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|citation series = ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'' [[60th Anniversary Specials]] | |citation series = ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'' [[60th Anniversary Specials]] | ||
|story number = 301 | |story number = 301 | ||
|scripturl = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/doctor-who-2023-special-1-the-star-beast-yellow-revisions-310522.pdf | |||
|epcount = 1 | |epcount = 1 | ||
|novelisation = The Star Beast (novelisation) | |novelisation = The Star Beast (novelisation) | ||
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|featuring = Rose Noble | |featuring = Rose Noble | ||
|featuring2 = Sylvia Noble | |featuring2 = Sylvia Noble | ||
|featuring3 = Shirley | |featuring3 = Shirley Bingham | ||
|featuring4 = Shaun Temple | |featuring4 = Shaun Temple | ||
|featuring5 = The DoctorDonna | |featuring5 = The DoctorDonna | ||
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|production code = | |production code = | ||
|series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | |series = [[Doctor Who television stories|''Doctor Who'' television stories]] | ||
|prev = | |prev = Destination: Skaro (TV story) | ||
|next = Wild Blue Yonder (TV story) | |next = Wild Blue Yonder (TV story) | ||
|clip = Donna Meets the Meep! - PREVIEW - The Star Beast - Doctor Who-2 | |clip = Donna Meets the Meep! - PREVIEW - The Star Beast - Doctor Who-2 | ||
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|trailer = Teaser Trailer - 60th Anniversary Specials - Doctor Who | |trailer = Teaser Trailer - 60th Anniversary Specials - Doctor Who | ||
|trailer2 = OFFICIAL TRAILER - Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials - Doctor Who | |trailer2 = OFFICIAL TRAILER - Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials - Doctor Who | ||
|made prev=The Power of the Doctor (TV story)|made next=The Giggle (TV story)}} | |made prev = The Power of the Doctor (TV story) | ||
|made next = The Giggle (TV story) | |||
}} | |||
{{dab page|Star Beast (disambiguation)}} | {{dab page|Star Beast (disambiguation)}} | ||
'''''The Star Beast''''' was the first of the three [[ | '''''The Star Beast''''' was the first of the three [[60th Anniversary Specials]] of ''[[Doctor Who (TV series)|Doctor Who]]'', broadcast on [[25 November (releases)|25 November]] [[2023 (releases)|2023]] as part of the [[List of anniversaries|60th anniversary]], and it was also the first episode in [[Russell T Davies]]'s return as [[showrunner]]. Furthermore, this episode was an adaptation of the [[1980 (releases)|1980]] comic strip {{cs|Doctor Who and the Star Beast (comic story)}}, and, as such, saw the first onscreen appearance of the popular ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' antagonist [[the Meep]]. | ||
Notably, a year after the [[Fourteenth Doctor]]'s introduction in {{cs|The Power of the Doctor (TV story)}}, and after his appearances in the post-regeneration comic story [[Liberation of the Daleks (comic story)|''Liberation of the Daleks'']] and the [[mini-episode]] {{cs|Destination: Skaro (TV story)}} for ''[[Children in Need]], The Star Beast'' marked the first full onscreen adventure starring [[David Tennant]] as the character. The Doctor is shown in this story doubting his own identity, after his [[Thirteenth Doctor's regeneration|recent regeneration]] gave him the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s face and body again, the mystery and unknown reason for one of the Doctor's incarnations having the face and body of a previous incarnation became the driving force of the narrative and character arc of the Fourteenth Doctor in the trilogy of specials. The [[Fourteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver]] is also seen for the first time onscreen, along with a new [[TARDIS control room]]. | |||
