Three specials were produced honoring the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who. These specials honored the series’ long history but went beyond simple nostalgia. They also forged a bold new beginning for Doctor Who, with multiple story hooks setting up the next season and the Fifteenth Doctor.
Beep the Meep’s Boss
The first special, The Star Beast, centered around an alien creature called Beep the Meep. Presenting himself as an innocent being, Beep was truly a genocidal maniac and would-be despot. Thankfully, the Fourteenth Doctor was able to stop Beep from destroying London while escaping Earth.
Before being arrested by the Wrarth Warriors, Beep swore revenge. The Meep also noted with glee that “the Boss” would be quite pleased to hear about the two-hearted Doctor. It is unclear if this is a reference to an old enemy or a new one, but it suggests Beep the Meep will return.
The New UNIT
Initially assembled to fight alien invaders and paranormal threats, UNIT has long assisted The Doctor in protecting Earth. UNIT was shut down in the wake of Brexit, but the organization rallied in 2022. No longer a covert military task force, UNIT is focused on scientific endeavors and headquartered in a London skyscraper.
The Giggle special confirmed that Melanie Bush, a former companion of The Doctor, was now employed by UNIT. Donna Noble was also offered a job as a UNIT agent. This picked up a thread from “The Power of the Doctor,” where UNIT leader Kate Stewart attended a support group for former companions of The Doctor. Kate told the companions she “may want to recruit you for some work.”
There have been rumors that a UNIT spinoff might be in the works. The new UNIT presented in The Giggle would be an ideal setting for another series set in the Doctor Who universe. It would also be an opportunity to bring back more classic series companions as UNIT agents.
The One Who Waits
With the power to alter reality within the rules of a game, The Toymaker is one of the most powerful threats The Doctor has ever faced. However, there is a being even the Toymaker dared not play games with. A being he identified only as The One Who Waits.
The Toymaker refused to speak further on The One Who Waits, saying only that it was “someone else’s game.” He did, however, say he stumbled across The One Who Waits while they were hiding. Despite this, they were powerful enough to make even the Toymaker run rather than risk a confrontation. The Doctor will undoubtedly have to face The One Who Waits eventually.
The Fate of The Master
The Toymaker boasted that he had confronted the Doctor’s oldest enemy, the Master. He further claimed to have trapped the Master within his gold tooth. The tooth was left behind after the Toymaker was defeated and picked up by an unnoticed hand with red-painted nails.
It is suspected that the hand belongs to Jinkx Monsoon. The acclaimed drag performer and Broadway star has been confirmed to be playing a villain in the upcoming season of Doctor Who. A role has yet to be confirmed, but one popular theory is that Monsoon will be playing a new version of the Rani.
Introduced as an enemy of the Doctor, the Rani is another rogue Time Lord. A scientific genius as amoral as the Doctor is heroic, the Rani was also an occasional ally of the Master. Whoever the hand belongs to, however, it is certain that the Master will not remain trapped for long.
The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials are now streaming on BBC and Disney+.
