"Why piss off your core audience?" A very pertinent question Wingy. One that I, personally, believe touches on the nerve-centre, so to speak, of RTD's current working ethos on the show. He wants to change it and if viewers aren't part of the "solution" then they're part of the "problem". Despite a large portion of that "problem" being why he is in this role now. For me, I would have more respect for his convictions if he had the courage of them. Bringing back Tennant to ease us into his proposed changes was sensible given what RTD inherited. But to keep Tennant "in reserve" if you will, undermines Ncuti Gatwa's legitimacy in the role. I also can't help wondering if even RTD hasn't ruled out that the "problem" might be even more challenging than he anticipated. Time will tell. The most damning development is that the sixtieth anniversary's highlight was an episode bearly on par with what RTD would regularly give us during in initial run. "Tastes change." he says and so do standards apparently.
Thank you! It is NOT the David Tennant show!! The show was here before him, and it survived after him though some wouldn’t believe it. Russell’s writing undermined Matt’s first series, and could undermine Ncuti’s entire run. Remember kids, David Tennant is still out there as the Doctor, don’t worry!
well technically David tenants doctor already still exists as "Meta Crisis" Doctor from "journeys end" why didn't they just bring that version of David Tennant's doctor back instead??
Well said mate!! That “rant” about Russell comments was actually quite powerful, love having you back my friend! I personally loved the spice up your life scene, but I do agree that the episode plummeted right after. It’s a shame because man was I captivated. I also seemed to feel no emotional connection to the moment when Donna talks about the doctor “coming home” I’ve watched that multiple times and I just feel nothing, seemed like a ridiculous outcome with very little emotional drive and set up.
I agree with everything youve said about the bigeneration. I was 9 when matt smith regenerated in 2013 and i was legitamtely heart broken. But his speech and afterwards his phone call to clara in deep breath affirmed to me that change and loss is ok, so long as you remember. I feel like this has ruined that message for me
I agree and felt the same way, I was 9 when Smith started and 13 *boy a decade without my Doctor, I feel old* when he ended and that Deep Breath scene/the end of Time of the Doctor, I needed as I was going into a new phase of Life!!!
Hasn't the Doctor been very vocal about the fact that he cannot tie himself down to a human? It made no sense to me that he wanted to settle down and retire on Earth with the Nobles.
You worked out the sentiment I was trying to work out - These specials are more a celebration of Series 4, not a 60 yr old show. Bi-generation is a bit marmite admittedly, but the fact that the TARDIS was duplicated and Tennant is not implied to be a non-regenerating person. Furthermore, David Tennant’s continued existence with a new TARDIS after Ncuti becomes the Doctor overshadowed 15’s opening scenes.
He certainly made a good impression, but watching the final scenes I kept thinking “There’s two doctors who are probably equally the Doctor, this ruins the singular timeline for the Doctor”
@@thewatcher776 it's a time loop essentially for example 15 tells 14 he's fine because he fixes himself and from Donna's comment about his age he's much older than what 14 is there which means 14 will eventually have to regenerate into 15 in order to complete the bi generation and end up in Giggle there's a episode incoming that will tell us that Ncutis TARDIS is the original one and the only one around which means when we meet him it would have all already happened off screen
I think if they didn’t give the 14th a TARDIS, they could have just said, “well this is the origin of ‘The Curator’ and just tie it into the 50th” and answer that question. then let him just have a decayed TARDIS be the museum or maybe not that, but something that let’s him go and create this giant museum
Been a fan since 1979 and I won't watch anything from RTD ever again after he told the old fans to 'eff off'. I think he's a hack, a one trick pony, with no one to rein him in, and he sold out to Disney. I loathe that man. Frankly, I would MUCH rather Disney dump it and the BBC farm it out to someone FRESH.
@@mayotango1317 how is he a hypocrite when literally RTD is mocking and being toxic to Doctor Who fans and ruining the show why would you even defend him??
Honestly you should review individual episodes more often they are great, would love to see you tackle individual stories from both classic and the revival. Great to see you back!
Really appreciate you taking a swipe at RTD for what he said, he has become way too absorbed in his own elitist world replying to someone who made a good point about the Davros change with "tough".
For me, Doctor Who died with Peter Capaldi. His seasons weren't perfect, but the show was still Doctor Who. The moon egg was ridiculous, but I still enjoyed 12. Jodi's era was filled with garbage writing, garbage music and she never convinced me. The Timeless Child was awful. RTD was seen as a return to form but he just made things worse. The only retcons he did was to ruin the mythos even more. Bi-generation just ruins all the uniqueness of regenerations. No more sad goodbyes. No more happy surprises and solid footing for the next Doctor.
At this point, I'm bored of these big twists that shake up the lore. We've had a lot of that over the last few years, can we not just have great stories without making controversial changes to the lore every year?
absolutely agree with everything you said, but to be honest the most egregious part of the episode for me was the fuckin game of catch. You're telling me the celestial toymaker, who has defeated pretty much every major threat in the universe, got bested in a game of catch? Not only that but the execution of the scene was so underwhelming and goofy that it ruined the whole episode, and I'll never be able to take the toymaker seriously again on rewatches.
The moment the whole Gallifrey arc concluded in Hell Bent, it just feels like the show has been throwing all kinds of nostalgia bait cameos and poorly thought out "shock" canon changes to try and see what sticks. That's why I always say that Hell Bent not only was a bad finale for Series 9, it essentially started the slow demise of the entire revived series.
Yes he stated "it would make a mockery out of drag" he obviously missed the fact her outfit was gender neutral and the fact the master wore it in a previous episode but then again I'm convinced Russell hasn't seen much doctor who since he left. A male doctor can't let anything go but Peter Capaldi last line was "doctor I let you go"
9:53 What’s bugging me with this bi-regeneration shit is Russel is saying that all the doctors split, so Pertwee got up off the UNIT lab floor, Colin got up and defeated the Rani etc, so how does this work? Are both doctors together in the post regeneration story or does the new doctor go straight to his second story leaving the previous doctor behind. i.e are Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker now in Robot together, or just Pertwee on his own and Tom Bakers first story is now The Ark In Space? Either way it’s completely fucked up the stories and the canon and they need to make new versions of them for it to work, what a load of bollocks. Big fan of the channel by the way, been watching since the beginning, glad to see you’re back.
I've really gone off RTD. Especially after how he's treated fans on instagram. Replying to their concerns about Davros with replies like 'tough'. And the comments wasn't even insulting him, just saying their reasons to why they though the retcon was a bad idea.
With RTD’s comments about having/wanting a Dr Who style MCU, having the Bi-generation and Tenant staying alive seems like an obvious route to a spin off with him as the ‘other’ Doctor. The specials for me were better written than anything in Chibnalls era, as you’d expect from RTD he is a good writer, but it feels to me like one of his primary reasons to come back was to push his own politics onto the show and further the division among the fans, all the talk about pissing fans off, pissing people off it’s divisive and wrong, make something that everyone can love and appreciate. Glad to have you back Wingy!
I actually do like this story, but objectively I won't deny any of the criticism. I think a reason Bigeneration doesn't bother me is that I have learned to go numb towards BS canon changes. I also think RTD is lying about EVERY doctor bigenerating, I think 14 will eventually regenerate into 15, and be sent back to bigenerate again during the battle with the toymaker. Speaking of which the toymaker became one of my new favorite Doctor Who villains. But again, this episode does have SO many flaws that I just so happen to look past myself, good episode (for me), but kind of mid anniversary. Wild Blue Yonder is still the definitive winner of the 3. And I am so excited for Ncuti Gatwa None of that matters though, what does matter is who wins in a dance off, Sacha Dhawan Master of Neil Patrick Harris Toymaker?
So great to have you back Wingy. Your commentary is always so well-presented, light but intellectual, and just generally entertaining. 100% agree with your statements regarding Russell. As much as I love him as a writer, I’m really beginning to dislike him as a person… especially with everything Eccleston has been saying over the past few years. Someone so politically hypocritical and careless towards his crew doesn’t deserve to be so arrogant about his “genius” - especially with a fanbase that basically gave him a large career.
I thought the spice up your life scene was great, it showed the Toymaker at play while also being incredibly chaotic and dangerous. Other than that I agree with everything else you've said. Leaving 14 on earth is just going to make writing more difficult now, because whenever 15 is dealing with a present-day threat on earth, everyone is gonna say "Where is David Tennant? He wouldn't just stay back and not do anything". I was not a fan of Bi-Generation at all. It is wild that 2 out of 3 of the 10th Doctor companions now have a personal David Tennasnt Doctor to live with them. Poor Martha haha.
