Posted in: BBC, Doctor Who, TV | Tagged: bbc, catherine tate, chris chibnall, david tennant, disney, doctor who, russell t davies, steven moffat

Doctor Who "Wild Blue Yonder": High-Concept Sci-Fi Horror Return

The Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special "Wild Blue Yonder" re-established the show's credentials regarding high-concept Sci-Fi Horror.

Published Sat, 02 Dec 2023 18:14:09 -0600

by Adi Tantimedh

Last updated Sun, 03 Dec 2023 00:54:18 -0600

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Article Summary

"Wild Blue Yonder" blends Sci-Fi & Horror with high-concept for the second Doctor Who's 60th anniversary episode.
David Tennant's Doctor to regenerate into Ncuti Gatwa as the third special nears.
Russell T Davies brings deep character exploration in a [SPOILER]-bound tale.
Doctor Who reclaims its Sci-Fi roots as it prepares for a new chapter.

We're now into the second of the three 60th Anniversary specials of Doctor Who, "Wild Blue Yonder," and the countdown to David Tennant regenerating into Ncuti Gatwa gathers pace. After the nostalgic fan-hugging exhilaration of the show and the characters' return of "The Star Beast," "Wild Blue Yonder" settles in for a proper high-concept Science Fiction Horror story with a deceptively simple setup.

After a typically goofy scene with a Famous Historical Person that's typical with Doctor Who (did you know The Doctor and the Daleks caused the mystery of the Marie Celeste? Look it up!), The Doctor and Donna (Catherine Tate) end up on an empty spaceship at the edge of the universe, floating in nothingness, and abandoned by the TARDIS, which even took the sonic screwdriver with it. It ran off because of "hostile action" that could be even a threat to the normally near-indestructible TARDIS, so the Doctor and Donna are trapped on a haunted ship in the middle of utter nothing, but haunted by what? That's the mystery that drives the plot.

Writers like Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat are never ones to avoid a storytelling challenge; it keeps writers sharp, so you could say "Wild Blue Yonder" is another fun screenwriting exercise where they choose a deceptively simple idea and see how they can come up with a fresh take in crazy, creepy ideas while sticking to the characters' stories and themes. How do you do something interesting with no other actors in the cast other than the two leads? How do you create a story and idea that will scare the crap out of kids watching, but not too much, just enough, without an R-rated or 18 gorefest? Writers who want to prove they can do it will relish the challenge. Perhaps the production also wanted to save the budget for the final special, where there would be big explosions, stunts, extras, guest stars, and outdoor locations. A contained, studio-bound story is a great way to save money. But it's still expensive. That's a lot of CGI. And who doesn't love a haunted spaceship?

One thing about being trapped is the heroes are forced to face parts of themselves they're running from. That's one thing this type of contained story is good for, though not all writers like to do that. Not Davies, though; character depth is his forte, and The Doctor is forced to deal with the shame and guilt that makes them always run and stay on the move, always leaving friends and loved ones behind in the end. Chris Chibnall hinted at it but always avoided addressing it directly. Rather than retcon or ignore things Chibnall wrote that so many fans hated to the point of obsession, Davies acknowledged it and used it to add even more depth and pathos to the Doctor's tragedy. Donna gets her own moment about her doubts and self-esteem issues. The moments are usually the emotional heart of this kind of story that makes people remember it. It's Davies' way of re-establishing Doctor Who as a proper Science Fiction show, not just a fan fiction 'stanning show, all to prepare it for the next stages, which is the next Doctor and the next phase of the show that's both old and new.

The new Doctor Who is now streaming outside the UK on Disney+.

Doctor Who: "Wild Blue Yonder"

Review by Adi Tantimedh

7.5/10

We’re now into the second of the three 60th Anniversary specials of Doctor Who, “The Wild Blue Yonder,” and the countdown to David Tennant regenerating into Ncuti Gatwa gathers pace. After the nostalgic fan-hugging exhilaration of the show and the characters’ return of “The Star Beast,” “The Wild Blue Yonder” settles in for a proper high-concept Science Fiction Horror story with a deceptively simple setup.

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