‘Doctor Who’ Recap: ‘The Star Beast’

11/26/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

David Tennant as The Doctor in ‘Doctor Who: The Star Beast’. (Photo Courtesy of BBC/Disney.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the First 60th Anniversary Special of ‘Doctor Who’. To revisit the Thirteenth Doctor’s final episode, click here.

When we last settled in to enjoy the wonderous BBC America/Disney+ series, Doctor Who, we were left in utter shock. In part because the Master’s plan was about diabolical as it gets, but also because… we were treated to some amazing cameos from the Doctor’s past to properly send Thirteen off and when she did indeed regenerate, we were given yet another surprise. In that, Thirteen did not regenerate into the Fourteenth Doctor we expected. For Ncuti Gatwa did not emerge from the glaring light of that moment, instead David Tennant stood before us and uttered aloud what all of us were saying at home… ‘What!?’

Because we simply did not expect to see Tennant’s iteration of the Doctor, ever again in this capacity. But it happened and it left us with a bevy of questions. Such as why on earth the Doctor decided to choose an old face to regenerate into. For that is something that has never happened before in the history of the franchise. Sure, the Doctor has chosen familiar faces, as we saw take place with Twelve but this… this was something else and of course… there had to be a reason as to why this would happen. But alas, the first of three 60th Anniversary Specials featuring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, merely hinted at the possibility that the past is apparently weighing heavy upon the Doctor, and that prompted this particular twist.

But outside of that… there were few answers to be found regarding this in ‘The Star Beast’, instead… this episode made a point to have the Doctor and an old friend reunite to battle one incredible problem and resolve some unfinished business. Courtesy of the arrival of a creature known as the Meep. Which landed on Earth in the hopes of being rescued. But it didn’t take long for the Doctor to realize, that the Meep wasn’t being honest with anyone as to why it really landed here, and that led to the reveal that this cute little bugger… was in fact stark raving evil… and eager to bring harm to all. Which meant that the Doctor and Donna Noble, and her daughter, had to team up and save the day. Which they did because that’s how teamwork, works, and well, that’s really all we are going to discuss regarding the core plot today.

Catherine Tate and Yasmin Finney as Donna Noble and Rose Noble in ‘Doctor Who: The Star Beast’. (Photo Courtesy of BBC/Disney.)

Because there are far bigger moments that we need to discuss. Such as the long-awaited reunion between Donna and the Doctor. For this is something that fans have wanted for ages, and it was as amazing as we hoped it would be. Because Catherine Tate and David Tennant did not miss a beat in rediscovering the chemistry, they shared on screen fifteen years ago and that made for one nostalgic adventure. One that reminded us of the wonder of the Tennant era, and one that finally resolved a longstanding worry. Since no one wants Donna Noble to die, but there’s no feasible way the story can support three episodes of confusion on her part. Which brought forth a clever solution to that problem, one that freed Donna, and her family, of her affliction and opened up all kinds of possibilities for adventure.

Plus, we’d be remiss to not point out, how wonderfully progressive this particular episode turned out to be. For we also came to learn in this story that Donna’s daughter was in fact, a transgender individual that made use of she/her pronouns and played a pivotal role in saving the Earth and saving her mother and herself from the power of the Time Lords that Donna absorbed so long ago, and this matters for one simple reason, in that… representation matters. Because storytelling should always be inclusive and show the world as it is, and this is a show that has always been about harboring space for all, and it was simply wonderful to see this series continue to embrace that and make an LGBTQIA+ individual be the hero and be seen. For television needs that right now, and this really was an important moment for certain, one that contributed to a delightful anniversary special.

Because this really was a slick episode through and through. One that was fun and adventurous and truly set the stage for something sinister at play. After all, the Meep made mention of ‘The Boss’, and one cannot help but wonder who that is. Not to mention, it really does seem as though the return of this Doctor’s face is related more and more to unfinished business. Which is interesting to say the least since so many of us really believed that the Tenth Doctor left this universe with little weighing upon his soul, especially when one considers that he bid proper farewell to so many. But saving Donna and Rose Noble’s lives and freeing them of their burden… speaks volumes to a resolution tour for Fourteen, and it will be interesting to see what else he needs to put to rest as these anniversary specials continue along. Until next time.

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