Summary
Yasmin Finney gives a tour of Rose Noble’s shed workshop from Doctor Who’s first 60th anniversary episode, “The Star Beast,” revealing a number of Easter eggs. The Heartstopper star joined the sci-fi franchise as the daughter of former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and Shaun Noble (Karl Collins). In “The Star Beast,” Rose has established a small business making plushes she names “Gonks” in the hopes of earning some money to help her parents, only to cross paths with the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant).
Following the release of “The Star Beast,” Finney took viewers on a tour of Rose’s shed set alongside assistant set decorator Verity Scott in a video uploaded to the official Doctor Who Instagram. Check it out below:
During the tour, Finney and Scott showed off a number of Gonk plush toys that appeared in the episode alongside their alien inspirations, including the Dalek, Juddoon, and Ood, as well as an unseen plush inspired by the Empress of the Racnoss. Finney also highlighted Rose’s board of customers, as well as notepads full of unused Gonk designs, cryptic illustrations of Gallifreyan writing, and a flying red phone box.
Rose’s Gonks Explore Doctor Who’s History Beyond Donna’s Travels With The Doctor
Rose’s Gonk designs were manifestations of the memories passed down by her mother from Donna’s own Metacrisis transformation in Doctor Who season 4’s “The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End,” leaving her with memories of their adventures with the Tenth Doctor (Tennant) buried deep in her mind. From her encounter with the Racnoss in her debut story, to season 4 monsters including the Ood, Adipose, Juddoon, a Dalek mutant, and a sketch of a Davros-inspired Gonk, Rose’s Gonks are a loving throwback to Donna’s time in the TARDIS. However, they reflect more than Donna’s on-screen adventures.
The collection of Gonks in the shed includes a Weeping Angel, the Beast, and a Cyberman, while her sketchbook includes a Gonk design for a Mondasian Cyberman, creatures that Donna never faced on-screen and are likely inspired by the Doctor’s memories. Furthermore, as seen through her Karvanista Gonk, Rose had potentially obscured memories of the Doctor’s life that were wiped from the Time Lord’s own mind from their time in Division. As such, Rose’s collection of Gonks is a wide-ranging tribute to Doctor Who stories across the franchise’s history.
With “The Star Beast” kicking off Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary storyline, Rose’s shed not only served a narrative purpose but allowed for an opportunity to showcase creatures from across the show’s past. While the episode only offered a glimpse at Rose’s collection and the monsters that inspired her, it is clear that Scott and other production designers looked across the show’s history to inspire her thriving business. As such, eagle-eyed viewers may be on the lookout for other unmentioned monsters in future rewatches.
Doctor Who: The Star Beast is available on Disney+ for international audiences, and BBC iPlayer for UK viewers.
Source: @bbcdoctorwho/Instagram
Release Date: 1963-11-23
Cast: Jenna Coleman, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Kingston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi
Genres: Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Seasons: 26
Summary: As the last of the alien species known as the Time Lords, the Doctor travels through time and space in his TARDIS, a time machine thats bigger on the inside than the outside, seeking out adventures in the ancient past and unimagined future while also serving as the protector of Earth and mankind. With a human companion by his side, the Doctor meets extraordinary – and sometimes deadly – characters and creatures from across the universe.
Franchise: Doctor Who
Story By: Sydney Newman C. E. Webber Donald Wilson
Writers: Mark Gatiss, Toby Whithouse, Neil Cross, Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall
Network: BBC
