"The Giggle" is the third and final of the 60th anniversary specials of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, written by Russell T Davies, directed by Chanya Button and broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 9 December 2023.

The episode also features the return of Jemma Redgrave and Bonnie Langford as UNIT commander Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and Mel Bush, respectively.

The Doctor is reunited with Shirley, head of UNIT Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, and former companion and friend Melanie Bush.

The Doctor determines the cause of the violence is a giggle from a Stooky Bill film from 1925, which John Logie Baird had recorded to demonstrate his invention, television.

Aboard the TARDIS, the Fifteenth Doctor advises his predecessor that he needs to recover from the extensive traumas that his past incarnations have accumulated across their lives.

Prior to the episode airing, several details about the sixtieth anniversary specials were leaked, including the bi-generation twist.

[1] Davies was inspired to include Stooky Bill within the episode after recently working on the biographical TV series Nolly.

Davies also wished to bring back the Toymaker due to the antagonist last appearing in the 1960s, with "The Giggle" itself being the show's sixtieth anniversary, stating that "all the sixties came together, and there he was.

[7] The puppets resemble three of the Doctor's past companions: Amy Pond, Clara Oswald and Bill Potts, all of whom he met after leaving Donna behind in "Journey's End" (2008), with all three having died in the universe's canon.

[10] The initial visual effect for the split was considered too violent by Davies and producer Phil Collinson, and it was toned down for the final episode.

[15] An uncredited double stood in as Wilfred for "The Giggle", which featured usage of an archival audio recording of Cribbins from "The Poison Sky" (2008).

[20] The episode features the return of Jemma Redgrave's Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, last seen in "The Power of the Doctor" (2022) and Bonnie Langford's Mel Bush who made her last major appearance in Dragonfire (1987).

[21] Langford briefly reprised her role prior to the episode in a cameo in "The Power of the Doctor" and was directly asked to come back to the series by Davies.

[22][2] Lachele Carl briefly reprised her role as Trinity Wells, an American news anchor who appeared frequently during Davies's first era.

Other actors include Charlie De Melo as Charles Bannerjee, Baird's assistant, and Alexander Devrient, who portrayed UNIT Colonel Ibrahim.

The site's consensus reads "Capping off David Tennant's encore run, 'The Giggle' puts a twist on Doctor Who's regenerative conceit and gives fans the best of both worlds.

"[28] In a review for Den of Geek, Chris Allcock praised the returning characters, though he felt disappointed that Mel did not have more to do comparing her to Ace and Tegan in "The Power of the Doctor", and believed the introduction of Kate in the episode was out of place.

[44] Louise Griffin of The Radio Times highlighted the episode's writing, visuals, and musical score, believing that it allowed the show to harken back to Davies's first run while feeling "fresh and bigger" in the process.

[52] In an article for Den of Geek, Andrew Blair felt that the bi-generation offered a clean slate for Doctor Who to continue.

[55] "The Giggle", along with the other two specials "Wild Blue Yonder" and "The Star Beast", were released together on DVD and Blu-ray on 18 December 2023 as part of the "60th Anniversary Collection".