The Giggle- yay or nay? Bi-generation- yay or nay? These videos- yay or nay? Please let me know!

I can't be the only one who thought Kate was going to smack the Doctor when she first saw him, right?

I like the idea that the Toymaker is switching up his accent because the 1st Doctor beat him by imitating his voice.

The interpretation of bi-regeneration essentially snatching the dying 14 from the future to be born as 15 in the events of the giggle has made the concept easier for me to accept. In any case, I didn’t really care at that point because I was so impressed with Ncuti being able to establish himself so effortlessly while sharing the stage with David freaking Tennant. But yeah, I do hope we get a proper ‘mid story’ regeneration one day. The idea of a new doctor having to somehow resolve a story that killed their predecessor is so interesting, and could be a great way of contrasting the two incarnations. Also, I loved the brief flashes of Hartnell and Gough when the Doctor and the Toymaker first meet. It was a neat visual shorthand to communicate the history. Maybe we could get more of that whenever old baddies show up?

My opinion on the bi-generation really depends on what they do with the two Doctors. I really like the idea of 14 being the Therapy Doctor. It’s a great throughline for the specials. Fourteen: but you’re fine. Fifteen: I’m fine because you fix yourself! …is such a beautiful response to last episodes… Donna: You okay? Doctor: I will be Donna: When? Doctor: A million years. Ideally, I’d like for us to never see the fourteenth Doctor again. I just want to know he is out there, being happy, and fixing himself and that’s how we finally get the emotionally stable fifteenth Doctor that we see in this episode. As 15 says “doing rehab out of order” I do kinda wish RTD could have written this story for Jodie. Her Doctor wanted a family so badly (see “Fam”) and I never truly understood why she couldn’t have it. It just seemed like she was sabotaging herself. This would have been the perfect ending for her… living a simple life with Yaz, growing old together. 😢

I felt 14 was ready to die and 15 was the one who chose to bi-gen. In stark contrast to The End of Time, he was surrounded by his loved ones. 15 was the one who saved him and that was his first heroic deed before he even fully regenerated. The bigeneration was a impossible thing that became possible because he was still in Toymaker's state of play where reality is not fixed so so-called myths and superstitions can become real, and 15 tricked the Toymaker by making it 2 against one like you brought up and Toymaker couldn't hack it. Tennant also confirmed that in the commentary the bigen happened because of the Toymaker.

It's interesting that you bring up the Companion Support Group. Because, IIRC, Mel was in that group. I could totally see her rocking up one day and being like "Hey everyone, I brought a guest!"

In defence of the retired 14th Doctor having his own TARDIS… It seems the Tardis is taking him where he wants to go, not where he is needed. In the sense that the First Doctor was the embodiment of a magic children’s literature, Edwardian grandfather, this feels like a deliberate full circle return to that. He is retired and now gets to be a grandfather again having exploratory (but not dangerous) adventures.

I love that this anniversary was all about moving on. Donna got to move on from being the Doctor Donna and not having to die if she remembers her family gets to move on from that. And the Doctor gets to move on in more ways than one literally. The question if bi generation works or not is if we are going to see Tennant again or not he is a fan favorite and this kinda felt like a break glass in case button they can break out and bring him back and I hope that’s not the case unless it’s meaningful. But I’m okay with 14th Doctor and Donna not coming back after this.

Everyone: you need a rest. The Doctor after taking 24 years to hang out with River Song: ......

The changing in the Toy Makers accent through the episode is actually a really cool canon nodd, the doctor won the original game by imitating The Toy makers voice, this time round he throws out several voices to specifically avoid being defeated the same way 👍

The ending was very sweet and made my heart grow three sizes that day

I hadn't heard the leaks, and I thought this plot twist, and what it enabled in terms of the doctors interacting, was brilliant. When 15 comforted 14, I totally bought that the two of them were the same entity. I think it set Ncuti up beautifully for his run.

What resonated with me the most about The Doctor is their drive to help people across the stars while having the desire to settle down with a family. That duality no longer exists and I feel a certain gravitas has been lifted from the character. This episode has fundementally broken my perception of The Doctor and the progam itself.

As someone who only came back to Who to see the David Tennant specials, I really enjoyed the episodes, and the new start for 15, and watching him in action has made me feel enthusiastic to keep watching. Which considering a few years ago I'd pretty much given up on Doctor Who, is remarkable.

I think the Bigeneration stuff would have been perfect if they didn't duplicate the TARDIS. I think instead 14 should have just stayed with the Noble family on Earth with no caveats, and 15 goes off with the TARDIS.

I love the bi-generation! The only end that The Doctor gets is rebirth, over and over. The only resolution! This was a story that needed healing, needed family, needed calm and that can't be resolved by regeneration. The scene where 15 embraces 14 is literally the embracing of your inner child made real and I cried ALOT.

