful.

[@blackroomred]

yeah but imo rtd was purposefully heavy handed there. from experience media outlets and bigot audiences always try to deny and/or twist queer coded media out of existence regardless of how much subtext or subtle but present text is on screen. i just think creators must be real tired of that nonsense and imo rtd made the choice to be very explicit in so there would be absolutely no space to deny this in canon. it might comes off as overbearing but as it stands a lot of people needed the lines to be drawn with permanent ink for things to be impossible to erase. sad that this is still true to our modern times, but imo that's exactly why writers/shows decide to make themselves like this sometimes. like saying "good luck trying to deny that out of canon" haha!

[@quindecim7507]

It's just a relief to see Doctor Who remains on the side of the disenfranchised and misunderstood.

[@fayesouthall6604]

@@quindecim7507 Absolutely he is fantastic

[@yuukinoyuki9064]

My trans friend immediately caught on to Rose's identity from the get-go from the conversations and hints dropped. My cis friend went through the entire episode thinking Rose was a cis-female dealing with racism up until the very end when Donna said Rose chose her name and Rose said, "non-binary...I'm neither, I'm both." Heavy-handed to some is necessary clarity to others, imo.

[@jackdubz4247]

You know the old saying: A meta-crisis shared is a meta-crisis halved.

[@afterthemouse]

as an average British bloke - I am glad to see we had the same emotional reactions. nice job friend!

[@howiejbrown6919]

13:48 The Definite Article is also what the 4th Doctor referred to themself as.

[@CamGold]

“ You may be *a* Doctor, but I'm *the* Doctor. The definite article, you might say “

[@wardjunior1450]

Himself

[@karlheath4327]

Loved this episode, can't belive The Meep was voiced by Professor Sprout

[@dguthrie11]

The absolute joy I felt watching this cannot be described!

[@llraven6357]

Watching this filled my heart with such joy. Like the joy we all felt watching the Doctor run through the newly regenerated tardis.

[@MrImpossibleCase]

I waited until I watched the third special to see your reaction to the episodes, and you did not disappoint. You make it wonderful to view along with you, and I found myself tearing up at the same moments. I've still got the "Doctor Who and the Star Beast" comic after all these years. What a joy to see it brought to life!

[@serenity4eva89]

"It's like the old days. Just me and the Doctor. Together" - Donna 🥹

[@exploringandstargazing]

You can't convince me that Donna spilling the coffee wasn't an accident, lol.

[@Wazaraku]

Either not an accident by her OR the TARDIS... I mean why else would she put a coffee machine to welcome the walking disaster that Donna can be? xD

[@AuroraNora3]

I think you meant You can't convince me that Donna spilling the coffee WAS an accident, lol

[@chaotic7cam]

I loved this and the trans inclusion was amazing and I’m happy for trans people out there. The male-presenting let it go line did irk me though bc I’m a woman and had no clue what they meant/no idea how literally letting it go was an ‘obvious’ choice. It felt like a cop-out, but Donna is alive so I’ll let it slide haha.

[@flora5090]

Yeah same. Like I'm trans, I thought the representation overall was well done although there were some parts that were very stilted (and the whole deadnaming scene wasn't necessary, there's better ways to showcase discrimination), but then that bit at the end basically saying only women are able to let things go or whatever just completely missed the point that it felt the rest of the episode was trying to make

[@LordLOC]

@@flora5090 I've seen people complaining that it was just bashing men straight up saying only women can understand how it works and able to "let things go" etc. Now I wouldn't go that far, but it was very on the nose and I think could have been worded differently. I am happy with the trans representation though, I just hope they do something with Rose down the line because it seemed pretty obvious they did this for future purposes (no pun intended lol).

[@yuukinoyuki9064]

That line bothered me from a writing perspective. I love RTD and I thought the rest of the episode was fantastic. But it would have been easy enough to write that splitting the meta-crisis between Dona and Rose worked because it siphoned the energy which has slowly been dissapating the last 15 years since Rose's birth and will soon be all gone. The "let it go" line, just didn't make sense to me. I mean, yeah, as a female I don't get the gender correlation. But even if gender was never brought in, I don't understand how Donna claimed this was the obvious play when she never mentioned it back in S4?? If Davies was really married to the concept of Donna/Rose voluntarily relinquishing their energy then he could have chosen a better metaphor, there were plenty: "You should know, Doctor, as a parent. Sometimes the best thing to do with a crisis is to let it go." "Watching Rose has taught me, that when you're holding in something toxic, it's best just to let it go." Etc.