''The Star Beast'' also saw the return of [[Catherine Tate]] as [[Donna Noble]], [[Jacqueline King]] as [[Sylvia Noble]] and [[Karl Collins]] as [[Shaun Temple]], thirteen years after their last on-screen appearance in {{cs|The End of Time (TV story)}}. The special also marked the introduction of [[Yasmin Finney]] as [[Rose Noble]], the daughter of Donna and Shaun. | ''The Star Beast'' also saw the return of [[Catherine Tate]] as [[Donna Noble]], [[Jacqueline King]] as [[Sylvia Noble]] and [[Karl Collins]] as [[Shaun Temple]], thirteen years after their last on-screen appearance in {{cs|The End of Time (TV story)}}. The special also marked the introduction of [[Yasmin Finney]] as [[Rose Noble]], the daughter of Donna and Shaun. | ||
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== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
In a [[cold opening]] set in the vastness of the universe, the [[Fourteenth Doctor]] recaps the adventures he once had with [[Donna Noble]]. He notes after she had [[Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis|gained his memories and intelligence]] during their [[Planetary Relocation Incident|last adventure]], he had to completely wipe her mind of their adventures and of the Doctor himself to save her life, as it put her in danger. Donna on the other hand can't shake the feeling that something is missing in her life, and has reoccurring dreams of events she doesn't realise are her repressed memories. However, there's one thing on the Doctor's mind right now that he can't fully figure out or understand: his face. | In a [[cold opening]] set in the vastness of the universe, the [[Fourteenth Doctor]] recaps the adventures he once had with [[Donna Noble]]. He notes after she had [[Human-Time Lord Meta-Crisis|gained his memories and intelligence]] during their [[Planetary Relocation Incident|last adventure]], he had to completely wipe her mind of their adventures and of the Doctor himself to save her life, as it put her in danger. Donna on the other hand can't shake the feeling that something is missing in her life, and has reoccurring dreams of events she doesn't realise are her repressed memories. However, there's one thing on the Doctor's mind right now that he can't fully figure out or understand: his face. Why has he regenerated back into a body identical to his [[Tenth Doctor|tenth incarnation]]? The Doctor has only one guess: it has something to do with Donna, and maybe the last time they were together wasn't the end of their story like he originally believed. | ||
[[The Doctor's TARDIS]] lands in [[21st century London|London]] in [[2023]], as the Doctor ventures out and strolls down the road. He wanders into a bustle of people before seeing a woman holding a large pile of boxes, which he tries to help with. He helps her with a few and is shocked to discover she's Donna, who still doesn't remember him. Her daughter, [[Rose Noble]], a teenage [[Transgender|trans]]girl, runs up as Donna becomes distracted with her boxes, missing a spaceship crashing down not too far away. Donna and Rose head off right before Donna's husband, [[Shaun Temple]], drives up in [[Shaun Temple's taxi cab|his taxi]]. The Doctor convinces Shaun to take him to the crash, and, as they drive, he pumps Shaun for information on Donna, claiming to be a friend of [[Nerys]] | [[The Doctor's TARDIS]] lands in [[21st century London|London]] in [[2023]], as the Doctor ventures out and strolls down the road. He wanders into a bustle of people before seeing a woman holding a large pile of boxes, which he tries to help with. He helps her with a few and is shocked to discover she's Donna, who still doesn't remember him. Her daughter, [[Rose Noble]], a teenage [[Transgender|trans]]girl, runs up as Donna becomes distracted with her boxes, missing a spaceship crashing down not too far away. Donna and Rose head off right before Donna's husband, [[Shaun Temple]], drives up in [[Shaun Temple's taxi cab|his taxi]]. The Doctor convinces Shaun to take him to the crash, and, as they drive, he pumps Shaun for information on Donna, claiming to be a friend of [[Nerys|Nerys's]]. | ||