I found the idea of the doctor finally allowing himself to stop and deal with his trauma and loss incredibly emotionally resonating for me, especially as someone who is struggling with mental health myself. That the doctor can show weakness and accept he needs a break was beautiful, i also loved the genuine affection and care between the two doctors. Bigeneration was more than worth it for the character moments it allowed, even if it might mess up a wiki.

I’m really curious to see the entirety of the 15th Doctors season because it seems to me that a lot of the plot lines in these specials will carry over into the 15th doctors run. I think we will be given a lot of context for what has happened so far that will put everything into a different perspective. The first and third special were obviously hinting at a larger villain and I think they will tie up the 14th Doctors story at some point. It seems like the 15 doctor has come back from a future point to get his past self on the right track which means the timeline will probably sort its self out and there will be one doctor again. RTD has proven in the past that he can write effective intricate plots and bring elements from his writing together to make a satisfying, overarching story. I really want to see what this run looks like once it’s completed. Honestly I really like the idea that a future version of the Doctor has come back to give their past self the time and space they need to recover from all their trauma and self destructive habits. I also like how kind and hopeful the ending was. It felt needed. Our world has been so dark and depressing in the last few years so giving these characters, who have been suffering and losing everything after only ever trying to do good and help people, a genuinely happy ending felt comforting and well deserved. Plus it gives the new doctor a clean slate to just be a nomadic, idealistic madman with a box again instead of just a broken, war weary, god. I don’t think they will just ignore the doctors past, but will no longer allow them to wallow in it and punish themselves for things that were beyond their control.

I liked The Giggle, felt very Moffat, the 'everybody lives' but applied to the Doctor. I think its great we're seeing more of Mel, giving a less popular companion more attention, I'm interested to see how she will factor in Series 14. While I think the ball game could have been more interesting I think it will be really popular with kids. The final shot of the episode being Ncuti really hammers the point of him being the future.

At first, I thought seeing one TARDIS being "spawned" from another was a bit weird. However, I then recalled we've already seen the TARDIS bi-generating (tri-generating, actually) as the guest Doctors go their separate ways at the end of The Five Doctors... albeit without the aid of a "magic mallet".

Tennant is now in the same place as Matt Smith where they can bring them back without ever worrying about age. Any multi-doc special can pick up Tennant from Earth and Smith from Trenzalore and they'd both be age appropriate. Not sure how I feel about bi-regeneration overall and how much of it gets a pass because it's RTD and Tennant (imagine the exact same thing was done by Chibnall and Whittaker).

If I had a nickel for every time Tennant has started to regenerate, only to then split into two versions of The Doctor and one of them goes on to live a regular life with his companion... I didn't know about the Bi-generation going in so it was a genuine wtf moment for me. After it happened, I got a similar feeling to when I've had issues with the Meta-crisis. But I have less problems with this and I think it's a neat way of keeping things fresh and surprising. Like how The Doctor Falls could've been an ending for the show, this seems to be Russell's attempt at an ending. I feel the impact of David's Doctor staying with Donna could be slightly undercut by the fact that Ncuti's Doctor is still running around. The Doctor gets a happy ending, except they also don't. But unlike when Ten left the Meta-crisis Doctor to live his life, Fifteen seems much happier. The Bi-generation has left him unburdened and free to start anew. As for the episode itself, it was really good. NPH as always looked like he was having a blast and I love seeing him do his thing. Hope he comes back. I think this special perfectly sets him up as a recurring villain.

The way I read it is that when 14 dies he resumes from the point where they split but from 15’s perspective. The only reason I read it this way is because 15 says he’s better because 14 took the time to heal which means that it’s still one time stream. If this is actively disproven then I don’t think I’ll like it but for now I think that’s how I’m gonna read it in which case I like it.

The optics of the first two black Doctor’s only co-existing with their white counterparts is shaky to say the least. However in the episode itself it works as a piece of television and Ncuti is so charismatic and lovely I’m not really thinking too hard tbh.

The Doctor is supposed to be the same character that's why the idea of 14 stopping for some time to feel better to eventually become 15 works, but it doesn't in this story because even if the dialogue implies that 15 is in 14's future (which is something RTD never explicitly says) most people got the idea that they are two independent beings. I feel like this will probably mean that each Doctor will not be treated as a singular character anymore and I'm not sure I like that.

Still don’t get why Wilf was immune from the giggle but Kate wasn’t, he only traveled in the TARDIS twice but so did Kate (and her trips likely lasted longer)

Thoroughly enjoyed all three specials, thanks to David and Catherine’s chemistry and RTD’s writing. Haven’t felt this invested in the show since Christopher Eccleston. As for Ncuti, he absolutely nailed the character of the Doctor in his first few seconds on screen. I didn’t hate the bi-regeneration, still processing it. Enjoying your spontaneous videos and would be great to see them when Ncuti’s series starts.

Secondly, this now means David Tennant can return for the 75th anniversary specials. In all seriousness, though, at some point, this will have to be reconciled. Gatwa's Doctor implied that he has the benefits of the long mental health break that Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor will take. Perhaps a hypothetical 75th anniversary story will be like Logopolis, where The Watcher joins with the Fourth Doctor, which triggers the regeneration. Then the BBC just needs to push David Tennant's wheelchair on-screen for the 100th anniversary specials.