I really dont like that they kept 14 around, regardless of the reasoning. Regeneration should feel like a hard goodbye and a brave step forward. Now, it feels like 15 is a spin off Doctor rather than the genuine article. The lack of rules or explanation don't help either. Someone else summed it up better than me. "They took the legs out from under Gatwa and made him a black variant of the Doctor, with the same tools and title, but none of the legitimacy due to 14s survival. At this point, David Tennant is Spider-Man and Ncuti Gatwa is Mile Morales."
I could not have put it better myself, totally agreed with all the points you made. I just get the feeling that RTD's new era of DR Who is giong to be a rehash of ideas and stories he has done before but with a twist that everything is going to be hyper camp, all singing and dancing with Gay and Race issues thrown into the mix in a hamfisted not so subtle way.
Completely agree with everything here. RTD couldn’t let go of Rose either so I’m not surprised what he’s done with the Tennant Doctor. RTD has also been really ham fisted with the messaging throughout the episodes.
Bigeneration is such a “have your cake and eat it too” idea. Let go of Tennant. In a show about time travel, we already have a ready-made reason for favorites to return in future. This just undermines Ncuti in my opinion.
It’s like a celebration of RTD like do you remember when I did this. When I did. Do you remember. It’s annoying having a show you love just pander to new audiences. Even with the season 1 thing it’s stupid.
It just feels so weird that this is coming from Russell because Russell was the one that CONVINCED the BBC to not cancel the show once Tennant left. They were worried that it wouldn't be popular anymore without him and considered cancellation and Russell was like, no, this is the point of the show, keep it going. Then turns around and is like, oh let's keep Tennant around forever because everybody loves him. Showing you have no faith in your next Doctor. Which sucks because I think Gatwa could be great without all the trauma from the Time War to worry about. I do think The Giggle was really good when I first watched it, but it does get worse and worse the more I think about it and Wild Blue Yonder is so much better. I'd probably give it a 7 because there was a lot to like but a lot of dumb things as well.
So good to have you back reviewing Who. I agree that the toymaker was so scary and intimidating all the way up to the spice girls and then it was like a complete character change. The musical number feels really out of place for the toymaker as a character, but fits NPH himself like a glove.
Agree with much of what you have to say here. I re-watched it for the first time today. Neil Patrick Harris was spellbinding. Hated Ncuti running around in his undies and knocking a second TARDIS out with a magic hammer. The whole "Why has this face come back?" thing was a massive anti-climax. I would have preferred the bi-generation to have been a prank played by the Toymaker than an actual phenomenon. Like you, I don't buy that it's rippled back through the Doctor's timeline and now they've *all* bi-generated. What nonsense. All that said, the episode was the best of the three for me. It was engaging and fun for the most part.
I choose to interprate bigeneration in the way that in the moment of Death 14th will regenerate into 15th and will be brought back in time to the moment of this bigeneration. This explains why 15th in his scenes is free of baggage and isn't tired anymore and why he convinced 14th to go for this break in travelling. He was making sure that his history will remain unchanged
One thing you didn't mention was the two doctors at the end randomly listing planets, villains and companions from the past. It really rubbed me the wrong way. It was almost like RTD shoved in a load of references just to keep the old farts happy rather than paying service to the show's history properly. I wasn't expecting all the old doctors to turn up in their costumes and save the day, but come on. Even Day of the Doctor had the doctors saving Gallifrey, Tom Baker, Billie Piper etc.
I completely agree with most of what u are saying mate I like Russel i was very excited when he was coming back and his previous era is one of my favourites but recently he’s really worrying me and getting on my nerves. First it was Davros in that children in need special which I really hope he retcons Then the meta crisis the way he handled that was poor and kinda lazy But the Bi generation is where I draw the line it’s so stupid and completely sabotages Ncuti now he is basically playing a copy of the doctor and the real true Doctor is just chilling is basically means that David tennant is the doctor forever.
I don't mind the Toymaker's dance myself. It's a demonstration of his feeling of dominance. No one can touch him. Plus, it plays into the trickster/demi-god vibe.
The bigeneration really encapsulated what I dislike about RTDs writing. It's such a convenient yet convoluted way to resolve the story in the way he wants in as little time as possible. If he had had the Toymaker call the newly regenerated 15th Doctor to face him after making his grand speech about having to face a new Doctor for the final game, how epic would that have been? Ncuti stumbles out his own TARDIS in 14s clothes, so we know it's a newly regenerated version. You get yhe same interactions, you get 14 face to face with his destiny, thus encouraging him to "slow down" and stop racing towards danger.... all the beats without any of the convolution and silliness of using magic to create an extra TARDIS. It would also avoid that awkward 5 minutes where the Toymaker just disappears while the regeneration drags out. First half good. Ending a letdown RTD2 is RTD1 in all its highs and lows.
the gravity of sylv playing chess with fenric in a grimy bunker full of biological weapons, during a violent invasion… vs a quippy game of catch on top of the avengers tower with a literal deity. yeah, some tribute that was :(
Thank You so much Wingy for summing up exactly how I feel about this episode. What is the point of the Doctor regenerating if he doesn’t actually regenerate but gets to keep his body? Totally spoils the whole concept and it’s a concept that’s worked for so many years. RTD has sadly become arrogant and unoriginal. I would have preferred the BBC find new show runners or give it a rest until a new team can be found because RTD is backtracking massively especially by bringing Tennant back for no good reason. The self indulgence from RTD is distasteful. The delusional attitude from RTD is staggering. Apparently according to RTD every Doctor has a Bi Generational copy! 😂 Great video.
They brought David back because the show was tanking in the viewing figures and ratings - no other reason. You can land the majority of that at the shit writing we got, especially over the Chibnall era. If this is what RTD does going forward with Ncuti and whoever the 16th Doctor is (if RTD is around that long), Doctor Who should just be cancelled again. This isn't good enough Russell! Tennant has been back more than any other Doctor and has had 3 incarnations overall. I hope he never returns because I'm fed up seeing him. No other Doctor had more than 1 incarnation or as much attention (not even Patrick - who returned 3 times in 1973, 83 and 85 respectively after his run). Bringing Tennant back is just for fan service to the point that it's detrimental to the show
Tbh the 60th anniversary specials were pretty something and nothing for me. It’s just kinda forgettable. Which for an anniversary is a pretty low bar. At least Dimensions in Time is memorable all be it for the wrong reasons. It had no moment where I was like “the fans are gonna talk about this for the next 10 years” like the all thirteen moment from Day. All my friends would say things like “nah he’s grown as a writer. He wouldn’t come back unless he had something new to say.” The irony being he didn’t. Yeah. Fine I guess.
honestly didn't watch the specials because i just don't care anymore so i have nothing to say about them BUT i find rtd interviews about them, his messages and replies to the fans very disturbing like he sounds literally crazy he sounds actually deranged what a way to treat the people who've done nothing but love, support and keep the lights on for 60 yrs ive come to accept my relationship w/ dw ended in 2017 w/ capaldi & moffat i am perfectly happy w/ that and i do not blame peter and chris for washing their hands of the whole mess after the way they were both treated thanks wingy happy holidays 🎀
I wish they should have adopted the comic lost dimensions You could have 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 doctors stoping a void For the 60s or the comic the forgotten you can have the 14th doctor lose his memories and have to regain his memories back using his past lives.
I enjoyed the Spice Girls bit when I watched it, but I’m also convinced that I enjoyed it mainly because of nostalgia for similar scenes since I’m just getting back into Doctor Who after a very long while and only now starting Jodie’s run. And even in the moment, I did get the sense it was probably too much.
Really hope with the release of these reviews you'll be back to do more videos on Doctor Who. Love to see your updated top 10 favourite New Who Episodes to see where your current mindset is on that.
10:38 well technically David tenants doctor is still around because of the "meta crisis" Doctor from "journeys end" why didn't they just bring that version of David Tennant's doctor back instead??
Thought it was poor. Got more wrong than right. All powerful and genius godlike entity like The Toymaker beaten by a game of catchy catchy juggly ball, and let’s not forget the big battle of the minds that was highest card wins!! You’re spot on about Ncuti, I feel he’s been hard done by, by keeping Tennant Doctor on ice. Bi-generation is just dumb. Overall these specials were crap. Wild Blue Yonder was the best of the three, and even then only worthy of a mid season episode. Ncuti looks like he can be a great doctor but stories have got to get better.
