2nd Opinion, Take 2 “The Giggle” – Of Two Minds

J.C. reviews the third 60th anniversary special.

I’ve found “The Giggle,” the finale of Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary specials, tricky to review. There’s a lot to go through, and it leaves me of two minds. Quite apt I suppose considering the final twist. Unlike the previous, more restrained “Wild Blue Yonder“, this episode brought back the audacious, go-for-broke RTD that he was always known for with his finales, making it the most entertaining watch of all three specials, but it also came with some of the same issues.

David Tennant as the Doctor for the final ever time (sure, sure…) was in his usual fine form. Bringing the expected blend of energy, sadness and anger, reminding us why he’s such a fan favourite. But I have to admit, I was still left wanting a more substantial explanation for this Doctor’s face return (other than Donna’s theory). In the end, the specials all kind of glossed over it. It felt like a missed opportunity to dive deeper into some new mythology.

Donna had a few strong scenes, but no doubt due to the sheer amount of things this special needed to cram in, she seemed a little more sidelined this time around. Having said that, her encounter with Stooky Sue and the creepy baby dolls was a classic Donna moment, showcasing Catherine Tate’s ability to handle both the horror and humour.

The end scene with the Nobles was heartwarming, but even that still didn’t feel like a final goodbye to either the 14th Doctor or Donna. And that’s because it obviously won’t be. Donna has joined UNIT, clearly setting something up in the future. And it’s hard to imagine the 14th Doctor will just be sitting around “retired” all the time when Earth faces alien attacks. A team up with 15 must be on the cards. That or a spin-off, or a movie, or something. RTD obviously did this for a reason, and it certainly wasn’t made very clear why bi-generation is suddenly a thing. But I’m getting way ahead of myself here…

Onto ze big bad. Neil Patrick Harris as ze villainous Toymaker vas an absolute blast to vatch. He chewed up ze scenery with relish, managing to outdo Sacha Dhawan’s turn as ze Master last year (he even got his own dance number). Ze only down point vas ze silly accent, vich vas a bit distracting, ja? I know it vas meant to be, but at times it vas so thick it vas hard to understand vhat he vas saying. I preferred it vhen he tried to sound closer to the classic Toymaker.

OK, I’ll stop that now.

I was glad to see UNIT back in all its glory, especially with their fancy new Marvel-esque base, and Kate leading the charge again. The “temper tantrum” scene finally gave Jemma Redgrave something a bit different to play in the role. Shirley Bingham was there doing her best Osgood impersonation. The new robot, the Vlinx, was too CBBC for my liking and a bit pointless. Mel’s return felt somewhat unceremonious, not really adding much to the story. Don’t get me wrong, I did like her chats with the Doctor, but it should’ve been so much more.

Visually, this episode knocked it out of the park – it was the best directed of the three specials, hands down. The horror sequences, the carnival atmospherics, and of course that dance scene was executed with pizazz, showcasing the mix of scares and absurdity only shows like Doctor Who can pull off.

RTD’s knack for setting up high-stake adventures didn’t quite pay off in the resolution sadly. Always one of his weak points. The final showdown with the Toymaker – a game of catch – was pretty underwhelming compared to everything else that came before, and the scene lacked tension. They also missed a trick by not having the 14th Doctor throw a satsuma at the Toymaker for the winning throw – that would’ve been a great callback to Tennant’s first ever episode!

So let’s talk briefly about the big one – the bi-generation. A twist that was, sadly for RTD, yet another one of Doctor Who’s worst-kept secrets. So it didn’t have any shock on me as a result. My view on it, though? I’m still not even sure at the moment. Part of me feels it robs the regeneration of emotional impact. It’s also left me with a lot of questions that the answers to will ultimately decide whether I like its addition to the canon or not. For instance, is this a one-off, or the norm from now on? What about the other Doctors? Can 14 still regenerate? If so, what number will that make that Doctor if we have another potential splinter? RTD is using the behind-the-scenes media to answer some questions, which helps, but isn’t ideal. We need some solid confirmations on screen.

Ncuti Gatwa got a fair amount of screen time as the new Doctor, certainly more than all the other modern Doctors so far. I’m not 100% sold yet, but there’s some promise. It was always going to be tough for him to shine though when he’s literally standing in the shadow of Tennant though, who has been playing the Doctor on and off just shy of 20 years.

Wrapping up, “The Giggle” was the very definition of a rollercoaster ride. It had some brilliant moments that recaptured the highs of RTD’s finales past, but also had some lows that left me wanting more. I’m pleased the episode featured more homages to Doctor Who’s history beyond the RTD era, but still, not a single past Doctor even in a cameo? What a waste. RTD has suggested the bi-generation happened to all Doctors at that moment. What a perfect excuse for some of them to turn up for the Toymaker showdown…

Asides

• Knowing how this trilogy of specials played out now, I wish the Toymaker plot carried across all three instead. “Wild Blue Yonder” could’ve been one of his games. And it meant such a powerful foe wouldn’t have been defeated so quickly. Alas, what could have been.
• 14 must have regenerated into fireproof clothes, right, after that laser attack did nothing?
• RTD said in the commentary that the bi-generation was originally much darker and violent, but they scrapped it. Come on, kids are watching shows like Stranger Things these days!
• So the Master’s return was hinted at in a scene in which RTD rips off himself…
• … But to be honest, I’d rather have more Toymaker.
• Who exactly is “The One Who Waits?” Is it finally time for the Valeyard?
• Dear god, Spice Up Your Life has been stuck in my head for the last few days. Help.