Bit of a mixed bag, if I’m being honest, albeit one that was fun to watch.
Being honest about it, I had heard about most of the key big moves this episode was going to make some time ago from a reputable source, so for me, I wasn’t surprised by any of the developments that are blowing the tops of people’s heads off. And I kept an open mind, remembering that even the craziest ideas can work if the execution is good enough. The addition of John Hurt’s War Doctor incarnation to the accepted canon is a good example of that: seemed like a bad idea when I first heard about it, but the episode itself made me forget those misgivings. Sadly, I must report that I don’t think “The Giggle” stuck the landing in a similar way, so while I’m looking forward to Ncuti Gatwa at Christmas, the wrap-up here is a bit of a speed bump that I’ll need to move past.
Starting things more at start, I felt like the first 3/4 of the episode was pretty good. Neil Patrick Harris was exactly as good as the Toymaker as everyone suspected that he would be, chewing the scenery everywhere and out-flamboyanting even David Tennant in his antics. He came across well in the role, simultaneously zany and malevolent and dangerous in the right amounts. It’s a shame that his storyline gets so off-handedly wrapped up that you kind of wonder what all the fuss was about in the opening. In particular, I do wish that the two Doctors’ victory over the Toymaker turned more on them being clever rather than simply outplaying him in this fashion. It’s almost as though, having served his purpose as a narrative engine-driver for most of the episode, everybody simultaneously got bored with him at the same moment and pushed him off the edge of the UNIT building.
Speaking of UNIT, it seems pretty clear that a part of what this episode was here to do was to set up elements for the proposed UNIT spin-off series. Which meant that we had a story crowded with characters many of whom didn’t get to do much. Kate Lethbridge-Stewart got to have some authority, and returning companion Bonnie Langford was pitched a lot more sensibly than during her first tour on the old series. But them along with Ruth Madely to say nothing of Donna made for some crowded scenes indeed. I suspect less would have been more in this instance, though I understand the need to simultaneously serve assorted objectives. No doubt some of these folks will have more to do in the spin-off show.
I have to say, from the very start of hearing about this episode, the person I felt the most sorry for was Ncuti Gatwa, who was forced to share his debut in the role with probably the most popular Doctor of this era–and one who, now, isn’t going away. Typically, the incoming actor will get maybe a minute’s worth of screen time in a regeneration episode, just enough to give the audience a taste of the new flavor while keeping the emotional focus rightly on the dying/departing Doctor. But it’s another thing entirely to have to do a full 15 minutes alongside that predecessor. I thought Ncuti did well here, though not so well that he was able to truly steal the spotlight from Tennant. So it’ll be the Christmas episode that really tells the tale there. Even from just the released trailer (I’m a bit miffed that Disney+ doesn’t appear to be including those Next Time trailers–suppose we’ll see whether they do once it comes to actual episodes of the series) I’m confident that he’ll be great.
So let’s talk about the mechanics of the “bi-regeneration” that got us to the end point. Because while I was ready to be convinced, I found that entire sequence of events pushed beyond my suspension of disbelief. I think you could have sold those ideas better, at least for me–I would have accepted, for example, if the fissioning of Ncuti from Tennant was a deliberate act by the Toymaker, who wants the Tennant Doctor to be a witness to his victory over his future self. It just happening because it happened feels sloppy to me, much in the same way that the show never really providing any solid rationale for the return of the Doctor’s earlier face and persona feels sloppy. But that one maybe you can just handwave away, the separation of Tennant and Gatwa immediately leads to a whole bunch of questions. Questions like: if Tennant is almost killed again, will he regenerate? (Presumably so, since as the Timeless Child, he’s got an unlimited capacity to do so.) And if so, what Doctor do you get there?
I know that, on a certain level, none of this stuff matters, except that it certainly does. You can change the accepted parameters of what is possible within the construct of the show, of course–I have no problem with that. But you do need to operate in a manner consistent with the accepted set of rules you’ve set up along the way to do so. Otherwise, it creates problems. And so, it is difficult to accept Ncuti Gatwa as legitimately being the Doctor when his predecessor is still alive, over there, having tea with the Nobles and waiting for their spin-off series. This may not seem like a big thing, and maybe in practice, it won’t be–I expect that the show will stop talking about all of this stuff once we get into Christmas and beyond. But especially given that Ncuti is the first Doctor of color, and the first gay-presenting Doctor (apart from Tennant’s one line last week), giving less elevated minds a quasi-reasonable way to question his legitimacy would just seem to make his job and position all the harder.
