The first special surprise teased by Russell T. Davies turned out to be a short five-minute minisode featuring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor.
The clip aired during the BBC's Children in Need fundraiser on Friday, November 17, and sent the massive Whoniverse fandom into a frenzy for a variety of reasons.
Here are the main takeaways from the minisode, which left fans feeling all kinds of emotions.
1. Tennant's Doctor is the same, yet slightly different
The clip shows the Doctor just minutes after his regeneration in The Power of the Doctor. He already knows that he got the old face, but doesn't know why yet, which makes us think that this will be the main mystery of the upcoming 60th anniversary specials.
Fans were happy to see David Tennant reprise his iconic role and not lose the charm of the Tenth, but noted that he looks and feels different, which is probably why Russell T. Davies decided to give him the new number.
2. Davros has changed
Another exciting comeback in the minisode is the return of Julian Bleach as the Doctor's old adversary, Davros. In the video, the scientist shows his new invention to his employee, Mr. Castavillian (comedian Mawaan Rizwan), to pick his brain about it.
Notably, Davros is not the mutated figure in a Dalek-style shell we are used to seeing, but a walking and normally talking, fully functioning villain. This was a deliberate choice by Russell T. Davies. The showrunner reportedly changed the character to avoid ‘associating disability with evil’, which received a mixed reception from fans.
3. The Fourteenth Doctor named Daleks
Well, it was wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff, really. Or a real time travel paradox.
Of course, Davros' new invention is a Dalek. But it doesn't have a name yet. Mr. Castavillian wants to call it something that would be an anagram of Kaled, but fails. However, when the TARDIS enters the scene (as Davros briefly leaves) and the confused Doctor says the invention is a Dalek, the name is created.
4. Dalek's plunger arm is from the TARDIS
When the TARDIS knocks a multi-function claw created by Davros off the Dalek, the Doctor offers to replace it with a toilet plunger, which Castavillian has to accept and Davros suddenly likes upon his return.
This moment is pure comedy gold, and an ingenious way to address how ridiculous the plunger arm always was, while also setting up the audience for a possible change to something more menacing and practical.
5. The whole episode contradicts Genesis of the Daleks
The new clip confused and even frustrated many seasoned fans, as it largely contradicted the Dalek's evolution in Genesis of the Daleks. The name and characteristics of the Daleks, the role of Davros, the Doctor traveling there are all wrong.
But then again, Doctor Who and contradictions have always been a thing. And the whole minisode is probably Russell T. Davies' joke about it, right?
Source: Reddit.