[@Aetheria60]

I get the feeling the whole 'let it go' message was supposed to be a bit more pointedly aimed at this Doctor in particular rather than males in general, or even other Doctors, and is a bit of a Chekhov's gun situation that will pay off when he regenerates (a call back to his last line as 10 maybe), but I definitely feel like the delivery method missed the mark here.

[@ChairyCrasher]

Is this sexist? "Shame you are not a man anymore, cause he would have understood" A female-presenting timelord would never understand.

[@travellerinthedark]

Your pondering about being able to let one's Time Lordiness go makes me wonder if it's something that will come back in the last special and be the reason the Doctor regenerates in that one! That would be so fitting, thematically! I also didn't care for the line about male-presenting people being unable to do that (I don't like gender essentialist stereotypes), but if that's what Fourteen does in the end, that would counter-act that. The episode was generally lovely, fun and emotional, we're so back and I'm so happy about it!

[@chrisleneil]

I honestly think that a part of the ‘Let it go’ bit was a wink and a nod to the Disney deal. Utterly love your reaction to this episode, because I’ve been crying every time I watch it.

[@rogerstandman3360]

but if the fans let it go, will be no ratings

[@ashleyhoover1559]

The recap gave me chills. The music just blew my mind. I’m so glad this is back and they’re back. I’m very giddy right now.😂

[@TheLibrarianOG1]

So Donna even had memories of the Doctor after she left him cos one of the monsters in Rose's room and the audio playback too, was of Karvanista, during the final flux episode of The Vanquishers when he was howling.

[@vickster5001]

I thought that was interesting too.

[@fayesouthall6604]

They went into Rose subliminally.

[@hothotheat3000]

I watched with my family and my mom GASPED so loud when Meep said “your weird child” to Donna about Rose.

[@radicaladz]

Had the pleasure of meeting Mr Dave Gibbons, who drew the comic this episode is based on, at a convention in Birmingham back in 2006. Charming and friendly fellow, chatted with him briefly (about what I can't recall) and he signed a copy of Absolute Watchmen for me, which I then gave away as a gift like an idiot to the brother of my then-girlfriend. Gibbons is best known of course for his work on Watchmen, but also did a lot of other great work in the 80s for DC among others, including classic storylines like For The Man Who Has Everything (the Superman birthday story where Mongul traps him in an illusion of Krypton) and the Green Lantern story Mogo Doesn't Socialise, both of which have since been adapted into cartoon form. The introduction and epilogue are shot in Camden Markets in London, one of the best places in the UK for independent market sellers and funky bespoke fashion - the Cyberdog store in the background is a real store for a clothing brand that sells cyberpunk/rave culture fashion. My wife and I visited it whilst in town for a Dresden Dolls concert 5 years ago on Halloween, so this gave me sincere nostalgia.

[@cerberus01]

What they did was what River Song did with Matt Smith's Doctor when she brought him back to life with giving up her last regeneration in the episode where they travel back to Germany during WW2.

[@suncore598]

Great reaction to The Star Beast. I love the joy and tears you displayed throughout.

[@mariemattsson824]

Not only do we get a great episode, we also get to see all these reaction vids from enthusiastic Whovians! I love seeing everyone grinning from ear to ear...! ^^

[@barriehull7076]

"Meep meep" when the The Meep ran passed the sleeper on the couch immediately had me think road runner.

[@OrionSkiesAMV]

I couldn't stop thinking about Meep from Phineas & Ferb this whole episode.

[@billolson8766]

Same! My parents and i were watching this together and just kept turning to eachother and going “MEEP!” and after the evil reveal, my dad says, “Mitch”

[@Condor-gb1xp]

I really hope RTD throws in more references to the Moffat era. As much as I love the RTD 1 era, and I get why they focus on it in these specials, I adore the Moffat era too and it would help show this Doctor’s age compared to the 10th Doctor. Just a few companion name drops or references to events would satisfy me

[@bemasaberwyn55]

Tbf he said he had a bow tie, then was Scottish

[@tardisinformationsystem]

I am the doctor was playing when the doctor and Donna were working in the ship

[@stacyp2186]

So, many things to enjoy but it was crazy that there are no commercials. It reminds me when I used to watch it during the classic series on PBS.

