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“Doctor Who” has been struggling. Ever since Chris Chibnall took over as showrunner in 2016, the show has been battered by criticism about its worsening writing and characters. To widespread relief, Chibnall’s departure came with news that David Tennant and Catherine Tate — fan favorites for their portrayal of the Tenth Doctor and his companion Donna Noble — would be returning to play the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna in “The Star Beast.”
In this special, as the Fourteenth Doctor struggles to understand why he wears the same face as his tenth incarnation, Donna’s settled family life is troubled by her vague sense of deep loss. The first of three 60th anniversary specials, “The Star Beast” ushers in an exciting new era after the Thirteenth Doctor’s regeneration, returning to Donna 15 years after her memory of the Doctor was wiped in order to deactivate the deadly meta-crisis energy she had absorbed. Unfortunately, the special’s only advantage over Chibnall’s run is its returning characters, seeing as its mediocre acting, clunky plot, and overly comedic concept sum up to a disappointing start.
After a crashed spaceship ejects a furry little alien called the Meep (Miriam Margolyes) near Donna’s house, her teenage daughter Rose Noble (Yasmin Finney) takes the Meep under her protection. Soon, a pair of armed Wrarth Warriors and possessed UNIT soldiers come knocking on the Nobles’ door in pursuit of the Meep. As the Doctor joins Donna and her family in fending off the Meep’s pursuers, Donna slowly regains her memories of the Doctor, which threaten to activate the meta-crisis energy inside her.
The chief mistake of this special is its comedic emphasis when the stakes of Tennant’s and Tate’s return — as two of “Doctor Who”’s most beloved characters ever — are so serious. Only the most intense of circumstances should warrant the reversal of Donna’s amnesia, as it was the consequence of her act of sacrifice to save the entire universe. The risks of remembering the Doctor led to her heartbreaking departure from the show. Instead of offering a worthy reason to bring Donna back under such risks, the plot centers around new aliens who are impossible to take seriously. Some levity is expected, and welcomed in Donna’s fiery wit, but the Meep’s juvenile brand of humor is so annoying that it distracts from the episode’s emotional intensity.
The Meep’s performative cuteness may win sympathy from the Noble family, but it absolutely shouldn’t. “Meep meep,” the Meep interjects often, acting childish while speaking perfectly advanced English. From insisting that unresponsive stuffed animals “be my friend” to pouting about the “evil” Wrarth Warriors, the Meep’s juvenile personality comes off as incredibly disingenuous and irritating. This also erodes the likability of the Noble family, who prioritize the so-called cute and lonely creature above their own safety, coming out looking quite foolish. The Meep’s given backstory — that the Wrarth Warriors chased this Meep all the way to Earth in determination to slaughter all of Meepkind, their livestock that they cultivated for a recently outlawed fur trade — makes so little sense that it’s incredible that the humans naïvely believe it.
Not only does the Meep fail to be charming, the human characters are portrayed with unconvincing acting. Though Tennant and Tate are safe bets when it comes to upholding some standard of quality, lackluster deliveries from Rose and Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), UNIT’s scientific advisor, tarnishes the characters’ sense of authenticity. For example, a scene between the Doctor and Shirley Anne that explains the Tenth Doctor and Donna’s backstory feels unbearably scripted because of Madeley’s blandly voiced inquiries.
At the episode’s end, the elimination of Donna’s meta-crisis energy problem only partially makes sense. Ultimately, the resolution is too simple for something with such immense impact on Donna and the Doctor’s lives. Another key point lost in the transition from the pair’s last appearance to their return is the Tenth Doctor’s abhorrence of genocide. When the Wrarth Warriors explain that the Meep is the last of Meepkind, the Doctor doesn’t react — even though he once spared a lone Dalek, the most hateful creature in the universe, because it was the last of its race. Though the Fourteenth Doctor is technically a different incarnation than the Tenth, their matching catchphrases, mannerisms, and personalities make this fundamental difference feel like a misstep.
While it is satisfying to see the great David Tennant and Catherine Tate grace “Doctor Who” with their show-stealing presence and comedic chemistry once again, “The Star Beast” fails to do justice to this momentous occasion. The special attempts a lighthearted premise and tries to provide some lovably cheesy monsters, but its weak execution ruins the situation’s emotional meaning. One can only hope for the remaining two specials coming out later this month, “Wild Blue Yonder” and “The Giggle,” to do better.
—Staff writer Isabelle A. Lu can be reached at isabelle.lu@thecrimson.com.
