Doctor Who: Season 14: episode 1: The Star Beast (TV review)
While waiting for David Tennant’s return as the Doctor, one can’t help but ponder the array of changes and expectations surrounding the iconic series. The BBC’s recent promotional onslaught made it impossible to ignore the buzz. With showrunner Russell T. Davies (sans full stop) at the helm and a financial boost (courtesy of Disney, but thankfully without their meddling), the series is poised for an intriguing twist.
However, the prospect of a series of mini-series focusing on the Doctor’s adversaries stirs a bit of concern. Could this lead to the same overkill that’s befallen the ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Marvel Universe’ franchises? It would be refreshing, though, to see the Earth-bound Companions Club embark on a few adventures.
The upcoming story presents a twist: this isn’t the same Doctor as number 10, but rather number 14, albeit with an older face and a penchant for glasses. Davies is revisiting old ‘Doctor Who’ fictional ideas to weave them into the series canon. This strategy isn’t inherently flawed, although there’s a lingering concern that the series might exhaust its reservoir of new ideas too rapidly.
While we might not see seminal villains like the Daleks and Cybermen make a comeback, other foes are ripe for a resurgence. Must it always be the Master? What about the Monk or the Rani? Renegade Time Lords are known for their knack for escapes, though the War Chief might be an exception given his obliteration. Yet, time can play tricks, and it would be interesting to check in on the Doctor’s daughter and Clara.
One pressing task for Davies is to nurture new writing talent, with the hope of discovering potential showrunners, a scarce resource in the UK’s genre scene.
If you haven’t watched the episode yet, beware of spoilers ahead in this review.
The ‘Doctor Who Special,’ initially thought to be 90 minutes but clarified to be an hour by the TV guide, was followed by ‘Doctor Who Unleashed,’ a 25-minute behind-the-scenes feature on BBC3. This addition provides valuable insights and should be accessible to viewers outside the UK.
In the story, the Doctor (David Tennant) finds himself back in London during Christmas, where he literally bumps into Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), carrying a parcel, and meets her daughter, Rose (Yasmine Finney). Donna doesn’t recognize him, which is fine as long as she doesn’t remember who he is, as the Doctor later comments to her mother, Sylvia (Jacqueline King). The Doctor is puzzled by his return to an older face after recently being a Scotsman and a woman.
Amidst this, a spacecraft supposedly crashes nearby, but actually lands. The Doctor, curious, hitches a ride with Donna’s taxi-driving husband, Shaun Temple (Karl Collins), to the crash site. There, he encounters Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), UNIT’s scientific advisor, in charge. Meanwhile, Rose finds and shelters an injured Meep (voiced by Mariam Margolyes) in her garden shed. The Meep is sought after by zombified UNIT military and another alien faction.
The story then takes several turns, with the Doctor and his companions facing various challenges and revelations, including the true nature of the Meep, which lives up to its expectations, especially for those familiar with the ‘Doctor Who Magazine’ story from the 1970s.
The episode showcases a new opening and a dialogue-focused pace, differing from previous seasons’ frantic narrative style. The budget is evidently well-utilized, enhancing the show’s quality. The return of actor David Tennant, after a 13-year hiatus, brings a familiar presence back to the screen. Catherine Tate’s dynamic performance and the promising debut of Yasmine Finney as Rose indicate strong casting choices.
The Meek character, with its potential as a plush toy, adds a fun element to the episode.
‘Doctor Who Unleashed’ provides a much-appreciated peek behind the scenes, celebrating the production crew’s efforts in bringing the show to life.
Anticipation is high for the next episode, as the series continues to evolve and surprise its audience. Now, if only one could find their TARDIS…
Geoff Willmetts
25 November 2023
