Well, I'm sure its much easier when you have to master about 5 steps and then the camera stops filming and cuts to somewhere else. Besides, he's been on Broadway, I"m sure there was no question that he'd be fine.
He’s a professional Broadway trained actor… he literally hosted the tony awards and performed the opening number lmfaoo boy can definitely dance and sing
Look for "Catherine Tate - Nan And The Ghost Of Christmas Present" to see David dancing a wee bit and speaking with a Scottish accent, although not his natural one.
This PROVES something important about being a good villain in anything. The very best villains are ALWAYS played by people absolutely loving the part. Watching this scene (and the rest of the ep) its obvious Neil's having an absolute blast and it's part of what makes him so good in the part.
I'm in my 60s and American. My daughters ADORED the Spice Girls so we had to get any album that came out. I also enjoyed it and fondly remember this song the video and the spot in the movie it played at the end of the movie. But to see it in Doctor Who and NPH dancing & lipsyncing to it......BIG SMILES!!!!!
"Everyone knows the words to this song, except Americans. Well this American." Just you, Neil. Spiceworld was the first CD I ever purchased, and I still remember every single word!
@@RetepAdamyeah, I think so too. There is zero chance that he thinks nobody in American knows that song. He also said in an interview that he had never heard of Doctor Who and I refuse to believe that.
You can bet your ass he knows the song and all its lyrics too. He was just playing another character when doing those behind the scenes interview bits.
If I had a nickel for every time Neil played a niche villain in one episode of a long running tv show, included at least one musical number, and knocked it out of the park so hard it became one of the highlight episodes, I would have 2 nickels. One for this and one for the Music Meister.
you'll likely have 3 nickels, NPH also did stupendously well as Count Olaf in the Series of Unfortunate Events 👍👍. (not a ling running tv Series, but a long time beloved book series)
@@steelsheen That was an entire show's worth of episodes where he played a recurring character. Here and in Batman, it was a single episode appearance.
I think him saying he doesn't know this song is like him saying he can't dance. He's a Broadway Musical vet...and this was like the Spice Girls 2nd biggest song
Yeah, the only Spice Girls song that really achieved total saturation over here was "Wannabe"....that's the one that you can play at parties and everyone aged 30-50 will start losing their minds over ;-)
@@user-fn6bm4yf7v No way it would have been popular when he was young. I am older then him and knew the song. He would have been 23 when the song came out.
This song was huge in the US. I was in middle school and OBSESSED with the Spice Girls. I remember being at the gym in Alabama with my mom and her pointing to the TV to a Spice Girls video that even she recognized as that band I love. My mom is 74 now and if she doesn't recall it it's because she has dementia, not because she didn't hear that song repeatedly thanks to me. Do I believe NPH and some others hadn't been aware of it? Absolutely. But I think the likelihood if you were regularly around a preteen/teen girl in the late 90s/early 2000s you probably had some awareness of this song even if for some reason you don't know every word.
I've seen it confirmed and refuted, but I am in the camp of American's who either necer heard it, or at least didn't recognize it when it appeared. I think there were many Spice Girls fans who knew and loved the song in America, but unless you were one or had a direct connection to one, you're likely in Neil's camp of being completely unfamiliar. The only Spice Girls song all America's likely know is "Wannabe"
Russell T. Davies: Your gran loves it, your mum loves, and be honest, you love it. It's a very powerful song. Neil Patrick Harris, the guy who is dancing to it: I don't know this song
I'm American and although I live in the UK nowadays, I was in the US when Spice Up Your Life came out. Like Neil, I didn't know it until this Who episode. Love it and love seeing David and the other actors dancing to it. Got me dancing as well!
I grew up watching Spice World and the Spice Girls sang this song on that movie. Now with Spotify and RUclips I can listen to it as many times as I want.
I don't believe for a second that Neil was alive through the 90s and has never heard the Spice Girls. I'm American and *everyone* from the 90s knows that song. I think it's in the same boat as "I'm not a dancer": I'm onto your lies, NPH 😂
I'm an American and have to say that I'd never heard the song at all until this episode. Made me look it up and watch the video! Kind of catchy, I can see why it was so popular in the UK. The only Spice Girls songs I remember are Wannabe (which got a lot of MTV and radio play here) and 2 Become 1
My little sister was obsessed with the Spice Girls. Being the good big sister I am I took her to the movie and to the concert ( the one gets people all the time in those little which band haven't I seen lists). I was always surprised when I knew all the songs. Yeah Americans of a certain age or ones related to those of a certain age know this.