I don't like The Giggle but I think that: - dance scene was awesome - line about Doctor coming in range of colors was amazing and only line of this type that work in the specials, especially from Donnas mouth - I don't think that Gatwa was overshadowed - I hate bigeneration but if this means that Tennant Doctor stays with all the emotions of our Doctor (losing Adric, Rose and all the other companions) and Gatwa can start as a fresh character without emotional baggage then let's give this idea a try
Couldn’t agree more, they fucked up of having the opportunity of the new doctor appearing by himself and defeating the villain, normally we just get a couple of lines from the next doctor and have to wait a year but we could have had a new doctor finish the episode and that would have been a great introduction to Gatwa but instead it just felt like the 10th doctor and some other guy, such a shame
Both “The End of Time” and “The Giggle” felt like they were intentionally trying to impede the next Doctor. Obviously that’s not the case, but it’s the vibes I got. The End of Time acting like Matt Smith was killing David Tennant and taking over his body and the “I don’t want to go” and The Giggle saying “Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor, but the most popular Doctor is also out there as the current Doctor.” I heard rumors of David Tennant returning and the bigeneration (at different times) and I hoped that neither would happen, but obviously they did. I love that we got more Ncuti Gatwa than we otherwise would have, but I still don’t love it as a whole. The idea that The Doctor needs time to recalibrate isn’t bad at all, but the concept really only works for me if David Tennant eventually regenerations into the Ncuti Gatwa in the Bigeneration. That’s the idea that I got frm dialogue in the special at least. Also as much I enjoyed the first 2 specials (especially The Giggle) it did feel like the Toymaker storyline could’ve been fleshed out a lot more. I think him being the antagonist of all 3 would’ve worked well. As negative as most of my comment is… I really enjoyed this special. I’m very very hyped for the upcoming Christmas Special. Edit: I made the first part of this comment before I finished finishing the video. I’m glad that you touched on it.
The problem with Russel is now an indoctrinated as a woke message caninator and with the way he has abhorrently been treating fans online who have one nothing been none abusive and just challenged some of the things he has done i am not surprised he was so blarzay about what he said because he was saying in his blarzayness he was getting joy out of annoying fans. Despite all that the Giggle was the most fun and out of the three made this one i actually felt the Doctor was in trouble and those dolls where just seriously creepy as hell just as much as the Daleks were back in the 60's the bi-generation was a bit weird but when i heard what Russel announced and how he obviously going to take Doctor Who into a multiverse way with now all the doctors being alive again through bi-generation i thought nah i'm done this is far far far worse than the retcon timeless child story line as just made all the other doctors sacrifices meaningless so i am gone is evident he is making this for one audience with his male bashing wokeness in the first then the second one making the doctor a particular sexuality when the Doctor is if anything pan sexual as he is attracted to the intelligence of people than the gender or physicality of someone so saying Isaac Newtoon was LOOKING so hot is outrightly making him gay but pansexual which he clearly is going by his brilliantly minded and aware companions.
Couldn’t agree more, I thought the Toymaker should have been the vanilla in building to a big final encounter with the doctor from the first episode, it felt like a book end to series 4, definitely not a celebration of 60 years, I do have major doubts for the next series.
My issue with it is the fact they build up the biggest scale situation and it is resolved so quickly and stupidly. Ending is cheesey and really cringe worthy but people will eat it up oh well. And finally why are Unit now the Avengers? Aren’t they a relatively low key operation. Meh overrated and overhyped story but Ncuti was great
Wow, it was refreshing to see a content creator think so many of the same thoughts I had about this episode. Here is how I had been thinking about it... RTD was in his office writing the script, and he had created a really intense and scary atmosphere most of the way through. Then someone popped their head into his office and said "hey, we're going to need that script in 20 minutes!" So he just thought "OK! Let's see, the Toymaker appears, let's do a dance number, let's get Gatwa in there, ok, now they team up and defeat him at catch. Universe saved!" The ending felt so disjointed from the beginning. The Toymaker was shaping up to be a real threat in the beginning, then he just bungled away. Anyway, my trial of Disney+ expired, and I'm not going to pay normal price to renew. We waited an entire year for this with some anticipation, and from what I saw, this is a lot closer to Chibnal2 than RTD2. The specials didn't at all live up to the moment, and I also agree RTD's comments don't really embrace me or respect me as a fan.
I really don't like the bi-generation. Like, just let go of David Tennant please! And furthermore, WE STILL DONT KNOW WHY THE DOCOTR REGENERATED WITH CLOTHES ON OR HAS THE SAME FACE LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON! Anyways Ncuti seems like a breath of fresh air honestly
I had the same reaction to the bi-generation when I read the spoilers, and I was rolling my eyes audibly when it happened on screen. That said, I've come around to it because of how they addressed it in the actual episode. Essentially, what 14 did at the edge of the universe somehow left open a way for things outside our reality to seep in, such as the Toymaker. When the Toymaker is around, reality is warped, allowing impossible things to happen so JUST THIS ONCE, just in the Toymaker's presence, something that was thought a Time Lord myth was able to happen. I kind of dig it. It's actually a pretty creative way of bending the rules. Outside of the story I agree with you though. From a real world perspective, it was a way for David Tennant to have his cake and eat it too, a back door for him to join the show or have a spinoff or whatever whenever he or RTD feels like it, which, as you say, sort of cheapens Ncuti's role in the whole endeavor.
@@mayotango1317 you'll have to remind me. He got backlash for making this very convoluted, which even as a moffat fan I admit he was guilty of, but other than that I can't recall
I was hoping that the Toymaker would have more of a presence within the storyline of the 60th anniversary. He should have been present in each adventure as a tag along bringing up the fun for the end. Honestly, as powerful as the Toymaker was, did he really have to sit behind a gun threatening the Doctor and companions with their life? I agree that having the bi-generation is awful. True, we will be wondering when or if any other Doctor would show up for just showing up instead of only coming together during a crisis. This could also lead up to if David Tenant would have a spinoff series, The Retired Years. Actually, with aged Doctors, Matt Smith had aged hundreds of years while protecting the town at his last episodes. Also for his clothes to regenerate with him/her is ridiculous. None of the other regenerations had clothing changes between Doctors, maybe the exception of footwear between Tom Baker and Peter Davison, that is it. Throughout the 3 stories, the Toymaker could have been manipulating his regeneration, floating between a few Doctors similar to Dimensions In Time short.
I knew this review would be fire. lol. I agree with everything you said. I don’t know what RTD is doing. Bi-generation is a dumb idea and doesn’t fit in with ANYTHING that has come before. He is clearly making Doctor Who for the current generation of fans that want something they can mimic on a Tik-Tok or say “Wow! Look how progressive this is.” For him to make the comment of “This is going to piss off longtime fans,” he clearly has no respect for what has come before him. I hope Ncuti does well, just as I had hoped Jodi would, but to be honest, I’ve just about given up on this show that is more about making commentary than it is about respecting what has come before and just telling a good story. Rant over. Great review as always. Cheers.
I honestly hate the idea that his face came back. I would have loved to see 2 episodes of the 10th Doctor, not the 14th Doctor, because it did not feel like proper Tenant, I know RTD did this on purpose because he's gone off his hinges but its a terrible decision. "I'm dying and some new man goes sauntering away" I don't see anything wrong with it, as you say it is death, so that each regeneration has its own quirks, personality etc, death is why this show is so good, it is a fundamental theme that just about everyone relates with. Those 4 final Tenant specials over a decade ago felt special, these felt not so special and the 3rd one felt like a plug instead of like something that matters. Still, nostalgia makes me want to say that even the 3rd one was good, the 2 first ones were great except for the retcon but okay. As for Ncuti, I remember seeing a preview of him saying "What the hell is going on here" and saying ohh they are going with a very serious Doctor, but nope, another quirky, young weird version which we've seen a thousand times. Maybe people like listening to stories on repeat though but I do not see the appeal. But that's just a personal take on the situation, I do not think that regenerations are an infinite well of storytelling, the show has to come to an end at some point, I thought it made perfect sense to end it with Capaldi's run but I guess not. I liked that from Eccleston to Capaldi they had a goal, but now the goal is nowhere to be found. I am however not a fortune teller, maybe with Ncuti we get some sort of episode like Blink. Or it all falls apart the show goes away for a very long time which in my opinion is probably for the best, the showrunners now do not care to tell stories, they care to tell their own stories.
