REVIEW: ‘Doctor Who’ — “Wild Blue Yonder”

Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder is the second of three Doctor Who specials, celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the sci-fi show. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Tom Kingsley, the show stars David Tennant and Catherine Tate. The Doctor and Donna find themselves all alone on a spaceship with no TARDIS, no sonic screwdriver, and no idea where or when they are.

The plot and pacing of this episode are extremely different from that of The Star Beast, Where the first special had to accomplish a lot very quickly. Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder has no problems with taking it slow. It’s a creepier, quieter chapter, slipping more into the horror side of the show. There is a cold opening that serves as a red herring, having nothing to do with the rest of the story. But the noise of the intro is then cut after the credits, with so much of the rest of the show being trapped in the silence of space.

It’s a story that even when the threat begins to appear, it is insidious and unsettling. It’s a cerebral, scary plot, and the frights are unique within Doctor Who. It’s close to body horror while also featuring trickery and spatial manipulation. Most of the episode takes place within the isolation of the spaceship, which has a haunting quality. The ending will lead directly into the following special, but not before a loving yet devastating surprise that will instantly mend and break hearts in the exact second.

The cast of Wild Blue Yonder is entirely a double act. Aside from the intro and the ending, no human characters are included apart from Tate and Tennant. And what a duo to leave with that responsibility. They are phenomenal together, blessed with the script of Davies, who knows and adores the characters so much. The friendship and the chemistry may be eternal, but lifetimes have passed. Fifteen years for Donna, potentially hundreds and four regenerations for the Doctor. Both the familiarity and that are obvious. These are the first honest conversations the best friends have had in so long, now untampered by blocked memories. The exposition has to be told by them because there is no one else to do so, and the unraveling of the mystery is superbly written.

There is another character introduced early, but they never speak and have a singular focus, not even noticing the time travelers. What is actually within the ship is extremely frightening, with echoes of a previous Doctor Who episode and it is one of the most famous of the original Doctor and Donna. It’s not wholly original as an initial concept, but what has been added is frightening and causes constant chills, sometimes even making it incredibly uncomfortable to look at the screen.

Tate’s delivery is phenomenal, drawing some laughs again. The way that Donna strides back into time and space travel is impressive, and the same can be said for Tate. Tennant is comfortable and confident in this second special, looking more like himself. Because we can see that old face, it is important to remember that this is the 14th Doctor, not the 10th.

He has had experiences after his regeneration that have shaped and scarred him. Both the characters get a chance to have a speech on their own, which is an intelligent scene. It allows the performers to shine and the characters to demonstrate just how far they have come. But as it happens, fear and awareness grow around what’s happening. Even a personal, important piece of character development still has to fit the atmosphere. And towards the end of the episode, Donna and The Doctor get a chance to catch up, featuring more flawless dialogue that can’t help but hide secrets.

The signs of a bigger budget have returned in this second special, although the production team has never flaunted the cash and shown off. There is still a charm to the show, and this isolated, reduced cast is often a sign of the team trying to save funds. However, the ship’s main body is a vast, cavernous corridor that seems cold and almost endless. This is largely CGI, although it has a totally practical creation. And the side rooms of the ship are all cleverly constructed. 

Then comes the horror, with a seamless, terrifying feature for the enemies. It’s some of the most disturbing scenes within Doctor Who history, with CGI and filming techniques that may not have been possible before the collaboration with Disney+. Audiences should always bear in mind that Doctor Who has a family audience, and so children and older viewers alike are watching. What the Doctor and Donna witness is extremely alarming and stomach-churning for adults, but it is going to give children nightmares their own nightmares. Also, the TARDIS is generally more mobile, and the ship’s movement is a huge demonstration of what could come next.

Wild Blue Yonder is a psychological horror and therapy. With so much newness, memory loss, and chaos in the first special, The Doctor and Donna didn’t get a chance to rekindle that terrific friendship. But now the best friends are all alone, or so they think. It’s a beautiful exploration of what they lived through and lost. The past is remembered with both fondness and tragedy. It’s a haunting and terrifying story, unsettling until the end. The warmth from the characters is offset by the chills caused by the setting.

The specials being so different in tone for this collection is a brilliant example of the spectrum of stories that can be told and why the show has so much longevity. This one draws the best out of two of the most talented actors to have ever graced the series and is helmed by one of the greatest writers and executive producers. And even if the bulk of the episode had been bad, the final scene is entirely worth it. It’s a poignant epilogue that had me sobbing.

Doctor Who: Wild Blue Yonder is available on Disney+ outside the UK.