Ten to one says they had to reshoot this so many times because people were probably laughing so much. Try keeping a straight face when Neil Patrick Harris is just rocking it
...NPH didn't know this song?! The Spice Girls were a fucking global PHENOMENON. Every hit in the UK did just as well, or nearly as well, in the US. Spice Up Your Life was part of the marketing for the Spice World movie! I'm not even a Spice Girls fan and I know all of this just from LIVING THRU THE 90s in America! Sorry Neil, but you are definitely alone on this one, buddy!
I'm a millennial and I barely recognize this song-- if it had been "So tell me what you want, what you really really want," then sure. This one was not as big in the US.
Seriously, why does UNIT still only arm their soldiers with projectile guns? I'm not saying energy weapons would've been more effective--but they're UNIT! They need to be able to take on Daleks and Cybermen.
NPH as an American who was a 12 year old girl in 1997…no. every late 90’s tween American girl knew that song, and each of our besties had a part that they sang.
I'm a simple girl, I hear Spice Girls, I dance. I had to rewind and watch the whole sequence again because I was so preoccupied with dancing myself the first time. And yes, American Spice Girl fans know this song, I think NPH was trolling.
I started watching doctor who from 9 and watched until 12 religiously. I serously tried my best with 13th but it was,...different. Didnt even finish the season. Things started to change with the 12th but it was still alright but 13th was beyond me. Looking at this, im going to try again, but i find it's kind of sad if i skip a whole doctor because of the wrtiting.
Neil, we have seen you dance in other roles, come on now. TBF I think he means professional dancer, not 'moderately decent because I've been on Broadway and done a lot of stuff in Hollywood over time.' But still. We've seen you dance! This was a fun sequence and it's fun to see it behind the scenes too. I was going to say UH NEIL AMERICANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT but then realized you probably had to be an actual Spice Girls fan as I believe Wannabe was their only big American hit.
strange thing. to me, on the other side of the globe, it seems that ALL British actors can sing well, and ALL American actors can dance well. And it's rarely the other way around. Like, if someone in a US film sings very well, then it is most likely a British actor. and similarly with dance and British films. I still haven't fully figured this out. When I liked mostly British actors, I searched for “...name... singing” and always found something. When I liked several actors from the USA, the search for their singing did not return any results, but there were always results if I typed “...name... dancing” in the search. (I know that NPH specifically also sings well, but this is a rare thing regarding American actors in general)
Neil claims to have listened to the song approx. thirty times a day thirty times a day, thirty days Neil Patrick Harris has heard this song around nine hundred times
Sorry, Neil I'm American and I'm very familiar with this song and even went to the movies to see Spice world. Then again I've been Anglophile for over three decades. But, I know a lot more Americans who probably know this song too. Btw, I do like NPH and thought it was great as the toymaker.
Apparently Neil doesn't remember the Spice Girls invasion of America in the 90's, before the film "Spice World" was a thing. Then again, he was probably busy with filming "Starship Troopers", "the Proposition" or "Star Raving Mad" at the height of it. Speaking of, please look up Stark Raving Mad, it's an underrated Sitcom with Neil, Tony Shaloub (monk) and Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13).
If I had a nickel for every time Neil Patrick Harris featured in a weird sci-fi story involving popular music, I'd have two nickels (this and the Purple People Eater film).
"We're not familiar with that song" Neil I was born in 87, I grew up in a generation that will actively fight you for trying to make that claim for us lol
Neil: "I can't dance."
Director: "But your character can!"
Toymaker: "Well that's alright then!"
I hope "Well that's alright then!" becomes a meme
@@ihavekalashnikovyoudomath9275 it sort of has in my house lol
Neil "i can't dance"
*Was on broadway for years*
Yeah and in every role he played a stage light. An immovable stage light
Neil “Tony Award Winning Actor” Patrick Harris: I can’t dance
Just by having Neil Patrick Harris, they saved on the effects budget. NPH is a walking, talking special effect.
and a walking talking song and dance number. He's like an entire musical in a human shaped body and I"m so here for it.