[@n0body550]

Bbc dont have commercials

[@stacyp2186]

@@n0body550 BBCAmerica does. I’m in America

[@Jimmy_Jones]

I can't even imagine it with them. I doubt it works well because it's not designed to have ads.

[@stacyp2186]

@@Jimmy_Jones yea. They were 48 minute episodes but had to have commercials to fill up an hour time slot. You get used to it since they always show it that way.

[@EndymionDeVere]

This was so good. Doctor 10 and Donna is my favorite Doctor/Companion pairing of all time and this gave me all the feels. I cried and laughed so hard. I am happy Donna has such a loving husband and a wonderful daughter.

[@marcos-ll2yr]

Yes they can expele the energy. River Song did that in season 6, give to the Doctor all her energy

[@Wazaraku]

oh yeah! Then she couldnt control it and lost all future regenerations... and thinking about it 11th also let go a bit of energy to heal River's hand When Angels took Manhattan. So yeah there IS some precedent

[@bemasaberwyn55]

I also like to think of the final words that 10 spoke before he regenerated and how that might be a subtle hint about why he returned to this old face

[@TiffanyVenus]

oh yeah!! I think a lot of people forgot about that! i forgot about it too.

[@torchwoodboy5564]

I really enjoyed it. It was silly and fun, but very emotional too. I liked it. Great reaction man!

[@houseofsledge6891]

Silly and fun and emotional are my favorite flavors of Doctor Who, best all at once or in repeated succession. Well said!

[@crystalfire5564]

15:33 At first glance I thought the alien was holding a martini in its hand. 21:28 I love the callback to David’s final episode with him having to chose who to save. It’s always a Noble on the other side of the glass. 25:05 Wait until I tell The Boss….do you mean The Master/Mistress/Non-binary Boss? 26:28 It’s beautiful! I love the new design! I wish they could have gone to visit Wilf. But at least he is still alive in the Whoniverse.

[@ben-tendo]

The Boss is a Series 15 theme that will be explored properly once Gatwa is The Doctor, and Wilf is in Episode 3.

[@MrMarvel420]

I took that scene as them acknowledging how 10 got abit power hungry towards the end. It also seemed like abit of typical Donna banter, I can see how it could come across abit hostile tho

[@thisistoohard]

14:54 how did i not even think of that??? "Hi im David Tennant and you're watching Disney+ 😉" Please they have to do this

[@tomboepplewatercolorsdesig1258]

I watched it last night and I loved this episode. I got started on Doctor Who with Paul McGann back in the 90’s when they aired a special on the Fox Channel. Then watching Christopher Eccleston and I’ve watched every regeneration since then. This was so fun, I went through so many emotions! Thank you for your reaction Omni! Looking forward to the next one!

[@capthegoat]

The “Round Things” are back!!

[@AdaSoto]

It's so nice to find someone who loves the 10 Donna combo as much as I do.

[@chris5632]

Sonic screwdriver best plot armor in TV. Loved this episode

[@avengererbe1814]

Man, 2023 is the big year for Doctor Who. This is my first time discovered Doctor Who with the 60th Anniversary Special, and all I can say is, Doctor and Donna are back. And I'll be waiting for Ruby and the 15th Doctor

[@lolBadPanda]

I can't wait till the release the entire series on disney+ for new people. lot's of great storylines.

[@rogerstandman3360]

@avegerbe1814 sorry for that, you missed the best years. before wokeness

[@allysilman1631]

​@rogerstandman3360 what years exactly? Cause nuwho has always been progressive

[@Shelma32Reactions]

Such a fun episode Some parts I wasn't sure on at first but am becoming more okay with after rewatching. LOVE the new TARDIS.

[@BRKZY_]

my interpretation is that they can expel the energy now since it's diluted between them

[@gameoverman3673]

i have been waiting for this reaction. i hit so many emotions during this episode, including getting teary on 2 occasions. but more than anything i just couldnt stop smiling!