The Doctor manages to access the crash site inside the [[Millson Wagner Steelworks]], even as [[UNIT United Kingdom|UNIT]] establish a perimeter around it. He isolates himself inside and begins to analyse the data from the crash as UNIT [[scientific advisor]] [[Shirley Bingham]] comes up and offers him her readings on the site. He expresses hesitancy to work with UNIT, as he doesn't fully know who he himself is at the moment. He has his old face again and he's not sure what to make of that, or of the fact that he ran into Donna almost immediately after. Soldiers come up and mention that they've found the escape pod to the wreck and are sending a team after it, prompting the Doctor to leave with them. After the Doctor leaves, UNIT manages to unlock the ship and sends a squad of soldiers to secure whatever's inside. As the door opens, tendrils of light flow out into the eyes of the soldiers, leaving them [[Solar Psychedelia|aglow]] as they turn and walk away. | The Doctor manages to access the crash site inside the [[Millson Wagner Steelworks]], even as [[UNIT United Kingdom|UNIT]] establish a perimeter around it. He isolates himself inside and begins to analyse the data from the crash as UNIT [[scientific advisor]] [[Shirley Bingham]] comes up and offers him her readings on the site. He expresses hesitancy to work with UNIT, as he doesn't fully know who he himself is at the moment. He has his old face again and he's not sure what to make of that, or of the fact that he ran into Donna almost immediately after. Soldiers come up and mention that they've found the escape pod to the wreck and are sending a team after it, prompting the Doctor to leave with them. After the Doctor leaves, UNIT manages to unlock the ship and sends a squad of soldiers to secure whatever's inside. As the door opens, tendrils of light flow out into the eyes of the soldiers, leaving them [[Solar Psychedelia|aglow]] as they turn and walk away. | ||
[[File:I think there's something missing (TSB).jpg|thumb|left|"Sometimes I think there's something missing. Like I had something lovely, and it's gone".]] | |||
Meanwhile, Rose and Donna return to [[23 Bachelor Road|their house]] and three boys on bikes harass Rose by mockingly deadnaming her. Donna is appalled, but Rose tells her to leave it. They come back to see [[Sylvia Noble|Sylvia]], who's cooking dinner. Donna asks Sylvia if she heard anything about the spaceship that everyone's been talking about, which Sylvia, wanting to stop Donna remembering her travels in the TARDIS, resolutely denies. Rose finds a creature as she's taking out the recycling. The creature names itself [[the Meep]] and insists that there are "monsters" after it. Rose hides the Meep in her backyard shed, though Donna stumbles in. Donna first mistakes the Meep for a stuffed toy that Rose designed, before prodding it in the eye, realizing that it's alive and panicking. The Meep tries to calm Donna down and Sylvia intervenes, insisting that the entire thing is just a hallucination. The Doctor shows up at their house after UNIT stops nearby, realising that something must have happened, unlocking the door using [[Fourteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]]. The UNIT team with glowing eyes order those who are guarding the escape pod back to the steelworks and begin to search for the Meep. | Meanwhile, Rose and Donna return to [[23 Bachelor Road|their house]] and three boys on bikes harass Rose by mockingly deadnaming her. Donna is appalled, but Rose tells her to leave it. They come back to see [[Sylvia Noble|Sylvia]], who's cooking dinner. Donna asks Sylvia if she heard anything about the spaceship that everyone's been talking about, which Sylvia, wanting to stop Donna remembering her travels in the TARDIS, resolutely denies. Rose finds a creature as she's taking out the recycling. The creature names itself [[the Meep]] and insists that there are "monsters" after it. Rose hides the Meep in her backyard shed, though Donna stumbles in. Donna first mistakes the Meep for a stuffed toy that Rose designed, before prodding it in the eye, realizing that it's alive and panicking. The Meep tries to calm Donna down and Sylvia intervenes, insisting that the entire thing is just a hallucination. The Doctor shows up at their house after UNIT stops nearby, realising that something must have happened, unlocking the door using [[Fourteenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver|his sonic screwdriver]]. The UNIT team with glowing eyes order those who are guarding the escape pod back to the steelworks and begin to search for the Meep. | ||
