Doctor Who (TV Series) Twice Upon a Time (2017) User Reviews

The end of an era

[pjgs200 · 7/10 · 26 December 2017]

Twice Upon a Time was a heartwarming, meaningful, and very pleasant episode of Doctor Who. It's fun, emotional, and pretty well written (for the most part).

Peter Capaldi gave another great performance. Even though the script doesn't give him a whole lot to do with when compared to episodes like Heaven Sent and The Doctor Falls, he manages to make every action and look meaningful. Peter Capaldi truly is the greatest actor to ever play the Doctor.

Like Capaldi, Pearl Mackie was also wonderful. She was an exciting breath of fresh air from her introduction in The Pilot and continued to be a fun and genuinely likable presence all series, even if Bill didn't have a lot of character development. Pearl Mackie had such a warm and funny screen presence throughout series 10, so it was really great to see her come back. Likewise, Nardole's cameo was a fun (and very welcome) surprise. Matt Lucas was also hilarious in every episode he was in, and the trio of Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and Matt Lucas is probably my favorite TARDIS team of all time.

David Bradley and Mark Gatiss were also good in their respective roles. Some may complain about how the First Doctor was written, and to be honest I was worried about how he would be characterized (even not having seen much of Classic Who), but I think that his non-PC attitude played out well and wasn't very bothersome, even if it isn't true to his character. It made for some funny lines, it wasn't too jarring, and David Bradley's delivery was always good. Still, I understand those who felt it was uncalled for.

Talalay's direction was great. That shouldn't be a surprise after her sterling work on every episode she's worked on, but she impresses every time, directing strong performances and creating a solid visual tone for the episode. The First Doctor's regeneration scene was beautifully filmed and made great use of shadows and lighting. It's a small touch, but one that is very appreciated and that goes to show just how much she elevates the show. Likewise, Murray Gold's score was phenomenal, blending older tracks with new ones skillfully. Whoever is replacing him next series has some big shoes to fill.

For the most part, Steven Moffat's writing was good, but I thought that the Doctor's monologue at the end of the episode didn't really work well. His goodbye to Bill and Nardole would have been a perfect final scene before the regeneration, but to be frank, the lines about children during his monologue were too hokey and stuck out because they had nothing to do with the story or even the Twelfth Doctor, ruining the scene. I much preferred the Eleventh Doctor's final monologue. Still, Steven Moffat is a tremendous writer who is responsible for many (if not most) of the show's best episodes and who has done a lot of good for Doctor Who.

As a whole, Twice Upon a Time was a really nice Christmas episode and a great send off for Peter Capaldi and the Steven Moffat era of Doctor Who. It was funny, enjoyable, and meaningful.

Now, for the elephant in the room...

Over two years ago, Hayley Atwell caused fair amount of controversy when she responded to a fan's tweet, asking if she wanted to be the Doctors' companion, by saying that she wanted to be THE Doctor. I said that the notion of having a woman play the Doctor was ridiculous, and that it should never happen.

Oh, how times change... I think it's great that there will be a woman playing the role of the Doctor, one that has never really lent itself to one sex over the other, even if it has always been played by men. Patrick Troughton himself is on record saying that he thinks there should be no limit when it comes to the Doctor's race or sex. Having a woman play the Doctor will really shake up the show, and hopefully it'll make the ratings go sky-high.

I am also pretty happy that Jodie Whittaker was chosen. She looks right for the job, and obviously has the acting ability to take on the role. I liked the one minute introduction trailer that we got in July, but I was disappointed that she only said one line at the end of the episode. After such a long wait and such a large announcement, you'd think that they would make her introduction to the show more exciting, and give us a sense of what her character will be like before the long wait until Autumn of next year and to try to tide over fans who are unsure about having a woman play the Doctor. I did like how her whole introduction sequence played out though, and thought that it was well filmed.

To those who are opposed to having a woman take on the role, all I can say is to give the new Doctor a fair shot. If we've decided that we hate the new Doctor, even before watching her first series, there's no way we'll like her or the next season. It doesn't make any sense to give up on our favorite show just because we're unsure about one casting choice, especially one that was bound to happen anyway. Changing the gender of the lead character is a pretty big deal, so a bit of uncertainty is perfectly normal. Regardless, whoever was chosen to be the Doctor was chosen because they were right for the role.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this episode and look forward to what the future holds for Doctor Who. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and God bless!

Great send off for Peter.

[Manwhofell · 9/10 · 25 December 2017]

This was a very good episode, worth the wait. The whole transition to Jodie's doctor doesn't overshadow the episode. I hate that it was announced ahead of time like it was because we obviously knew how it's going to end, just not the road that was taking us there. Peter & David were fantastic, as usual. It was nice to see a few old friends along the way as well. A solid send off for the guy who has replaced Tom Baker as MY Doctor.

Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady

[A_Kind_Of_CineMagic · 9/10 · 28 December 2017]

This episode features David Bradley recreating the First Doctor (originally played by William Hartnell and recreated prior to this by Richard Hurndall in 1983) and accompanying Peter Capaldi in his final adventure before his 12th Doctor regenerates into Jodie Whittaker's 13th Doctor. The episode begins with a beautiful clip from Hartnell as the 1st Doctor starting to feel his regeneration coming before a slightly unnecessarily noticeable transition to Bradley playing the 1st Doctor. The tiny flaw in this transition is quickly forgotten as Bradley does a fantastic job throughout the episode.

Bradley is a supremely good actor and his quality shines through in this sparkling, humorous, magical and mostly respectful portrayal of the Doctor. Capaldi is on absolute top form in his swan song and the story is thoughtful, moving, funny, interesting and works really well in all departments. I also loved Mark Gatiss' role of the Captain who joins the adventure and turns out to be of lovely significance.

The element which lifts the story even more into greatness is the inclusion of the Great War (now, of course, more often known as World War I) and the movingly beautiful scenes and thoughtful ideas presented with brilliant acting all round. Excellent stuff.

This episode is like classic series Doctor Who in many ways; it is not a non-stop roller-coaster of action, it is more slow, character based drama. I love that style when done well and the script, plot and acting in this episode carries off the slower paced, less action oriented story superbly well.

The 13th Doctor's arrival at the end regeneration scene was rather dramatic. I think I would have preferred a less shocking introduction and it gave more ammunition to online negative commentators who latched onto the scene as evidence of the female Doctor 'ruining their show'. This episode, though, was about Peter Capaldi signing off as the 12th Doctor and he really finished on a high. His acting was superb and the writing gave him a great send off.

Moffatt chose to have the 12th Doctor suffering a sort of identity crisis throughout his time, I guess you could argue the new cycle of regenerations given to the Doctor could cause this or just the chain of events could have made him question himself in a kind of mid-life crisis type situation. I loved that in Capaldi's farewell Moffatt allowed his Doctor to have a feeling of resolution and renewed faith in himself. Maybe this was overdue but it was done very well indeed.

I feel I should address the accusations some make that this episode rewrites the 1st Doctor as a sexist. I do think that it is a slight shame he was portrayed as a bit outdated in his attitude a few times. It is unfortunate that Moffatt's modern ideology and comedic/dramatic aims make people feel the 1st Doctor is being misrepresented and it is a slight issue for me but I did not find it a big issue. A few comedic comments here and there do not, for me, damage the 1st Doctor overall. I found it was a light hearted and very minor aspect of the episode. It did detract slightly but I felt that overall this portrayed the 1st Doctor as equally admirable and wonderful as Hartnell's original performance. It just infers he was rather patriarchal in a relatively harmless way which is actually very similar to how Richard Hurndall came across to me in The Five Doctors and not hugely out of keeping with the way the 1st Doctor (or the 3rd or 6th) sometimes acted. It just was a rather unnecessary addition when other sources of humour could have been better and less controversial.

Bill popping up in the episode is typical Steven Moffatt and is yet another reminder of his refusal to let companions go. This repetition of bringing companions back is slightly tiresome and along with the sexism jokes are the main reasons why I rate this 9 rather than full 10 in my personal ratings. However, Pearl Mackie is so good and Bill is such a great companion that she still adds quality to the episode.

The merging of this story with The Tenth Planet and involvement of original Mondasian Cybermen as well as the wonderfully acted recreation of the First Doctor just give this story a magic and nostalgia which combined with moving First World War elements and a very good script make this a mostly great episode and a fitting send off for the brilliant Peter Capaldi.

Thanks to Peter Capaldi for being such a perfect actor to portray the Doctor and thanks to Steven Moffatt for his service to the show. His era as showrunner was not always to my taste but it brought quite a few really excellent episodes to enrich the show, including this one.

My Rating: 9/10.

Series 10 Episode Ranking: 6th out of 14.

The old guard sign off in style.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 25 December 2017]

It has to be said this really did feel like the end of a chapter, and a goodbye was said to all from the Steven Moffat/Peter Capaldi era, fond farewells to Clara, Bill, even Mark Gatiss, who's been somewhat a fixture in the show's return was given a great send off. Fortunately the last hurrah was absorbing from start to finish, a wonderfully clever story, dazzling effects, and a proper nod to the show's history.

Capaldi ending his time in style, he was exceptional in this episode, his character has become incredibly well balanced, strong and humorous. David Bradley once again utterly on point in Hartnell's shoes, doing true justice to the first Doctor. A really fine performance from Mark Gatiss also (If you're reading more League of Gentlemen PLEASE!)

Nice touches the whole way through, that poignant moment where the Christmas day ceasefire was remembered, such a powerful moment.

Funny, moving, intriguing, sentimental, the list goes on, the show what it should be, the best thing on at Christmas. 10/10

The last great episode

[metdvls-1 · 10/10 · 31 December 2020]

This is the last great episode of the show before the Chibnall/Whitaker mess.

Moffat and Gatiss got it. The proof is they did it on Sherlock as well.

I wish Capaldi and Pearl Mackie had more time together. But this was a poignant end for Capaldi and could have served as a full circle from the first Doctor to the twelfth.

This will remain a favorite of mine. The end shows it is a true Christmas episode.

