Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary is on the horizon, and fans are in for a treat with a trilogy of episodes, the first of which is titled “The Star Beast.“David Tennant, known for his portrayal of the Tenth Doctor, will be returning as the Fourteenth Doctor, teaming up once again with Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble to face off against a formidable adversary known as the Toymaker. To shed light on the inspiration behind the first episode, Doctor Who showrunnerRussell T Daviesand Tennant made a guest appearance on the BBC’sThe One Show.
During the interview, they shared their admiration for a 1979 Doctor Who Weekly comic strip that centered around Beep the Meep, an alien who lands on Earth, befriends schoolchildren, and yearns to find a way back home. Russell T Davies, upon his return to the series, decided to adapt this comic strip into a live-action episode, bringing a classic character to a new generation of viewers.
“Many years ago in 1979, there was a Doctor Who comic strip, which is fantastic, written by Pat Mills, drawn by Dave Gibbons, who are titans of the comic industry, about a little alien, the sweet little meep, falling to Earth. Being lost, wanting to get back home, and making friends with school children. You’d think that was stolen off ET, but it was printed two years before ET. It actually precedes it, it’s a great story. So when I came back, I just thought, “Why not adapt a really brilliant story?”
David Tennant, who fondly remembered reading the comic strip as a child, also embraced the opportunity to see it come to life on the screen.
“I remember reading it! I remember getting Doctor Who Weekly as a kid. So, when I opened the script, I was like “Adapted from “The-?” I remember that!”
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Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Special “The Star Beast” Receives Glowing Early Reviews
Early reviews for the first episode ofDoctor Who’s60th anniversary special have been pouring in, and the consensus is overwhelmingly positive.MovieWeb’s Olly Dychecommended Russell T. Davies for crafting a script that seamlessly blends action, humor, and thought-provoking themes centered around gender identity. Davies' handling of these important themes leads to emotionally resonant character moments, intertwined with moments of brilliant humor.
“Russell T. Davies presents a script full of action, shocking twists, rip-roaring humor, and important themes revolving around gender identity. Davies tackles these themes with delicacy and levity, leading to many emotional and important character moments, which are soon paralleled with some brilliant moments of humor. “The Star Beast” offers a brilliant set-up for the 14th Doctor’s future, and gets us incredibly excited about the rest of the 60th anniversary specials.”
In asneak peek clipfrom “The Star Beast,” Tate’s Donna Noble finds herself face-to-face with Beep the Meep. The scene unfolds in Rose’s family home, where she is attempting to hide the alien among the plushies. Check it out below.
Doctor Who’s anniversary specials are set to stream on Disney+ starting on November 25.
Doctor Who
Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.