[@wendyheatherwood]

I personally would have preferred if the letting go thing had been a human vs timelord thing instead, like despite all the time the Doctor has spent with humans he's still got too much influence from timelord culture to consider just giving up all that knowledge, power and experience as an option. On a different note, I love the new console room. It reminds me a little of Eleven's first console room with the multiple levels, but with classic TARDIS aesthetics, similar to how Fourteens outfit seems to have incorporated elements of the first and second Doctor's style with the tenth's through the choice of fabric.

[@ricardocabral281]

What I gattered by the "letting go" part was more about all the things women go through on a daily basis, like what 13 went through on "The Witchfinders" for an example. In She-Hulk they justify her being able to control her Hulk persona with such ease because she spent her whole life controlling her anger against they way she is treated just for being a woman, 14 being "male-presenting" means he surely won't have a "Witchfinders experience", so he won't have to exercise his ability to "let go" the whey 13 did, and Rose and Donna do everyday, those boys from school in the beginning is an example of them doing it

[@bemasaberwyn55]

I also think it is a subtle reminder about the fact that 10 was not willing to let go because remember there was the first regeneration that ended up happening after he got shot by a Dalek. And he held on to his face. And then when he actually did regenerate his last words were about not wanting to go.

[@reinrose82]

Doctor who has gotten some serious funding since the last time I watched!

[@thistley_42]

Fun is the word that I keep coming back to for this episode too. Even though 13 could be playful and there campy, silly elements it just never felt like the Chibnall era had that sense of FUN that I think Doctor Who needs.

[@markmcgibbon894]

The Doctor and Donna are the best comedic duo to come out of this show. Really enjoyed seeing them again and can wait to see what next.

[@kristianmingle]

I didn’t fully understand how Donna and Rose were able to just let the meta crisis go but I was so happy that Donna gets to remember that I’ll take it haha. Also, I wish Rose were going to be a companion for Ncuti. It would be a great reminder of Donna and I loved her in this special.

[@UserName-vb4lg]

If Donna got married 15 years ago, rose is like 14. Too young to take those risks. It opens the possibility to bring this Rose back at any point in the future tho, so hopefully we’ll see them as a companion in the future.

[@kristianmingle]

⁠that’s very true. I didn’t even consider that. Maybe she can come back when she’s older.

[@sp0ngeb00b7]

We saw River Song giving the Doctor her regeneration energy in Let’s Kill Hitler, so willingly expelling regeneration energy is something we’ve seen done and doesn’t exactly break canon. I think it was just a bit anti-climactic after all of the worry about Donna’s death😅

[@SundayMorning91]

It actually never occurred to me that Rose chose her name until you mentioned it. Thanks for mentioning it. I was wondering why Donna would have chosen Rose but it makes so much more sense that Rose would have chosen that name herself.

[@torijeri]

they said that she chose her name in the episode. But when trans people transition they get to choose their own name, that’s just kinda how it works. So the way she chose Rose because of the doctors memories made so much sense

[@SundayMorning91]

@@torijeri I may have missed where they said she chose her name. And while I'm aware of name choosing, it COMPLETELY went over my head that, duh, she would have chosen her own name. Lol.

[@PhotonCommander97]

The "let it go" thing to me read as a joke, about how women are often expected to "let it go" when they're wronged to maintain the peace (which even as a man I've noticed happen a scary amount), even the way they say it sounds like a joke line to me. Was really confused when I saw people reading so much into what felt like a throwaway joke to me, but they're valid to perceive it their own way ofc. As for the actual practical side of that "letting it go" thing, I think Tennant's Doctor especially was never good at "letting things go", he was always moping about one thing or another, and so the idea of just giving up the power never really occurred to him, and Donna never got a chance to think of it herself because she was wiped so soon. The same way River surrendered her regenerations to save the Doctor in 'Let's Kill Hitler', Donna and Rose surrendered their "Time Lord essence"

[@sp0ngeb00b7]

God ty, the outrage (obviously not from Omn1!!) on the internet from the “ANTI-woke” crowd for that one has already been so eye rollingly lame… I didn’t think it was delivered the best, myself, but it makes sense, especially with how bad the Doctor has historically been at letting go of things. Not just 10, but I mean… Heaven Sent and Hell Bent, anyone? 😂 I think RTD likes to throw in one or two digs from his companions anyways, even if they aren’t fair, to show their imperfection/humanity (Rose 1 was quite judgemental of some alien species during her travels). Like the line about assuming Beep’s pronouns line was heavy handed and left of field on the surface, but, to me read as a parody or exaggeration of Gen Z language and thought. And with the way the Doctor’s/Meep’s responses were written… how can people not tell that was a joke😭😭

[@StevenHouse1980]

Omn1 the new "Doctor Who Unleashed" show, Episode 1 shows the behind the scenes makeing of the show and how thay did the effects makeing "The Meep".