Capaldi at his best

[gerrydax-45-719911 · 10/10 · 11 April 2021]

...... Best of everything

He'll be fondly remembered as one of the best Doctors over the entire history of the series

Fantastic performance from him and his supporting cast.

Very highly recommended.

A Matter of Death, Then Life...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 4 January 2022]

Capaldi made the role all his own (he was quite dislikeable in his first season though), Once the moon birthed a thing and was flown, The hybrid made no sense, The forest was too dense, Skovox Blitzer too daft to condone (as were the sleep monsters).

The breakout was pure genius, Dalek sewers creating new genus, The monks hypnotised, The Master disguised, Rassilon forced to leave and egress.

Mr. Pink had potential to grow, Clara Oswald a precious cargo, Bill brought us perspective, Made time more connective, Nardole always full of gusto.

Missy stole the show as the Master, Hat's off to the person that cast her, The sparring as good, As it possibly could, Where will it all go from hereafter.

A change is as good as a rest, Let's hope Jodie is one of the best, With a new innovator, Just where will he take her, New companions alongside and abreast.

A Beautiful Departure

[MaxHuskins · 9/10 · 27 December 2017]

Last years Christmas special was one of the worst episodes of Doctor Who that ever happened, it made me fall out of love with the show. The Capaldi seasons had a few ups and many downs, even though Peter is an incredible doctor, the show was plagued with problems such as bad writing.

With all of that said, this was an absolutely beautiful and magical send off. By far one of the best, emotional and meaningful Christmas Specials that have ever been made. I was worried that the episode would pull the gimmicky two doctors plot but they managed to perfectly reason it, creating an incredible episode. I think "Twice Upon a Time" captures the best of the Doctor who essence. It's a worthy goodbye to the Twelfth Doctor, Bill, and Steven Moffat as show runner. The show is worth returning to on this high note.

Prepare to love it and cry a lot.

I am now once again excited to see the future of Doctor Who, with a new doctor and show runner I'm sure we will see exciting changes and a new direction.

Merry Christmas and long live the Doctor!

Clever.

[philneil · 8/10 · 26 December 2017]

I had seen the trailers and certain online spoilers for this episode and waited with eager anticipation. I finally sat down to watch and man did it live up to the hype. I agree that it was a tiny bit slow in parts but the nostalgia aspect maintained the episode's watchability. Parts of this story were set along the Western front during WW1, 1914... at Christmas time - so if you know your history, you will notice some foreshadowing for the upcoming narrative. Everyone knew, myself included, how the story would end (Unless you have been living under a rock... on Gallifrey!) but it was still nonetheless captivating and goosebump-inducing to witness. Peter Capaldi's Doctor had really grown on me, his delivery of some really laugh-out-loud lines with expert timing endeared himself to this viewer. That said, I am very eager to see where the cliffhanger takes Jodie's incarnation of The Doctor in season 11. 8/10

Heartwarming

[parksandrec · 7/10 · 25 December 2017]

This episode might not be perfect, but it's just fun, bittersweet, and heartwarming. Capaldi's performance is moving, and arguably one of his best ever. Rachel Talalay's direction is once again fantastic, and although the script isn't perfect, it's still pretty great. I really loved this episode.

For those unsure about having a woman play the Doctor, all I can say is give her a chance. Anytime a Doctor has been chosen, it's because they're right for the role. Eccleston, Tennant, Smith, and Capaldi have all been equally amazing, and I'm sure Whittaker will be as well. When the Doctor changed from Matt Smith to Peter Capaldi, people complained "he's too old," and jumped ship right away. Let's not do the same thing just because the Doctor has changed, once again. We could be missing out on the height of the show's creativity and an audacious new era, or we could be missing out on a mediocre few series, but we'll never really know unless we watch with an open mind, just like we did when we first watched Doctor Who.

Chris Chibnall even asked Whittaker to audition, because he knows her personally and thought she would be great for the job. She's clearly a talented actress (BIFA nominations for Venus and Adult Life Skills and a wonderful, wonderful performance in Paddy Considine's Journeyman), that will breathe new life into the show and hopefully make ratings skyrocket next series. I'm excited to see what she does with the character.

The end of Doctor Who

[syke-5 · 10/10 · 26 June 2021]

This unfortunately the final true Doctor Who episode, the warmth, the beautiful scores by Murray Gold and characters you actually cared about all come to a close here, Peter Capaldi will be missed as one of the best Doctors in the modern who era.

A moderate view of Twice Upon a Time

[korereviews · 6/10 · 28 December 2017]

Since opinions about Doctor Who seem to have degenerated into polemics, consisting of either uncritical adoration or irrational hatred, a moderate view of Moffatt's final episode seems like a helpful offering.