What did you think of the Christmas special? I like Gatwa but didn't think the episode was the best. I didnt mind the spice girls bit. The toymaker was great, but i think the bi regeneration was a mistake. Someone online pointed out that each non white doctor aka Gatwa and the fugitive, never really got a proper regeneration. We now have 3 versions of Tennant's doctor, the show really needs to stop clinging onto him. I would have prefered to have the half human version and i hated that concept 😂 And yeah I don't get the whole part about doing stuff that will divide fans. After the whole timeless child thing, surely the shows fans need to reunite. There will always be people who don't agree with stuff but doing things that you know will cause a possible rift seems a bit stupid
10:01 As a 14 year old who likes to write Doctor Who fan fiction (/srs) i find that insulting. Not even my fan fictions are THAT lazy and desperate for a happy ending? (I'd be happy to send u one i have written a script that is the length of a full 4-part classic story 😃)
I love the spice up your life scene but yeah, way too similar to the master in series 3. Would’ve loved if he was dancing to some Frank Sinatra or something. Imagine him slowly dancing to My Way or The World We Knew and then by the end of the scene, all the unit soldiers are dead and we’re left with the Doctor, Mel, Donna, Kate and Shirley. The problem with these three specials, specifically the last two, is the tonal inconsistency’s. One moment it’s the scariest villain, the next it’s a joke.
apparently with the bigeneration it just took ncuti from the moment David's doctor finally does regenerate and brought him back to this point in time. and same with the tardis and that's why it has the juke box apparently because its from after the 14th used it. i wish they said this in the episode so then it wouldn't be as bad but it seems russel isn't even sure with what bigeneration means or is it was purely an ass pull. either way i cant wait to see what happens with the Christmas special. (oh and yes the "do you come in a range of colours line" is a bit weird like imp half black and I never really thought of donna as someone who's first thought at a new doctor would be "oh your black? can you be all races?" its just a bit clumsy and I hope they dont focus on the doctors race to much in the series because they dont focus on him being white previously and the same should happen here
Great video, but you kept saying that RTD said the episode would "piss off die-hard Doctor Who fans", as if it were a direct quote, but he didn't say that. What he actually said was: _“The show is taking a sly step towards fantasy, which will annoy people to whom it’s a hard science-fiction show”._ That is a far, far more nuanced statement than if he'd said he meant to "piss off die-hard fans", which is the kind of sensationalised over-simplification I'd expect from certain other channels, but not here.
Yet another great video Wingy! In regards to 'The Giggle', I enjoyed the stuff with The Toymaker and the Doctor in his shop, the puppet show was my favourite part. But after the Doctor and Donna return to UNIT in 2023, I did not like it. I'd rate it 6/10, in my opinion.👍
I didn’t like the bi generation but I was fine with it happening once because it explains the curator. However, the fact that it has happened to every doctor!!!! Wtf RTD..
Knock Knock. Who’s there? Interrupting Dalek. Int… EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!! DO NOT SAY WHO!!! Nice video btw and I do agree with you on a lot of points here but even if I didn’t I respect your opinion
Istg when Celestial Toymaker talked about his teeth etc all I could do was to hold my breath and wait for 1 SINGLE TINY MENTION OR SHADOW of Millennia and Rallon to show up and by the end I was "We got BI-GENERATION but not ACADEMY ERA?!?!?!"
I think die hard doctor who fans are the only ones who've been keeping it alive these last few years - by watching the never ending car crash regardless of its quality just hoping it will get good again. No random members of the public put themselves through those last few series for fun. If the loving fans gave up then (as they would've if it went as it was for maybe 2 more series) the show would be officially cancelled again.
So... are you back for good or gonna leave us again? 😥 The problem with bigeneration is that it could have worked... if it was that 14 was gonna become 15 after rehab with Donna (ie, he appears as 15 in the battle with the Toymaker after some time healing) then I might have liked that as an idea. But the fact he got a second TARDIS, and will live seemingly forever as a separate Doctor.. I mean wtf is that horseshit!
I still think that he’s going to eventually regenerate into the Ncuti Gatwa in the Bi-generation and the TARDIS merges with the TARDIS I guess. That’s the vibe I got from the dialogue at least and I hope that’s the case.
Here is an interesting observation, regarding RTD reusing tropes from his past run as showrunner - the trope of "some technological thing that everyone has access to that means everyone on the planet is influenced by it" (2:52) which doesn't just appear in Sound of Drums but also Rise of the Cybermen, The Sontaran Stratagem, the Adipose Invasion in some ways; this is emblematic of an era during which RTD was something of a conspiracy theorist, but because of changing fashions "conspiracy theorists" are now coded as evil right wingers by the information suppliers to RTDs cultural silo, and so it follows that this new story has an anti-conspiracy-theorist message whilst at the same time employing a trope from RTDs time of being a conspiracy theorist! So you would be mad to be skeptical about the zeedex, but perfectly sane to be skeptical about mobile phone screens?!? Mobile phones are sinister, but an electronic armband designed to limit sensory inputs not sinister?!? Why? Maybe that is why he made a point of telling us in Wild Blue Yonder that it is "human" to believe two contradictory things at once! Because he has to justify to himself his total lack of consistency!
I agree with what you said. RTD's writing had come across as haphazard. The messaging in the Ster Beadt was heavy-handed and clumsy. I hated the whole "We know everything and you know nothing" and "Its a shame you're not a woman, a woman would understand" Wild Blue Yonder was a lot better but the whole Issac Newton scene was unnecessary. It's not even the pointless race swapping its the fact that I think they only included the scene sonthey could say that the Doctor likes guys now. I agree that they should have made the Toymaker the villain acroos all the specials.
Wingy! Love your content and appreciate what you do but I feel a though you have seriously misjudged what RTD was saying by only looking at tabloid headlines. Despite what the headlines say if you actually look at the quote from RTD it is an extreme stretch to say that 'RTD says this episode will piss off die-hard Doctor Who fans' when the quote wasn't even talking specifically about these specials. He was talking about the general direction of the show and an episode in series 14 being more fantastical than normal. What he actually said was '“The show is taking a sly step towards fantasy, which will annoy people to whom it’s a hard science-fiction show.' I don't know how you can interpret that as him saying that the episode will 'piss off die-hard doctor who'. If I am mistaken and you have heard a different quote elsewhere please let me know but I felt that you should know what he was actually saying.
1000% True!!! But Especially, RTD shouldn't have done something that Controversial after, Chibnall are making people still recovering from the Timeless Child!!!
Great video wingy personally i like the episode i thought Neil patrick harris was great as the toymaker i like seeing Mel again was Cool to see Unit again and Ncuti gatwa is pretty good as the the doctor so far and for the bigeneration i thought it was weird but i feel like there sorta trying to soft reboot the show with it [i believes Nctuti garwas season is called season 1 after all] and to sorta give the previous era of the show a bit of a sendoff although there are some problems with the episodes i have i wish we saw more of the toymakers domain and games and more of the world going crazy but aside from that i thought the episode was great love ya wingy
Great on the rehash! The three episodes did not have the feel of a special for me. I would have preferred if the Toymaker had been more like the one in the 1960s - too much a rehash of the Simm Master and Dhawan Master for me. Not every villain should be madcap!
RTD in The Star Beast: "blokes just need to let stuff go."
Also RTD, in The Giggle: "I'm not letting David Tennant go... for the second time!"
A Welsh-presenting gay man wouldn't understand, obviously! 😂
"Why piss off your core audience?"
A very pertinent question Wingy. One that I, personally, believe touches on the nerve-centre, so to speak, of RTD's current working ethos on the show. He wants to change it and if viewers aren't part of the "solution" then they're part of the "problem". Despite a large portion of that "problem" being why he is in this role now.
For me, I would have more respect for his convictions if he had the courage of them. Bringing back Tennant to ease us into his proposed changes was sensible given what RTD inherited. But to keep Tennant "in reserve" if you will, undermines Ncuti Gatwa's legitimacy in the role. I also can't help wondering if even RTD hasn't ruled out that the "problem" might be even more challenging than he anticipated. Time will tell.
The most damning development is that the sixtieth anniversary's highlight was an episode bearly on par with what RTD would regularly give us during in initial run. "Tastes change." he says and so do standards apparently.
Thank you! It is NOT the David Tennant show!! The show was here before him, and it survived after him though some wouldn’t believe it. Russell’s writing undermined Matt’s first series, and could undermine Ncuti’s entire run. Remember kids, David Tennant is still out there as the Doctor, don’t worry!
Not sure if the show will survive.
well technically David tenants doctor already still exists as "Meta Crisis" Doctor from "journeys end" why didn't they just bring that version of David Tennant's doctor back instead??
Well said mate!! That “rant” about Russell comments was actually quite powerful, love having you back my friend! I personally loved the spice up your life scene, but I do agree that the episode plummeted right after. It’s a shame because man was I captivated. I also seemed to feel no emotional connection to the moment when Donna talks about the doctor “coming home” I’ve watched that multiple times and I just feel nothing, seemed like a ridiculous outcome with very little emotional drive and set up.
I agree with everything youve said about the bigeneration. I was 9 when matt smith regenerated in 2013 and i was legitamtely heart broken. But his speech and afterwards his phone call to clara in deep breath affirmed to me that change and loss is ok, so long as you remember. I feel like this has ruined that message for me
I agree and felt the same way, I was 9 when Smith started and 13 *boy a decade without my Doctor, I feel old* when he ended and that Deep Breath scene/the end of Time of the Doctor, I needed as I was going into a new phase of Life!!!
