Neil Patrick Harris enters Doctor Who as The Toymaker, swoops audience

Neil Patrick Harris is receiving widespread acclaim from Doctor Who viewers for his portrayal of The Toymaker on Saturday night’s BBC show.

The American actor made a striking debut in the third and final 60th anniversary special, sharing the screen with David Tennant and Catherine Tate.

He added his own devious twist to the iconic villain after the character’s last portrayal in 1966, originally played by Michael Gough.

Writer Russell T Davies touted his rendition as the “greatest enemy the Doctor has ever faced,” marking The Toymaker’s grand return in the episode titled The Giggle.

Social media has since erupted with praise for Neil’s performance, where fans expressed awe at several “creepy” deliveries and eerie laughs during his screen time.

Many have lauded him as “perfect for the role,” confessing of being scared by this honest form of acting.

“Ten Seconds into #DoctorWho and @ActuallyNPH has me in the palm of his hands! This is a villain!” a user wrote on X.

The original Toymaker, known for causing William Hartnell’s first Doctor to become invisible in 1966, has recently returned with an enigmatic presence in the series.

David Tennant’s Doctor theorized that he had “broken into reality by playing a game at the end of the universe.”