... and a magician
and a puppeteer...
Apparently the only thing he's bad at is catching a ball
He's also fantastically expensive so I don't think the budget balances on that front.
@@irreleverentwell, thanks to Disney Doctor Who has a higher budget now.
@@fromthethirdplanet Насколько я знаю, для этих спец-эпизодов не использовался бюджет Дисней.
Neil so good at acting he acted that he can dance and suddenly he was a master in it.
That’s because he had The Master in his teeth
He is actually a Broadway star
Well, I'm sure its much easier when you have to master about 5 steps and then the camera stops filming and cuts to somewhere else. Besides, he's been on Broadway, I"m sure there was no question that he'd be fine.
And such a good actor got us thinking he really doesn’t know this song haha
He’s a professional Broadway trained actor… he literally hosted the tony awards and performed the opening number lmfaoo boy can definitely dance and sing
Seeing David Tennant dancing is the highlight of my life right now!
We need Tennant lipsyncing as well!😂
In the 1st few bits he was singing along I think 😅❤
@@tarinfarhana6574 he was. But, it'd be great if he did a full number as Neil. ✨
@@Olya290795 look up Doctor Who 500 Miles. David marches and lip syncs
Look for "Catherine Tate - Nan And The Ghost Of Christmas Present" to see David dancing a wee bit and speaking with a Scottish accent, although not his natural one.
There is a powerful need to bring Neil Patrick Harris back as the Celestial Toy Maker!
He needs a whole damn series :) 😍
He better return when his legions arrive
If Doctor Who were a US-made show, he would be at least one of the incarnations of the Doctor.
@nikkikindinger2718 if he didn't already play an enemy he'd make an AMAZING master
Or the master
I really love that Neil just pretty much admitted that he snoozes his alarm 30 times a day. 😂
i love how it goes from RTD praising the song so highly to NPH basically going “sorry what?”
Neil is a force of nature. Brilliant casting choice! Seeing him and David on the screen together was thrilling.
This scene was perfect, everybody did amazing!
I like how NPH was declining that he could dance, when he damn-well can!
The only thing that I was left wanting in this episode was a Harold and Kumar reference.
This PROVES something important about being a good villain in anything. The very best villains are ALWAYS played by people absolutely loving the part. Watching this scene (and the rest of the ep) its obvious Neil's having an absolute blast and it's part of what makes him so good in the part.
I mean everybody loves him... also is painfully talented in everything he does... I swear he always uplifts anything he's in.
I'm in my 60s and American. My daughters ADORED the Spice Girls so we had to get any album that came out. I also enjoyed it and fondly remember this song the video and the spot in the movie it played at the end of the movie.
But to see it in Doctor Who and NPH dancing & lipsyncing to it......BIG SMILES!!!!!
"Everyone knows the words to this song, except Americans. Well this American."
Just you, Neil. Spiceworld was the first CD I ever purchased, and I still remember every single word!
I’m convinced he was trolling the entire interview from start to finish lmao
@@RetepAdamyeah, I think so too. There is zero chance that he thinks nobody in American knows that song.
He also said in an interview that he had never heard of Doctor Who and I refuse to believe that.
I've literally never heard of this song before doctor who
I’ve also never heard of it before Doctor Who
American, did not know this song prior to this episode
Neil was 100% trolling saying he can't dance, like we haven't seen him do it before in other roles lol
As soon as he said that I got the image of him dancing at the Oscar’s. Maybe he meant relatively…
You can bet your ass he knows the song and all its lyrics too. He was just playing another character when doing those behind the scenes interview bits.
This scene was PERFECT. It was campy and terrifying at once. Here's the god that's playing around with you, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Oh man, I wish they used the cut where he's just right up in Shirley's face. That would of been so good.