But even more that Ncuti, the beat I had the biggest problem with was banging a new TARDIS from the old one. Again, I had heard that this was to happen, so I wasn’t surprised, and it was the beat that most worried me. And again here, I don’t think Russell stuck the landing. Because there being another TARDIS isn’t any great stretch, we’ve seen a bunch of them over the years. Jodie left one standing around disguised as a tree just one season ago. But it’s the difference between A TARDIS and THE TARDIS. Because the “real ” TARDIS, the one we’ve been following all these years regardless of what actor was in the lead role, is parked behind the Noble house next to Rose’s shed. Emotionally, the Ncuti model doesn’t feel like the same ship. And so we’re now left with an illegitimate Doctor in a knock-off TARDIS. And yeah, I know this only matters as much as it matters, and it’s not something that’s likely to come up again. But emotionally, I feel it, so it isn’t nothing.
So I don’t know. I will say that these three Specials have certainly felt a whole lot more like he DOCTOR WHO of old–including the places where their plotting falls apart and a bit of nonsense is used to attempt to patch over some plot point without thinking through all of the ramifications. And I was way more engaged by them that I have been by the show in a number of years, so that’s a net win. And it was wonderful to see so many old faces and old friends, and to spend a bit of time with them. By that same token, I do think that I’m more than ready to move ahead, to see what Ncuti Gatwa can do in the lead role and to begin a new cycles of adventures. Fortunately, Christmas is only a couple of weeks away.
The Tom Brevoort Experience 
In the after show feature “Doctor Who Unleashed” Russell explained that he came up with an ancient Time Lord myth called “bi-generation” when a regenerating Time Lord splits into two. Apparently the myth is true (?!) and the Doctor has achieved it! Except he isn’t even a Time Lord anymore, he’s a genetic template for their ability to regenerate! Russell refuses to negate the “Timeless Child” retcon while calling him a Time Lord again (and they referred to themselves as such in the show). Meanwhile a mystery female hand picks up the gold tooth cap containing the Master (previously it was a ring…ho hum…) promising yet another incarnation/resurrection.
Instead of being amazed and delighted by the events of the show I was instead bemused and angry that something that promised to deliver so much instead dumped such a confusing mess in my lap.
There are clearly now no rules at all for telling a Doctor Who story and any tenuous connection to science fiction has been severed. It’s now a total fantasy where anything and everything can and will happen. Seeing him divide into two people was like watching a cartoon and given it’s new Disney connection I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s now outlandish and preposterous rather than fantastic and inspiring.
It may be the “bi-generation” (and I recognise what Russell means by that, it follows on from all the gender identification and sexual representation which he feels is now appropriate for the show to address) but it isn’t MY generation and it’s no longer MY Doctor Who and hasn’t been for some years now. It may be trying to be inclusive but it’s not inclusive of it’s core audience and I feel EXCLUDED so it’s failing badly as far as I’m concerned!
Depending on RTD to somehow “save” the show was a mistake! I didn’t think it was possible to ruin it further, but he’s managed it with this so-called “celebration” which has turned out to be anything but!
LikeLike
“any tenuous connection to science fiction has been severed”
Doctor Who has been fantasy in SF drag for most of its existence, frankly
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right, of course. But it previously had a more-or-less consistent “mythology” that was, at least, science fiction based and has now been completely abandoned. The fact that there are now two versions of the same character both existing simultaneously left me scratching my head.
Not only has “the Timeless Child” got endless lives but can now divide into two entities.
It has drifted so far from the show I loved as a child in the 1960s it might as well have a different title….
LikeLike
I freaking loved it! I choked up reading the tease on the Special’s page and nearly lost it when the regeneration started. I could accept the Timeless Child and Doctor Ruth right off the bat so the bi-regeneration was no big. (And the reading of woke in everywhere? I missed all references to Rose Noble being trans until I read your blog after and bi is just a prefix. Is bi-monthly or bi-weekly soon to be pilloried for using it too?) My sole problem with the whole episode was the two Doctors sharing one set of clothes! Yes, Ncuti has amazing legs but walking around in his underpants for twenty minutes. Ugh.