The Nobles, the Meep, the Doctor and Shaun, who came in not too long after the Doctor, discuss what to do with the Meep, with the Doctor and Sylvia insisting that he should take the Meep away. The Meep explains to them all that the [[Wrarth Warrior]]s used to hunt [[Meep]]s for their fur, and, when the rest of the galaxy put a stop to the practice, they decided to kill the entire species. UNIT soldiers knock at the door, and, as the Doctor answers it, he scrolls up their visors, seeing glowing eyes. The Doctor closes the door on them right as the back entrance is smashed open by two Wrarth Warriors, the UNIT soldiers crashing through the front almost immediately after. The Doctor, the Noble family, and the Meep escape through the attics on the street using the sonic screwdriver to weaken the brick walls between them. The group drives off and stops in a car park. | The Nobles, the Meep, the Doctor and Shaun, who came in not too long after the Doctor, discuss what to do with the Meep, with the Doctor and Sylvia insisting that he should take the Meep away. The Meep explains to them all that the [[Wrarth Warrior]]s used to hunt [[Meep]]s for their fur, and, when the rest of the galaxy put a stop to the practice, they decided to kill the entire species. UNIT soldiers knock at the door, and, as the Doctor answers it, he scrolls up their visors, seeing glowing eyes. The Doctor closes the door on them right as the back entrance is smashed open by two Wrarth Warriors, the UNIT soldiers crashing through the front almost immediately after. The Doctor, the Noble family, and the Meep escape through the attics on the street using the sonic screwdriver to weaken the brick walls between them. The group drives off and stops in a car park. | ||
[[File:The Beep of all The Meeps! (TSB).jpg|thumb|right|"I don't need to pretend, for I am The Beep of all The Meeps!".]] | |||
The Doctor dons a wig and uses his sonic screwdriver to summon two Wrarth Warriors, [[Zogroth]] and [[Zreeg]]. The Doctor notes how there was no damage done to the taxi and that the fallen UNIT soldiers weren't killed, merely unconscious. The Wrarth Warriors confirm that their weapons apply an anesthetic. They consider the tale of the Meep to be tragic, as they were a species whose sun turned [[Psychedelic sun|psychedelic]] and mutated them all into maniacs bent on conquest. The Wrarth Warriors were summoned to stop their conquest. As they all fought to the death, only the Meep remains. The Doctor asks the Meep if they have anything to say in their defence. Instead, the Meep drops its friendly façade, pulls out a weapon and kills both of the Wrarth Warriors as UNIT soldiers, brainwashed by the psychedelic sun, arrive. The Doctor manages to convince the Meep that he and the Noble family are more useful as hostages than dead. | The Doctor dons a wig and uses his sonic screwdriver to summon two Wrarth Warriors, [[Zogroth]] and [[Zreeg]]. The Doctor notes how there was no damage done to the taxi and that the fallen UNIT soldiers weren't killed, merely unconscious. The Wrarth Warriors confirm that their weapons apply an anesthetic. They consider the tale of the Meep to be tragic, as they were a species whose sun turned [[Psychedelic sun|psychedelic]] and mutated them all into maniacs bent on conquest. The Wrarth Warriors were summoned to stop their conquest. As they all fought to the death, only the Meep remains. The Doctor asks the Meep if they have anything to say in their defence. Instead, the Meep drops its friendly façade, pulls out a weapon and kills both of the Wrarth Warriors as UNIT soldiers, brainwashed by the psychedelic sun, arrive. The Doctor manages to convince the Meep that he and the Noble family are more useful as hostages than dead. | ||
