Doctor Who: The End of the Canon Debate
Doctor Who has resolved the issue of contradictory continuity with a clever solution that puts an end to the canon debate once and for all. The recent 60th-anniversary special, 'The Giggle', introduces a new perspective on the show's canon, setting the stage for a bold new era of storytelling. Let's explore how Doctor Who's continuity has always been confused and confusing, and how the Toymaker's revelation in 'The Giggle' changes the game.
The Canon Conundrum
Doctor Who, a show that began in 1963, has always been a challenge when it comes to maintaining a cohesive narrative. The central character, an alien time traveler, often reminds the audience that 'time is in flux,' signaling the fluidity of its continuity. Despite this, fans have long debated what is or isn't part of the established Doctor Who canon. This debate is finally put to rest in the 60th-anniversary special, 'The Giggle', where the Toymaker's revelation introduces a new perspective on the show's canon, effectively making everything canon.
The Toymaker looking confident and the Fourteenth Doctor looking downtrodden in Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials.
The show's deliberate confusion in continuity is a result of its unprecedented longevity of over 60 years. Steven Moffat once expressed that 'It is impossible for a show about a dimension-hopping time traveler to have a canon,' reflecting the inherent complexity of the series. The challenge of tying together the show's continuity has proven to be fruitless, given the diverse and contradictory explanations for significant events in the Doctor's history. The BBC has intentionally avoided dictating an official Doctor Who canon, allowing for the freedom to explore new connections and interpretations.
In this collage, the Fourteenth doctor looks aghast next to the Toymaker's puppet show in Doctor Who.
During the 1990s, Doctor Who existed primarily in novels and comic strips, further complicating the issue of canon. The Toymaker's revelation in 'The Giggle' liberates the show from the constraints of continuity, allowing fans to make their own connections and interpretations. This shift opens up exciting possibilities for the future of Doctor Who, setting the stage for a bold new era of storytelling.
Neil Patrick Harris as Toymaker and Ncuti Gatwa as Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who The Giggle
The Toymaker's Revelation
In 'The Giggle', the Toymaker informs the Fourteenth Doctor that he has created 'a jigsaw puzzle of your past,' presenting a fragmented view of the Doctor's history. This revelation, as explained by showrunner Russell T Davies, signifies a departure from the traditional approach to continuity in Doctor Who. Rather than attempting to fit together the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, the show now embraces the idea that the Doctor's history is a jumble of disconnected pieces without a clear image. This liberating perspective allows fans to explore new connections and interpretations, freeing the show from the constraints of a fixed canon.
David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa's Doctors undergo bi-regeneration in Doctor Who's "The Giggle"
The novelization of 'The Giggle' by James Goss further establishes that everything is canon, referencing non-official Doctor Who adventures and expanding the show's continuity. The Toymaker's revelation in 'The Giggle' paves the way for a bold new era of storytelling, where anything and everything is possible, unbound by the constraints of continuity. This marks a significant shift in Doctor Who's approach to canon, offering a fresh and open-ended narrative landscape for future storytelling.
Doctor Who 60th-Anniversary's Catherine Tate and David Tennant as Donna Noble and the Fourteenth Doctor The Giggle Poster
A New Era of Possibilities
The Toymaker's revelation in 'The Giggle' has profound implications for the future of Doctor Who. By liberating the show from the shackles of continuity, the jumble of jigsaw pieces that make up the Doctor's history now allows for diverse interpretations, including the concept of the Timeless Child or the Doctor being half-Human. This bold new perspective frees Doctor Who to embark on the next 60 years of storytelling, unburdened by the constraints of a fixed canon.
Doctor Who special The Giggle Fourteenth Doctor Bigeneration and showrunner Russell T Davies
The 60th-anniversary special, 'The Giggle', sets the stage for a new era where literally anything and everything is possible, signaling a departure from the rigid confines of continuity. As Doctor Who returns to BBC One and Disney+ in May, fans can anticipate a fresh and open-ended narrative landscape, where the only limit is the boundless imagination of the Doctor and the creative team behind the show.
Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart and Neil Patrick Harris as The Toymaker dancing in the Doctor Who episode The Giggle