I literally just finished the episode and was looking for this video. Great timing mate.

I really appreciate your positivity and optimism. Even if you don't particularly like something you don't just dismiss it or hate on it, you give it the benefit of the doubt and try to see the good in it, and you don't let it ruin your experience as a whole. Very refreshing indeed. Keep up the good work.

I’m just so glad Doctor Who is being bold and interesting again. Every week, the past three weeks, there’s been something new to talk about. I haven’t had that pleasure in ages. It’s actually trying out stuff, being inventive, taking risks and exploring their implications. I’m just happy I care so much again.

I loved the giggle and I find it funny that RTD took a jab at modern society with the self opinionated and the bit where everyone thinks they’re right all the time.

Been really enjoying these videos! Nice to have you and your viewers here to reflect upon the episodes and share perspectives with without having to venture in the murky waters that exist in some parts of the fandom. Would be happy for more if you want to make them, if not, thanks for these ones. ☺️

I loved the episode. Looking so forward to Ncuti’s run

I know RTD's work well so I 100% see the bigeneration as a metaphor for queer trauma. For all of new who the doctor has dealt with the trauma of loss and the time war. Now he gets a chance to process it through friends and chosen family. Much like RTD has done in the decades following the AIDS crisis

Really nice analysis, and I really appreciate your back-and-forth on the bi-generation. I can totally understand people feeling like Ncuti has been done a disservice by having his predecessor still knocking about (especially given that it's fan favourite David Tennant), and with him being the first black actor to play a mainline Doctor, the optics maybe aren't that great.. However, I actually think that in his time onscreen, Ncuti is actually the one that overshadows Tennant - like you say, he just has it. He is instantly the Doctor, arriving fully-formed and just feels like a real burst of energy that is going to propel the show forward. I adore the dynamic between him and Tennant, getting to see them bounce off of one another and share in the pure joy and confusion of what has just happened. In his first scene, Gatwa honestly feels much more like the dominant presence of the two to me - he is the one that tells 14 'Hey, it's okay, you did good.' and they share some really lovely moments where he helps him through. It's testament to Gatwa's talent and screen presence that you immediately fall in love with him and buy him as this character, and also to Tennant for absolutely letting Ncuti have those scenes, knowing that they should rightly belong to him. The main reason I can get on board with this bi-generation (other than it being a fresh spin on something that we've seen play out dozens of times before), is that, for all its sci-fi technobabble, it is an idea firmly rooted in narrative, character and theme. The previous two specials both played with the themes of identity and duality, and this works as some nice thematic foreshadowing for what we get here. I like the very meta aspect of an anniversary being a time to look back but also to look forward, and here we get a very literal example of that. I know some feel that this whole thing makes Ncuti not a 'proper' Doctor and more of a clone etc., but I don't think either of them are meant to be perceived as more or lesser than the other, because they are both just the Doctor - two things can be true at once. It would have been nice over the course of these specials to have had a bit more of a sense of 14 as this weary traveller that's been running himself thin, in order to give this character arc a bit more of a satisfying pay-off. But I really like the idea that 15 emerges from this without any of these burdens, after helping his former self to work through all of that. Self-help in the most literal sense - timey-wimey therapy. It also would have been nice to get a bit more of an in-universe explanation for why this has happened (although of course that may come later). Similarly, I'm not sure I buy the resolution to the mystery of 14's face coming back being so he can settle down with Donna's family - feels a little too over-emotional and doesn't hit like it could have... I'm interested to see where things go from here and I imagine this isn't the last that we'll see of 14 - whether that's his own spin-off, popping up in a UNIT spin-off, or (less likely) in the main show itself. But I like that for now we've kind of wrapped up things with 14, and even though we haven't said goodbye to him permanently as we may be used to, the focus is most definitely on 15's adventures - so even if you're not on board with this, I don't think it's going to be all that important to Ncuti's stories going forward. We've got this clean break, it's the Doctor, in the TARDIS, having adventures. Christmas can't come soon enough!

I personally really enjoyed this special and i really like ncuti as the new doctor and i am hyped for what Russell does going forward with the show.

This sincerely might just be one of my favourite episodes of the show, period. I’ll have to give it some time before entirely committing to that, but I can at least say that Neil Patrick Harris’s Celestial Toymaker most certainly is a new favourite. He captures everything you want in a Who villain; campy, menacing and ultimately just an absolute riot to watch! That dance sequence was just magnificently silly! And as for the story itself, I gotta say that twist at the end (I’ll try and stay spoiler-light, but maybe wait to read this next bit if you haven’t seen it), is actually something that really worked for me; despite the controversy in the fandom it’ll no doubt cause. It’s an anniversary, after all, so wrapping everything up in a nice little bow is honestly just a perfect send-off to me; I mean, as the characters literally pointed out, David Tennant’s Doctor has earned his swan-song! And Ncuti Gatwa… I already know I’m going to love his Doctor. We’ve never really had a Doctor (minus Christopher Eccleston’s 9 I suppose, due to his off-screen regeneration) introduced with such a definitive sense of who they are. And man do I like it. Comforting, vibrant and ultimately radiating fun: yeah, this guy’s gonna be good! So yeah, safe to say I loved it. As a whole, the 60th anniversary itself was not what I expected but, despite going into this episode with uncertainty on whether it could stick the landing, it gives me an innumerable amount of joy when I say that this gave me everything I wanted and more. Doctor Who is never going to be objectively perfect, but this is pretty damn perfect to me. Now, let’s bring on Christmas!!!!