This episode was okay. It wasn't horrible. It didn't make me want to throw things at the television, like some of Moffatt's episodes. But it wasn't thrilling either, and I was surprised to find - just as I was thinking that the main plot must be about to kick in - that in fact the episode was almost over, and what I had just watched WAS the main plot. That was a bit of a let-down. Compared with previous Christmas specials, this one featured no cataclysmic disaster for the Doctor to avert at the last minute. What we expect to be the monster in fact turns out to be benign. On the upside, this is a refreshing idea, something unexpected. But it does make the episode quite anti-climactic. The story was also notably simpler and more straightforward than Moffatt typically is, and there was no "timey-wimey" stuff. That too is a positive. One just wishes that the gap left by those things had been filled with something a little more engaging and dramatic than what we got. As a send off for Capaldi, it was a bit of a whimper. Heaven Sent it was not, alas.

That said, the episode, had some very enjoyable aspects: David Bradley put in a thoroughly charming performance as the first Doctor, almost making you wish that 12 might just regenerate back into him. The banter between the two doctors was very engaging, and Bradley and Capaldi played off one another brilliantly ("I AM younger" - hilarious). More problematic was Moffatt's decision to make the first Doctor into a raging chauvinist (which he never really was ) - funny at first, perhaps, but the gag went on far too long. More structurally, there didn't turn out to be any real reason for both of them to be in this episode - it had nothing to do with the central plot - it seems Moffatt just though it would be "cool" to have the first Doctor in an episode.

Gatiss put in a quality performance as the confused WWI soldier - proving yet again that he's a better actor than writer. I wasn't thrilled to see Bill back again - not because I didn't like her character, but because I think continually bringing back old companions (under any pretext) nullifies the emotional effects of their leaving in the first place, and is frankly just cheap fan service. (In that connection, I now realize that I DID almost throw something at the TV when she-who-shall-not-be-named put in a brief appearance as well...)

It's hard to say anything good about Capaldi's final speech and regeneration scene: the speech was forced, cheezy, meaningless, and yet another example of how Moffatt can't write human (or alien) emotion. The regeneration itself was brief, and exactly the same as the previous two. Could have used a little more imagination there.

As far as the next Doctor's introduction goes - it was brief, but looked good. Not a lot to go on, but there was certainly nothing to object to in her performance or look so far. The episode ending with her falling out of the Tardis was a nice touch. I have to say, I'm feeling optimistic about her portrayal at this point.

In sum, weak plot, great performances, not much drama. I'd give it 6.5, but IMDB doesn't allow half points, and 7 seems a bit high for this episode.

Farewell to number 12

[studioAT · 5/10 · 22 August 2019]

It took a while for Peter Capaldi's Doctor to grow on me, but he did a good job in the role, with sometimes not always the quality of scripts he deserved.

If you've not liked his tenure you'll find nothing to change your mind here, but there are some lovely moments, especially between Capaldi and David Bradley, who is standing in for William Hartnell as the first Doctor.

While people will blame the Capaldi era for the decline in affection and ratings for the show as a whole, I think instead we should recognise quite how lucky we were to have an actor of his clout in the role.

Thank you Mr Capaldi. We now let you go.

Oh, brilliant!

[zeppodunsel · 10/10 · 26 December 2017]

When I saw the first season with Peter Capaldi I decided I was done with Doctor Who, but then I decided to give Doctor Who a second chance and I have not regretted that decision!

This season with Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts was just great and one of the best of the franchise ever.

This Christmas Special introduces us to the concept of 'The Testimony', a mysterious organization from the future that takes beings just shortly before they are about to die and records their memories so that their essence remains preserved for all time. It kind of echoes the 'Nethersphere' of Capaldi's first season and the Tessalecta from season six, but here it is something quite wonderful. They travel in spaceships capable of stealing ships as advanced as the TARDIS and their agents appear to be humanoids of glass.

The Testimony is after a captain of the British Army in World War One, in the trenches of Ypres, but because Doctor Twelve and Doctor One both are reluctant to regenerate, a paradox causes to let the good captain wander outside his own time and into the Antarctic.

Both Doctors try to keep the captain from falling into the hands of the antagonist and after the TARDIS of Twelve is taken they make their getaway with the TARDIS of One. Joining them is Bill Potts, who explains to Twelve how she was saved by Heather at the end of the last season.

In the search for the identity of the antagonist they even go to a Dalek called 'Rusty' who was once programmed to hate other Daleks, to access the Dalek database.

With that information and with the realization that Bill Potts is an agent of The Testimony, they decide The Testimony is not an evil organization. The captain is returned to the time and place where he's supposed to be. According to Twelve that is! The good captain, as it turns out, is an ancestor of Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart! And the moment he is returned to is the moment of the Christmas Truce of Ypres.

German and British troops start singing Christmas Carols instead of killing each other. One of the sanest moments of the war!

Both Doctors are now mentally in a place where they are ready to regenerate. One into Two and Twelve can say goodbye to Bill Potts, Nardole (also now data in the Testimony) and even Clara Oswald! Doctor Twelve had forgotten about her (reverse variant on the Donna situation) but now gets to say goodbye.

Then Doctor Twelve regenerates into Doctor Thirteen, played by Jodie Whittaker!

As the episode comes to an end, the inside of the TARDIS starts to explode and Thirteen is thrown out, plummeting to an unknown depth.

I very much look forward seeing Jodie in her adventures as The Doctor!