The Meep takes the group back to the steelworks and shows off the ship present there. The Doctor insists that the ship can't be used; It has a [[Dagger Drive]], which means it gets its power for propulsion by stabbing downwards, and it would use the whole of London as fuel. The Meep laughs and orders the group taken aboard the ship. Shirley subdues the soldiers taking them aboard and frees the Doctor and the Nobles, telling him that he needs to get aboard to stop it from taking off and pointing the family towards an exit. As he runs offs, Donna decides to follow him, calling him "Doctor" despite never learning his name, cluing to Sylvia that her memories are coming back. Donna enters the ship after the Doctor, watching him as he darts around, flipping switches and buttons to prevent the take-off as best he can. The Meep lowers a screen from above, splitting the room in two, with the Doctor and Donna caught on the other side as he still tries his best to stop it. Time runs out as the Meep activates the Dagger Drive. | The Meep takes the group back to the steelworks and shows off the ship present there. The Doctor insists that the ship can't be used; It has a [[Dagger Drive]], which means it gets its power for propulsion by stabbing downwards, and it would use the whole of London as fuel. The Meep laughs and orders the group taken aboard the ship. Shirley subdues the soldiers taking them aboard and frees the Doctor and the Nobles, telling him that he needs to get aboard to stop it from taking off and pointing the family towards an exit. As he runs offs, Donna decides to follow him, calling him "Doctor" despite never learning his name, cluing to Sylvia that her memories are coming back. Donna enters the ship after the Doctor, watching him as he darts around, flipping switches and buttons to prevent the take-off as best he can. The Meep lowers a screen from above, splitting the room in two, with the Doctor and Donna caught on the other side as he still tries his best to stop it. Time runs out as the Meep activates the Dagger Drive. | ||
[[File:Nonbinary (TSB).jpg|thumb|left|"Too much power for one person, but you had a child, and the metacrisis passed down. A shared inheritance".]] | |||
The Doctor explains to Donna that time's run out, and that there's only one chance left. Donna insists that he needs to do it, even when he says it would kill her, because it will save her daughter, and the lives of everyone else in London. The Doctor lowers the mental block she has in her head and [[regeneration energy]] spills out of her. In a flurry of technobabble, the two set to work on dismantling the ship. The drive fails, and Donna collapses. Soldiers of the Meep storm in to kill the Doctor, but the light drains out of their eyes, and Donna gets back up. Rose, having absorbed aspects of the Doctor's mind when she was born that were unlocked when the mental block fell away, turns off the psychedelic sun emitters. | The Doctor explains to Donna that time's run out, and that there's only one chance left. Donna insists that he needs to do it, even when he says it would kill her, because it will save her daughter, and the lives of everyone else in London. The Doctor lowers the mental block she has in her head and [[regeneration energy]] spills out of her. In a flurry of technobabble, the two set to work on dismantling the ship. The drive fails, and Donna collapses. Soldiers of the Meep storm in to kill the Doctor, but the light drains out of their eyes, and Donna gets back up. Rose, having absorbed aspects of the Doctor's mind when she was born that were unlocked when the mental block fell away, turns off the psychedelic sun emitters. | ||
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* [[BBC Reporter (The Star Beast)|BBC Reporter]] - [[Matt Green]] | * [[BBC Reporter (The Star Beast)|BBC Reporter]] - [[Matt Green]] | ||
* [[Colonel]] [[Chan (The Star Beast)|Chan]] - [[Jamie Cho]] | * [[Colonel]] [[Chan (The Star Beast)|Chan]] - [[Jamie Cho]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Shirley Bingham]] - [[Ruth Madeley]] | ||
* [[Lad 1 (The Star Beast)|Lad]] - [[Harley McEvilly]] | * [[Lad 1 (The Star Beast)|Lad]] - [[Harley McEvilly]] | ||
* [[Lad 2 (The Star Beast)|Lad]] - [[Max Fincham]] | * [[Lad 2 (The Star Beast)|Lad]] - [[Max Fincham]] | ||
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* [[Wrarth Warrior 4 (The Star Beast)|Wrarth Warrior 4]] - [[Vassili Psaltopoulos]] | * [[Wrarth Warrior 4 (The Star Beast)|Wrarth Warrior 4]] - [[Vassili Psaltopoulos]] | ||
* [[Soldier (The Star Beast)|Soldier]] - [[Isabella Carey]] | * [[Soldier (The Star Beast)|Soldier]] - [[Isabella Carey]] | ||
