Doctor Who's The Giggle novel reveals key detail about Toymaker's defeat
The climactic showdown was more complex than it appeared.
The novelisation of Doctor Who's The Giggle expands on the controversial defeat of Neil Patrick Harris's Toymaker.
The third and final 60th anniversary special reintroduced the legacy villain, who hadn't been seen on-screen in several decades, with Harris giving a memorable performance in the role.
However, some viewers criticised the episode's grand finale, which saw the Fourteenth (David Tennant) and Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) win the day by defeating the Toymaker in a seemingly simple game of catch.
While the episode appeared to suggest that the powerful villain simply missed the ball in a moment of poor coordination, the novelisation adapted by James Goss hints there was a ruse at work by the two Doctors.
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It suggests that the recently duplicated Time Lords caught out the Toymaker with a feint, miming a false throw that knocked his concentration away from where it needed to be.
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There is also an implication that an earlier close call, in which the Fourteenth Doctor nearly fumbles a hard throw from his bi-generated successor, was merely an act they devised to stay one step ahead of their shared foe.
The novelisation of Doctor Who's The Giggle was released by BBC Books on 11th January 2024 and is currently available to buy on Amazon. Fellow anniversary specials The Star Beast and Wild Blue Yonder have received the same treatment.
Following his loss, the Toymaker folded in on himself in a rather unpleasant manner, but his parting words warned of ominous things to come for the Doctor – and left the door open for another comeback down the line.
The Giggle was a reunion for Harris and screenwriter Russell T Davies, who had previously worked together on the latter's hard-hitting Channel 4 drama It's A Sin.
Doctor Who is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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