[@vickster5001]

Yep. Also, there's an additional 15 min behind the scenes on the Doctor Who You Tube channel, so that's 45 mins of behind the scenes per episode!

[@karlmortoniv2951]

The Wrarth Warriors impressed me. All practical, I think. Dudes in suits on stilts. Gorgeous design! One thing from the comic that they didn’t do in this was when the Doctor and the Wrarths teamed up one of them noticed the Doctor didn’t carry a weapon so he detached one of his claws and offered it to him. I hope they’ll come back. 😊

[@vickster5001]

Yep! I saw them on set and they looked pretty cool and were so tall. God knows how they walked in those! It’d be fun to have them return.

[@yuukinoyuki9064]

Watching this felt like coming home.

[@HiGhWaYmAn4.2.0]

Tennant does an absolutely amazing job!! It both is and most definitely is not the 10th doctor... He feels (for lack of a better term) more mature, you can tell he's lived alot longer and he sells it magnificently.

[@han5234]

I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so fun!

[@terrysilverthorn4582]

the Tardis remembered... Day of the Doctor... The round things what are they for I Love the round things. so he got loads

[@Jimmy_Jones]

"You've redecorated. I don't like it"

[@donnymiddlebrook]

One Cole Easter egg is with Rose’s dead name. She was born as Jason. Jason comes from a Greek word, meaning healer.

[@Thomas_Stewart]

River Song gave up her timelord energy to save 11 that one time so yes they were "letting go" of the timelord side of them (basically 10 didn't stop to think about that possibility but they finally showed 14 it was possible)

[@davidm7847]

I don’t necessarily think the ‘male identifying’ line was needed but it can be taken as mere humans like Donna and Rose, and River even, can let go of the power easier than someone like him who is naturally very powerful and, at this point, potentially immortal. Twelve got closest I suppose; he considered just letting everything end.

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Omni! ⏳ I'm so glad DOCTOR WHO will be on Disney+ from now on.

[@johnbowen2496]

River I believe was the first time lord to do that during the let's kill Hitler episode to save the doctor.

[@angelasaunders3558]

Yes will see more of Donna and we will see Wilf, probably in the next episode that we know absolutely nothing about. No obvious hints have been given, by way of clips or even leaks. This next episode has been kept very under wraps. 😊

[@fayesouthall6604]

A small clip dropped pretty intense too.

[@Nasser851000]

The Meep reveal was very shocking O.O

[@j.adickey2002]

Thanks for the recap concerning regeneration energies..... given that the two of them let it 'go'... did the energy and/or energies flow into a new receptacle... an ongoing cast member? IMOHO i think it is a counterpoint to the destructive evil energy vortex.... that BEEP the MEEP had accessed!

[@soundgal_sine_qua_non]

You binged Classic Who in 3 months?!?!?! Wow. That's a commitment and an accomplishment. Well done.

[@MrStephenLodge]

The let it go thing was a reference to the amount of male Doctors fought letting go of being the Doctor including the Hartnell, Capaldii and definitely number 10 who redirected his first regeneration into the hand, then later he said I dont want to go, the only female Doctor went to the end of the cliff and let it go! That was my take.

[@jasonmarbach]

Truly incredible episode. I’m almost as glad RTD is back as I am about Tennant, Katherine, and the rest of them. Doctor Who is BACK, baby!