* [[Major]] [[Singh | * [[Major]] [[Shervan Singh|Singh]] - [[Ronak Patani]] | ||
* Voice of [[Zogroth]] - [[Ned Porteous]] | * Voice of [[Zogroth]] - [[Ned Porteous]] | ||
* Voice of [[Zreeg]] - [[John Hopkinson]] | * Voice of [[Zreeg]] - [[John Hopkinson]] | ||
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|TitleSequence=Painting Practice & Realtime Visualisation | |TitleSequence=Painting Practice & Realtime Visualisation | ||
|Character1a=The Meep | |Character1a=The Meep | ||
|Character1b=The Wrarth | |Character1b=Wrarth Warrior{{!}}The Wrarth | ||
|CharCreatedBy1a=Pat Mills | |CharCreatedBy1a=Pat Mills | ||
|CharCreatedBy1b=Dave Gibbons | |CharCreatedBy1b=Dave Gibbons | ||
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|PostProdProducer=Ceres Doyle | |PostProdProducer=Ceres Doyle | ||
|SupervisingLocationManager=Iwan Roberts | |SupervisingLocationManager=Iwan Roberts | ||
|SoundRecordist=Alex Thompson | |SoundRecordist=Alex Thompson (sound recordist) | ||
|DubbingMixer=Paul McFadden | |DubbingMixer=Paul McFadden | ||
|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG | |CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG | ||
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* As Shaun drives the Doctor out of Camden Market, they pass branches of [[AllSaints]] and [[Hob Salons]]. There is also a sign for an [[ATM]]. | * As Shaun drives the Doctor out of Camden Market, they pass branches of [[AllSaints]] and [[Hob Salons]]. There is also a sign for an [[ATM]]. | ||
* According to Rose, London has a [[population]] of [[9000000 (number)|nine million]] people. | * According to Rose, London has a [[population]] of [[9000000 (number)|nine million]] people. | ||
* UNIT has [[UNIT HQ, City of London|a new headquarters]] in the [[City of London]], which is a [[skyscraper]] higher than the towers in the immediate area such as [[the Gherkin]], and has a [[helipad]]. | * UNIT has [[UNIT HQ, City of London|a new headquarters]] in the [[City of London]], which is a [[skyscraper]] higher than the towers in the immediate area such as [[the Gherkin]] and [[122 Leadenhall Street]], and has a [[helipad]]. | ||
=== The Doctor === | === The Doctor === | ||
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* Various items are seen around the Nobles' home: in their living room, there is a [[PlayStation 5]] controller on the table and a [[magazine]] beginning with "''[[TV & Satellite Week (in-universe)|TV & Sa]]''-" on one of the [[sofa]]s, and, in the kitchen, there is a [[Forky|toy spork]]. The magazine's cover references several networks at its top: [[Netflix]], [[Prime Video (in-universe)|Prime Video]], [[Now (network)|Now]], [[BBC iPlayer (in-universe)|BBC iPlayer]], and [[Disney+ (in-universe)|Disney+]]. It also features the presenters [[Holly Willoughby]] and [[Freddie Flintoff]] from ''[[The Game (TV series)|The Game]]'', and actress [[Claire Danes]] from ''[[The Essex Serpent]]''. | * Various items are seen around the Nobles' home: in their living room, there is a [[PlayStation 5]] controller on the table and a [[magazine]] beginning with "''[[TV & Satellite Week (in-universe)|TV & Sa]]''-" on one of the [[sofa]]s, and, in the kitchen, there is a [[Forky|toy spork]]. The magazine's cover references several networks at its top: [[Netflix]], [[Prime Video (in-universe)|Prime Video]], [[Now (network)|Now]], [[BBC iPlayer (in-universe)|BBC iPlayer]], and [[Disney+ (in-universe)|Disney+]]. It also features the presenters [[Holly Willoughby]] and [[Freddie Flintoff]] from ''[[The Game (TV series)|The Game]]'', and actress [[Claire Danes]] from ''[[The Essex Serpent]]''. | ||
== | == Story notes == | ||
* ''The Star Beast'' aired one year, one month, and two days after {{cs|The Power of the Doctor (TV story)}}, marking the longest gap between two consecutive stories since the show's return to television in [[2005 (releases)|2005]]. It was also the first episode to air on [[Disney+]] internationally. The Disney logo also appeared in the endboard. | * ''The Star Beast'' aired one year, one month, and two days after {{cs|The Power of the Doctor (TV story)}}, marking the longest gap between two consecutive stories since the show's return to television in [[2005 (releases)|2005]]. It was also the first episode to air on [[Disney+]] internationally. The Disney logo also appeared in the endboard. | ||
