Doctor Who is returning, and it’s queerer than ever before.
The British sci-fi series is about to air three 60th anniversary specials this November, ushering in a brand-new era from returning showrunner Russell T. Davies, who's also known for acclaimed LGBTQ+ shows like the original Queer as Folk and 2021’s It’s A Sin. He’s bringing plenty of queer talent with him, including Heartstopper breakout Yasmin Finney, Neil Patrick Harris, Drag Race’s Jinkx Monsoon, and, of course, Ncuti Gatwa as “the first gay Doctor.”
It’s an exciting time to be a Doctor Who fan. But what are the specials about? When and how can you watch them? And how can newcomers dive into the show’s long history? Don’t worry.We’ve compiled this guide to answer those questions and more. As David Tennant’s Doctor would say, “Allons-y!”
What is Doctor Who about, anyway?
Doctor Who follows a character known as The Doctor. They’re a Time Lord, an alien species with two hearts who can regenerate into a new form when they’re mortally injured, allowing a bunch of actors to play the character over the years.
The Doctor travels through time and space in a spaceship called the TARDIS, which looks like an old-school British police box. Along the way, they have adventures with their (usually) human friends, who are known as companions.
Although the show first launched in 1963 — hence the 50th anniversary specials — it briefly went off the air in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Doctor Who was rebooted in 2005 and has been around ever since.
How many Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials are there?
There are three specials: “The Star Beast,” “Wild Blue Yonder,” and “The Giggle.”
When do the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials air?
“The Star Beast” premieres on November 25, followed by “Wild Blue Yonder” on December 2 and “The Giggle” on December 9.
Where can I watch the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials?
Viewers in the U.K. and Ireland can catch the specials on the BBC. The rest of the world can watch them on Disney+, the show’s new global streaming home.
Is there a trailer for the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials?
Yep! You can watch the latest trailer below. The trailer offers glimpses at Finney’s character Rose teaming up with the Doctor, as well as Gatwa’s Doctor.
What will the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials be about?
The specials mark the return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate, two beloved former stars who played the Tenth Doctor and companion Donna Noble, respectively. At the end of Jodie Whitaker’s run as the Thirteenth Doctor last year, she regenerated into the Doctor played by Tennant.
This means that Tennant is playing the Fourteenth Doctor, marking the first time that one actor has played multiple versions of the Doctor. Why exactly that happened is a mystery that will certainly be revealed over the course of the three specials.
After regenerating, The Doctor arrives in modern-day London, where he crosses paths with his old pal Donna and her family (including Finney, who plays Donna’s daughter Rose). That in of itself is pretty dangerous, because the Doctor was forced to wipe Donna’s memories of her time traveling with him in the TARDIS to save her life at the end of their season together. Nevertheless, they somehow team up again to stop a series of extraterrestrial threats, including The Toymaker (played by Neil Patrick Harris), an old-school Who villain who can manipulate realities.
Okay, but how does Ncuti Gatwa fit into all of this?
Some way or another, Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor will regenerate into Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor by the end of the specials. Gatwa can be seen briefly in trailers for the specials, including a moment where he truly speaks for all of us, saying, “Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on, here?”
So do I have to watch 60 years’ worth of Doctor Who to understand the specials?
Nope! To best understand the anniversary specials, I’d recommend watching the first four seasons of the Doctor Who reboot, which aired from 2005 to 2008, as well as Tennant’s farewell specials — most notably “The Waters of Mars” and “The End of Time” parts one and two.
But if you’re pressed for time or don’t feel like committing to four seasons just yet, watching the reboot’s fourth season — a.k.a. the one that stars Tennant and Tate — is sufficient.
Cool. So when does Gatwa’s season start?
Gatwa’s first full episode as the Doctor will be the 2023 Christmas special, which premieres on the BBC and Disney+ on — when else?! — December 25.
A premiere date for his first season hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s set to arrive sometime next year, featuring queer guest stars like Jinkx Monsoon, trans actor Peter MacHale, and Jonathan Groff. Speaking personally, it’s a great time to be a gay sci-fi nerd.
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