[@MaskedMan66]

In his sci-fi novel "Perelandra," C.S. Lewis chronicles the adventures of Dr. Elwin Ranson on the planet Venus (whose natives call it by the name in the title of the book). Ransom finds a world in an Eden-like state, with only one man and one woman making up the "human" population. The two have become separated, and Ransom has become acquainted with the Queen. An evil spirit inhabiting the body of Ransom's colleague Professor Weston tries to inflate the sinless Queen's ego and tempt her to sin. He tells her stores about heroic women and paints her a word picture which Lewis describes as follows: "Each one of these women had stood forth alone and braved a terrible risk for her child, her lover, or her people. Each had been misunderstood, reviled, and persecuted: but each also magnificently vindicated by the event. The precise details were often not very easy to follow. Ransom had more than a suspicion that many of these noble pioneers had been what in ordinary terrestrial speech we would call witches or perverts. But that was all in the background. What emerged from these stories was rather an image than an idea-- the picture of the tall, slender form, unbowed though the world's weight rested upon its shoulders, stepping forth fearless and friendless into the dark to do for others what those others forbade it to do yet needed to have done." Now, pay close attention to this next part: "And all the time, as a sort of background to these goddess shapes, the speaker was building up a picture of the other sex. No word was directly spoken on the subject: but one felt them there as a huge, dim multitude of creatures pitifully childish and complacently arrogant; timid, meticulous, unoriginating; sluggish and ox-like, rooted to the earth almost in their indolence, prepared to try nothing, to risk nothing, to make no exertion, and capable of being raised into full life only by the unthanked and rebellious virtue of their females." Lewis was indeed a prophet!

[@Craigy2818]

The letting it go thing is about how male (and male presenting people) are taught to hold things in, leading to an emotionally chaotic and unhealthy existence. Whereas women (and female presenting people) are allowed to process things and learn how to let things go. Also, they got; BBC, Sony and Disney money now!

[@ki5h0re]

I see people misuse the term woke. I like the explanation of letting go.

[@GingerGeek7567]

I freaking 💙 this, just having Russell, Tennant and Tate back is just fantastic. Russell just reminding me why I started watching who in the first place. So happy you love it too Omn1 great reaction ❤

[@backtoearth1983]

They are saying time lords CAN'T let power go. That power is built in to them, they couldn't give it up if they wanted to. Donna and Rose between them (binary) can shed it as it was added to them, it's not intrinsic. It's also a bit of a diss on 10 who didn't want to go. He cheated one regeneration with the spare hand and then has a crisis over saying Wilf.

[@bemasaberwyn55]

Yes....THIS. 10 didn't want to go

[@ki5h0re]

There are people complaining about this episode. With the "male identifying" comment, having a black trans character, no doubt the sikh soldier or woman in a wheelchair will bother them. I am talking about the soy latte drinking antisjw youtubers and their minions. Doctor Who has always been inclusive. The same folks that were bashing Brie Larson, Jodie Whittaker, Rachel Zegler might go after this trans actress.

[@daurydavis3983]

Sadly they did

[@akaQuzoh]

I seem to be the only one to notice that in the scene at 10:52 the Toymaker walks behind Shirley past the doorway

[@Omn1Media]

Oh shit I have to check a few times to catch that!

[@vickster5001]

I loved it!! Like you, the only bit I wasn't sure about was that line about male presenting Time Lords, as if the message is we should be accepting everyone, then it did feel a bit odd to then have that dig in there. Mind you, the only person we have seen choose to give up all of their regenerative energy was River Song, who let it got to save 11, so I guess technically that's correct, but it felt a bit unnecessary a line. other than that I loved it. So many echoes of the past in great ways (the glass partition like EOT; telling Shaun to basically Turn Left; the music cues) and questions posed for the future (one of Rose's toys was an alien Donna didn't meet?? Who is the Boss?). Oh and I was at the Camden Lock filming and the residential street filming, so it was fab to finally see it on screen!!

[@jonunya1163]

Did River give up her regenerative energy? She wasn't created in the loom like Galifreyan Time Lords. She might only believe she's limited because everyone says Time Lords are limited

[@Sparx632]

@@jonunya1163it seems she did, that’s why she didn’t regenerate in the library.

[@vickster5001]

@@jonunya1163pretty sure that’s how they presented it. River Song changed from the little girl, to Mel, to River and when 11 was dying from the poison she gave it up and he says she won’t be able to regenerate again.

[@SadBnnuy]

Apparently men and transmen can't let things go..it's very strange thing for RTD to say

[@jackdubz4247]

@@SadBnnuy What is a "transmen"?

