8 Burning Questions After Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary & Ncuti Gatwa’s Debut

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials “The Star Beast,” “Wild Blue Yonder,” and “The Giggle.”

As the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials have come to an end, debuting Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor, there are plenty of burning questions for Doctor Who season 14 to answer. The British sci-fi show’s celebration of airing for over six decades saw the return of three very familiar faces, namely David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor, Catherine Tate as Donna Noble, and Russell T. Davies returning as showrunner. This kicked off Davies’ second time as showrunner, having rebooted the show in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston, who played the Doctor until Tennant’s first tenure in 2006.

The Fifteenth Doctor’s sudden arrival in “The Giggle” was an unexpected twist to the last episode of the three-part special, especially as he was not due to appear until the 2023 Christmas Day special “The Church on Ruby Road.” Although an exciting appearance, it raises several questions about what will happen next for the Time Lord. With Doctor Who season 14 on the horizon, several key details need clarifying as soon as possible.

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Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials Ending Explained

The final Doctor Who anniversary special, “The Giggle,” is a regeneration story like no other – and its ending sets up some tremendous adventures.

8 What Is Bi-Generation?

The Doctor Now Has Two Bodies

As a laser beam hit the Fourteenth Doctor, he regenerated into a separate body – a first for Doctor Who. While this was something that had never been seen before, the Doctor seemed to be familiar with it, and Doctor Who explained bi-generation as something of a myth or fairytale the Doctor had grown up with in Gallifrey. Splitting into two bodies allowed for Tennant’s second portrayal of the Time Lord to survive, meaning he didn’t have to make yet another heartwrenching goodbye. Although not much has been explained about the process, it’s hoped that season 14 may be able to shed a little light on it.

7 What Does The Future Look Like For The 14th Doctor And The Noble Family?

The Doctor Finally Settles Down With A Family

The ending of Doctor Who‘s final 60th-anniversary special saw the Fourteenth Doctor settle down on Earth alongside Donna and her family. This concept was definitely a surprise and something that no companion, or the Time Lord himself, could have ever predicted. While he still has his own TARDIS and isn’t restricted to being on one planet, the Doctor finally accepts what Donna had been telling him since way back in season 4: he needs to slow down.

These final moments confirmed that he’d taken both Rose Noble (‎Yasmin Finney) and Mel (Bonnie Langford) on a few cheeky little trips, unbeknownst to Donna. However, the Doctor was filled with joy to tell his best friend how easily he’d found it to settle down on the slow path. With another version of the Doctor still around on Earth and Donna now safe from the meta crisis, it leaves an opportunity for the two to have a life together again. What that might entail is anyone’s guess, but it does set up the possibility of a spinoff in the future.

6 Will The Master Return (And Who Will Play Them)?

The Doctor’s Greatest Foe Could Be Coming Back Soon

One shocking detail from “The Giggle” was the very casual mention that The Master was trapped inside the gold tooth of The Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris). It can be assumed that this mention was to set up the return of The Doctor’s best frenemy for the first season of Ncuti Gatwa’s era, but their return could come later. Since Doctor Who’s reboot in 2005, there have been four actors to play the Master: Derek Jacobi, John Simm, Michelle Gomez, and Sacha Dhawan.

With a new Doctor, the Master will likely also return in a new regeneration and be portrayed by another actor. Who that may be has unlimited answers, however, seeing as both male and female actors have portrayed the role over the years. John Simm reprised his role even after regenerating for the season 10 episodes “World Enough and Time” and “The Doctor Falls,” so it wouldn’t be unusual to perhaps see either Gomez or Dhawan come back.

5 Who Collected The Master After The Toymaker Was Defeated?

The Tease Of The Master’s Survival Is Familiar

It’s not the first time that audiences have seen a small item containing the life force of the Master in some form be picked up by a hand with red painted nails. This exact imagery was seen in “The End of Time,” when the Saxon Master’s (Simm) ring was collected from the ashes of his funeral pyre by one of Lucy Saxon’s (Alexandra Moen) prison wardens. After defeating the Toymaker, his gold tooth containing the Master fell out and was discarded to the floor, which sets up a Master return.