Using the anniversary specials to reboot the show was a great idea. I thought the three episodes were a triumph and really enjoyable. The only problem is that the Earth is being destroyed all the time and the 14th Doctor will be on Earth with his two companions who work for UNIT. Realistically, he wouldn't sit around and watch, would he? Also, why didn't the ray gun kill him? He got shot by the most powerful gun on the planet and then won a game of catch.

NPH styling over UNIT for 3 minutes was hilarious, terrifying and magnificent. This was a brilliant trilogy ending with 14 taking a gap-life off and the resulting healed 15 erupting into space reborn. I cant wait for the xmas special!

Around 17 minutes in you voiced my major concern, I’m wondering if the bi-generation aspect will diminish the strength of Ncuti’s doctor. Dare I say, I can imagine the new series bringing back David’s doctor to support Ncuti in some way… reducing him in the way that the extended ‘fam’ supporting Jodie’s doctor made her somehow less. Hope that makes sense? But hope more that I’m totally wrong about this!

I can see the retired Doctor and 15 working in tandem at times and that opens a lot of great episodes coming

I think the fact he has his own TARDIS and is staying with Donna (especially given the discussion at the dinner table) is actually a sign that this Doctor doesn't want to adventure more. This is how a show gets rid of a character without killing them or having regenerate. It works as well because we have only known David's Doctor as particularly traumatized and so people can go back and watch 10 and while it will be different it will be familiar. Doctor Who has for a long time struggled with getting rid of characters in non violent/sad ways and this is a tool that allows that for the Doctor and now that idea of a soft exit can be more explored in other characters. Quote from RTD about 14 The ending is very simple, actually. It’s not much of a tease. It means David is parked. David [Tennant] is living in France. We’ve got a happy Doctor who is no longer saving the universe, but that’s parked with Donna for a happy life. While THE Doctor, which is always the next Doctor, and that’s always true of Doctor Who, the Doctor is the next Doctor, is out amongst the stars. He’s flying off. He’s going to have a companion. It’s going to be there on Christmas Day. It’s going to be very exciting. I’m going to say goblins and enormous fun to come.

"The bi-regeneration is less of a magical split and more of a timey wimey fuckery where Fifteen arrives early having already benefitted from the soul searching and healing that Fourteen hasn't done yet, and Fourteen will always be destined to eventually 'become' him" that was a quote i saw on twitter that made me come around on the whole thing. it makes the line "were timelords. were doing rehab out of order" make a lot more sense. although if this is how its supposed to be then they didnt do a very good job explaining it

Thank you for de video! I personally really loved the episode. The scene where ncuti's doctor hugs david's doctor and comforts him made me so emotional. And it is very nice to have a character that went through sooo much get the chance to settle down, enjoy retirement with a lovely family :))) while we also get the new doctor starting anew, freed of all the trauma of what happened in the past 20 or so years of doctor who.

Loved seeing your thought process playout in seemingly real-time re. the Bi-Regen! Loved this episode and feel your concerns with the ending, but overall feeling very positive about it

ive been really enjoying these rambly response type videos, i would love more for the next series

Love these videos Joe, I think the format was a big success as long as you have the energy to talk about it. Positive vibes and good conversation even for stuff that you don’t 100% love is good fun.

THEY JUST SPLIT THE TARDIS AND THE DOCTOR IN TWO!! I really don't know what to think!

Hi Joe, I have loved these 3 commentary style videos and have actively looked forward to them after the episode, please please keep them up for the next season(s)

Really hope you're able to continue making these!

My opinion on bigeneration is story wise that 15 didn't WANT to live with the trauma anymore, so he left it behind with 14. I do hope something is do e with 14 or else it seems like a cop out of sorts.

