News of David Tennant’s return to Doctor Who as a new-ish version of his old self felt like a big hit at the nostalgic feels for longtime fans. As part of the BBC’s 60th anniversary of the longtime series, he and a similarly returning Catherine Tate as Donna Noble will get into some more time travel shenanigans one last time before Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the new Fifteenth Doctor.
#DoctorWho returns later this year for its 60th anniversary with three special episodes ❤️❤️➕🔷
Special One: THE STAR BEAST
Special Two: WILD BLUE YONDER
Special Three: THE GIGGLE pic.twitter.com/5RP2qf0tIY— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) May 13, 2023
That special — or the first instalment of it, as it’s a three-parter — won’t be appearing until the fall, but the BBC released a new trailer that shows how messed up time has gotten, again. The only ones who are capable of setting things right are the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna, and the pair will cross paths with a variety of faces during the specials. In addition to Neil Patrick Harris as a cryptic showman, a pair of old alien races from the franchise’s past — the deceptively cute Beep the Meep and the more upfront Wrarth Warriors — are shown to be important players in the specials. And there’s still the big question hanging over all of this: what role does Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney have here as the mysterious newcomer Rose?
The first part of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary trilogy, known as The Star Beast, will hit BBC America on November [TK]. Parts two and three, aka Wild Blue Yonder and The Giggle, are expected to release in the coming months, after which Gatwa’s Fifteenth era will take over beginning in 2024, and with the added bonus of longtime showrunner Russell T. Davies and some extra Disney money behind it.