#Doctor Who: The Giggle 2023 60th Anniversary Special

[bookthorns]

DECEMBER 2023 WRAP UP | christmas, the hunger games, doctor who + dinosaurs!

aaaaa Continue reading Untitled

[muchemovies]

may 10/2024: with FOUR hours to go until Ncuti & Millie crash into their first full series, i'm mini-marathoning THE STAR BEAST WILD BLUE YONDER THE GIGGLE THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD

[dwgif]

We're Time Lords. We're doing rehab out of order.

Ncuti Gatwa as Fifteenth Doctor DOCTOR WHO (2005-) 60th Anniversary Specials: The Giggle (2023)

[mndvx]

DOCTOR WHO – THE GIGGLE (9 December 2023 – 60th Anniversary Specials) ››› Catherine Tate as Donna Noble ››› Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart

[catabasis]

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials (2023)

The Star Beast (November 25)

Wild Blue Yonder (December 2)

The Giggle (December 9)

[tennant]

David Tennant as Fourteenth Doctor DOCTOR WHO - 60th Anniversary Specials: "The Giggle" (2023)

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of The Giggle - Part Three

From Entertainment Weekly (Dec 2023 by Clark Collis):

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies tells EW that the American actor was completely unfamiliar with the beloved science fiction series when the executive producer approached Harris about playing a villain called The Toymaker on this Saturday's final 60th anniversary special episode, "The Giggle." "He’d never heard of it in his life, bless him," Davies says with a laugh. "I was lucky enough to work with the great man on a show called It’s a Sin, about the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, and working with him was such a joy. The Toymaker, he's kind of the god of games, so he shuffles cards, he does magic tricks, and all of that fits Neil Patrick Harris. If you go through agents, they often tell you to go away. I was able to send just a text saying, 'Do you fancy reading this?' He read it and literally phoned me up going, 'Let me get this right, so the Doctor’s an alien, right?' I was like, 'Oh my god, you really have never heard of Doctor Who!' But he couldn’t resist it, and he came to Cardiff, and we had the most spectacular time." Davies explains that, "it's very hard to find the villain who can match David Tennant and Catherine Tate. To have a character who can be in danger of defeating those two is very hard to find. Sometimes on Doctor Who, you need armies of a thousand robots who could do that. This is just one person, so casting them was absolutely crucial and this becomes a pivotal event in the Doctor’s life. We needed that man, and, god, we had a glorious time. It’s so lovely working with Neil. When I text him now, [we ask], what’s our third project together? We’ve got to keep going!"

With huge thanks to all who shared set photos (including @TomWrenPhoto on Twitter)

For other posts in this set, please see the #whoBtsGiggle tag. The full episode list is [ here ]

[doctorkinktraveller]

Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials

1. The Star Beast - 25th November 2023

2. Wild Blue Yonder - 2nd December 2023 [contains a connection to the Flux and Timeless Children]

3. The Giggle - 9th December 2023

[denimbex1986]

'Fifteenth Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa reveals how revisiting past Doctor's adventures helped him craft his own performance ahead of joining the production of his Doctor Who adventures. The actor made his debut in the show's third 60th-anniversary adventure, "The Giggle," where he emerged from an unprecedented, rare bi-regeneration transformation that saw him split from David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor. Following his first solo adventure in 2023's seasonal special "The Church on Ruby Road," Gatwa is set to lead Doctor Who across season 14, 2024's seasonal special, and the in-production season 15...

Despite only having been on-screen for one full Doctor Who episode and the final act of the third 60th-anniversary story, Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor has already made several callbacks to past Doctor's adventures. Alongside being subject to the universe-upending "Mavity" change caused by the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna (Catherine Tate), the Fifteenth Doctor has also referenced his long-running relationship with Harry Houdini throughout his various incarnations. He specifically cited one "long, hot summer" he spent with the magician when he learned to escape handcuffs. The Doctor also fell back on a familiar psychic paper disguise when speaking to Ruby (Millie Gibson) for the first time by claiming to be a "health and safety" representative, a favorite of Tennant's Tenth Doctor...'

[buttherainbowhasabeard]

Unpopular Opinion: David Tennant Should Never Have Returned To Doctor Who

When a teary eyed David Tennant as The Doctor uttered the words “I don’t want to go” in his 2010 generation scene, it was a heartbreaking moment for fans. Saying goodbye to such a universally loved incarnation would be hard, but this was Doctor Who. Change was inevitable, and often, exciting.

