Doctor Who specials (2023)

The Doctor Who specials (2023) are a trio of special episodes of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, serving as celebratory episodes for the show's 60th anniversary. These episodes see the return of David Tennant, previously the Tenth Doctor, as the Fourteenth Doctor, and Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. They also introduce a new incarnation of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver and feature new and returning monsters, including the Meep and the Celestial Toymaker.

The specials act as a bridge between the Thirteenth Doctor's era (portrayed by Jodie Whittaker) and the upcoming era of the Fifteenth Doctor (portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa), explaining the unusual regeneration. Showrunner Russell T Davies returned to oversee the specials and the subsequent series.

The three specials are titled: "The Star Beast," "Wild Blue Yonder," and "The Giggle." They aired weekly in November 2023, broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom and streamed internationally on Disney+. The storylines involve the Fourteenth Doctor and Donna Noble confronting threats related to their past and facing new cosmic forces.

The specials have been met with generally positive reviews, with particular praise directed at the performances of Tennant and Tate, as well as Davies' writing. They were also noted for their high production values and expansion of the Doctor Who mythology. The specials culminate in the bi-generation of the Fourteenth Doctor into the Fifteenth Doctor, allowing both Doctors to exist simultaneously.