“The Giggle” is episode three of the 2023 specials of the new Doctor Who.
Soho, 1925, and a man enters a toy shop. The shopkeeper is gushing about toys but the man only wants one. A mannequin, Stooky Bill, for his employer, John Logie Baird. He’s inventing the television.
The head is removed from the dummy and placed in front of the camera. Television works, but the head catches fire. Baird thinks it would be better if it was moving. There’s a laugh as the puppet’s mouth drops open.
In the present, there’s turmoil as Wilf had said in the previous episode, “Wild Blue Yonder”. The Doctor speaks to a man who says it all started two days ago. Everyone thinks they’re right all the time and if you argue, they go mad. The Doctor heads back to Donna and Wilf, and the man from the toyshop is also there. Then UNIT arrive and want the Doctor to come with. As they depart, the toyshop man is waving goodbye.
The Doctor, Donna and the TARDIS are taken to UNIT’s tower where they’re greeted by Kate and Shirley. Inside, the Doctor is handed something. By Melanie, one of his old Companions. The Doctor is told that the current problem has been rising in every country at the same time at the same rate, and it started two days ago. UNIT is fine thanks to the Zeedex created by the Vlinx.
Kate demonstrates by having her Zeedex deactivated as her brain is being monitored. Her brain activity starts acting up and she takes off the Zeedex and goes on a rant until one can be put on her again. There’s something being generated inside the brain; only the Doctor and those who went in the TARDIS are fine otherwise. Trying to get one on everyone won’t work, as some are claiming daft things about it.
A South Korean satellite was launched two days ago and the world is now 100% online. Everyone is now connected. The satellite is clean, though. Donna things the brainwave is music, and sings it. Everyone recognises it but isn’t sure from where. SDhirlet finds a match. Stooky Bill. His laugh. The Doctor says the puppet has been hiding behind every screen since then, waiting. And now it’s there.
The Doctor is getting a memory. And he says everything that’s happening is because someone is using humanity’s worst attributes and playing them like toys. Kate has been waiting for permission to destroy the satellite but can’t get it. The Doctor gives her it.
Mel recaps her life since she saw the Doctor as the weapon to destroy the satellite is readied. Shirley gets the date and place when Stooky Bill was recorded and the Doctor and Donna head there. The head to the toyshop and the owner is talking. The Doctor recognises him. The Toymaker.
According to the Doctor, when he was young, he made a terrible mistake and took the TARDIS to another realm where science is all a game and they are toys. The Doctor escaped but now the Toymaker is in their universe, and the Doctor thinks his actions in the previous episode are responsible.
A somewhat-confusing episode due to the need to explain who the Toymaker is and a hint of something dangerous coming. With a rather strange ending.