I like the idea that 14 is the part of the doctor that holds onto the past, so casting him out frees 15 onwards. I also like the idea that 14 would be the one to go see all the left behind companions and just be friends, go on the occasional trip and let them enjoy their lives as well

please keep doing these! its been really nice to tune in after each special comes out, partially for a nice summary on the episode but mostly its just good, interesting discussion thats good to listen to while processing the episodes

I feel the bi-generation works in the story, it allows 15 to move on without being chained to the past. Allows that trauma to be healed etc BUT I worry outside of the show, this puts a bit sword hanging over Ncuti, if The Mouse is not happy with how he is going it's so easy for them to just bring Tennant back in whenever and totally undercutting him. Imagine the stinger to save the day in his finale being Tennant rocking up and taking the spotlight

I agree with you but leaning on slightly more positive on bi-generation. I think it's a good, mental health positive end to the arc exploring 14's trauma that really built up over the specials, whilst also setting up for the future. Also: audio drama/comic potential with 14 and those he lives with. I want a 14 and Rose Noble adventure! My only real concern is people not fully accepting 15 as the current doctor but we already have previous doctor spinoff content coming out, so as long as the next series focusses on him.. very exciting!

An interesting point from the commentary is that Phil points out Davies was going to do bigeneration before… which if you consider Journey’s End was supposed to be Davies last story, means that Rose was supposed to have a proper Doctor in her universe.

I’ve found your reaction videos really helpful, you’ve been going on a similar journey as me after each of episodes and it’s nice to relate to someone’s thoughts without it getting into a shouting match. I’d love if you did it for Ncuti’s season too.

I think they’ve stretched the idea of regeneration so far it’s quite wild, but then again the doctor used up a regeneration cycle back in Journeys End which created the meta crisis doctor which created two seperate doctors, so it’s not like we haven’t seen this before, it’s just been done in a way we haven’t seen before.

Am i the only one who remembers that there is a actualy a third doctor (david tennant) that lives wirh rose in a alternative Dimension

Such a considered and heart-felt response. Great job, Joe.

I would DEFINITELY tune in for these videos if you did them for Ncuti’s season! Please do! If you don’t I will be sad!!!

id be happy to see more of these for ncutis series

I loved the bigeneration. I get people's concerns about how it might affect the show and the fans wanting Tennant back yet again, but the emotional experience of watching the episode outweighs all of that for me. It was the same with 10's comments about him dying and another man walking away. 10 had so much potential for joy but his actual life ended up being mostly tragedy, and after only 3 in-universe years of being him, he finds out he doesn't get to be that version of himself anymore and live up to that potential. That was some juicy emotional storytelling for me, so him coming back as 14 and being allowed to live on, get some therapy and be happy for a while was great. That said, if 14 goes on to ignore his trauma and become the Valeyard or some shit, I'm going to throw hands

to be fair there is always all the doctors existing at the same time. but for me i really liked the bi regeneration because it allows 15 to feel fresh and new, and do something never before done for the doctor, be happy. it reminds me of series 10, which to me still feels like the newest series in years.

I would love to see your takes on each episode as they come out!! as I have mirrored your emotional journey this episode set. See you day or two after Christmas!

This was like watching a former Scientologist talk themselves back into Scientology.

I’m kind of interested to see how or if this gets resolved. Will there be two separate diverging Doctors going forward? What happens if 14 regenerates? I’m personally kind of hoping they have it so they eventually ‘fuse’ back together like how the Watcher did in Logopolis. Maybe when 15 eventually regenerates they could merge and become the 16th Doctor. I was kind of hoping they’d explain why 10’s face came back in the specials but they never did answer that. I hope that gets explained eventually too. My biggest concern is actually the whole copying the Tardis thing tbh. I hope this doesn’t mean the Doctor’s Tardis is made less unique. In a way the Tardis is a character in herself it would be a shame if she’s no longer the same ship we’ve been travelling with throughout the entire show and expanded media. I get they copied her but I still feel a bit uncomfortable by this decision almost more than splitting the Doctor.

I quite like the bi-generation, but totally get how some don't. The way I'm seeing it in my head is that the Doctor kinda did regenerate and Ncuti is THE Doctor, but 14 just got a happy ending instead of dying. I love the complicated tragedy of regeneration, but I also like that this one was turned on it's head and we got a joyful one for once. I adore DT, but I really hope we don't see his "parked" Doctor again for at least a few seasons (if at all) and the way RTD talks about it gives me hope that will happen, he seems fully invested in Ncuti. I also really like the headcanon that 14 eventually becomes the Curator. In the long run I think having a Doctor who has shed his trauma will be good going forward (for him to undoubtably pick up new trauma) and will help new fans coming onto the show, similar to how the Time War refreshed the show at the beginning of the revival. Ultimately I think these 3 specials have been a bridge into the next era of Doctor who, packing up all of 2005-2022 and not disregarding it or erasing it but sending it off lovingly to live on in the background while a new story starts. And because Ncuti isnt a replacement for DT, audiences aren't gonna enter the new season feeling grief, like a lot of us did with Matt Smith. Therefore I think a lot of people are actually gonna be on board with it. It's a weird change and I get why some people don't like it. But personally I have a lot of hope for the next era.

Please please post a video between every episode I love these videos

I found you for the first time this evening, and you were great to listen to; your delivery, your sincerity, your knowledge, and flow were super. I look forward to watching more of you in a couple of weeks, and I think your format is on point.