So when the BBC announced that Tennant would be returning to the iconic role 15 years on, as part of a series of 60th anniversary specials, I was sceptical. 

It looked like I was the only one though, as the internet erupted with anticipation and jubilation. I, however, thought the 14th Doctor reveal was a huge distraction that disrespected both the outgoing and the incoming actors.

Don’t get me wrong, Tennant is one of my favourite modern Doctor’s. His mid 2000s run as the 10th Doctor was funny, frightening, heartfelt and unforgettable. He had some of the best companions and villains, and some of the smartest and most compelling stories. But all good things come to an end, and now his emotional first exit felt a bit hollow. 

His return really took the shine off Jodie Whittaker’s finale. Yes, her years as the 13th Doctor were responsible for some of the worst Doctor Who storylines in recent memory. But this was hardly her fault, and instead of enjoying her last moments as The Doctor and reflecting on the good bits (the first female Doctor in the show’s history), fans were shouting at their screens for her to hurry up and regenerate so their favourite could return. It was almost like the show was doing a reset and hoping we’d forget about her.

It also meant that the now 15th Doctor (Ncuti Gawta, the first gay, black Doctor in the show’s history) had to wait a little longer to make his debut, which seemed on-the-nose too. 

The BBC were making it crystal clear who they thought their most popular Doctor was. Tennant has had more screen time than any other modern era Doctor, and now he’s the only one still alive and kicking post regeneration across all eras. Haven’t they ever heard of 'jumping the shark' or having too much of a good thing?!

He had four consecutive seasons from 2005-2008, with a fake regeneration at the end of Series 4 that saw him get cloned and live happily ever after with Rose Tyler on parallel earth. From 2008-2010 he travelled sans companion in a series of specials, before reluctantly regenerating into Matt Smith. In 2013, he made an appearance alongside Smith in the 50th anniversary special.

And now in 2023, he’s done three extra episodes alongside Catherine Tate reprising her role as his much loved Series 4 companion Donna Noble. These specials ended with him bi-generating (one Tennant Doctor, one Gatwa Doctor - don’t ask!) and continuing on as The Doctor, complete with his own TARDIS. He will, he says, stay put on earth to let Gatwa go off and have his own adventures. How generous of him! 

Firstly, Tennant’s latest run didn’t feel like a 60th anniversary either. Instead it felt like a very late follow up and conclusion (or even an alternative ending) to Series 4, so the opportunity to include other cameos and celebrate the show’s rich history was lost.

In ‘The Star Beast’, the monstrous Meep really just provided a reason for The Doctor to see Donna again. In ‘Wild Blue Yonder’, The Doctor and Donna fought creepy doppelgängers of themselves (again, talk about self-indulgent!), and in ‘The Giggle’, Neil Patrick Harris’ promising Celestial Toymaker did little more than put on a funny accent and do a funny dance.

Sure, it had some fun and heartfelt moments. I'm glad the DoctorDonna Human-Time Lord metacrisis has been resolved. The Doctor's tender moments with Donna were nice. His two redheaded companions (Donna and Mel) holding his hands as he "regenerated" was touching. Even Tennant and Gatwa's interactions were surprisingly sweet. However, the whole jaunt just felt like an excuse to reunite Tennant and Tate and capitalise on their lingering popularity. Which leads me to my second point… 

No other actor has been able to continue on as The Doctor, so the fact that this is the first exception to the rule shows that the studio is very obviously playing favourites. They are keeping Tennant’s sprightly sneaker wearing, pin stripe suited spaceman up their sleeves to roll out whenever they please. If the ratings plummet, they can bring Tennant back. If the fans want it, they can bring Tennant back. If Tennant wants it, they can bring Tennant back. Does anyone else smell a spin-off?

Thirdly, I don’t buy the idea that The Doctor can be - and wants to be - domesticated at all. Despite everyone telling him that he needs to stop and slow down, he has never once done so. In every incarnation, he/she is an energetic, chaotic and forever on-the-go entity that can’t stand waiting or having to sit idly by.

So, all of a sudden we're expected to believe that he’s going to stay with Donna and her family and just hang out on earth like a regular human? I doubt it. He even said it himself to Rose in Season 2, when trying to justify why he can’t settle down. "You can spend the rest of your life with me. But I can't spend the rest of mine with you." If bi-generation had have happened to Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor, I might have accepted it better because he said he wanted to rest. It would’ve made more sense there.