Hasn't the Doctor been very vocal about the fact that he cannot tie himself down to a human? It made no sense to me that he wanted to settle down and retire on Earth with the Nobles.
Just 5 episodes ago in fact.
You worked out the sentiment I was trying to work out - These specials are more a celebration of Series 4, not a 60 yr old show. Bi-generation is a bit marmite admittedly, but the fact that the TARDIS was duplicated and Tennant is not implied to be a non-regenerating person.
Furthermore, David Tennant’s continued existence with a new TARDIS after Ncuti becomes the Doctor overshadowed 15’s opening scenes.
Nah Ncuti totally outshone David Tennant
He certainly made a good impression, but watching the final scenes I kept thinking “There’s two doctors who are probably equally the Doctor, this ruins the singular timeline for the Doctor”
@@thewatcher776 it's a time loop essentially for example 15 tells 14 he's fine because he fixes himself and from Donna's comment about his age he's much older than what 14 is there which means 14 will eventually have to regenerate into 15 in order to complete the bi generation and end up in Giggle there's a episode incoming that will tell us that Ncutis TARDIS is the original one and the only one around which means when we meet him it would have all already happened off screen
I think if they didn’t give the 14th a TARDIS, they could have just said, “well this is the origin of ‘The Curator’ and just tie it into the 50th” and answer that question. then let him just have a decayed TARDIS be the museum or maybe not that, but something that let’s him go and create this giant museum
The Power of the Doctor is more a 60th than any of the DOCTOR DONNA specials
Agree, but I'm confused why the BBC let Chibnal produce Power, knowing that the 60th was a year away.
1000% correct.
@@MrPaulmorris7777I think. RTD had something to do with it aswell. POWER didn't feel like the 13th era
Been a fan since 1979 and I won't watch anything from RTD ever again after he told the old fans to 'eff off'. I think he's a hack, a one trick pony, with no one to rein him in, and he sold out to Disney. I loathe that man. Frankly, I would MUCH rather Disney dump it and the BBC farm it out to someone FRESH.
How hypocrite sound you.
@@mayotango1317 how is he a hypocrite when literally RTD is mocking and being toxic to Doctor Who fans and ruining the show why would you even defend him??
@Problembeing to be honest I think the classic doctors were better then the modern ones
@@CrazyHorseTheSiouxW4rrior Because old Doctor Who had more political agenda that now. Malcolm Hulke is a marxist.
@ a trillion and ten thousand percent correct 🙌
Honestly you should review individual episodes more often they are great, would love to see you tackle individual stories from both classic and the revival. Great to see you back!
Wingy always bringing the FACTS! You keep it 100% bro!
Really appreciate you taking a swipe at RTD for what he said, he has become way too absorbed in his own elitist world replying to someone who made a good point about the Davros change with "tough".
For me, Doctor Who died with Peter Capaldi. His seasons weren't perfect, but the show was still Doctor Who. The moon egg was ridiculous, but I still enjoyed 12.
Jodi's era was filled with garbage writing, garbage music and she never convinced me. The Timeless Child was awful.
RTD was seen as a return to form but he just made things worse. The only retcons he did was to ruin the mythos even more. Bi-generation just ruins all the uniqueness of regenerations. No more sad goodbyes. No more happy surprises and solid footing for the next Doctor.
At this point, I'm bored of these big twists that shake up the lore. We've had a lot of that over the last few years, can we not just have great stories without making controversial changes to the lore every year?
absolutely agree with everything you said, but to be honest the most egregious part of the episode for me was the fuckin game of catch. You're telling me the celestial toymaker, who has defeated pretty much every major threat in the universe, got bested in a game of catch? Not only that but the execution of the scene was so underwhelming and goofy that it ruined the whole episode, and I'll never be able to take the toymaker seriously again on rewatches.
I actually liked that, it was the Doctor's idea and he likes to play fair.
The moment the whole Gallifrey arc concluded in Hell Bent, it just feels like the show has been throwing all kinds of nostalgia bait cameos and poorly thought out "shock" canon changes to try and see what sticks.
That's why I always say that Hell Bent not only was a bad finale for Series 9, it essentially started the slow demise of the entire revived series.
Russell apparently mentioned in a magazine that he just didnt want David Tennant coming back in Jodie's clothes.
Yes he stated "it would make a mockery out of drag" he obviously missed the fact her outfit was gender neutral and the fact the master wore it in a previous episode but then again I'm convinced Russell hasn't seen much doctor who since he left. A male doctor can't let anything go but Peter Capaldi last line was "doctor I let you go"
Absolutely agree that this didn't feel like an episode celebrating 60 years of Doctor Who, great to see you back
9:53 What’s bugging me with this bi-regeneration shit is Russel is saying that all the doctors split, so Pertwee got up off the UNIT lab floor, Colin got up and defeated the Rani etc, so how does this work? Are both doctors together in the post regeneration story or does the new doctor go straight to his second story leaving the previous doctor behind. i.e are Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker now in Robot together, or just Pertwee on his own and Tom Bakers first story is now The Ark In Space? Either way it’s completely fucked up the stories and the canon and they need to make new versions of them for it to work, what a load of bollocks.
Big fan of the channel by the way, been watching since the beginning, glad to see you’re back.
I've really gone off RTD. Especially after how he's treated fans on instagram. Replying to their concerns about Davros with replies like 'tough'. And the comments wasn't even insulting him, just saying their reasons to why they though the retcon was a bad idea.
I just know you’re going to have a field day with the whole “Sutekh has always been there” retcon in the series 14 finale LOL!
With RTD’s comments about having/wanting a Dr Who style MCU, having the Bi-generation and Tenant staying alive seems like an obvious route to a spin off with him as the ‘other’ Doctor.
The specials for me were better written than anything in Chibnalls era, as you’d expect from RTD he is a good writer, but it feels to me like one of his primary reasons to come back was to push his own politics onto the show and further the division among the fans, all the talk about pissing fans off, pissing people off it’s divisive and wrong, make something that everyone can love and appreciate.
Glad to have you back Wingy!
I actually do like this story, but objectively I won't deny any of the criticism. I think a reason Bigeneration doesn't bother me is that I have learned to go numb towards BS canon changes. I also think RTD is lying about EVERY doctor bigenerating, I think 14 will eventually regenerate into 15, and be sent back to bigenerate again during the battle with the toymaker. Speaking of which the toymaker became one of my new favorite Doctor Who villains. But again, this episode does have SO many flaws that I just so happen to look past myself, good episode (for me), but kind of mid anniversary. Wild Blue Yonder is still the definitive winner of the 3. And I am so excited for Ncuti Gatwa
None of that matters though, what does matter is who wins in a dance off, Sacha Dhawan Master of Neil Patrick Harris Toymaker?
So great to have you back Wingy. Your commentary is always so well-presented, light but intellectual, and just generally entertaining.
100% agree with your statements regarding Russell. As much as I love him as a writer, I’m really beginning to dislike him as a person… especially with everything Eccleston has been saying over the past few years.
Someone so politically hypocritical and careless towards his crew doesn’t deserve to be so arrogant about his “genius” - especially with a fanbase that basically gave him a large career.
I thought this was easily the weakest of the 3 specials. Half a good episode then went downhill very quickly.
I liked Bonnie Langford (Mel) in this episode. Wish she got to portray the character like this in the classic series.
I thought the spice up your life scene was great, it showed the Toymaker at play while also being incredibly chaotic and dangerous. Other than that I agree with everything else you've said.
Leaving 14 on earth is just going to make writing more difficult now, because whenever 15 is dealing with a present-day threat on earth, everyone is gonna say "Where is David Tennant? He wouldn't just stay back and not do anything". I was not a fan of Bi-Generation at all.
It is wild that 2 out of 3 of the 10th Doctor companions now have a personal David Tennasnt Doctor to live with them. Poor Martha haha.
I really dont like that they kept 14 around, regardless of the reasoning. Regeneration should feel like a hard goodbye and a brave step forward. Now, it feels like 15 is a spin off Doctor rather than the genuine article. The lack of rules or explanation don't help either.
Someone else summed it up better than me. "They took the legs out from under Gatwa and made him a black variant of the Doctor, with the same tools and title, but none of the legitimacy due to 14s survival. At this point, David Tennant is Spider-Man and Ncuti Gatwa is Mile Morales."
I could not have put it better myself, totally agreed with all the points you made. I just get the feeling that RTD's new era of DR Who is giong to be a rehash of ideas and stories he has done before but with a twist that everything is going to be hyper camp, all singing and dancing with Gay and Race issues thrown into the mix in a hamfisted not so subtle way.