I love how he was all smiling and was like " I might keep it" then the smile disappears and he says " no I won't" lol😅
If I had a nickel for every time Neil played a niche villain in one episode of a long running tv show, included at least one musical number, and knocked it out of the park so hard it became one of the highlight episodes, I would have 2 nickels. One for this and one for the Music Meister.
you'll likely have 3 nickels, NPH also did stupendously well as Count Olaf in the Series of Unfortunate Events 👍👍. (not a ling running tv Series, but a long time beloved book series)
@@steelsheen That was an entire show's worth of episodes where he played a recurring character. Here and in Batman, it was a single episode appearance.
Also there was an episode in Glee with Neil, the same formula
He technically did a couple episodes of The Penguins of Madagascar, but I think it still counts.
...Which isn't much, but it is strange that it happened twice.
You have to finish that quote, you monster!
As an american i can confirm i had never heard this song before the giggle :,)
I'm American and Neil is wrong, I love Spice Up Your Life!! I love the Spice Girls!!
Yeah I have to agree. As a kid of the 90s I heard many spice girls songs but not this one.
@@patd0this was the main song off their 2nd album
I think him saying he doesn't know this song is like him saying he can't dance. He's a Broadway Musical vet...and this was like the Spice Girls 2nd biggest song
Yeah, the only Spice Girls song that really achieved total saturation over here was "Wannabe"....that's the one that you can play at parties and everyone aged 30-50 will start losing their minds over ;-)
As a millennial American, I have always loved spice up your life and the spice Girls! It's iconic!
@@user-fn6bm4yf7v No way it would have been popular when he was young. I am older then him and knew the song. He would have been 23 when the song came out.
As a millennial American I've never heard it
@@user-fn6bm4yf7v As an American, I know the Spice Girls, but never knew this banger until this episode.
This song was huge in the US. I was in middle school and OBSESSED with the Spice Girls. I remember being at the gym in Alabama with my mom and her pointing to the TV to a Spice Girls video that even she recognized as that band I love. My mom is 74 now and if she doesn't recall it it's because she has dementia, not because she didn't hear that song repeatedly thanks to me.
Do I believe NPH and some others hadn't been aware of it? Absolutely. But I think the likelihood if you were regularly around a preteen/teen girl in the late 90s/early 2000s you probably had some awareness of this song even if for some reason you don't know every word.
he's so modest 😅he is a divine dancer❤
I've seen it confirmed and refuted, but I am in the camp of American's who either necer heard it, or at least didn't recognize it when it appeared. I think there were many Spice Girls fans who knew and loved the song in America, but unless you were one or had a direct connection to one, you're likely in Neil's camp of being completely unfamiliar. The only Spice Girls song all America's likely know is "Wannabe"
Yep I’m also American and the only one I knew prior to this was TELL YOU WHAT I WANT WHAT I REALLY REALLY WANT
Russell T. Davies: Your gran loves it, your mum loves, and be honest, you love it. It's a very powerful song.
Neil Patrick Harris, the guy who is dancing to it: I don't know this song
"So funny and terrifying all in one" is a perfect description of how people should react to the character.
As am American, I also have that song memorized from when I was a teen. Granted my grandparents were British.
Patrick is so right about how Americans probably don't know this song well. 😂 I had to google to reconfirm they did this song.
1:27 Can we please appreciate how amazing her voice sounds? It’s so calm and soothing.
She kind of sounds like a nature documentary voiceover, in a good way.
@@stilpt now I want to hear her voice a nature documentary
David dancing around set gives me life
This is the fight scene I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
> My life was spiced up
😊
I kinda love that I’m not sure if Neil is joking about not knowing the song.
I'm sure. It wasn't that popular in America. If RTD had used Wannabe, Neil would have known it.
Neil has got to be a dancer. You can't do that unless you are. Multi-talented! 😮
Yeah a simple google search belies that claim. lol
NPH was the best part of the 60th special.
I hope we get more of him as the Toymaker
Man is a national treasure and this exemplifies why!!!!
I'm American and although I live in the UK nowadays, I was in the US when Spice Up Your Life came out. Like Neil, I didn't know it until this Who episode. Love it and love seeing David and the other actors dancing to it. Got me dancing as well!
I grew up watching Spice World and the Spice Girls sang this song on that movie. Now with Spotify and RUclips I can listen to it as many times as I want.
Is the music video for spice up your life part of the movie or just a music video?
