All Hail The Meep!

My review of Doctor Who: Star Beast

Literally just watched The Star Beast and I was genuinely thrilled by it! My compliments to Russell, the cast, and the production team. And I have zero criticisms. Because it succeeds so well in its primary objective, which I assume is to introduce Doctor Who to a new generation and re-ignite interest in the series for existing fans. My congratulations to everyone concerned. It’s so easy to get the tone wrong and such an achievement to get it right. Actually, it’s not difficult at all if you’re driven by truth and love of the character, as Russell and co. clearly are. Then everything just falls into place.

It’s family entertainment, but not in a way that would have myself and others reaching for the off button. It’s too cool, fast-paced, funny, modern and deeply emotional to fall into that trap. Some might raise an eyebrow at any story of mine being associated with ‘family entertainment’, but if you look closely at my work it’s invariably aimed at a similar mainstream audience, even if my subtext invariably challenges orthodoxy and is aimed at a tad older audience. So I relate to all the dramatic decisions and directions in the Star Beast.

My stories are known for their intensity and fast pacing, but Star Beast – maybe because it’s television – has the edge over me. There’s never a dull micro-second.  It’s exhausting, but in a very good way. It’s incredibly action-packed, humour-packed, emotion-packed and subtext packed with a 2023 sensibility including regional accents, diversity and gender awareness. I shall have to watch it again with subtitles to fully appreciate and absorb all of those elements.

Favourite moments? So many, but here’s my top five:

*The Meep’s transition into villain with those wonderful spiky teeth. And later when they’re on their throne chair.

*Catherine Tate’s one-liners, especially her crack about the Doctor’s suit (definitely an in-joke!). And her line ‘We’ve got a bloody Martian in the shed.’

*Catherine poking the Meep in the eye. What an iconic scene!

*The awe I felt for the new Tardis interior, which I’ve previously raved about in my chapter on the Secret History of Doctor Who: Star Beast Regenerated (all my chapters on Doctor Who are also in my new book, Pageturners – How to write iconic stories from the creator of 2000AD: Doctor Who and the Star Beast Exclusive, on sale now on Amazon)

*The genuine emotion between The Doctor and Catherine Tate’s character. I’m not up to speed with their previous encounters, but that didn’t matter, I was still completely absorbed and moved by their relationship.

So I couldn’t be more pleased at how Dave Gibbons’ visual creations and my story have been brought back to life for today’s audience. Visually and story-wise, it’s excitingly close to the original comic series.  

Hail to the Most High!

Pat Mills November 2023