Completely agree with everything here. RTD couldn’t let go of Rose either so I’m not surprised what he’s done with the Tennant Doctor. RTD has also been really ham fisted with the messaging throughout the episodes.
Bigeneration is such a “have your cake and eat it too” idea. Let go of Tennant.
In a show about time travel, we already have a ready-made reason for favorites to return in future.
This just undermines Ncuti in my opinion.
It’s like a celebration of RTD like do you remember when I did this. When I did. Do you remember. It’s annoying having a show you love just pander to new audiences. Even with the season 1 thing it’s stupid.
It just feels so weird that this is coming from Russell because Russell was the one that CONVINCED the BBC to not cancel the show once Tennant left. They were worried that it wouldn't be popular anymore without him and considered cancellation and Russell was like, no, this is the point of the show, keep it going. Then turns around and is like, oh let's keep Tennant around forever because everybody loves him. Showing you have no faith in your next Doctor. Which sucks because I think Gatwa could be great without all the trauma from the Time War to worry about. I do think The Giggle was really good when I first watched it, but it does get worse and worse the more I think about it and Wild Blue Yonder is so much better. I'd probably give it a 7 because there was a lot to like but a lot of dumb things as well.
So good to have you back reviewing Who. I agree that the toymaker was so scary and intimidating all the way up to the spice girls and then it was like a complete character change. The musical number feels really out of place for the toymaker as a character, but fits NPH himself like a glove.
Agree with much of what you have to say here. I re-watched it for the first time today. Neil Patrick Harris was spellbinding. Hated Ncuti running around in his undies and knocking a second TARDIS out with a magic hammer. The whole "Why has this face come back?" thing was a massive anti-climax. I would have preferred the bi-generation to have been a prank played by the Toymaker than an actual phenomenon. Like you, I don't buy that it's rippled back through the Doctor's timeline and now they've *all* bi-generated. What nonsense. All that said, the episode was the best of the three for me. It was engaging and fun for the most part.
For me, using Spice Girls rather than some flamboyant but creepy old show tune shows the limit of RTDs imagination.
I choose to interprate bigeneration in the way that in the moment of Death 14th will regenerate into 15th and will be brought back in time to the moment of this bigeneration.
This explains why 15th in his scenes is free of baggage and isn't tired anymore and why he convinced 14th to go for this break in travelling.
He was making sure that his history will remain unchanged
That’s good head canon, though unfortunately RTD has said differently
@@lectorintellegat RTD only provided his own theory, it's nothing official.
this is what the episode very much implies.
Forced regeneration was why the doctor split. Literally the reason was already there. Didn't need the bigen at all.
One thing you didn't mention was the two doctors at the end randomly listing planets, villains and companions from the past. It really rubbed me the wrong way. It was almost like RTD shoved in a load of references just to keep the old farts happy rather than paying service to the show's history properly. I wasn't expecting all the old doctors to turn up in their costumes and save the day, but come on. Even Day of the Doctor had the doctors saving Gallifrey, Tom Baker, Billie Piper etc.
I completely agree with most of what u are saying mate I like Russel i was very excited when he was coming back and his previous era is one of my favourites but recently he’s really worrying me and getting on my nerves.
First it was Davros in that children in need special which I really hope he retcons
Then the meta crisis the way he handled that was poor and kinda lazy
But the Bi generation is where I draw the line it’s so stupid and completely sabotages Ncuti now he is basically playing a copy of the doctor and the real true Doctor is just chilling is basically means that David tennant is the doctor forever.
I don't mind the Toymaker's dance myself. It's a demonstration of his feeling of dominance. No one can touch him. Plus, it plays into the trickster/demi-god vibe.
The bigeneration really encapsulated what I dislike about RTDs writing. It's such a convenient yet convoluted way to resolve the story in the way he wants in as little time as possible.
If he had had the Toymaker call the newly regenerated 15th Doctor to face him after making his grand speech about having to face a new Doctor for the final game, how epic would that have been? Ncuti stumbles out his own TARDIS in 14s clothes, so we know it's a newly regenerated version. You get yhe same interactions, you get 14 face to face with his destiny, thus encouraging him to "slow down" and stop racing towards danger.... all the beats without any of the convolution and silliness of using magic to create an extra TARDIS. It would also avoid that awkward 5 minutes where the Toymaker just disappears while the regeneration drags out.
First half good. Ending a letdown RTD2 is RTD1 in all its highs and lows.
We thought we were getting Russell T Davies but we got Rian Johnson in disguise
the gravity of sylv playing chess with fenric in a grimy bunker full of biological weapons, during a violent invasion… vs a quippy game of catch on top of the avengers tower with a literal deity.
yeah, some tribute that was :(
Thank You so much Wingy for summing up exactly how I feel about this episode. What is the point of the Doctor regenerating if he doesn’t actually regenerate but gets to keep his body? Totally spoils the whole concept and it’s a concept that’s worked for so many years. RTD has sadly become arrogant and unoriginal. I would have preferred the BBC find new show runners or give it a rest until a new team can be found because RTD is backtracking massively especially by bringing Tennant back for no good reason. The self indulgence from RTD is distasteful. The delusional attitude from RTD is staggering. Apparently according to RTD every Doctor has a Bi Generational copy! 😂 Great video.
They brought David back because the show was tanking in the viewing figures and ratings - no other reason. You can land the majority of that at the shit writing we got, especially over the Chibnall era.
If this is what RTD does going forward with Ncuti and whoever the 16th Doctor is (if RTD is around that long), Doctor Who should just be cancelled again. This isn't good enough Russell!
Tennant has been back more than any other Doctor and has had 3 incarnations overall. I hope he never returns because I'm fed up seeing him. No other Doctor had more than 1 incarnation or as much attention (not even Patrick - who returned 3 times in 1973, 83 and 85 respectively after his run). Bringing Tennant back is just for fan service to the point that it's detrimental to the show
Tbh the 60th anniversary specials were pretty something and nothing for me. It’s just kinda forgettable. Which for an anniversary is a pretty low bar.
At least Dimensions in Time is memorable all be it for the wrong reasons.
It had no moment where I was like “the fans are gonna talk about this for the next 10 years” like the all thirteen moment from Day.
All my friends would say things like “nah he’s grown as a writer. He wouldn’t come back unless he had something new to say.” The irony being he didn’t.
Yeah. Fine I guess.
honestly didn't watch the specials because i just don't care anymore so i have nothing to say about them
BUT
i find rtd interviews about them, his messages and replies to the fans very disturbing
like he sounds literally crazy
he sounds actually deranged
what a way to treat the people who've done nothing but love, support and keep the lights on for 60 yrs
ive come to accept my relationship w/ dw ended in 2017 w/ capaldi & moffat i am perfectly happy w/ that
and i do not blame peter and chris for washing their hands of the whole mess after the way they were both treated
thanks wingy
happy holidays 🎀
You need to watch it.
I wish they should have adopted the comic lost dimensions
You could have 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 doctors stoping a void
For the 60s or the comic the forgotten you can have the 14th doctor lose his memories and have to regain his memories back using his past lives.
Bang on as usual. Another great vid mate!
I enjoyed the Spice Girls bit when I watched it, but I’m also convinced that I enjoyed it mainly because of nostalgia for similar scenes since I’m just getting back into Doctor Who after a very long while and only now starting Jodie’s run. And even in the moment, I did get the sense it was probably too much.
Really hope with the release of these reviews you'll be back to do more videos on Doctor Who. Love to see your updated top 10 favourite New Who Episodes to see where your current mindset is on that.
10:38 well technically David tenants doctor is still around because of the "meta crisis" Doctor from "journeys end" why didn't they just bring that version of David Tennant's doctor back instead??
Thought it was poor. Got more wrong than right. All powerful and genius godlike entity like The Toymaker beaten by a game of catchy catchy juggly ball, and let’s not forget the big battle of the minds that was highest card wins!!
You’re spot on about Ncuti, I feel he’s been hard done by, by keeping Tennant Doctor on ice. Bi-generation is just dumb. Overall these specials were crap. Wild Blue Yonder was the best of the three, and even then only worthy of a mid season episode. Ncuti looks like he can be a great doctor but stories have got to get better.
That happen a lot with Mr Mxyplitk.
Love to see your review on recent Eps wingy!
