Wild Blue Yonder is the title of the second special of the acclaimed British series Doctor Whoproduced on the occasion of the anniversary of Sixtieth anniversary of this long-running franchise. To celebrate this milestone, therefore, they have been well planned three special episodes. The first one was released on Disney+ on November 25th, and this second one is out Saturday 2 December. The third and final special is scheduled for Saturday 9 December.
The last episode delighted us with the return of the character of Woman and one of the Doctor’s old regenerations, played by David Tennant. The special – in true Doctor Who style – ended with a cliffhanger which left viewers in suspense for a good week. The Tardis malfunctioned and, completely out of control, sent Donna and the Doctor to an unknown destination.
A spaceship at the end of the Universe
After a brief stop in 1600 – in the company of a great name of the time – the Tardis, still malfunctioning, moves again, transporting its two guests inside a spaceship. Initially, the ship seems completely abandoned – except for a small, dilapidated and extremely slow robot. Over the course of the episode, however, Donna and the Doctor realize that they are not completely alone inside the spaceship.
The latter, the Doctor initially explains, is located at the end of the universeIn the Nothing more total. But how is it possible that a universe that is infinite by its very definition has a limit, an end? This paradox constitutes the leitmotif of the entire structure of the episode, not only in relation to the universe, but also to the characters themselves. For the Doctor, all living beings are paradoxes that simultaneously contain something and its opposite.
Nothingness, form and its opposite
As mentioned, after a while Donna and the Doctor realize that they are not the only ones inside the spaceship. In fact, the two find themselves faced with what appear to be some perfect copies of them. This incipit gives space to a trope widely used in both cinema and television: how will the characters understand who is really themselves and who is copying them?
These copies are entities that belong to the Nothing and able to modify their own formcopying not only from a physical point of view, but also mentally: memories and thoughts they therefore become theirs and it is increasingly difficult to recognize what is real from what is not.
Memories and feelings: what makes us truly human?
The themes of memory, of one’s own personal history and the concept of home and of family these are some of the central elements that have always characterized the adventures of the Doctor and his companions. Donna longs to go home from her family and is scared of how the people she loves might react to not seeing her again. The Doctor has the same desire, a visceral desire to return home, the only thing he was never granted. At this moment more than ever, however, he finds himself confused in trying to understand if he really has a home, a place of origin and therefore a place to which he can return.
The special takes up one of the characteristics of the Doctor that we have come to know over the course of these 13 seasons of reboots. The Doctor never stops, he is always moving, be it with the Tardis, his body or his own mind grinding out thoughts at the speed of light. But this desire to run and never stop, as Donna points out, is the result of fear. The Doctor is running awayprimarily by his questions and doubts.
War, a human issue
What might they think of entities living in absolute nothingness observing the Earth and its history? From what they themselves say, what they have understood most of all is that the human race is dominated by a halo of violence of which the war constitutes the apex.
What escapes these entities, however, is precisely the paradox that characterizes humanity. Man is not only violence, but also compassion. The earth has always been torn apart by bloody wars but she was also healed by love and human solidarity. The Earth – together with its inhabitants – is a conglomerate of everything and the opposite of this everything. And this is one of the many aspects why the Doctor is in love with humanity.
Tennant, Tate and the incredible performances
Among what is most striking and memorable about the episode, an honorable mention goes to interpretations by David Tennant and Catherine Tate. The episode sees them double up and play two characters at the same time. Even though they are the same actors, with the same features and dressed in the same way, Tennant and Tate manage to make the differences between the characters and their copies shine through – even in the smallest and only apparently insignificant details.
Mimicry, trend of the voice, movement in space: everything leads the viewer to remain glued to the screen, in an attempt to understand who plays who and ultimately remaining amazed at the moment of revelation.
All this is also included in a extremely well-kept environment. The central part of the episode takes place completely inside the spaceship, which, despite its enormous size, seems to increasingly gather around Donna and the Doctor, almost giving a feeling of claustrophobia.
Wilfred’s long-awaited cameo
The themes of memory, history and family do not exclusively concern the narrative universe of Doctor Who, but also translate off set. The episode is in fact dedicated to the British actor Bernard Cribbins, who made his last appearance at the very end of the episode. Cribbins was a real veteran within the series – given his participation in one of the films of the original version, during the 1960s.
The actor was also supposed to participate in the third special for the Doctor’s sixtieth birthday, but unfortunately he died in July 2022. The showrunner Russell T. Davies he also remembered it in a heartfelt Instagram post, accompanied by the last photo taken with Cribbins on the set.
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