Doctor Who - The Giggle ending explained: bi-generation, the one who waits, and more
09.12.2023 - 22:13
/ gamesradar.com
/ David Tennant
/ Donna Noble
/ Catherine Tate
/ Russell T.Davies
Well now, that was quite the episode of Doctor Who. Clearly wanting to end the 60th anniversary specials with a bang, the latest episode from returning showrunner Russell T Davies, titled The Giggle, saw David Tennant's Doctor and Catherine Tate's Donna Noble take on the Toymaker, played by Neil Patrick Harris.
Their battle against the villain took many unexpected turns, which all built up to the moment everyone was waiting for - the regeneration into Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor, who will be captaining the TARDIS from here on out. However, it's safe to say that it was far from your usual regeneration... Oh yeah, Davies is having fun, and not only with that, as a few clues are littered throughout the episode too that hint at what's coming next.
Naturally you will be left with many questions but never fear, as we've got the answers.
Major spoilers for The Giggle follow. You have been warned...
The Giggle just completely changed the history of Doctor Who with the introduction of bi-generation, a new concept for the beloved show. As the Toymaker challenges the Doctor to a third game, as they are playing for best of three, he decides he wants to play against a new face, blasting the Time Lord with the galvanic beam, causing him to regenerate.
Companions Donna and a returning Melanie Bush (portrayed by Bonnie Langford), each hold the Doctor's hands, who of course chooses his famous catchphrase "allons-y" for his last words. However, after glowing with light nothing happens - the Doctor still has David Tennant's face. Saying that it "feels different this time", the Doctor asks his friends to "pull" his body each way, and in doing so they yank Ncuti Gatwa out of him. And so, standing in front of us are two Doctors - Tennant's Fourteenth and Gatwa's Fifteenth.
Both are clearly initially puzzled, but soon realise that they have "bi-generated", something we are told was previously only thought of as a myth. This means we now have two Doctors, each with the same memories and abilities, but able to co-exist in the same world, leading separate lives. And if you were worried about them sharing a TARDIS, Gatwa's Fifteenth reminds us that after winning the Toymaker's game they are still due to be given a prize. And so, he hits the TARDIS with a fairground hammer causing it to duplicate. Tennant's Doctor now has his own, as does Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor - notably his comes with a jukebox, which is rather fabulous!
After banishing the Toymaker (more on that below), David Tennant's Doctor admits that now there are two of them, he's unsure how everything is going to work. As the Doctors discuss their life so far, it's noted that not for one second has the Time Lord stopped for a breather, always going from adventure