I don't believe for a second that Neil was alive through the 90s and has never heard the Spice Girls. I'm American and *everyone* from the 90s knows that song. I think it's in the same boat as "I'm not a dancer": I'm onto your lies, NPH 😂
I didn't know the song....
I've maybe heard that song before but that wasn't a famous song here like Wannabe
He didn't say he didn't know the Spice Girls. I'm 100% sure he knew Wannabe. This song wasn't that popular in America. I've NEVER heard it before.
I remember some of the Spice Girls hits, but not that one. Maybe you had to have the album?
I'm American. Didn't know this song until Who.
The Toy Maker putting that Spice back into Doctor Who :) 😆😍😆
I'm an American and have to say that I'd never heard the song at all until this episode. Made me look it up and watch the video! Kind of catchy, I can see why it was so popular in the UK.
The only Spice Girls songs I remember are Wannabe (which got a lot of MTV and radio play here) and 2 Become 1
The song is new to me as well. I thought Neil was a Broadway dancer. Thank you Russell ! Love the show!
Love how they’re all crushing on Neil hahaha
Those interviews with Neil where he just trolls the camera is great.
0:57 ... I'm American who grew up in the 90's. There was a lot of Spice in that decade.
I'm American, and I'm very familiar with this song... it's just you, Neil. 😁
No, it isn’t just him.
I don't know it. I asked my dad, mom, and stepdad, all americans, and none of them knew it
That opening is what we all need David dancing to spice girls, we need everyone dancing to spice girls
Neil was born for this role 👏
Millennial girls in the U.S. LOVED the spice girls
Yeah I've never heard that song before either until this scene lol
0:57 I adore how NPH says that! As an American, I love the representation he brought to the special!!!
i'm in my 50s and American and I knew this song. it was on the charts here. it did karaoke shows and people sung it all the time
thank you real doctor form doctor who for vlogging this incredible experience
0:24 "DIABOLICAL DAncing BADDIE"
Lol I was in the same boat as Neil, as an American. But now I love this song lol
My little sister was obsessed with the Spice Girls. Being the good big sister I am I took her to the movie and to the concert ( the one gets people all the time in those little which band haven't I seen lists). I was always surprised when I knew all the songs. Yeah Americans of a certain age or ones related to those of a certain age know this.
I'm from Russia, definitely heard this song, but didn't know the lines lmao
Now Neil needs to be on dancing with the stars!!!
NPH is so good! Such a brilliant actor. I'd die for him, no joke! ❤❤❤❤
I need more of Neil as the Toymaker in DW!
Millenial Hungarian here. Never heard the song before. But now it's on repeat 😂
I love how so much of this is a mild thirsting over NPH
what l love is the suitable chaos it has made
1:46 DT demonstrates a move that's been previously known as "Barrowman!.."
the toymaker litterally is just "the mask" and I love it
Ten to one says they had to reshoot this so many times because people were probably laughing so much. Try keeping a straight face when Neil Patrick Harris is just rocking it
i loved it... I really hope that we can see neil patrick harris as the toy maker again! brilliant..
I loved this scene! ❤
My husband was quietly giggling
It was SOOOO good!!!!
Absolutely stunning performance. He was absolutely terrifying.
As an American, I too have never heard this song before. (And I am old enough to have heard it when it came out... which I didn't)
This scene just encapsulated The Toymaker. A madman Dream God who wants to have fun in any way.
I've never heard of the song until now
...NPH didn't know this song?! The Spice Girls were a fucking global PHENOMENON. Every hit in the UK did just as well, or nearly as well, in the US. Spice Up Your Life was part of the marketing for the Spice World movie! I'm not even a Spice Girls fan and I know all of this just from LIVING THRU THE 90s in America!
Sorry Neil, but you are definitely alone on this one, buddy!
I'm a millennial and I barely recognize this song-- if it had been "So tell me what you want, what you really really want," then sure. This one was not as big in the US.
He said it with the same tone as "i cant dance"
The Spice World movie was literally next to nothing in America. 99% of Americans only know Wannabe.
We need a full song of this! And ith that I mean by yesterday ! Common re-edit the deleted stuff to a full 3 minutes - you can do it !
