After the disaster that was The Name of the Doctor, I really felt that the 50th anniversary episode might bring an end to the adventures of my favorite time traveler. Fortunately, that didn't happen. But The Day of the Doctor was not the complete success that it could have been or that New Series fans are claiming for it. Let's try to look objectively at what works and what doesn't.
Working: Salvaging Gallifrey and tucking it into a pocket universe for safe-keeping needed to happen; the Time War guilt had been dragging the Doctor down for far too long, and his being "the Last of the Time Lords" gave him an unsettling god-like status; adventure stories need a hero, not a divinity.
Matt Smith and David Tennent worked very well together, and although their teaming up was a self-conscious reminder of previous multi-Doctor anniversaries, they pulled it off with proper aplomb and tongue-in-cheek humor.
Although the Zygon threat falls apart at the end, weakly resolved through a Doctor enforced treaty, until then it worked well and was well handled. The Zygons are remembered fondly from one of Tom Baker's best stories, and they are indeed rather unsettling; the one transformation scene was suitably scary.
The post-climatic coda with Tom Baker suddenly showing up as the curator of the underground exhibits was wonderful. And when we consider (as I do) the Paul McGann featuring minisode Night of the Doctor as a proper prologue to this episode, then we see that for all the denials, Moffat gave the Classic Series fans two older Doctors they were clamoring for.
Queen Elizabeth, Osgood, Kate Stewart - nicely handled strong female supporting characters.
Not working: Although John Hurt can act impressively in his sleep, he never quite convinced me he was any kind of Doctor, he is simply miscast. (Saving grace: Throughout his performance he repeatedly reminded the Smith and Tennent Doctors of their immaturity. It's about time the New Series admitted its greatest weakness since Eccleston left.)
The Bad Wolf Rose never really worked for Russell Davies, and here borders on the magical - and I don't like elements of magic in science fiction. (Saving grace: At least Tennent's Doctor never had any dialog with her - that much sap would have ruined the whole show!)
The Time War is portrayed in a Star-Warsy fashion - big explosions and big threatening spaceships and all. Moffat seems to not have an idea about what a TIME War could mean (e.g., constantly shifting parameters of uncertain history). (Saving grace: At last it's over, and the Doctor can get on with real adventures, if Moffat will let him.)
The big finale is rushed through - as seems to happen with every Moffat produced story. (Saving grace: Sorry, none; this is just a bad habit on Moffat's part that fans need to live with, I guess.)
The episode is NOT 'casual viewer' friendly; if one isn't a long time fan of the series, one is going to get pretty lost pretty soon. That this story was such a hit world-wide only reveals the fact that long time fans have known all along - that the series in fact has millions of fans world-wide. (Saving grace: Moffat is to be commended for trying to include as wide a range of fans as possible in the story.)
Clara Oswin still lacks personality and still has nothing to do except intervene when (un)necessary - Ms. Plot Device, as one reviewer referred to her. (Saving grace: Fortunately, every companion leaves the Doctor eventually.)
Summing up: The Day of the Doctor was served its several purposes fairly well, and saved the series from the mess that Series 7B ended with. The show can continue now, and seems to have some real adventures and real surprises in store for its audience. We'll keep watching - the Doctor is still with us for another few years at least.
Working: Salvaging Gallifrey and tucking it into a pocket universe for safe-keeping needed to happen; the Time War guilt had been dragging the Doctor down for far too long, and his being "the Last of the Time Lords" gave him an unsettling god-like status; adventure stories need a hero, not a divinity.
Matt Smith and David Tennent worked very well together, and although their teaming up was a self-conscious reminder of previous multi-Doctor anniversaries, they pulled it off with proper aplomb and tongue-in-cheek humor.
Although the Zygon threat falls apart at the end, weakly resolved through a Doctor enforced treaty, until then it worked well and was well handled. The Zygons are remembered fondly from one of Tom Baker's best stories, and they are indeed rather unsettling; the one transformation scene was suitably scary.
The post-climatic coda with Tom Baker suddenly showing up as the curator of the underground exhibits was wonderful. And when we consider (as I do) the Paul McGann featuring minisode Night of the Doctor as a proper prologue to this episode, then we see that for all the denials, Moffat gave the Classic Series fans two older Doctors they were clamoring for.
Queen Elizabeth, Osgood, Kate Stewart - nicely handled strong female supporting characters.
Not working: Although John Hurt can act impressively in his sleep, he never quite convinced me he was any kind of Doctor, he is simply miscast. (Saving grace: Throughout his performance he repeatedly reminded the Smith and Tennent Doctors of their immaturity. It's about time the New Series admitted its greatest weakness since Eccleston left.)
The Bad Wolf Rose never really worked for Russell Davies, and here borders on the magical - and I don't like elements of magic in science fiction. (Saving grace: At least Tennent's Doctor never had any dialog with her - that much sap would have ruined the whole show!)
The Time War is portrayed in a Star-Warsy fashion - big explosions and big threatening spaceships and all. Moffat seems to not have an idea about what a TIME War could mean (e.g., constantly shifting parameters of uncertain history). (Saving grace: At last it's over, and the Doctor can get on with real adventures, if Moffat will let him.)
The big finale is rushed through - as seems to happen with every Moffat produced story. (Saving grace: Sorry, none; this is just a bad habit on Moffat's part that fans need to live with, I guess.)
The episode is NOT 'casual viewer' friendly; if one isn't a long time fan of the series, one is going to get pretty lost pretty soon. That this story was such a hit world-wide only reveals the fact that long time fans have known all along - that the series in fact has millions of fans world-wide. (Saving grace: Moffat is to be commended for trying to include as wide a range of fans as possible in the story.)
Clara Oswin still lacks personality and still has nothing to do except intervene when (un)necessary - Ms. Plot Device, as one reviewer referred to her. (Saving grace: Fortunately, every companion leaves the Doctor eventually.)
Summing up: The Day of the Doctor was served its several purposes fairly well, and saved the series from the mess that Series 7B ended with. The show can continue now, and seems to have some real adventures and real surprises in store for its audience. We'll keep watching - the Doctor is still with us for another few years at least.