I also expect #14, or #10 according to closed captioning) to go the way of Rose’s human Doctor unless there’s a need for a ratings spike again and Tennant hasn’t suddenly started aging.
I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since discovering it under #4 and not even what I consider the worst serial or episode can shake that. Speaking of serials, my favorite part of each no matter what the length was the last installment. All the set up had been done, the shit had hit the fan well and truly, and now it was a race from start to finish to save the day, This Special felt like that to me. Breakneck speed to a satisfying conclusion and the promise we’ll do it all again next time!
LikeLike
Yeah, keeping Tennant around and giving him the “real” TARDIS feels like it’s immediately undercutting Gatwa’s legitimacy. It would be one thing if they’d done the same when Matt Smith became the Doctor, but in this situation it seems pretty disrespectful and kinda tone deaf.
I liked NPH when he wasn’t affecting an accent, but every time he spoke as German I figuratively rolled my eyes. 20% improvement to the episode if he hadn’t done that.
I consider myself a casual DW watcher and don’t retain a fan-level amount of detail, so I’m wondering has UNIT HQ been shown before looking like Avengers Tower?
LikeLike
The Doctor actually commented on that in the episode. He remembered Kate’s father, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, stringently keeping it’s existence secret.
LikeLike
I suspect they’re keeping Tennant around in case they need him to come back and jump-start the ratings again. There seem to be a lot of people for whom he’s “the” Doctor, in a way that his successors haven’t been.
LikeLike
There has been talk that the Tennant Doctor may be consulted on a possible UNIT spinoff series, in the same way the third Doctor was their scientific advisor in the early 70s.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Russell addressed the issue of the “real” TARDIS and there will be a reference in a future show. In a commentary available on UK BBC iPlayer he said that the 15th Doctor has the original and Tennant has the copy.
Not that it really matters. The only discernable difference so far is a classic jukebox…
LikeLike
On the BBC commentary, RTD very specifically addresses the TARDIS point!
“See, I think, If I’m any judge of fandom, people will worry that that [the tardis with the jukebox] is a new TARDIS and not the old TARDIS […] and I’m here to say …in a story to come, there is proof that it’s still the old TARDIS.”
Hope that doesn’t count as a spoiler.
LikeLike
Further to my earlier comment, having re-watched the episode and been more attentive, I noticed something which slipped by me the first time. At a point in the story when the Doctor and the Toymaker play a card game, the Toymaker makes a remark that he “made a jigsaw out of your past, did you like it?”
The significance of this is expanded on by RTD in a commentary available on the UK BBC iPlayer.
Basically it does what I hoped Russell would do when I first learned of the Toymaker’s return in the third special, namely address the issue of “The Timeless Child” and, not only that, but all inconsistencies in the Doctor’s history, such as the reference to him being “half-human” in the Paul McGann TV movie. Now, all these things can be regarded as the result of the Toymaker’s meddling but can still have “happened.”
In light of this, I have revised my knee-jerk opinion of yesterday and feel more at ease with the events of “The Giggle.”
I still feel it’s become a fantasy show and RTD has admitted that that is the way he is steering it now (there will be goblins in the Christmas special) and that anything and everything is now possible.
But I am more comfortable with continuing to watch future episodes.
Maybe I should have more faith in Russell.
LikeLike
I think it’s better to count “telefantasy” as a genre of its own, which mixes or touches on all kinds of other genres.
LikeLike
I think you are absolutely right. RTD has said that he is steering Doctor Who completely into the realm of fantasy and there are goblins in the Christmas special to prove it!
LikeLike
Time travel fiction pretty much is a fantasy setting. Yes, some books, movies, and TV take it seriously but Who has always been entertainment and is still considered by many to be a children’s show. Internal consistency is less important than captivating the audience and ratings.
LikeLike
I liked it more than you did, but I’m definitely looking forward to the Christmas special so Ncuti Gatwa can properly step into the spotlight as the Doctor. And I really hope RTD resists the urge to bring David Tennant back again anytime soon. As much as I enjoyed seeing Tennant again, Gatwa really needs the opportunity to stand on his own.
