Doctor Who overview: The 60th anniversary specials one year on
By James Aggas
Happy ending
But what’s clear about these episodes is that they’re not just about celebrating the past. Especially when we reach the end. The real purpose of these episodes is, in some ways, clearing the decks. Looking back at Ncuti Gatwa’s first season, it does feel like a fresh starting point, one that’s meant to bring the show to brand new viewers.
We couldn’t have had that without these specials. While they do introduce hints of arcs meant for Season One and beyond (we still don’t know who Meep’s “boss” is, for example), their main focus is addressing everything from the previous 18 years - and, during a speech from Gatwa’s Doctor, even beyond, in a moment that acknowledges the whole history of the series.
More than that, they provide a rare happy ending for the Doctor. The bi-generation is going to remain a controversial decision for a long time. But giving the Doctor a break from the universe, knowing that the next incarnation is taking care of it, is honestly a lovely way of wrapping up things before moving on with Gatwa. And that’s probably the biggest success of these episodes.