Great

[The_GunsIinger · 10/10 · 15 October 2018]

Gonna miss this cast and especially the writers. The new one is horrible for Jodie.

Backwards Looking And That's No Bad Thing

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 26 December 2017]

One thing you may expect from the Doctor Who Christmas special is that it's probably going to be far from special . Not necessarily a criticism because event television up against an event like Christmas might just cancel itself out so as usual keep things light . Set against the backdrop of the first world war we know we're getting something along the lines of Paul McCartney's song the pipes of peace

This isn't what we got . As someone whose interest in the show has weakened season by season I no longer look up information on upcoming episodes which means this addict of the show comes in to an episode as a casual viewer

What we got was an episode slight on plot but was xompensated as a backwards looking love letter to previous decades of the show which is hugely enjoyable. It doesn't always work of course and while David Bradly fills Hartnell's shoes physically his dialogue is unbecoming of the first Doctor. This sums up the problem of the Moffat era , You could cast Daniel Day Lewis in the lead role and he'd be ineffective in the role due to the writing. What makes this more irritating is how good Capaldi is in this episode and once again you're struck how good the Capaldi era could have been. Once again a lost opportunity . Not to be negative as a fan I understood all the in jokes and thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgia bordering on meta-fiction

And so we enter a new era for the show . With Chibnall we will probably get traditional linear storytelling with a non traditional -- that is a female - lead in the role as The Doctor . Now the shock of the casting from Summer has worn off I'm not as pessimistic as I was so here's to the future of DOCTOR WHO , the greatest show in the universe

An Affirming & Affectionate End Of An Era

[timdalton007 · 9/10 · 26 December 2017]

"It's the end but the moment has been prepared for."

Those words spoken by Tom Baker's Fourth Doctor on the brink of his regeneration more than three decades ago could also be applied to this year's Christmas special. It's safe to say expectations were high thanks to the announcement of Peter Capaldi exiting the series alongside showrunner Steven Moffat, Jodie Whittaker taking over as the first female Doctor, and then the return of David Bradley playing the role of the very first Doctor (Bradley had previously played actor William Hartnell, who originated the role, in 2013's An Adventure In Space And Time). So did Twice Upon A Time live up to those expectations or did it crash and burn?

Given the sheer amount of elements on its plate, Moffat certainly had a lot to play with given the hour of screen time. Perhaps it's not a surprise then that the special's plot is relatively straightforward. Picking up both from the end of Series Ten finale and between scenes in the First Doctor regeneration story The Tenth Planet, Twice Upon A Time finds the First and Twelfth Doctors dealing with moments of frozen time with a group of glass like creatures snatching people out of time at the moment of their deaths. Two of those they encounter is a First World War British army captain (played by Moffat's Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss whose previous Who screen appearances include the title role in The Lazarus Experiment) and former companion Bill Potts. The special then is a bit of a runaround but one that packs a punch.

A punch that is driven home by the characters and performances. Moffat uses all of the aforementioned characters to explore how we face death, something appropriate given that Twice Upon A Time marks the end of an era in many respects. It's something which Capaldi, Bradley, and even Gatiss play wonderfully in their own ways at different times throughout the hour. Indeed, some of the best moments being the two Doctors together from very different ends of their lives looking at each other as two old men raging against the dying of the light. Yet the end of the special is also a life-affirming one filled with hope for the future after spending nearly an hour looking so much to the past.

It's the looking to the past that will also help this special stand out. The special begin with footage from The Tenth Planet which morphs seamlessly from black and white with William Hartnell into newly shot color footage featuring Bradley which offers snatches of scenes long lost due to a BBC archive purge in the 1970s. It's wonderful to see those moments recreated as a long-time fan and it is perhaps fans who will appreciate those touches and another major reference that comes late in the special more than the average viewer. At times though it might be a bit much such as the return of a character (for lack of a better phrase) from a very early Capaldi episode or the over-played sexism of the First Doctor (something which was there back in the 1960s as part of the era but to a far lesser extent in the character himself). For longtime fans it's much fun, a chance for the Doctor and viewer alike to look backward and forwards all at once.

What Twice Upon A Time will be remembered for more than anything else is its closing two minutes or so. Regenerations have not been a forte of 21st Century Who it must be said. David Tennant's regeneration was spread across more than two hours and turned into a sloppy, poorly plotted, and over-sentimental mess with him moaning "I don't want to go!". Matt Smith's 2013 exit was tonally all over the place due to try to cram so much into sixty minutes though Time Of The Doctor was redeemed somewhat by an excellent final scene for Smith. Indeed, only Christopher Eccelston's exit can be said to have really worked. Here though, Moffat gets it right with a scene that lets Capaldi say goodbye not just in character as the Doctor but to the role that he, as a life-long fan, had clearly always wanted to play. Moffat keeps it from being too self-indulgent before it gives way to Jodie Whittaker's much-anticipated entrance which will undoubtedly leave appetites wetted for her first full episode in 2018.