Please don’t go again lol
I don't like The Giggle but I think that:
- dance scene was awesome
- line about Doctor coming in range of colors was amazing and only line of this type that work in the specials, especially from Donnas mouth
- I don't think that Gatwa was overshadowed
- I hate bigeneration but if this means that Tennant Doctor stays with all the emotions of our Doctor (losing Adric, Rose and all the other companions) and Gatwa can start as a fresh character without emotional baggage then let's give this idea a try
Couldn’t agree more, they fucked up of having the opportunity of the new doctor appearing by himself and defeating the villain, normally we just get a couple of lines from the next doctor and have to wait a year but we could have had a new doctor finish the episode and that would have been a great introduction to Gatwa but instead it just felt like the 10th doctor and some other guy, such a shame
You're always crystal clear in your reviews of Doctor Who.
Both “The End of Time” and “The Giggle” felt like they were intentionally trying to impede the next Doctor. Obviously that’s not the case, but it’s the vibes I got. The End of Time acting like Matt Smith was killing David Tennant and taking over his body and the “I don’t want to go” and The Giggle saying “Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor, but the most popular Doctor is also out there as the current Doctor.” I heard rumors of David Tennant returning and the bigeneration (at different times) and I hoped that neither would happen, but obviously they did. I love that we got more Ncuti Gatwa than we otherwise would have, but I still don’t love it as a whole. The idea that The Doctor needs time to recalibrate isn’t bad at all, but the concept really only works for me if David Tennant eventually regenerations into the Ncuti Gatwa in the Bigeneration. That’s the idea that I got frm dialogue in the special at least.
Also as much I enjoyed the first 2 specials (especially The Giggle) it did feel like the Toymaker storyline could’ve been fleshed out a lot more. I think him being the antagonist of all 3 would’ve worked well.
As negative as most of my comment is… I really enjoyed this special. I’m very very hyped for the upcoming Christmas Special.
Edit: I made the first part of this comment before I finished finishing the video. I’m glad that you touched on it.
The problem with Russel is now an indoctrinated as a woke message caninator and with the way he has abhorrently been treating fans online who have one nothing been none abusive and just challenged some of the things he has done i am not surprised he was so blarzay about what he said because he was saying in his blarzayness he was getting joy out of annoying fans. Despite all that the Giggle was the most fun and out of the three made this one i actually felt the Doctor was in trouble and those dolls where just seriously creepy as hell just as much as the Daleks were back in the 60's the bi-generation was a bit weird but when i heard what Russel announced and how he obviously going to take Doctor Who into a multiverse way with now all the doctors being alive again through bi-generation i thought nah i'm done this is far far far worse than the retcon timeless child story line as just made all the other doctors sacrifices meaningless so i am gone is evident he is making this for one audience with his male bashing wokeness in the first then the second one making the doctor a particular sexuality when the Doctor is if anything pan sexual as he is attracted to the intelligence of people than the gender or physicality of someone so saying Isaac Newtoon was LOOKING so hot is outrightly making him gay but pansexual which he clearly is going by his brilliantly minded and aware companions.
Couldn’t agree more, I thought the Toymaker should have been the vanilla in building to a big final encounter with the doctor from the first episode, it felt like a book end to series 4, definitely not a celebration of 60 years, I do have major doubts for the next series.
My issue with it is the fact they build up the biggest scale situation and it is resolved so quickly and stupidly. Ending is cheesey and really cringe worthy but people will eat it up oh well. And finally why are Unit now the Avengers? Aren’t they a relatively low key operation. Meh overrated and overhyped story but Ncuti was great
great review mate, you pretty much said exactly my thoughts!
it was frustrating af this episode.
Wow, it was refreshing to see a content creator think so many of the same thoughts I had about this episode.
Here is how I had been thinking about it...
RTD was in his office writing the script, and he had created a really intense and scary atmosphere most of the way through. Then someone popped their head into his office and said "hey, we're going to need that script in 20 minutes!"
So he just thought "OK! Let's see, the Toymaker appears, let's do a dance number, let's get Gatwa in there, ok, now they team up and defeat him at catch. Universe saved!"
The ending felt so disjointed from the beginning. The Toymaker was shaping up to be a real threat in the beginning, then he just bungled away.
Anyway, my trial of Disney+ expired, and I'm not going to pay normal price to renew. We waited an entire year for this with some anticipation, and from what I saw, this is a lot closer to Chibnal2 than RTD2. The specials didn't at all live up to the moment, and I also agree RTD's comments don't really embrace me or respect me as a fan.
I really don't like the bi-generation. Like, just let go of David Tennant please! And furthermore, WE STILL DONT KNOW WHY THE DOCOTR REGENERATED WITH CLOTHES ON OR HAS THE SAME FACE LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON! Anyways Ncuti seems like a breath of fresh air honestly
I had the same reaction to the bi-generation when I read the spoilers, and I was rolling my eyes audibly when it happened on screen. That said, I've come around to it because of how they addressed it in the actual episode. Essentially, what 14 did at the edge of the universe somehow left open a way for things outside our reality to seep in, such as the Toymaker. When the Toymaker is around, reality is warped, allowing impossible things to happen so JUST THIS ONCE, just in the Toymaker's presence, something that was thought a Time Lord myth was able to happen.
I kind of dig it. It's actually a pretty creative way of bending the rules.
Outside of the story I agree with you though. From a real world perspective, it was a way for David Tennant to have his cake and eat it too, a back door for him to join the show or have a spinoff or whatever whenever he or RTD feels like it, which, as you say, sort of cheapens Ncuti's role in the whole endeavor.
God YES to pretty much all this. What is it with current franchises hating on the core fans?!!
Remember what the "fans" did with Moffat.
@@mayotango1317 you'll have to remind me. He got backlash for making this very convoluted, which even as a moffat fan I admit he was guilty of, but other than that I can't recall
@@treknobabble1701
Moffat was attacked and harassed for making his era too different from the RTD era, he was hated for not bringing Rose back.
@@mayotango1317 oh right. everyone i spoke to was sick of Rose coming back in RTDs era, so i skipped all of that 😅
I thought you were spot on with all of your points. 💯
The accents were bad on purpose. It was written out phonetically in the script.
I liked it. Second favourite behind Wild Blue Yonder.
Well that's alright then!
@@ben597 I get that reference.
It depends on if you agree with the intention, but it wasn't the result of deliberate bad acting.
I was hoping that the Toymaker would have more of a presence within the storyline of the 60th anniversary. He should have been present in each adventure as a tag along bringing up the fun for the end. Honestly, as powerful as the Toymaker was, did he really have to sit behind a gun threatening the Doctor and companions with their life? I agree that having the bi-generation is awful. True, we will be wondering when or if any other Doctor would show up for just showing up instead of only coming together during a crisis. This could also lead up to if David Tenant would have a spinoff series, The Retired Years. Actually, with aged Doctors, Matt Smith had aged hundreds of years while protecting the town at his last episodes. Also for his clothes to regenerate with him/her is ridiculous. None of the other regenerations had clothing changes between Doctors, maybe the exception of footwear between Tom Baker and Peter Davison, that is it.
Throughout the 3 stories, the Toymaker could have been manipulating his regeneration, floating between a few Doctors similar to Dimensions In Time short.
Wingy can you review Scream of the Shalka for the Weird World of Who
I knew this review would be fire. lol. I agree with everything you said. I don’t know what RTD is doing. Bi-generation is a dumb idea and doesn’t fit in with ANYTHING that has come before. He is clearly making Doctor Who for the current generation of fans that want something they can mimic on a Tik-Tok or say “Wow! Look how progressive this is.” For him to make the comment of “This is going to piss off longtime fans,” he clearly has no respect for what has come before him. I hope Ncuti does well, just as I had hoped Jodi would, but to be honest, I’ve just about given up on this show that is more about making commentary than it is about respecting what has come before and just telling a good story. Rant over. Great review as always. Cheers.
Of course he doesn't respect what came before him he has showed this by changing Davos 🙄
Doctor Who IS about making commentary, that's a huge part of the show.
Are you gonna still post or have you stopped now
Absolutely agree with you. I certainly can't accept Ncuti as the new Doctor, as the Doctor is back in a garden somewhere protecting moles!
Poor Wilfred having last reference shooting moles, why?
I honestly hate the idea that his face came back. I would have loved to see 2 episodes of the 10th Doctor, not the 14th Doctor, because it did not feel like proper Tenant, I know RTD did this on purpose because he's gone off his hinges but its a terrible decision.
"I'm dying and some new man goes sauntering away" I don't see anything wrong with it, as you say it is death, so that each regeneration has its own quirks, personality etc, death is why this show is so good, it is a fundamental theme that just about everyone relates with.
Those 4 final Tenant specials over a decade ago felt special, these felt not so special and the 3rd one felt like a plug instead of like something that matters. Still, nostalgia makes me want to say that even the 3rd one was good, the 2 first ones were great except for the retcon but okay.
