Doctor Who is approaching its 60th anniversary, and it’s a new era. While the 50th celebrations were a success, the latest specials have to change.
Doctor Who is nearing its 60th anniversary celebrations. The science fiction show might have gone through a dark period where it was no longer on BBC’s schedule, but it made a massive return in 2005 and has gone from strength to strength ever since. The show originated in 1963 and has become a staple of British television. The latest anniversary specials will mark another huge moment in the show’s history, and it will undoubtedly celebrate Doctor Who’s rich past.
Doctor Who previously made a big deal of its 50th anniversary, which most fans will fondly remember. The 60th anniversary is in a very different era, though, and cannot simply replicate what has come before. The two anniversaries must be different from one another to be representative of the time period they were released in, as different seasons call for contrasting storytelling techniques.
The 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who Was Full of Nostalgia
Fans eagerly anticipated the release of the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. The major televised event was set to unite the 10th and 11th Doctors for the first time, with Matt Smith and David Tennant demonstrating a great deal of chemistry in their extended appearances together. With returning faces like Billie Piper’s Rose Tyler and John Hurt’s War Doctor after his brief appearance in a previous episode, Doctor Who was very much paying homage to its past.
Indeed, the special titled “Day of the Doctor” included every single Doctor from past years and even featured a nod from the incoming Peter Capaldi. Plus, classic enemies like the Zygons and Daleks truly hammered home that the anniversary was only possible because of the show’s vast roots. It is still arguably one of the best episodes to date and was genuinely worthy of the occasion. The 60th anniversary special has huge standards to measure up to, but things are quite different this time around.
The 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who Ushers in a New Era
The Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials will once again feature David Tennant. In a move that both shocked and delighted fans, Jodie Whittaker’s iteration of the time traveler transformed into a very familiar face. That leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but with the news that Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble and her respective family will also return, it’s clear that the 60th anniversary will still be looking back. However, this is a very different time, and the specials will also act as a launch point for a new era. While the 50th arrived in the middle of Stephen Moffat’s turn as showrunner, the 60th will act as Rusell T. Davies’ first major narrative upon returning to the position. What’s more, the platforms and budgets have significantly changed, with Disney+ now acting as a distribution partner to the BBC and elevating the material in the process, both financially and in terms of its scale.
Most importantly, the specials are also being utilized to bring in the latest incarnation of The Doctor. Ncui Gatwa has been thrillingly cast in the role, and there are high hopes for the Sex Education and Barbie star’s take on the Time Lord. It’s unclear how his Doctor will arrive and whether he will directly cross over with David Tennant’s version, but whatever the case, he will be the standard-bearer for a new tone for the show. That very concept is directly at odds with the notion that the series must be celebrating its past, though. Balancing both nostalgia and attempting to create something new is a very difficult thing to do. It may well be that Russell T. Davies has to pick one path for the anniversary specials to truly excel.
To Move Forward, Doctor Who Cannot Keep Looking Back
Ultimately, to move forward, Doctor Who has to stop looking back so much. The 50th anniversary was already a massive celebration of the past, and from upcoming vill ains to continuity continuations, the BBC certainly isn’t going to remove the important essence of Doctor Who’s lore. The show relies so much on its canon, and this cannot be stripped away. But perhaps to make the most of the celebrations, it would be wise to demonstrate how those foundations have led to something new. This is a completely different situation from the 50th, after all, which didn’t need to set up a new Doctor immediately. A lot of different eyes will be on the show for the first time due to the power of the Disney+ streaming service, so the anniversary cannot get too bogged down in past material.
The appearances from past actors may just be enough to toe the line between the new and the familiar. But there are other ways to honor the past on the 60th anniversary, as is right, without overshadowing the future. The involvement of U.N.I.T. is a fantastic example, with the organization boasting a long and complex role in the series while also acting as a relevant component of modern Who. And the arrival of different companions is a beautiful way to honor the dynamic that has kept the show alive for so long, paying homage to the relationship that The Doctor has always had with his closest allies. The Sonic Screwdriver and T.A.R.D.I.S. will be back, and it would be shocking if the Daleks, Cybermen or The Master didn’t appear. But the arrival of Neil Patrick Harris’ unnamed villain is perhaps the perfect example of how the anniversary special can best look to the future. There’s no telling if NPH’s antagonist is a face from the past or someone completely original. Regardless, it’s a new take for a new era that may just so happen to nod to Doctor Who’s diverse history. If there’s more of that kind of fan service in store, then the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who will achieve everything it needs to.