[@bradheld7927]

Remember, David Tennant was healing the Meep who had the hand injury. So Donna called him the doctor because he saw he was a healer not necessarily that she remembered.

[@Omn1Media]

That’s one way to interpret that but her mom acknowledged it as her remembering and she remembered more after that as well.

[@j.adickey2002]

technically.... is he a doctor.... or a vet? THE Meep is clearly a highly intelligent (but mad) star entity....being!!!!!

[@AbsolutBex]

He DID do the Disney Channel thing with the sonic!

[@amyflowers2435]

Loved watching your reaction. I was crying as well ^_^

[@keeneym]

And look at that, we only cried about 8 times

[@ppem1988]

screwdriver getting some buffs pulling out forcefields 😅

[@Jon_FM]

At the end of the day, I loved Matt Smith the most but having these two together are just fantastic. Love them and Catherine Tate is such a great actor. She made everything so heartfelt.

[@samfisher6606]

I loved The Star Beast! It was great to see Tennant and Tate back again. Yasmin Finney is a great edition. I had a smile on my face the entire episode! It was just so much fun! I do wish Fourteen was a little less like Ten. He’s supposed to be a different incarnation. I thought there was something fishy going on with The Meep and the Wreath Warriors. But I didn’t call The Meep being the villain and the Wreath Warriors being like intergalactic criminal court police. Miriam Margolyes was excellent as The Meep. I really like the way they both reactivated the meta-crisis with the “binary, binary, binary” glitch repetition and then solved the meta-crisis with it being male, female, binary, and non-binary. And that Rose inherited the meta-crisis. It was very reminiscent of River having Time Lord powers. But the meta-crisis solution of “let it go” just felt a little anticlimactic. The new TARDIS looks a little too clean and clinical. The TARDIS is alive. It should have a personality. And they are putting that Disney money to work with those fantastic VFX. If we do get that UNIT spin-off, I hope Shirley is in it. Also, apparently it was David who suggested Fourteen run around the TARDIS but he was regretting it by the eighth take.

[@lykan2]

Loved that they pumped up the Series 4 Intro basically. The Tardis Control Room, Disney Money shows. Happy that Donna is save now, at least in terms of Meta-Crisis, maybe got rid of it to quick, like have that hang there over the entire 3 Specials, but yay! Donna is safe, my favourite Companion.

[@houseofsledge6891]

Donna is my favorite companion too.

[@theclaybeartravels3596]

This episode was so good. What a breath of old air to watch this!

[@hanshotfirst4214]

as a trans woman with not the best of parents when it comes to that just brought me to tears with how donna is with her daughter. Can she adopt me? lol

[@ginjamutha]

I’m sorry you didn’t get the support you needed from your parents. As a parent myself I don’t get how you wouldn’t support your child to be their true self so they can live a happy and fulfilled life. If Donna doesn’t adopt you, I will 😊

[@NeilSchnepf]

First special was a blast. So many feels :) Nothing like that Disney+ $$$! The new TARDIS interior is HUGE. The console almost feels like a callback to the old Tom-Baker-era style. lol you know the first thing I thought when I heard "let it go" was the song from Frozen. Totally armchair narrative quarterbacking here, but it feels like it might have been a more solid callback if they had tied Donna's line about The Doctor not letting go to 10 specifically. He was all about "not wanting to go" that Donna could have made a nod to this by saying, "It's something you (10th specifically) could ever do." Looking forward to the next 2! So great having WHO back again!

[@shamancarmichael5305]

Tennant is one of my favorite Doctors, and Donna a favorite companion. They have such great chemistry and as performers bring out the best in each other! Loved this special, the writing and visuals were tight, fx were perfectly Whovian, and the layers of theme and story were great. I thought the solution to Donna's memory problem worked for the most part, but got a bit sloppy and confusing when Donna and Rose let the regeneration power go. That bit was a little confusing and heavy handed, imho. 🤔 Overall, a 9/10 for me, cant wait to watch the next one! More Donna!

[@richb313]

I am looking forward to the continuation of this series.