LikeLike
Further info from Russell on the bi-generation: it didn’t just happen to this Doctor but to all of them across his existence so far- so Hartnell continued after splitting from Troughton, who continued after splitting from Pertwee, who continued after splitting from Tom Baker (enabling older Tom to meet Matt Smith a few years ago) etc. etc. and enabling all the older Doctors to meet their companions again in the new “Whoniverse” BBC iPlayer series.
LikeLike
As appealing as that might sound, it’s a little hard to reconcile with previous episodes. With a couple of exceptions, we pretty clearly saw the regeneration process each Doctor went through, and there’s not really any room to insert a second body. If you want to bring back previous Doctors, and you feel the need to explain why they look older, better to go with what “The Curator” said in the 50th: Given unlimited regenerations, the Doctor occasionally likes to revisit a previous face/persona.
LikeLike
The Timeless Child and “unlimited regenerations” can now be considered as part of the Toymaker’s “jigsaw,” depending on what we individually choose to believe. RTD didn’t want to contradict anything established by previous showrunners, but is aware of the outrage felt by some, so wanted to come up with a solution where everything still ” happened” in the past but some of it was the result of the Toymaker’s meddling, such as the two contradictory origins and history of Daleks, the 8th Doctor identifying as “half human” on his mother’s side, anything that has caused people to question consistency in the series.
But the bi-generation of all the previous Doctors didn’t happen until 15 split from 14, so Tom meeting Matt may be because of that or still part of the “Timeless Child” scenario, whichever we choose to believe as individual viewers. Each of us can now have our own version of the “story of the Doctor.”
It’s all part of Russell’s new “anything and everything is possible” approach.
Which does mean that the show is now totally fantasy with only a tenuous connection to science fiction but, as others have pointed out, it always was!
LikeLike
Until it says so explicitly in the show, I’ll take that with a grain of salt. It might be how he’s justifying the side stories in his head but it’s not more than that now. It’s as real as the Cartmel Master Plan.
LikeLike
I quite agree, it’s based off a throwaway line in the show which I missed first time around because I was concentrating on the game of Aces High! His in- commentary explanations are clearly designed to appease people like me who thought that certain revelations of recent years had been unnecessary and spoiled the fictional “history” to such an extent that it could no longer be considered the same character and the way he’s figured it out every fan, new and old, can have their cake and eat it too. He clearly doesn’t want to alienate viewers more than Chibnall already has and I admit that his explanation (believe what you want, because it’s now ALL true!) pleases me as I (and everyone else) can choose what I wish to be the “truth” but I don’t think he will belabour the point in order not to alienate those (few) who think the “Timeless Child” concept was a work of genius and, besides, he is eager to start introducing supernatural elements into the show and other fantasy elements which will no longer have to be justified or explained as “alien” or “other dimensional.” So there will probably be more “blink and miss it” lines “explaining” everything.
Incidentally, when I finally recently learned what the Cartmel Master Plan was going to be, I was surprised by how similar it sounded to the “Timeless Child!”
LikeLike
My biggest gripe is that bi-generation is just a less-well executed rehash of the MetaCrisis Doctor from series 4 that ALSO ensured we had a spare David Tennant so we could “break glass in case of emergencies”. At least that version has the Checkov’s Gun of the handy spare hand to fall back on.
Considering how hard we leaned into the end of Series 4 for these specials, with the DoctorDonna and all, it would have been more concise if Tennant was just playing the MetaCrisis Doctor all along to tie it all in together.
But I’m still disappointed the Toymaker wasn’t the one responsible for bringing Tennant back in the first place. I was totally imagining him as a BatMite type of fanboy, bringing back his favorite Doctor so we could all learn we need to move forward. Ironically, they went the exact opposite way, lol.
LikeLike
It reminds me a bit when they tried to pass a blonde Ben Reilly as the original Peter Parker while keeping the “fake” one powerless and retired. It worked big way.
Gatwa deserved better, if you ask me, but we’ll see.
LikeLike
Good assessment. The Toymaker did indeed go down too easy. The discussion of the commentary track seems to settle some of the other stuff. But the bi-generation did not work at all for me.
LikeLike