And lastly, but probably most importantly, everyone loves a bit of nostalgia, but bringing beloved characters back from the dead to get ratings up again isn’t a good enough reason. In reality, it just reeks of lazy writing or a lack of creativity, and in turn, a lack of closure. The whole point and poignancy of a show like Doctor Who is that The Doctor must change and move on, as we, the audience, have to move on.

When someone plays The Doctor, they do it for a limited time but they leave a lasting legacy. Having Tennant on standby undermines that. I want the writers to invest in their new actors and have faith in their new adventures instead of having earlier models waiting in the wings.

So for me, the best thing about these three specials and the finale wasn’t that Tennant didn't have to say goodbye this time. It was that Gatwa finally got to say hello...

[scribble-dee-doo]

HAHAAAAA LOOK WHAT I FINISHED FOR DOCTORDONNA WEEK. kind of. i had a whole idea and when i sat down to write it the words didn't want to word so instead there is a SCRIPT! Or a really advanced outline! I want to actually write the fic and fill in the gaps, lol, but until the week is over please accept this placeholder. For now, please enjoy:

DoctorDonna Week 2023, Day 1:

FIRE/GLOW

@doctordonnaweek

1,711 words, full of ALL CAPS as my heart led me and SPOILERS FOR THE DOCTOR WHO 60TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIALS STARTING IN THE FIRST SENTENCE

THE DOCTOR collapses after the events of The Giggle (bi-regeneration sickness, mumble mumble), people are very worried, Doctor-Donna snuggles and the beginning of discussing the rest of their lives together.

INT: WILF’S spare bedroom, night. THE DOCTOR is lying in the full-sized bed under a hideous quilt that may have come from the bottom of TARDIS storage or Sylvia’s linen closet. His SHOES – obviously borrowed from somebody – , COAT, and OTHER ASSORTED are draped over an armoir. He’s wearing his undershirt and is resting uneasily, sweating with a subtle golden sheen to his skin. DONNA enters, juggling a thermometer, cup of tea, and crazy space gadget.

DONNA, to a figure outside of the door

“No, I’ve got him. Really, go stay with Rose. Are you sure I shouldn’t -”

SHAUN, just a shadow in the hall behind the cracked door

“Absolutely. She’s putting on a brave face, but she’s tough. I’ll put on the telly and we can have a cuddle.”

DONNA smiles. She loves this man so.

“Yeah?”

SHAUN

“Yeah, you know she’s worried about him too.”

DONNA leans back out of the door and kisses SHAUN, slowly. It’s a moment of relief, savoring a return to normal with new appreciation for things she already loved more than she thought she could stand. They bump foreheads and smile, looking into each others’ eyes.

DONNA

“I love you.”

SHAUN

“I love you too. Now take care of your spaceman and give us a shout if you need anything.”

DONNA laughs and pecks him on the lips one more time before shutting the door.

~AUTH NOTE: DONNA GETTING SETTLED IN, SHOWING HOW BADLY OFF THE DOCTOR IS~

She runs her hand over the DOCTOR’S forehead the way she’s learned to do as a mother, but forgets about the psychic contact points. When her fingertips brush them, both she and the DOCTOR jolt. The DOCTOR resettles, facing DONNA. DONNA sits back with an expression of focus and then realization.

DONNA, as though recalling a long-buried memory

“Tannins.”

DONNA looks down at her cup of tea. She puts it on the bedside table and starts rearranging, finding another pillow or two and stacking them at the head of the bed before attempting to wrangle THE DOCTOR into sitting more upright. He’s floppy and uncooperative and she scolds him as she’s trying to get her arm behind his shoulders. She presses him forward and he falls so that he’s folded in half, nose on his knees. DONNA pauses in rearranging the pillows, looking at him.

DONNA

“How are you that bendy at your age?”

It occurs to her that, rather than folding comfortably, he may have torn something from being unable to support himself. She rushes to get the pillows in place and resettles him more gently. He exhales a little rush of gold but doesn’t otherwise react.

DONNA, while picking up the tea like a surgical instrument

“Okay, let’s give this a try.”

DONNA gingerly wafts the teacup under THE DOCTOR’S nose like smelling salts. When he doesn’t react, she wafts it more aggressively. She studies him closely after every pass. On the third pass, she accidentally bumps it against his chin and splashes a little.

DONNA

“Oh, shit! Sorry, sorry.”

