'Doctor Who' Released Some Eurovisionary "Network Error" Teasers For The 60th Anniversary
'Doctor Who' Released Some Eurovisionary "Network Error" Teasers For The 60th Anniversary
Oh and a few Series 14 images with Jonathan Groff. That'll be here too
In late April, a surprise new teaser for Doctor Who’s 60th-anniversary special appeared. It, and the two like it that followed in recent days, are set up to interrupt what looks like normal BBC continuity breaks. They’re very short, no longer than 20 seconds, but have slowly revealed more about the specials than we’ve had in a while. And if the onscreen codes are any indication, will lead to something bigger at the Eurovision Song Contest, this year’s edition held in the United Kingdom this week.
The first probably features the most reused footage. It starts as an ident of a Venus flytrap. There’s a zoom-in on the TARDIS that’s probably just asset work. A vessel that can’t be made out, with yellow energy emanating. An armored-up agent reveals themselves to be possessed in some manner. Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, at her dinner conversation, when she feels something missing. The Fourteenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, is distressed in a night scene. But there are things being said, revealed when played backward: Donna asking “Why did this face come back?” and Fourteen stating “Cryptic. I don’t like that.”
The second is on the Edge of Creation. Mostly redacted, it sees Fourteen and Donna on the floor witnessing some sort of explosive action. But we hear the Doctor say, when reversed “She mentioned Gallifrey.” The third is the most we’ve seen of Neil Patrick Harris’s character since the Christmas trailer, and he leans deeper into speculation that he’s the Celestial Toymaker, who last appeared on TV in a serial bearing the villain’s name. Fourteen and Donna witness him together, and the line is “He’s in everyone’s head”. Among the "network error" code, fans have noticed it says "Tracing route to: Eurovision 13/05/23". This makes it very clear that when Tate appears at Eurovision’s grand finale tomorrow as the UK’s spokesperson, she’s bringing with her a new trailer for these specials. The specials, titles still unknown, will be directed by Chanya Button, Tom Kingsley & Rachel Talalay, and mark the beginning of the second showrunner stint for Russell T. Davies.
On Wednesday, series socials posted new images of Fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa with his companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson, standing with recently-announced guest star Jonathan Groff, on set and in costume, dapper Victorian clothing. This lends to his role maybe being key after all. Groff’s character’s name is reportedly Tabby McTat, but it’s unconfirmed. However, it does continue to show Fifteen’s continually changing outfits, more so than his predecessors. More regency photos of Gibson as Sunday were later released.
Doctor Who will continue to air on the BBC domestically, but starting with the 60th-anniversary specials in November and for the foreseeable future, air on Disney+ everywhere else, including the United States. Reportedly, it will be accompanied by a Doctor Who Confidential successor companion series, Doctor Who Unleashed. A series starring Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart has been the first of several planned spin-offs announced. Series 14 is scheduled to premiere in the spring. The Eurovision Song Contest streams in the United States on Peacock, and the ninth to thirteenth Doctors’ eras are available on (HBO) Max.
Sources: BleedingCool, RadioTimes