Doctor Who 2023 Special Trailer Reveals Neil Patrick Harris’ Villain
Just in time for Christmas, the Doctor Who 2023 specials trailer has arrived. The new specials, which are designed for a November 2023 release, will be celebrating the iconic sci-fi show’s 60th anniversary and see David Tennant returning to lead, only this time as the Fourteenth Doctor instead of the Tenth. The Doctor Who specials are expected to open the door for Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor to debut in the series, though they won’t be without the return of a few other friendly faces along the way.
After teasing a release for the footage, the BBC has officially revealed the first Doctor Who 2023 specials trailer. The video offers a proper look at Tennant’s turn as the Fourteenth Doctor, as well as introducing Neil Patrick Harris’ eccentric, and unnamed, villain, and shows the recovery of Donna Noble.
What The Doctor Who Trailer Tells Us About The 60th Anniversary Specials
Donna Noble in Doctor Who
One of the biggest takeaways from the Doctor Who 2023 specials trailer is the confirmation that Catherine Tate is returning to play her beloved role of companion Donna Noble. Rumors had swirled earlier this year of her return to the fold, to which Tate reacted by indicating she hadn’t been in contact as of March 2022 to bring the character back. Her return was confirmed a few months later alongside Tennant’s, with many assuming he would simply be playing the Tenth Doctor once again, though 2022 special, “The Power of the Doctor,” saw the titular character regenerate as the Fourteenth Doctor after being mortally wounded by The Master.
Though last seen in the two-part Christmas special “The End of Time,” which introduced Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, Donna’s last significant arc was seen in Doctor Who seasons 4, in which she becomes imbued with the Doctor’s memory and uses it to save the world from Julian Bleach’s Davros, though the revived Doctor is forced to wipe her memory of him to prevent her from dying, as her memory returning would cause her mind to “burn up.” The Doctor Who 2023 specials trailer largely touches upon this arc, as Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor does his best to avoid being seen by her, despite her being in grave threat.
The other major reveal from the Doctor Who 2023 specials trailer is the arrival of Neil Patrick Harris’ still-unnamed villain, who seems to have some involvement in the Fourteenth Doctor maintaining the appearance of the Tenth. While it may be unclear who Harris is playing at the time of writing, the appearance of a Toy Emporium, and the glorious nature of his character, have led many to theorize he could be a new version of the Celestial Toymaker returning, which former Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss newly hinted could be in the works. Only time will tell what other surprises they have in store when the Doctor Who 2023 specials begin airing in November.