She dabs the spill off his chin. THE DOCTOR gasps a big breath, opening his eyes wide, and DONNA startles badly.

DONNA

“SHIT!”

THE DOCTOR, bleary

“Issat tea?”

DONNA, looking down at the tea she forgot she was holding

“Yes! Yes it is, here, have a sip. Is it okay with milk?”

THE DOCTOR, being force-fed tea a little too quickly

*affirmative hum*

DONNA, pulling back

“Is that enough?”

THE DOCTOR is still swallowing his last sip, so he makes grabby hands for the mug. DONNA hands it over and sits back in her seat, wringing her hands.

THE DOCTOR, in between sips

“What, no honey?”

DONNA

“No, it’s late. Trying to calm down, aren’t we?”

THE DOCTOR finishes the mug in a long swallow and clumsily wipes his mouth with his shirtsleeve. DONNA looks disgusted but unsurprised.

THE DOCTOR

“So you made black tea?”

DONNA looks at him with her eyebrows raised, unimpressed.

DONNA

“It’s got you up, hasn’t it?”

THE DOCTOR

“Yeah, fair enough. Oooh –”

THE DOCTOR winces, falling back onto his pillows. DONNA sits forward in alarm and takes the teacup.

DONNA

“What? What is it?”

THE DOCTOR makes a face and then belches up a plume of regeneration energy. DONNA jerks backwards, trying to avoid it. It follows her, curling slowly like water but definitely in her direction. She swats at it like a fly and it clings to her fingertips.

AUTH NOTE: SOMEHOW THEY GET TO THE PART THAT I ACTUALLY WANTED TO WRITE

DONNA looks down, smiling tightly, reluctant or not ready to talk about the difficult subject of THE DOCTOR leaving her without her memories for fifteen years. He looks at her, endlessly old and endlessly regretful.

THE DOCTOR

“I’m sorry.”

DONNA, shaking her head as if to brush it off and still smiling

“No.”

THE DOCTOR

“No, really, I’m so -”

DONNA leans forward jerkily. She’s restraining huge, complicated emotions behind a smile that’s wavering a little bit. She raises her hands, controls them, and folds them firmly and decisively together on the bedspread. THE DOCTOR watches her. She takes a deep, shaky breath and sighs it out.

DONNA

“I keep thinking -”

She bites down on the rest of her sentence, looking away and sniffing. Her body language and expression are tight. She’s barely holding tears at bay. THE DOCTOR is also tearing up.

DONNA

“No.”

DONNA stands up and flips the covers off THE DOCTOR. He’s confused, but moves with her as she focuses hard on pushing him over on the bed, pulling up the covers, and pushing the pillows onto the floor. She toes off her shoes and climbs into the bed. She arranges them to her satisfaction, so that she has his head tucked under her chin and he can’t see her face. Under the thin blanket, they’re obviously tangled together like best friends at a sleepover. THE DOCTOR noses closer, hungry for contact.

DONNA, slowly

“I thought I was broken...for fifteen years.”

THE DOCTOR’s expression crumbles, pained. DONNA is staring at the SONIC SCREWDRIVER in the pile of stuff on the dresser, steadier now.

DONNA

“Mum was being nicer, and Grandad just – he looked at me in this way I didn’t understand. He’s always been so encouraging, we’ve always shared so much, and suddenly... I kept going. I met Shaun. There was,” she starts to tear up again, “so much good, he’s so good, and then we had Rose and we were so happy, I was so happy, but there was always this great...big...hole right through the middle of it. It felt...like I was missing someone so important, and I couldn’t tell if it was me or my best friend or – or both.”

She finally closes her eyes and lets the tears fall. Then her expression relaxes. There’s some relief in saying it. She squeezes THE DOCTOR closer and kisses him on the top of the head. He sniffles.

DONNA

“I’m not really angry about that yet, we’ve been so busy, but I will be. I’m gonna hold this over your head forever, I’m going to squeeze you for every-every drop of guilt shopping and chocolates I can get.”

They both chuckle wetly and sniffle. DONNA sobers.

DONNA

“I keep thinking, what if it was Rose or Shaun? What if I finally had someone I loved and...and I had to make that kind of choice? I don’t have all the memories but I can remember feeling how lonely you’ve been, how much you’ve been hurt. I don’t know what I would have done, if I was hurting that way.”

She pauses. Her expression firms.

DONNA

“But I would have come back. Even if I had to leave them, I would have come back. I would have kept trying to help.”