I loved the Giggle. I don’t think it was completely flawless, but there was a lot to enjoy. I’m even into the idea of bi-generation, mostly because it gives the Doctor the opportunity to have a past, but also to be looking toward the future unburdened by it. It’s a neat little metaphor for how I’m hoping the new series will go. I would also like to see more of these videos for the new series! Yours is one of the few channels I actually am interested in hearing the reactions to Doctor Who

It needed "breaking"-religious adherence to canon cripples so many shows, and becomes a crutch more than a source of more stuff to pull interesting narrative from. The Doctor is a timelord, or half human, or maybe he's the timeless one, or maybe he is the 15th version, or maybe the first in a new line, or maybe none or these things, and all these things. What matters is he is an alien time traveler in a blue box, with w a companion, going on weekly adventures.😊

Ncuti Gatwa is THE Doctor. The bigeneration allows the doctor to forgive himself and heal, while moving on with a lot less baggage. The sheer JOY of 15 is phenomenal.

8:32 how to beat the toy maker Step 1 make a steam account and purchase tabs Step 2 unlock the dark peasant Step 3 make a custom level with a 30 unit limit, unlimited money, the only unit allowed is peasants, and to win you must defeat the dark peasant who’s in the middle of the map Step 4 restrict him from accessing settings and give him 1 try only Step 5 unplug your keyboard and mouse when he starts the game You win I think

It took me a while to formulate an opinion on it, as I was trying to wrap my head around Bi-generation. But I think after a while, I realized that not only is this far from being the dumbest idea, but Doctor Who has done weird regenerations before, most notably 10 regenerating into himself and creating a clone via meta crisis, and even in classic we had 4th Doctor into 5th Doctor, via merging with The Watcher. So other than that, I think I can confidently say this was Great. My favorite part easily being all of The Toymaker's scenes, NPH's version has easily become one of my favorite DW villains, I genuinely wish we got more of him. Mel's surprise return was nice, she was never my favorite companion but I feel like it makes sense she's working at UNIT as other companions are aswell, plus Mel has always had computer skills that never really got tapped into during either 6 or 7's eras. I'm not quite sure what to make of 15 yet, obviously there's not much to go off of, but he definitely has the charisma, I think it's obvious they're gonna go for the more bubbly Doctor in the same lane as 8 or 13. And now with the specials concluded, I think i can confidently say I like the 14th Doctor, I'd argue if there is gonna be more of him, rather its a spin off or big finish, he'll probably be better than 10 to me. Overall, no matter what people will say, this was a great time, however I wouldn't say its the best anniversary in the world, feels more like an ending to New Who (2005-2023) setting up the Whoniverse with the "New series 1", but I can look pass that and still see work with a bunch of love put into it, and as a sort of ending to New Who, some don't like it, but I think its satifying. And i look foward to 15. Who wins in a dance off, Sacha Dhawan Master or Neil Patrick Harris Toymaker?

It feels like since the renewed regeneration cycle on Trenzalore, the show has been treading dangerous ground in how it continually introduces new rules for how the Doctor is able to keep existing, such as the Timeless Child and bi-generation. It's been doing so as early as the Meta-Crisis Doctor, but the circumstances were quite specific on that one. Hell, even Twelve mocked death as being a man flu for Time Lords. I'm glad it meant Fourteen had his own happy ending, but the bigger picture is very complicated. It feels like the worldbuilding is running a bit too wild with the process of regeneration and Time Lords as a whole. Giggle was a huge yay, bi-generation was a nay, these videos are a yay.

If you posted ever week for every episode I would watch every week for every episode

I've rewatched the whole 60th special 'series' since coming to terms with how The Giggle ended and a lot of stuff that didn't entirely work for me on the first go around feels a lot more cohesive and right with the context of the entire thing. Thematically it feels like the specials overall are about accepting the past and moving on in a more healthy way, which we see play out with Donna and David Tennant as 14. The meta-crisis being resolved by having Rose and Donna simply choose to let go felt a bit cheap the first time around, but with this thematic angle in mind I think it really works. Donna probably couldn't have let go of it and let go of adventuring with the Doctor fifteen years ago when it was the only thing she really had to live for, but she built a life for herself now and has a daughter. She has attachments to Earth and life beyond the Doctor that she didn't have in Series 4, and this is reiterated in Wild Blue Yonder when she struggles with the idea of being stranded in space forever. Even as she's travelling with her old friend again she continually insists that it's temporary and she's going to move forward with her life on Earth, even though she's happy she has her memories back and the crisis was resolved in a much healthier way. The ability to simply let go of the meta crisis, the way I interpret it, is born from the fifteen years of development we missed, and it foreshadows the end of The Giggle beautifully. On The Doctor's end, we see 14 repeatedly confronted with everything he's running from; not just the fallout of Chibnall's era but all the companions they've lost since Donna, all the people he's failed to save. Wild Blue Yonder shows just how desperately he needs to sit down with Donna and open up but can't bring himself to, how much it gets to him when the version he does confide in is a fake who mocks him. And The Giggle reinforces this with the Toymaker's mocking puppet show of The Doctor's worst post-Donna failures in front of her. 14 overall is a version of 10 who's lived three additional lives and learned a lot from the experience, but he still runs from everything, feeling like there is no other choice. In the end, 15 splitting off from him in a bi-generation allows him to finally stop running and process everything, while a less burdened version of him goes off on new adventures. The 14th Doctor learns to let go of his old lifestyle in a healthy manner just like Donna has. It feels a little weird, given all the buildup made a lot of us think there was some special or sinister reason Tennant's face came back. But I really like the explanation we get here. Deep down, they knew they needed a friend to take it easy with for a while, and subconsciously they knew it could only be Donna Noble. The Bi-generation finally letting the Doctor embody the duality of his need to help the universe and his need to settle down is a great emotional resolution to that thread, even if the logic doesn't fully hold together. Fourteen had two very strange regenerations, and I don't know if they'll ever feel the need to overexplain it, but personally I like the idea that it happened this way because The Doctor has been in a very strange headspace since Flux, and subconsciously knew they needed this, so it's what they got. Man this comment got long but I have a lot of thoughts on this. Hopefully some of my perspective was interesting though! I'll close off by saying that this feels like a response to the way the Moffat era always ended things off with bittersweet tragedies, there's a reason his three main companions were the central act in the Toymaker's puppet show. And while I love all of those exits, it is nice that. Just this once. Everybody lives.