For all of those reasons, Twice Upon A Time is a winner. It might well be the best Christmas special Doctor Who has yet aired and is the best regeneration story we've had in more than a decade. More than that, it's the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, something that everyone involved from Moffat to Capaldi are intent on making clear. It's a look back and a look ahead with nostalgia on one hand and hope on the other.

Goodbye chaps and thank you for all the Who.

A fitting bridge between Steven Moffat and Chris Chibnall's respective era's.

[The-Last-Prydonian · 8/10 · 26 December 2017]

Continuing where The Doctor Falls left off, the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) arrives at the South Pole where he comes face to face with his crotchety first incarnation, (David Bradley) who like himself is close to the brink of regenerating. Together they encounter glass-like entities, who have been snatching people from various time zones. One such victim is an unnamed world War One captain (Mark Gatiss), who fate would have it, was spirited away before he was to be killed in the line of duty. Together the two Time Lord personas attempt to return the soldier to his own timeline while attempting to uncover the entity's plot which reveals a couple of unexpected twists.

Marking something of a watershed moment in the history of the series both classic and new, Twice Upon a Time not only marks the second time that another actor has portrayed William Hartnell's antiquated, irascible first Doctor, (Richard Hurdnall took on the mantle in the 20th Anniversary Special; The Five Doctors in 1983) but that a woman has inherited the role. While the story proves to be the second best of Capaldi's Christmas specials, with it being pipped to the post by 2014's Last Christmas, it still proves to be an emotional and engaging send-off for Capaldi if a somewhat flawed one.

To get down to its merits, Bradley is, of course, the ideal choice to play the original Doctor (he had played William Hartnell in the television bio-pic; An Adventure in Time and Space in 2013) who William Hartnell I suppose effectively brought to life. I say suppose as I can't say I was ever a fan of his pro-type so to speak. I just never warmed to the character greatly whose successor, the late great Patrick Troughton sublimely perfected as a total differentiation. Nevertheless, Bradley delivers a wonderful rendering of the role, choosing wisely not to attempt to impersonate Hartnell but channel the essence of the character. Peter Capaldi is quite simply awe-inspiring, giving one of his best performances in the role if not the best, and one that he certainly owes to the series not least of all himself. Like previous regeneration episodes, (even the dreadful The End O Time Parts One and Two) it is as reflective and emotional as it should be.

Pearl Mackie makes a return as the former companion, Bill Potts who had just recently made her departure from the TARDIS at the end of Series 10. It's not the first time companions have briefly reprised their roles, and it has proven to have become something of a trend that has been guilty of being contrived in the past. It's pulled off quite effectively here as it's woven into the plot. Mackie defies the naysayers who predicted she would be irritating and obnoxious as she comes into her own, and proves them wrong. Her quiet little moments with the Twelfth Doctor, who remains irresolute as she attempts to convince him that she is the genuine article are wonderfully realized through their nuanced performances.

Mark Gatiss makes a welcome guest cast member, although of course not for the first time (he played Prof. Charles Lazarus in 2007's; The Lazarus Experiment) as the rather a-typical World War One Captain who has the very British reserve, and stiff upper lip challenged by the extraordinary predicament he finds himself in.

The story itself while efficient enough is somewhat unremarkable given that it's not the most innovative of concepts, as it plainly borrows from the movie, Avatar. It's something of a potential pitfall with multi-doctor stories that require them to be brought together by a means that could come over as forced. It does however act as a neat conceit for Capaldi's Doctor to reflect on his era as it reaches its end. The main theme of the story is that of closure, and looking back on the past as a means to confront a future of uncertainty. It's hammered home in a myriad of ways that offer not only nostalgia which works considerably better than David Tennant's swansong, which suffered from Russell T. Davies self-indulgence.

With Rachel Talalay directing again, she seamlessly uses BBC archive footage from The Tenth Planet, which was William Hartnell's final story, and competently melds into the Christmas Special with its vintage black and white monochrome fading into colour beautifully. She also brilliantly brings the South Pole to life, and alien antagonists, The Testimony is given an eerily ethereal quality that compliments the more haunting tone of the episode. And with its plot dealing with the Doctor's refusal to regenerate and to preserve the man that he currently is, they offer a possible respite to his struggle before he reaches his catharsis. It elevates towards its pinnacle with Capaldi's passionate final speech, which after the dust settles and we are faced with the rather stunning features of Jodie Whittaker before the credits finally roll, we are left to muse about what the future has in store with Chris Chibnall taking over the reins from Steven Moffat. If anything, Twice Upon a Time makes for a successful bridge between both men's respective eras, and while not exactly perfect it's one that won't necessarily be forgotten too soon.

The Perfect Ending

[jackbryant-00743 · 10/10 · 19 January 2021]

A great send off for Capaldi and Doctor Who in general. This is how Doctor Who should have ended or have gone on a break, baring in mind how godawful series 11 and 12 turned out to be. I really really hope all of Jodie's era is boycotted as it has ruined the show forever.

Back to the Episode. I love this episode because it's such a good way to send the doctor off, Doctors in fact. I think it's a perfect way to show the 1st Regeneration as well. I love that Bill and Nardole are in the episode, a long with the Clara Cameo. I'm glad Mark Gatiss got a slightly bigger role than usual as I loved him in the League of Gentlemen and Sherlock. David Bradley's performance as The 1st Doctor is amazing.