Toymaker vs doctor who dance of be like 🕺🕺 lovely Video btw 😇
never herd this song until doctor who
Seriously, why does UNIT still only arm their soldiers with projectile guns? I'm not saying energy weapons would've been more effective--but they're UNIT! They need to be able to take on Daleks and Cybermen.
Let’s be honest, the “U” in UNIT is for “useless”
As an american.. i love the spice girls, still have the spice world vhs... Yeah i love them and i knownthe words
HOW DARE YOU, NPH. THIS American loves The Spice Girls.
its a fun thought that neil patrick harris now has the ability to open doors in reality
All the ladies totally charmed by Neil.😂
1:50 Which actually adds to the scene.
Because the Toymaker is also leading Stewart. Menacingly.
Not just a "diabolical dancing baddie" but the "diabolical dancing Doctor Horrible" actor as a baddie.
NPH as an American who was a 12 year old girl in 1997…no. every late 90’s tween American girl knew that song, and each of our besties had a part that they sang.
I'm a simple girl, I hear Spice Girls, I dance. I had to rewind and watch the whole sequence again because I was so preoccupied with dancing myself the first time. And yes, American Spice Girl fans know this song, I think NPH was trolling.
I have to agree with Neil on the American thing. I'm american, and have never heard that song before the episode aired
We need more NPH!
I started watching doctor who from 9 and watched until 12 religiously. I serously tried my best with 13th but it was,...different. Didnt even finish the season. Things started to change with the 12th but it was still alright but 13th was beyond me.
Looking at this, im going to try again, but i find it's kind of sad if i skip a whole doctor because of the wrtiting.
I liked the 13th the least of the new Who. Just bad writing unfortunately. Glad RTD is back.
Neil, we have seen you dance in other roles, come on now. TBF I think he means professional dancer, not 'moderately decent because I've been on Broadway and done a lot of stuff in Hollywood over time.' But still. We've seen you dance!
This was a fun sequence and it's fun to see it behind the scenes too. I was going to say UH NEIL AMERICANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT but then realized you probably had to be an actual Spice Girls fan as I believe Wannabe was their only big American hit.
strange thing. to me, on the other side of the globe, it seems that ALL British actors can sing well, and ALL American actors can dance well. And it's rarely the other way around. Like, if someone in a US film sings very well, then it is most likely a British actor. and similarly with dance and British films. I still haven't fully figured this out.
When I liked mostly British actors, I searched for “...name... singing” and always found something. When I liked several actors from the USA, the search for their singing did not return any results, but there were always results if I typed “...name... dancing” in the search.
(I know that NPH specifically also sings well, but this is a rare thing regarding American actors in general)
The Celestial Toymaker deserves his own spin-off show, but only if Neil Patrick Harris plays the main role. 🙂
Neil claims to have listened to the song approx. thirty times a day
thirty times a day, thirty days
Neil Patrick Harris has heard this song around nine hundred times
Sorry, Neil I'm American and I'm very familiar with this song and even went to the movies to see Spice world. Then again I've been Anglophile for over three decades. But, I know a lot more Americans who probably know this song too. Btw, I do like NPH and thought it was great as the toymaker.
Apparently Neil doesn't remember the Spice Girls invasion of America in the 90's, before the film "Spice World" was a thing. Then again, he was probably busy with filming "Starship Troopers", "the Proposition" or "Star Raving Mad" at the height of it.
Speaking of, please look up Stark Raving Mad, it's an underrated Sitcom with Neil, Tony Shaloub (monk) and Eddie McClintock (Warehouse 13).
I’m American and I know this song 😅
NPH trying to pretend that he DIDN’T star in Broadway shows…
Spice up your Life resonated more than the Giggle. 🤷♂️
He claims he can't dance after HIMYM😂😂😂
Nothing suits him like a suit
If I had a nickel for every time Neil Patrick Harris featured in a weird sci-fi story involving popular music, I'd have two nickels (this and the Purple People Eater film).
"We're not familiar with that song" Neil I was born in 87, I grew up in a generation that will actively fight you for trying to make that claim for us lol
Canadian here and I’m definitely in the same boat as Neil. I had never heard this song before. But also like him, I kind of like it now!
Well I guess this song got 1,000 downloads or more the next day 😄