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The Doctor Who 60th anniversary trio of episodes kicks off this weekend with The Star Beast. This “Timey-Wimey” episode is adapted from a comic strip of the same name published by Marvel Comics UK in 1980. The original comic, featured in Doctor Who Weekly, came from the creative minds of Pat Mills, John Wagner, and Dave Gibbons. Of course, this new take on the classic Who story will look different but will still feature some integral parts of the story, including the adorable Beep the Meep.
The Original Star Beast
The Star Beast began as a comic strip before debuting as a David Tennant and Catherine Tate episode. The original comic strip featured the Fourth Doctor. It began with the alien creature called Beep the Meep crashlanding on Earth. The adorable Furby-esque creatures are being pursued by a race known as the Wrarth Warriors. Of course, Beep is found by schoolchildren Sharon and Fudge, who help hide them.
When the Doctor helps Beep the Meep escape with Sharon, he soon learns the adorable creature is, you guessed it, a war criminal. So, the Doctor quickly fixes everything and decides to take Sharon on as a companion. This marked the first time a black companion was featured in any Doctor Who media.
Doctor Who 60th Anniversary
Now, for Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, Beep the Meep is back, and so are Catherine Tate and David Tennant. The debut episode for the anniversary trio is an adaptation of the classic comic. Showrunner Russell T. Davies has stated that choosing The Star Beast to adapt was an intentional choice. However, he is keeping those reasons a secret for now.
In any case, longtime fans of the show are eager to see the return of Tennant as The Doctor and Tate as Donna Noble. The series also welcomes Yasmin Finney as the first trans companion, Rose Noble. The first of three 60th anniversary specials is streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
