by Doctor Who It’s back on our screens – and viewers are praising the show for incorporating actress Yasmin Finney’s transgender identity into the plot of the opening episode.
The world’s longest-running sci-fi series is back for three special episodes to mark the show’s 60th anniversary. As for the specials, former Doctor David Tennant is back as the Doctor, with Catherine Tate joining him once again as fan favorite companion Donna Noble. Former exhibition secretary Russell T Davies is also back at the helm.
*Students for “The Star Beast” below – you have been warned!*
The mini-series – which will air before Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the Doctor at Christmas – began on Saturday (November 25) with “The Star Beast”. In the series the Doctor ran back into Donna while she was out with her daughter Rose, played by Heartbroken Finney’s star.
As they walk home, a group of teenage bullies ride up on their bikes, shouting at Rose and calling her dead – calling her the name she used before she switched. Donna says she will find “them”.
“The world was on fire for you, my dear,” Donna tells her. “Anyone tries, I’ll be there and I’ll come.”
Donna and her mother Sylvia (Jacqueline King) also show an honest discussion about Rose’s identity. Sylvia accidentally insults Rose, then apologizes and worries about being “clumsy” or saying the wrong thing.
The scene was praised on social media, with one viewer tweeting: “This was the most natural part of the episode for me. Sylvia says something that I can easily see one of my parents saying, who are good-natured when it comes to this stuff but sometimes miss the mark. I am happy [Davies] it didn’t make her transphobic, though.”
Another replied: “One of my favorite character moments. She is really trying, but she is not perfect and still slip up. It’s so real and true to life.”
Nods to trans identity were made throughout the episode. Shortly after a spaceship lands on Earth, Rose meets The Meep, a cute creature who tells her that he is hunting her across the galaxy.
When the Doctor meets the alien, he tells Rose and Donna that he can “help him get home”. “Are you taking ‘he’ as a pronoun?” Rose asks the Doctor, who replies: “True. Yes. Sorry, good point,” before asking the Meep: “Are you him or her or them?”
The Meep replies: “The definite article is the preferred pronoun. I’m always the Meep.”
“Oh. I do that,” the Doctor says back.
Rose’s trans identity also plays a vital role in the plot. It is revealed that as Donna’s daughter, who has part of the Doctor’s identity (known as Doctor Donna) in herself, she has memories of the Doctor and is able to save her mother.
Before this, the Doctor had said that he had to say a series of words, ending with “binary” over and over again to bring Donna’s memory back. As a clip of Donna saying “binary”, Rose’s voice echoed the words “non-binary”.
On Twitter/X, fans were thrilled with the episode’s trans-inclusivity. “Russell T Davies truly stood up and said that Trans people are beautiful and we love seeing it,” wrote one commenter.
“Doctor Who His BIG SPECIAL is a serious message about a trans character saving the day with the power of being non-binary & The Doctor being openly non-binary – with Tennant’s obvious trans support.”
“The way you can tell Russell was so much fun writing the progressive, trans-inclusive elements of that episode knowing that he would put all the worst elements on the internet,” said another person.
One commenter wrote: “It will mean so much to so many characters to see a trans wife Doctor Who, which receives inspection and validation of its identity. That’s great.”
Another tweet read: “Honestly I don’t care if some of the lines were a bit cheesy, it’s better DW there is an episode. Great to see Donna and 10 back again. Also it’s amazing for such a mainstream show to have a trans storyline so central to a 15-year plot line.”
I honestly don’t care if some of the lines were a little cheesy, the DW episodes are the best. Great to see Donna and 10 back again. Also it’s amazing for such a mainstream show to have a crossover story so central to a 15 year plot line #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/xnwkdszOAh
— supercalumfragilistic (@calumbyyourname) November 26, 2023
Speaking of a companion show Doctor Who: Released, Davies explained the decision to incorporate Finney’s trans identity into the show. “Rose having the ‘he’ and the ‘she’ and both and both is a vital part of the story, and that’s a new future. Rose goes beyond words, beyond definitions.”
He continued: “Homophobia and transphobia happen when it’s something you’ve never seen before. You can moderate and change that reaction by introducing these images to people happily, normally and calmly when they are young. Then it becomes normal.”
Meanwhile, Tennant has worn a Tardis pin badge in the colors of the transgender flag during several recent TV appearances. When asked about the badge, the money from which goes to the LGBT+ homeless charity, the Albert Kennedy Trust, he said Attitude: “It’s just something that I think is beautiful and important and fits those things Doctor Who it means.”
Doctor Who continues Saturday 2 December at 6.30pm on BBC One.