To me Bi-generation, just feels like a way to make it so David Tennant doesn’t die, for some reason, Russell has had an adversity to having him move on and except the change. I don’t like it

It seems to me that bi-generation is a bit of a cheat by RTD for no better reason than that he can't bear to let go of (the admittedly very good) David Tennant.

The doctor is always existing in multiple places through time. We had a whole special where all the doctors appeared at the same time. They are all time travelers and therefore are always existing throughout time together. No difference with David Tennant living on earth compared to doctors traveling around time.

the challenge we now have is we know The Doctor cant sit by and let bad things happen. So the next time the world is under treat an the 15th Doctor is helping to save the word, then you have to ask yourself "What is Tennant doing?, just hanging out in the back yard watching the world burn?"

I think the ending to the giggle was a fulfilling ending david Tennant got to be the doctor still but now has more time to spend with his new found family donna shaun wilf sylvia rose and others he gets to be happy and know his companion is safe as he will be around to keep it that way its the best outcome possible without tearing audiences away by say no im not watching next doctor they aren't my doctor which was how i felt after watching all of matt smith then he regenerated in to Peter capaldi and i was very annoyed with that as he played ceaser in fires of pompii when david Tennant played the 10th doctor so i refused to watch that one when i heard david was coming back and saw that Catherine tate would be in it i was like hell yes i will watch that and now after seeing Ncuti Gatwa as 15th doctor alongside david Tennant 14th doctor i am so willing to watch Ncutis doctor and see what lies in store for his form of the doctor P.S sorry for the long comment just wanted to give my opinion as you wanted to know really 😊

The bi-generation could work well depending on what they do with it going forward because you can't just have 2 Doctors existing at once and not do anything with it. Depending on how and when it comes back and what they do with it, I think it could be pretty good. I definitely don't think it can be permanent, though. Here's how I would do it: Reveal during the series, through means I haven't figured out, that The Doctor wasn't technically supposed to die on that tower, that the Toymaster, being from outside the universe, kinda f*cked up the timeline, which is why they bi-generated instead, and 15 is technically from 14's future, which is how they could "do rehab in reverse", throughout the series keep dropping hints that the Doctor's true next death is coming soon. Also, make it clear that, while he's doing better than 14, 15 isn't entirely okay. In the finale, 14 comes back to help deal with the major crisis, now doing much better mentally, and keeps barely escaping death the whole time. Then, towards the end, 15 jumps in the way of a mortal wound meant for 14 and, instead of regenerating, is absorbed back into 14, causing 14 to properly regenerate into 15, now with all the memories of both Doctors, and somehow that combined knowledge is what allows him to save the day.

I like to imagine that the toymaker caused the bigeneration. He made a mess of the doctor's history, intentionally turning it into a "jigsaw puzzle" and it backfired in the weirdest way possible.

I loved this episode tbh it was just all around a very fun time and had a lot of awesome spectacle.

I really like the idea of the bi-generation (i feel like its a one time thing that only happened because of the influence of the toymaker creating chaos) and i think it was really important that donna and 14 didnt finish their runs in a similar way to the way series 4 ended, like i was really prepared for tragedy but im glad that it allows tennants doctors proper closure. Tennant's doctors have always been the most domestic of NuWho and the fact that he's allowed to settle down with his best friend in a mostly human life is so refreshing and clears the slate somewhat for ncuti's doctor. It means that 15 can have that more cheerful/easy-going demeanour without it seeming entirely like a show (which would just be rehashing 11 and 13s way of dealing with trauma) and allowing 15 to be a fresh take on the show.