Overall really good episode 10/10

Peters out but howdy Jodie

[Lejink · 7/10 · 29 December 2017]

Well we all knew how this one was going to end so it was really just a case of how also departing writer and show-runner Steven Moffat would get us there that mattered. In so doing he found a nice juicy part for his sometime collaborator Mark Gatiss with character whose identity I guessed long before the end and a story which saw us encounter the Doctor's first incarnation, plus the reincarnations, or so it seemed of Bill Potts and more briefly Nardini and more welcomely, Jenna Coleman as Clara. There was a mysterious presence going by the name of Testimony, a glass-formed creature which handily gathers and retains the memories of individuals on the verge of death, a meet-up with a reformed Dalek and of course at the climax, the at last welcome regeneration into new doc, Jodie Whittaker.

For once then the doctor wasn't pitted against some galaxy threatening do-badder, although I felt the lack of any sense of danger, coupled with the inevitability of the outcome, rather took some of the edge off the episode. The commemoration of the Christmas 2014 World War 1 Armistice (remembering this episode was this year's Christmas Special), was apt and tastefully rendered. Perhaps more could have been done in the interaction between the two Doctors, although the old doc's antiquated sexist outlook couldn't have been more accidentally topical if it tried.

I'll certainly miss Capaldi's waspish humour and yes, his Scottishness, but with a new writing team as well as the first ever female doctor the next season will be intriguing to say the least.

I wish Ms Whittaker well in the part and will be keenly anticipating the new doctor's new adventures in the coming year.

Farewell to Peter Capaldi

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 26 December 2017]

As this episode opens we flashback to the time the very first Doctor is about to regenerate at the South Pole; he doesn't want to regenerate though. It is also time for Peter Capaldi's Doctor to regenerate and he doesn't want to either... he is also at the South Pole and the two Doctor's meet. Their actions are having an effect on time; two soldiers, one English the other German are aiming their pistols at each other in a First World War bomb crater then time seems to stop but not for the English officer. He wanders round the battlefield then suddenly finds himself catapulted through time and space to the two Doctors. Not long afterwards they are joined by what appears to be Bill Potts. There isn't much time for talking though as a spaceship captures the Tardis and the four people. Their captors state that they are 'Testimony' and they travel through time to the moment each person dies for reasons that aren't immediately obvious. Our quartet manage to escape before trying to discover what Testimony is. Things need to be put right and that includes the small matter of The Doctor's regeneration.

I enjoyed this Christmas special. The story was rather fun and it was easy to accept David Bradley as the First Doctor; he does a fine job of playing William Hartnell playing The Doctor. There are plenty of treats for fans including the return of somebody who appears to be Bill Potts and even the brief cameo from Clara and Nardole... although to my mind the latter to appearances were a bit unnecessary. Far better was the identity of the captain whose identity wasn't revealed till the end. There was also an interesting hint to the identity of the German soldier; so subtle I wonder if I was seeing something that wasn't intended... but seeing him sketching certainly made me think of a future German leader who also dabbled in art. Testimony was an interesting antagonist as it was ultimately shown to be benevolent; a refreshing change from the usual series of antagonists. Doctor Who can get a bit PC at times and here it is made clear that the first Doctor's '60s attitudes are out of date; thankfully this is done in an amusing way and does provide a decent number of laughs. The final scene, were the Doctor regenerates was good even if it was really just a teaser for the next series... it was just a pity that the BBC seems to revel in spoiling the surprise by making a big fuss about the new Doctor months before the episode airs rather than surprising the audience. Overall though I'd say this was a fun episode for fans that would probably confuse anybody new to Doctor Who as it features so many references to past events and characters.

A review and a note to those unsure about the next Doctor

[kafjsakjilmi · 7/10 · 12 May 2018]

REVIEW: While I don't think that the characterization of the 1st Doctor as sexist was a very good idea, it wasn't too bothersome.

Capaldi was great and is the best actor to ever play the Doctor (his performances in Heaven Sent, The Doctor Falls, and the Zygon Inversion are nothing short of BAFTA worthy), Pearl Mackie gave a wonderful, emotional performance, and Mark Gatiss was very good too.

I thought the ending speech was contrived. Capaldi's farewell to Nardole and Bill was much better. The direction was good, as was the score, and I really liked the Testimony. I give Twice Upon a Time an 8.5 out of 10.

----------------------

To those unsure about a female Doctor, From someone who was against the idea before. I think it could really help the show's ratings and make it feel exciting and fresh again. As for who the next Doctor is, Jodie Whittaker was good in Broadchurch and great in ADULT LIFE SKILLS- but she's just incredible in JOURNEYMAN. If you are unsure about her as the Doctor, please go watch it. She gives a masterclass in acting without ever looking like she's trying. Her performance is one of the best I've seen all year. I'm sure she will be a wonderful Doctor.

