Donna Noble Gets Justice In Doctor Who Anniversary Special
Donna Noble, played by Catherine Tate, is one of the most beloved companions in Doctor Who thanks to Tate’s endearing performance, her engaging character growth, and dynamic chemistry with then-Doctor David Tennant. This is why fans were borderline livid when Noble’s run on the series ended with the Doctor completely erasing her memories despite her actively protesting against it. Now that wrong has been righted in the form of the new 60th Anniversary specials, which saw Donna return and get her memories back.
Donna’s Memories Restored
Donna Noble and David Tennant were the companion and Doctor in one of the seasons helmed by showrunner Russell T. Davies, who had plenty of highs throughout his tenure as showrunner. Donna getting slighted was one of the few lows, and now Davies is back in the show running seat for the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials, which means that he can come full circle and fix the mistake himself. The first episode of the special is “The Star Beast” which not only restores Donna’s memories but also shows Donna with her new family and the growth that her family has afforded her character in the Doctor’s absence.
Will Donna Address The Mistake?
As Alan Sepinwall points out in his Rolling Stone article about the special episode, Donna Noble didn’t really get a chance to express her anger with what Tennant’s Doctor did to her. Hopefully, that thread will be pulled in the remaining two 60th anniversary specials that will wrap up Tennant’s return to Doctor Who before Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the Doctor. It’s true that Tennant’s current iteration is the 14th incarnation of the Doctor and not the 10th Doctor he played originally, so maybe Donna is still dealing with the fact that she’s technically dealing with a different incarnation.
The Stars Of The 60th Anniversary Special
Along with David Tennant and Catherine Tate reprising their roles as the Doctor and Donna Noble, the cast of the special episodes includes Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker, alongside returning cast members Jacqueline King, Karl Collins, Bernard Cribbins, and Jemma Redgrave, and newcomer Yasmin Finney as Donna’s daughter Rose. Davies is back as head writer and executive producer while the three specials were directed by Rachel Talalay, Tom Kingsley, and Chanya Button, respectively. Following the debut episode “The Star Beast” the upcoming episode is titled “Wild Blue Yonder” and is set to air on December 2.
Two More Specials Left
The final episode of the 60th anniversary specials will air on December 9 and is titled “The Giggle.” With this being presumably the last time we see David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the Doctor and Donna Noble in Doctor Who, it will be interesting to see how Davies wraps up their story this time around. Hopefully, it won’t be with another traumatic mind wipe.
Ncuti Gatwa As The Fifteenth Doctor
After we see Donna Noble and David Tennant’s Doctor one last time on December 9, Ncuti Gatwa will make his appearance as the 15th Doctor. Gatwa’s first appearance as the Doctor will also herald the return of the Christmas Special, as his first episode is set to air on Christmas Day. The episode is titled The Church on Ruby Road.