I genuinely thought Bi-generation worked, obviously it leaves a big plothole in that there is another doctor on earth now, but as someone who studies film, plotholes really aren't all that a lot of these youtube media critics play it up to be. Overall i mostly agree with Joe, but seeing 15 on screen was so delightful that i literally said "yes!" out loud when he pulled out the mallet and made another TARDIS, it shows that he is gonna be playful and empathetic, weird and interesting, like Smith or Baker. So I just hope that others who watch this see it the same way.

I really enjoyed it. Your videos are probably the furthest into DW fandom as I get, so i didn't know about the Bi-generation until it happened but I really like the idea. I like that we can know the Doctor took this time with a family to heal without flashing forward to a time that he's healed but his time with the Noble's has to end with Donna dying of old age or something and 14 being retraumatized in that way before becoming 15. We an enjoy the idea of 14 living an idyllic life where he can can heals so he can continue having adventures later in life as 15. I think Ncuti's line of saying he's okay because 14 did that healing for him kinda makes that work for me and makes me see them as one continuous character rather than a 10 and 10-2 situation. I wish 14 wasn't left with a TARDIS but it doesn't ruin anything for me. I hope we don't see 14 in any future onscreen stories. The most I'd be happy with is 15 asking Mel if he's doing okay when we see her in future stories. Just a thought I was having as you were talking about the "Not my Doctor" viewers reactions. I feel like Russell might've scared most of them off with any "woke" writing was in the first 2 specials anyway and they probably don't care too much for 14 but could be wrong. But I also feel writing a story to dampen the worst reactions of some of the angrier fans is one of the reasons we ended up with TROS in the first place so I'm glad Russell didn't feel like he wanted to cater to that group.

my second favourite part of every week has been watching your reviews of the episode, so please please keep doing these when s15 comes out!! weekly you is almost just as good as doctor who. as for my thoughts, for the first time ever im excited for doctor who in a way thats different from my excitement for the 60th, its rekindled a love and enjoyment I thought I was only capable of as a kid. im 18 now and if i look back, the last good episode of doctor who was when I was 12, and thats heartbreaking but also so incredible that I get to watch all these now! ncuti is going to be incredible, and as for bi-generation, as you said, all of the doctors are everywhere all the time, so whether david is down the street or not it doesnt change the weight of his sacrifices or those of his companions, this break marks the renewal of the doctor in my eyes and im excited to see where russel brings this character next! and to me this is nothing new, remember in season 6 when matt smith had his very brief time lord victorious speech about being able to go and help rose tyler with her homework among other things? its always been the case that the doctor is everywhere everywhen, and part of his sacrifice is to live life linearly, and thats what makes the moments we have with them and their companions (i may have said he in this comment but im too lazy to go back and replace it with them but that was my intention! sorry, im quite tired lol) special and irreplaceable, and we saw the consequences of him meddling with that in hell bent, so like you said i dont think this breaks canon. and with a lot of RTD things, and with the show as a whole, its all ridiculous and its all made up and as long ss it doesnt contradict what came before (cough cough chibbers) then ill embrace it. and if it means we get 20 incredible minutes of ncuti as a preview then im never going to disagree with that. im more excited for season 1 than i was for the 60th and that isnt the conclusion i was expecting, but i very much think it was the conclusion russel wanted, and i feel like the show is back in safe hands and Im no longer worried and depressed about what the next episode is going to bring, im just excited to discover more and to meet ncuti properly. again, much love to you and your content, thank you for adding on even more to the thrilling ride that was the 60th, and looking forward to seeing you again at christmas!!!

I thought it was great

big nay for bi-generation. Maintaining Tennant as a second active Doctor who can pop up at any time they are on earth goes against the show's core principal of change and moving on.

I really do like the idea of a maybe more human version of the doctor being the one to retire with his extended family and David Tennant is a good choice for that- wait didn't they already do that exact thing but with less problems?

It was incredible, loved it!

I loved Bigeneration and duplicating The Tardis using 15s "prize". It was brilliant, 10/10.... Happiest I've been as a Doctor Who fan since Heaven Sent.

I think the Bi-Generation was absolutely ingenious. I think it would be a good choice to make it so that the 14th doctor can not regenerate again after the Bi-Generation and only the 15th Doctor carries on the ability to regenerate now. Since the doctors timelord origin backstory is essentially down the drain and he is the Timeless Child, anything is possible though. I wonder if they'll explore the Doctors Timeless Child Origins. It would be interesting to know if the Fob Watch containing the memories of the Doctor from before the memory wipe by Division and Tecteun was duplicated within the Tardis. If not, I hope that the 14th Doctor gets a spin off show and he is the one who has the Fob Watch and eventually opens it. Timelord Victorious??? I really enjoyed the Giggle, it was overall phenomenal Doctor Who.

Well now one of the docs can fall through a time hole while regenerating into a little kid and become the times child.

The thing is it sets up the one who waits. Very excited to see Scogo hinted at. Will truly be a return to form for Doccy Who.