As for Ncuti, I remember seeing a preview of him saying "What the hell is going on here" and saying ohh they are going with a very serious Doctor, but nope, another quirky, young weird version which we've seen a thousand times. Maybe people like listening to stories on repeat though but I do not see the appeal. But that's just a personal take on the situation, I do not think that regenerations are an infinite well of storytelling, the show has to come to an end at some point, I thought it made perfect sense to end it with Capaldi's run but I guess not.
I liked that from Eccleston to Capaldi they had a goal, but now the goal is nowhere to be found. I am however not a fortune teller, maybe with Ncuti we get some sort of episode like Blink. Or it all falls apart the show goes away for a very long time which in my opinion is probably for the best, the showrunners now do not care to tell stories, they care to tell their own stories.
What did you think of the Christmas special? I like Gatwa but didn't think the episode was the best.
I didnt mind the spice girls bit. The toymaker was great, but i think the bi regeneration was a mistake.
Someone online pointed out that each non white doctor aka Gatwa and the fugitive, never really got a proper regeneration. We now have 3 versions of Tennant's doctor, the show really needs to stop clinging onto him. I would have prefered to have the half human version and i hated that concept 😂
And yeah I don't get the whole part about doing stuff that will divide fans. After the whole timeless child thing, surely the shows fans need to reunite. There will always be people who don't agree with stuff but doing things that you know will cause a possible rift seems a bit stupid
10:01 As a 14 year old who likes to write Doctor Who fan fiction (/srs) i find that insulting. Not even my fan fictions are THAT lazy and desperate for a happy ending?
(I'd be happy to send u one i have written a script that is the length of a full 4-part classic story 😃)
Send me it, I'll read it 😁
@@WingyMedia wrote it on paper so it would just be a sh*t ton of photos 😂
I love the spice up your life scene but yeah, way too similar to the master in series 3. Would’ve loved if he was dancing to some Frank Sinatra or something. Imagine him slowly dancing to My Way or The World We Knew and then by the end of the scene, all the unit soldiers are dead and we’re left with the Doctor, Mel, Donna, Kate and Shirley. The problem with these three specials, specifically the last two, is the tonal inconsistency’s. One moment it’s the scariest villain, the next it’s a joke.
I 100% agree with everything you said.
Will you review the church on ruby road?
apparently with the bigeneration it just took ncuti from the moment David's doctor finally does regenerate and brought him back to this point in time. and same with the tardis and that's why it has the juke box apparently because its from after the 14th used it. i wish they said this in the episode so then it wouldn't be as bad but it seems russel isn't even sure with what bigeneration means or is it was purely an ass pull. either way i cant wait to see what happens with the Christmas special.
(oh and yes the "do you come in a range of colours line" is a bit weird like imp half black and I never really thought of donna as someone who's first thought at a new doctor would be "oh your black? can you be all races?" its just a bit clumsy and I hope they dont focus on the doctors race to much in the series because they dont focus on him being white previously and the same should happen here
Will you review series 14
I won't give a date on when but yes, I will
@@WingyMedia
Eagerly awaiting, I miss your opinions and reviews! 😊
@@WingyMediahope your okay wingy!
Great video, but you kept saying that RTD said the episode would "piss off die-hard Doctor Who fans", as if it were a direct quote, but he didn't say that. What he actually said was: _“The show is taking a sly step towards fantasy, which will annoy people to whom it’s a hard science-fiction show”._ That is a far, far more nuanced statement than if he'd said he meant to "piss off die-hard fans", which is the kind of sensationalised over-simplification I'd expect from certain other channels, but not here.
This didnt age well lol
@@maydaymemer4660 It's perfectly true even a year after I wrote it. RTD simply did *not* say that he was aiming to "piss off diehard Doctor Who fans".
Yet another great video Wingy!
In regards to 'The Giggle', I enjoyed the stuff with The Toymaker and the Doctor in his shop, the puppet show was my favourite part. But after the Doctor and Donna return to UNIT in 2023, I did not like it. I'd rate it 6/10, in my opinion.👍
This is a whole other show to what i know, thanks good review wingy so another villain dance sing number 😮
Russel T Davis hasnt gotten over the mid 2000s
Great Review
I didn’t like the bi generation but I was fine with it happening once because it explains the curator. However, the fact that it has happened to every doctor!!!! Wtf RTD..
Ok episodes. Shit anniversary specials
Knock Knock.
Who’s there?
Interrupting Dalek.
Int… EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!! DO NOT SAY WHO!!!
Nice video btw and I do agree with you on a lot of points here but even if I didn’t I respect your opinion
Istg when Celestial Toymaker talked about his teeth etc all I could do was to hold my breath and wait for 1 SINGLE TINY MENTION OR SHADOW of Millennia and Rallon to show up and by the end I was "We got BI-GENERATION but not ACADEMY ERA?!?!?!"
That book sucks.
I think die hard doctor who fans are the only ones who've been keeping it alive these last few years - by watching the never ending car crash regardless of its quality just hoping it will get good again. No random members of the public put themselves through those last few series for fun. If the loving fans gave up then (as they would've if it went as it was for maybe 2 more series) the show would be officially cancelled again.
So... are you back for good or gonna leave us again? 😥
The problem with bigeneration is that it could have worked... if it was that 14 was gonna become 15 after rehab with Donna (ie, he appears as 15 in the battle with the Toymaker after some time healing) then I might have liked that as an idea. But the fact he got a second TARDIS, and will live seemingly forever as a separate Doctor.. I mean wtf is that horseshit!
I still think that he’s going to eventually regenerate into the Ncuti Gatwa in the Bi-generation and the TARDIS merges with the TARDIS I guess.
That’s the vibe I got from the dialogue at least and I hope that’s the case.
Here is an interesting observation, regarding RTD reusing tropes from his past run as showrunner - the trope of "some technological thing that everyone has access to that means everyone on the planet is influenced by it" (2:52) which doesn't just appear in Sound of Drums but also Rise of the Cybermen, The Sontaran Stratagem, the Adipose Invasion in some ways; this is emblematic of an era during which RTD was something of a conspiracy theorist, but because of changing fashions "conspiracy theorists" are now coded as evil right wingers by the information suppliers to RTDs cultural silo, and so it follows that this new story has an anti-conspiracy-theorist message whilst at the same time employing a trope from RTDs time of being a conspiracy theorist! So you would be mad to be skeptical about the zeedex, but perfectly sane to be skeptical about mobile phone screens?!? Mobile phones are sinister, but an electronic armband designed to limit sensory inputs not sinister?!? Why?
Maybe that is why he made a point of telling us in Wild Blue Yonder that it is "human" to believe two contradictory things at once! Because he has to justify to himself his total lack of consistency!
I agree with what you said.
RTD's writing had come across as haphazard.
The messaging in the Ster Beadt was heavy-handed and clumsy. I hated the whole "We know everything and you know nothing" and "Its a shame you're not a woman, a woman would understand"
Wild Blue Yonder was a lot better but the whole Issac Newton scene was unnecessary. It's not even the pointless race swapping its the fact that I think they only included the scene sonthey could say that the Doctor likes guys now.
I agree that they should have made the Toymaker the villain acroos all the specials.
Wingy! Love your content and appreciate what you do but I feel a though you have seriously misjudged what RTD was saying by only looking at tabloid headlines. Despite what the headlines say if you actually look at the quote from RTD it is an extreme stretch to say that 'RTD says this episode will piss off die-hard Doctor Who fans' when the quote wasn't even talking specifically about these specials. He was talking about the general direction of the show and an episode in series 14 being more fantastical than normal. What he actually said was '“The show is taking a sly step towards fantasy, which will annoy people to whom it’s a hard science-fiction show.' I don't know how you can interpret that as him saying that the episode will 'piss off die-hard doctor who'. If I am mistaken and you have heard a different quote elsewhere please let me know but I felt that you should know what he was actually saying.
That's fair enough, if I got it wrong I'll hold my hands up.
1000% True!!!
But Especially, RTD shouldn't have done something that Controversial after, Chibnall are making people still recovering from the Timeless Child!!!
Great video wingy personally i like the episode i thought Neil patrick harris was great as the toymaker i like seeing Mel again was Cool to see Unit again and Ncuti gatwa is pretty good as the the doctor so far and for the bigeneration i thought it was weird but i feel like there sorta trying to soft reboot the show with it [i believes Nctuti garwas season is called season 1 after all] and to sorta give the previous era of the show a bit of a sendoff although there are some problems with the episodes i have i wish we saw more of the toymakers domain and games and more of the world going crazy but aside from that i thought the episode was great love ya wingy
Great on the rehash! The three episodes did not have the feel of a special for me. I would have preferred if the Toymaker had been more like the one in the 1960s - too much a rehash of the Simm Master and Dhawan Master for me. Not every villain should be madcap!