* The first draft of the script had the Meep revealed as the villain much earlier in the story, as revealed by [[Russell T Davies]] in ''[[The Official Doctor Who Podcast]]''. | * The first draft of the script had the Meep revealed as the villain much earlier in the story, as revealed by [[Russell T Davies]] in ''[[The Official Doctor Who Podcast]]''. | ||
| Line 461: | Line 468: | ||
* The Doctor running around the new TARDIS interior wasn't in the script; [[Rachel Talalay]] proposed the idea on set. | * The Doctor running around the new TARDIS interior wasn't in the script; [[Rachel Talalay]] proposed the idea on set. | ||
* This episode's premiere broadcast was mentioned alongside the other [[60th Anniversary Specials]] in the non-fiction feature ''[[Back in Business (feature)|Back in Business]]'' published in ''[[Doctor Who The Official Annual 2024]]'' on [[7 September (releases)|7 September]] 2023. | * This episode's premiere broadcast was mentioned alongside the other [[60th Anniversary Specials]] in the non-fiction feature ''[[Back in Business (feature)|Back in Business]]'' published in ''[[Doctor Who The Official Annual 2024]]'' on [[7 September (releases)|7 September]] 2023. | ||
* [[Rachel Talalay]] had no involvement with filming the [[cold opening|pre-titles]]<ref>https://bleedingcool.com/tv/doctor-who-star-beast-director-didnt-know-about-prologue-till-airing/</ref><ref>https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com/2024/02/01/the-star-beast-director-rachel-talalay-had-no-involvement-with-the-doctor-who-pre-titles/</ref>, elaborating that the scenes with Donna in the kitchen were "outtakes".<ref>https://twitter.com/rtalalay/status/1730617730016084151</ref> | |||
* ''The Star Beast'' marked the third time a new version of a [[Doctor Who logo|previously retired series logo]] was used on screen, following {{Cite source|Doctor Who (TV story)}} and {{Cite source|The Day of the Doctor (TV story)}}, and the first time said logo was used for more than one episode. | |||
=== Comparison with comic version === | === Comparison with comic version === | ||
''[[Doctor Who and the Star Beast (comic story)|Doctor Who and the Star Beast]]'' is also a comic strip story by [[Pat Mills]] and [[John Wagner]], which featured the [[Fourth Doctor]] meeting [[Sharon Davies]] after she had been tricked by [[Beep the Meep]], with ''The Star Beast'' featuring the [[Fourteenth Doctor]] meeting [[Rose Noble]] during a reunion with [[Donna Noble]] that involves Rose being tricked by the Meep. | ''[[Doctor Who and the Star Beast (comic story)|Doctor Who and the Star Beast]]'' is also a comic strip story by [[Pat Mills]] and [[John Wagner]], which featured the [[Fourth Doctor]] meeting [[Sharon Davies]] after she had been tricked by [[Beep the Meep]], with ''The Star Beast'' featuring the [[Fourteenth Doctor]] meeting [[Rose Noble]] during a reunion with [[Donna Noble]] that involves Rose being tricked by the Meep. However, while spirit of the original story remains intact, several changes are made to accommodate the change in location and time period, as well as the characters returning from previous television stories. | ||
* | |||
* Fudge | * To accommodate the runtime of a broadcasted episode, some story points are redacted and condensed, such as the Wrarth Warriors implanting a bomb in the Doctor's stomach, them confusing him for Beep's accomplice, and the Doctor retrieving a companion from space. | ||
* | * While the comic story was set in [[Blackcastle]] during [[1980]], the television story is given a contemporary setting of [[2023]] and relocated to the city of [[London]]. | ||
* [[Fudge Higgins]], who was prominent character in the comic story, is replaced by [[Fudge Merchandani]], who only shows up in a few scenes and is otherwise uninvolved in the crux of the story. [[K9 Mark II]] is removed from the plot entirely, while [[UNIT]] and the Noble family replace the army and [[Higgins (Doctor Who and the Star Beast)|Mrs Higgins]], respectively. | |||