[@Likablock1507]

The Doctor saves the day by being non-binary and actually involving a trans person? As a trans person I couldn’t wish for better representation. Glad you appreciated it

[@jakethornton4125]

This was awesome. Your reactions were my reactions

[@jonvart6136]

i thought the metacrisis resolution was a little clumsy but then i remembered how convoluted it was when first introduced

[@shirasade]

Not sure about the whole "men can't let go" (maybe the way we women are often socialised? not sure that'd be a good thing, though), but the example that came to my mind is River Song giving away her remaining regenerations after she'd killed the 11th Doctor.

[@KinsenkaAki]

Just to clear up a bit of confusion about the "let it go bit" the 10th doctor had a very difficult time letting things go. If you crossed him there was no place you could hide and he wouldn't let it go, when he was regenerating he didn't want to go because he did not want to let go of his existence, I think specifically this was for the 10th doctor who couldn't let go.

[@Omn1Media]

But they did say that “any” male presenting timelines would be the same way. They said if the doctor was still a woman they’d understand.

[@KinsenkaAki]

@@Omn1Media This is where I would argue a stumble in the writing, because Donna (and Rose by extension) have no conscious or unconscious experiences with any other male presenting Doctor. So how would they be able to comment on the entirety of male presenting Doctors? However it does apply specifically to the 10th Doctor (and maybe a few others who have difficulty with letting things go). The 10th had this struggle specifically. So I think this is what the message gets across. It's not an invalidated message, it's just a message that was sloppily presented because they wrote themselves into a box with the other messages they were trying to get across. Could it have been better, yes, does it apply when you point it at the 10th Doctor? Absolutely. Do I think the way the way it was written was a damaging stumble because of it's implications? Absolutely, they should have done better in writing that, you can be uplifting without denigrating someone else in the process. So an issue with the writing there, not so much an issue with the message in general as it applies to the 10th Doctor.

[@MavenCree]

Just let it go... what came to my mind was Jacasta (?) The PM of New Zealand. Still young. Still popular. The most powerful person in the country... and she just said, okay, thats good. Im done now. Most politicians leave kicking and streaming from office cause they CAN'T let go of the power.

[@melanierhianna]

I'm of a certain age. My first Doctor was Jon Pertwee with Liz Sladen. I personally think that until DT and CT, Tom Baker and Liz Sladen were the best, now I think that they are joint best with The Doctor and Donna Noble.

[@rngwrldngnr]

31:15 So, this is just a guess, but I suspect that line, which I find a bit clunky also, is actually meant to be a meta reference to Russell himself, that it was an idea he didn't come up with (or originally dismissed) because of his cis perspective. I suppose there might be a behind the scenes answer that confirms or denies that.

[@deadringerrr]

found it interesting that when the meep pretends to be sweet and innocent it seems to be all practical effects, but the second it «turns» it’s suddenly CGI. i dont know if it was intentional or not, but it does kinda sell the contrast/change imo.

[@Sellswordking]

I cannot put into words what this special meant to me. In 2008 I was a miserable dysphoric teenage girl who clung to Donna, absolutely adored her and their friendship, and was fucking DEVASTATED by her ending, like clinical depression could not get out of bed for days dramatic teenager UPSET about it. At the time this special (and the following two) dropped, I’m now a moderately happy 30-something grown ass man, and seeing Donna not just come back, but be twice as fierce and protective of her queer nonbinary daughter AND get the ending she *deserved* all along? I was full on ugly sobbing with joy by the end of this story. I can’t put into words how much it meant to me. I want a tattoo that says ‘Donna Noble is descending’. NOW with all that gushy shit out of the way; tbh the only nitpick I have is the same one you did with the line about male presenting time lords not thinking of letting go of power-on the one hand I Get It, and to me what they were saying wasn’t that a male time lord would be *incapable* of letting go of power but that they wouldn’t think of that solution themselves because it wouldn’t occur to a man to willingly let go of power and even if it did, slim odds he would. So from that perspective I Get It, but it just felt too….idk on the nose to call it out directly? It made Rose and Donna seem smug more than playfully teasing, which I think might’ve been the aim? It just was a stumbling point for me, but that’s the only thing out of this episode that got me. The only other nitpick overall is near the tail end of the next episode and it just felt cheap and unnecessary to me, but that’s like, what, two very minor things in three specials? Impressive as hell. Doctor Who is BACK, baby.

[@rosathais]

I loved the episode and I got emotional watching it with you but I agree with you on the "let it go" thing