It’s 2023, and that could only mean one thing for Whovians: Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary three-episode specials are set for airtime. Aside from the long-awaited return of David Tennant and Catherine Tate with Russell T. Davies as showrunner, the latest trailer for the series of specials gave fans something else to look forward to: the on-screen debut of a villain from the classic Doctor Who 1980s comic strips.
In the trailer, Rose (Yasmin Finney), who believes herself to be Donna Noble’s daughter, is seen interacting with a cute, fluffy alien. Rose asks, "What are they?" with the alien responding, "Monsters," then the scene cuts to another. These species have never appeared on screen before, but they do exist in the wider Whoniverse, in the pages of Doctor Who Weekly, a Marvel UK comic published in the late 1970s.
The cute looking alien is Beep the Meep, who was originally introduced in the comic serial "Doctor Who and the Star Beast," published in Doctor Who Weekly #19–26 by the UK extension of Marvel Comics. After appearing in the limited Marvel comics series, he returned as the main antagonist of the Big Finish audio story "The Ratings War."
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In "Doctor Who and the Star Beast," teenage schoolgirl Sharon Davies meets Beep the Meep after his pod crashes in her community while The Wrarth Warriors are chasing after him. As it turns out, Beep is a ruthless cosmic criminal and warlord with aspirations to rule the galaxy, and the Wrarths are intergalactic police trying to capture him.
Fans are speculating if Beep the Meep’s introduction into the TV series might begin the first of many Marvel crossovers, with Doctor Who being part of the extended Disney family. With both having multiverses, characters teaming up is possible if given the proper chance. The trailer has raised questions about whether Beep the Meep is just a one-time show in the specials or if he will become a major character in the future.
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Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor had her final appearance in 2022’s "The Power of the Doctor," and Tennant returned to the role in a surprise regeneration scene. In the 14th season of the show, premiering in 2024, he’ll be replaced by the 15th Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa, alongside his companion Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday.
Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Specials will stream on November 23, 2023.
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