* Due to being a television story, the Meep's inner-dialogue from the comic is removed entirely, thus the Meep's sinister nature is revealed at the same time as when the characters' find out. In a further deviation from the comic story, [[Wrarth Warrior]]s [[Zreeg]] and [[Zogroth]] are killed when the Meep is revealed as a criminal, whereas they lived to arrest Beep in the comic. | |||
* While Beep only starts speaking English once the Doctor arrives in the comics, the television story has the Meep speak English from his initial meeting with Rose. The Meep also has an injured paw when meeting Rose in an alley, whereas Beep is found bleeding from the side in a shed by Sharon and Fudge in the comic story. | |||
* The Doctor gets the Meep away from the Wrarth Warriors in a taxi instead of a local bus. | |||
* The Doctor gets the Meep away from the Warriors in | |||
* Rather than over a cup of tea at a kitchen table, the Wrarth Warriors explain the Meep's villainous nature in a mock trial in a car park. | * Rather than over a cup of tea at a kitchen table, the Wrarth Warriors explain the Meep's villainous nature in a mock trial in a car park. | ||
* The cause of the Meeps' turn to evil is stated to be their [[Psychedelic Sun|sentient Sun turning psychedelic]], whereas | * The cause of the Meeps' turn to evil is stated to be their [[Psychedelic Sun|sentient Sun turning psychedelic]], whereas it was due to the radiation of the [[Black Sun (The Star Beast)|Black Sun]] in the comic story. | ||
* The Meep's ship uses a dagger drive for propulsion, whereas the comic story uses a Black Sun drive, which Beep intends to use for a [[star jump]] that would create a black hole on Earth. | |||
* | * Donna and Rose reverse the dagger drive entirely, stranding the Meep on Earth, whereas the comic story has the Doctor letting Beep initiate the star jump after he sabotages it so the action does not destroy Earth and only moves the ship into Earth's orbit. | ||
* Donna and Rose reverse the dagger drive entirely, stranding | * The Meep is sentenced to [[10000 (number)|10000]] years rather than [[3000 (number)|3000]]. | ||
* The Meep is sentenced to [[10000 (number)| | * The Meep taunts the Doctor as they are taken into custody, rather than trying to beg for mercy and promising to be good as Beep does to Sharon. Additionally, the Meep cryptically tells the Doctor they will tell "[[The Boss]]" about him, whereas the comic depected Beep working alone. | ||
* The Meep taunts the Doctor as they are taken into custody, rather than trying to beg for mercy and promising to be good as Beep does to Sharon. | |||
=== Comparison between BBC and Disney+ versions === | === Comparison between BBC and Disney+ versions === | ||
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{{discontinuity}} | {{discontinuity}} | ||
* Two of the Ns in David Tennant's credit in the opening titles do not appear in the first frame that they should be visible, and Catherine Tate's credit is partially visible through the TARDIS as it passes by. This error persists across all three of the 60th Anniversary Specials. | * Two of the Ns in David Tennant's credit in the opening titles do not appear in the first frame that they should be visible, and Catherine Tate's credit is partially visible through the TARDIS as it passes by. This error persists across all three of the 60th Anniversary Specials. | ||
* In the shot of the [[UNIT HQ, City of London|UNIT HQ]], the | * In the shot of the [[UNIT HQ, City of London|UNIT HQ]], the [[Leadenhall Building]] can be seen, despite this being the site of the [[UNIT HQ (The Power of the Doctor)|UNIT HQ]] in {{cs|The Power of the Doctor (TV story)}}. The onscreen geography also places the new UNIT HQ in the middle of [[Leadenhall Street]]. | ||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
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[[Category:UNIT television stories]] | [[Category:UNIT television stories]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in London]] | [[Category:Stories set in London]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in Camden]] | |||
[[Category:Adaptations of comic stories]] | [[Category:Adaptations of comic stories]] | ||