With the similarities in the imagery, it could be possible that it will be Simm’s Master that returns. However, it could also imply the return of Lucy Saxon. Although Lucy was killed in the events of her husband’s revival in “The End of Time,” ultimately, it is Doctor Who, and anything is possible. Either way, the psychotic Time Lord is in that tooth, and somebody has taken it – just not the Doctor.

4 Will Mel Return For Doctor Who Season 14?

Bonnie Langford’s Long-Awaited Come Back Has Finally Happened

“The Giggle” saw the long-awaited return of Mel Bush (Bonnie Langford), a companion to the Sixth and Seventh Doctors. Mel departed the TARDIS to travel on the Nosferatu II, and so her sudden appearance at UNIT understandably surprised the Doctor. According to Mel, she’d returned to Earth some years before to find her family was long gone.

This resulted in her being recruited by Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) to work at UNIT. It’s been confirmed that the classic eracompanion will return for season 14, although how Mel will fit into the story is yet to be revealed. It seems likely that UNIT will also be involved, and Mel was quick to say hello to the Time Lord in his new body after regenerating, but it could be possible that she may rejoin Team TARDIS once again.

3 Who Is The Meep’s “Boss”?

The Interest Surrounding A Two-Hearted Creature

In the final moments of “The Star Beast,” the Meep tells the Doctor that “a creature with two hearts is such a rare thing” and that he would “tell the Boss.” Initially, this seemed like it could have been a reference to the Toymaker’s return two episodes later, although this was never confirmed. The Meep’s “boss” could be anybody in the universe, but what is known is that they would be interested in the Doctor having two hearts.

It would make sense for this to be another Time Lord, and once again, this cryptic taunt could be a setup for the Master’s return. However, the Meep itself is also a two-hearted creature. Even though it was supposedly the last of its kind, that could have been a lie, and there’s a chance that Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor may encounter the rest of the race in season 14.

2 Will 14 And 15 Ever Reunite In Doctor Who?

More Two Doctor Adventures Could Be On The Horizon

With the Doctor now split into two, it allows for more than one regeneration of the Time Lord to be in one place without concern as to how it may affect timelines or cause a paradox. While the Fourteenth Doctor (for now) has settled down on Earth with Donna and her family, the Fifteenth Doctor has headed off into time and space once again. Ncuti Gatwa’s first official episode as the Doctor is due to air on Christmas Day 2023, entitled “The Church on Ruby Road,” and will see him play the Time Lord solely by himself.

However, this doesn’t mean that these two versions of the Doctor won’t cross paths again. The Doctor now has a unique opportunity that he’d never had in the past: the ability to contact himself for help. Despite there being no confirmation of Tennant returning to the cast of Doctor Who season 14, anything is possible with showrunner Russell T. Davies.

1 What Is The Future Of UNIT?

UNIT Is Being Led By Some Of Earth’s Greatest Women

In the episode “Resolution,” the 2019 New Year’s Day special, it was confirmed that UNIT had been suspended as a result of the UK Brexit vote. Luckily, this didn’t last for very long, and UNIT was welcomed back with open arms, seemingly back to being fully functional by “The Star Beast.” Although there have been rumors of a UNIT spinoff in the works, nothing has been confirmed at this time.

However, Russell T. Davies’ first Doctor Whoera did see two prominent spinoffs, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, so it wouldn’t be unusual for him to try and get another off the ground as he returns as showrunner. What is known is that UNIT has a stronger team than ever, including the newly introduced Shirley Bingham (Ruth Madeley), Mel Bush, and as of “The Giggle,” Donna Noble. Tenth Doctor companion Martha Jones (Freema Aygeman) was also last seen working for UNIT, so it’s safe to say that the future of UNIT with its female-led team is ready to face the world.