Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary special, The Star Beast, isn’t just a trip down memory lane—it’s a cannonball dive into it, wearing a pinstriped suit and yelling “Allons-y!” Yes, David Tennant is back, now as the Fourteenth Doctor (don’t overthink the numbering), and Catherine Tate returns as fan-favourite Donna Noble. If you felt even a flicker of emotion when they reunited on screen, congratulations—you still have a heart.
Based on a 1980 comic strip from Doctor Who Weekly, the episode sees the Doctor land smack in the middle of Camden Market, London, only to cross paths with Donna, who—tragically, hilariously—still has no memory of him thanks to that devastating memory wipe in Journey’s End. These days, Donna has settled into domestic life with her husband Shaun and their daughter Rose, a transgender teen with a kind heart and a room full of sci-fi-style plushies. Enter: chaos.
A spaceship crashes near Donna’s house. Out pops a creature called the Meep—cute, wide-eyed, and immediately suspicious. Rose takes a shine to the fluffy fugitive, who claims it’s being hunted by these spiky alien law enforcers called the Wrarth Warriors. Classic Who setup: who’s the real villain? The armed bug-eyed monsters or the snuggly Muppet on the run?
Things escalate quickly. UNIT storms in. Possessed soldiers wreak havoc. The Wrarth Warriors stomp around like they’re in a rogue cosplay parade. And the Doctor, ever the meddler, must juggle protecting Donna and her family while keeping her mind from imploding under the weight of repressed Time Lord knowledge. Because if she remembers him, she could literally die. Again.
But this is Doctor Who—no one’s staying memory-wiped forever. Donna does remember, and right on cue, we’re hit with the gut-punch fake-out: she’s going to die. Or is she? Nope! Plot twist—she shared the Time Lord energy with Rose while pregnant, so it’s diluted enough to avoid the old head-goes-boom scenario. Science-y magic! Everyone lives!
In a satisfyingly cathartic moment, Donna and Rose both tap into their inner brilliance, save the day, and then release the Time Lord energy in a dazzling light show that looks like it belongs in Sailor Moon. Donna lives, and we finally get closure on a character arc that’s haunted fans for over a decade. And yes, we all cried. Or maybe that was just me.
Beyond the spectacle and squee-worthy callbacks, The Star Beast quietly flexes its progressive muscles. Rose’s identity as a trans teen isn’t a subplot—it’s a part of the narrative fabric, echoing the show’s long-standing themes of change, fluidity, and identity. The Doctor has regenerated into different races and genders; of course, he’d get it. Of course, he’d support her.
We also meet Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), UNIT’s new scientific advisor, who brings sharp wit, a wheelchair, and instant gravitas to the team. She’s fantastic. More of her, please.
Now, I’ll admit—I had doubts when Tennant was announced. It felt like a “get-the-ratings-up” stunt after the backlash to the Thirteenth Doctor’s era (which, let’s be honest, deserved better writing than it got). But the return of Tennant and Tate doesn’t just feel like fan service. It feels earned. Comfortable, yet somehow new. And if this is the bridge to usher in Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor, then fine—use the familiar to open the door for the future.
The Star Beast doesn’t reinvent Doctor Who, but it doesn’t need to. It lovingly polishes what made us fall in love with the show in the first place—quirky aliens, emotional stakes, laugh-out-loud moments, and a core belief in people being brilliant. It’s a celebration, not just of the show’s past, but of how far it’s come.
So, yeah, call it a nostalgia trip if you want. But it’s also a soft reboot with a big heart. And Donna Noble—who always deserved better—finally gets her win.
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