THE DOCTOR

“You’ve always been stronger than me.”

DONNA pulls back and they look at each other. THE DOCTOR’S expression is dull, defeated, DONNA’S angry. After a moment, DONNA sighs. Closing her eyes, she presses their foreheads together. THE DOCTOR softens, still all pain underneath, but DONNA is calmer.

DONNA

“No more excuses for you. I’m putting you in feelings boot camp. You’re gonna wake up and do two hundred happy push-ups tomorrow. It’s a big job, but I’m going to whip you into shape. You’re gonna be miserable. I’m going to make you the biggest emotional bodybuilder in this town.”

THE DOCTOR, smiling

“You promise?”

DONNA

“Yeah, I do. There’s no escape for you now.”

She tweaks his nose. He wrinkles it and grins his big old grin.

DONNA

“Glad we got that settled. Now! Sleep time.”

THE DOCTOR

“But-”

DONNA shushes him and budges them both down the bed so that they’re lying comfortably. THE DOCTOR protests, citing Time Lord sleeping habits that DONNA shoots down with a snort, but he lets her bully him around.

THE DOCTOR

“But Shaun -”

DONNA

“You wanna keep trying to tell me things about my own husband or do you wanna enjoy this while it lasts?”

THE DOCTOR settles in. They both relax, still tangled together but less likely to wake up with cricks in their necks and hands fallen asleep.

THE DOCTOR

“Alright, don’t blame me if you get weird in the morning.”

DONNA

“You have no idea how much weird I can handle. Normal life has weird you can’t even imagine.”

THE DOCTOR

“I look forward to learning about it.”

DONNA

“I know you don’t snore, but I remember that camping trip in the Diamond Mountains. No wiggling.”

THE DOCTOR

“And I remember the kicking.”

DONNA

“Shush. Sleep time.”

<THE END>

CODA: THE DOCTOR sits on WILF’S couch, sick with bi-regeneration/”my 11th-dimensional self got too close to the not-things from the end of the universe” flu, doped on Gallifreyan cold medication and an accidental ginger-ale someone who didn’t know about Gallifreyan biology gave them. They’re swaddled like a recalcitrant cat at the vet because they keep falling over when they try to get up. DONNA is filming them acting like they just got out of wisdom tooth surgery and choking on laughter.

[karamelpunch]

Doctor Who Unleashed

2023 Specials

0. 60th Anniversary Specials - Children in Need HD 1. 60th Anniversary Specials - The Star Beast HD 2. 60th Anniversary Specials - Wild Blue Yonder HD 3. 60th Anniversary Specials - The Giggle HD 4. Christmas Special - The Church on Ruby Road HD

Season 1

1.01 - Space Babies HD 1.02 - The Devils Chord HD 1.03 - Boom HD 1.04 - 73 Yards HD 1.05 - Dot and Bubble HD 1.06 - Rogue HD 1.07 - The Legend of Ruby Sunday HD 1.08 - Empire of Death HD 1.09 - Unseen HD

Docto Who Video Commentaries

01. The Star Beast HD 02. The Giggle HD 03. The Church on Ruby Road HD 04. Boom HD 05. Empire of Death HD

[netmassimo]

“The Giggle” is the third 2023 special episode in the TV show “Doctor Who” that celebrates its 60th anniversary and follows “Wild Blue Yonder“. It’s available in the UK and Ireland on BBC channels and in many other countries on the Disney+ platform.

[mndvx]

Who is he? DOCTOR WHO – THE GIGGLE (9 December 2023 – 60th Anniversary Specials) ››› David Tennant and William Hartnell as The Doctor ››› Neil Patrick Harris and Michael Gough as The Celestial Toymaker

[whatthetranspod]

Who The Trans Episode 3! The Giggle

To tide you all over until July 15th, we present Who The Trans?! Episode 3: The Giggle

The final episode of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary special dropped on December 9th 2023. It went in a creepy direction and had a twist at the end… 

Listen in to hear Alyx and Ben's thoughts on this episode of Doctor Who, in Who The Trans?!

This episode was released last year as part of our Patreon rewards. If you'd like to receive bonus content like this as it happens, subscribe to our Patreon where we've made an episode for each instalment of the most recent series of Doctor Who.

https://www.patreon.com/Whatthetrans

  If the player doesn’t show up, listen here!

[tennant]

David Tennant as Fourteenth Doctor DOCTOR WHO (2005—) 60th Anniversary Specials: The Giggle (2023)