Christmas Special 2017: Missed opportunity that doesn't hit enough of its marks

[bob the moo · 26 December 2017]

Twice upon a Time is the title of this episode, which sees a nice bit of casting by drawing David Bradley from the depiction of the actor William Hartnell, to here play the character he was most famous for (while Bradley himself is more famous for Game of Thrones now). This is one of the many positive things that this special held out; a final outing for Capaldi, a final appearance for Mackie (somehow), and a regeneration into a new Doctor. Lots on offer, so it is frustrating that it doesn't really hit many high notes as it goes.

The plot sees time frozen, but it is the tone that seems the most awkwardly stuck between two stools. It knows it has to be 'important' but at the same time it also kind of knows that it should be entertaining too. Any time it tries to do one, it seems overly conscious not to move too far from the other; the end result is something that is very middle-of-the-road and lacks conviction in what it is doing. Capaldi deserves a stronger bow out than this; he gets his moment on screen but the episode itself doesn't build up as well as previous exits have. Bradley's Doctor isn't used particularly well at all; there is a novelty of seeing him but mostly his character is not great - which is a fairly poor situation if you are going to bring the original Doctor back. As a story there isn't really a pace to it, and I didn't find myself held by it as it unfolded. Returns and references for many characters just felt like they were throwing things at the screen, not that the story made sense to have them all.

This weakness meant the more important moments felt fake, or at very least unearned. The use of the WWI setting and famous moment is corny, the references/connections to other characters are clunky as usual, but what bothered me more was the way that themes were not delivered on as they could have been. More could have been made of the two Doctors being there - more could have been done to engage that reflective tone, and to bring it round to be a conclusion and decision to start afresh. At times it seems to be looking for this, but the show doesn't have the determination to go for it.

The Worst ending to a beloved but neglected Doctor.

[jvm0393 · 4/10 · 3 January 2018]

A little bit of backstory in the writing of this episode, Chris Chibnall (who is now the showrunner and Executive producer of Doctor who) was originally supposed to write this episode however decline, so Moffat was left to write this episode and it really shows. I watch this with my dad on the day after Christmas and within ten minutes of the show my dad fail to sleep, that's how exciting this episode was. The story is non-existent and the plot is paper thin, I don't think I can even explain the plot to you it's that weak. Basically the story involves the two doctors (12th and 1st) they get abducted by a ship run by a glass-like holographic computer, they escape to another planet where the 12th Doctor gets information from said computer from a Dalek of all things, they return to 1914 Earth and say farewell to each other before regenerating in their respected tardises, that the story in a nutshell.

The Characters are no better, we are introduce to a WWI British field captain whose name isn't even reveal to us until the end of the episode and the First Doctor played this time by David Bradley. I like David Bradley in this, he plays William Hartnell's Doctor really well, however because Moffat is a complete Jerk he decided to make the First Doctor sexist which is pretty disrespectful to a man who has been dead for 42 years, not only that but William Hartnell never said or did anything sexist on the show. The whole thing comes across as a bit mean-spirited and should have been left out. Bill the Lesbian makes a comeback and her reason on why she has returned only makes sense through the eyes of Moffat. First she turns into a Cyberman, then she turns into a puddle girl, now she is made out of glass and we don't know if that's really her. Humpty Dumpty look alike Nardole comes back only to say farewell to the Doctor as do Bill and Clara (a Character I hate).

You would be mistaken to think that this was written by multiple people as the episode doesn't have any real purpose other than for the 12th Doctor's companions to say goodbye which was done in The Doctor Falls which if you see my review wasn't a great story either. Everything that you see in this episode is unoriginal and has been done before though much better. Even the regeneration is unoriginal, the whole combustion whilst the Doctor (or whoever) holds his/her arms in a cross like position has been done so many times now that it's beyond tiresome not to mention destroying the Tardis whilst regenerating which was done far better in the End of Time. I like that they use the morphing effect on Capaldi's eye as it transitions into Whittaker's eyes and the use of the Bad Wolf theme not use since the End of Time, 7 years ago. The last three minutes of this episode is probably the best part, the Doctor (now played by Whittaker) presses a button and the Tardis blows up and then she falls out of the Tardis, I don't know why but I found that whole scene amusing especially the way she's falling.

After watching this episode I rewatching previous regeneration stories in DW and I noticed a glaring error with this episode, the Doctor (mainly the 12th Doctor) isn't heroic. In all other regeneration stories the Doctor is always heroic despite the odds that are against him, we saw him face his fears in Planet of the Spiders, save the universe in Logopolis, risk his life to save Peri in Caves of Androzani and stop his own people from destroying the Earth in The End of Time. Here not only is the Doctor withholding his regeneration because he doesn't want to, but he also sends the WWI captain (yeah did you forget about him?) back to Ypres so he would die, fortunately for the captain he doesn't die because of the Christmas truce. Ohh as for the Captain's reveal it turns out his the Grand Uncle of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart which is just shoehorn in.

Beautiful ending for a brilliant doctor and writer.

[DoctorDangerDisco · 10/10 · 26 December 2017]

To me this episode was perfect. I've seen a lot of complaining about the lack of action and no enemy. But they're missing the point. 12 already had his final battle in the doctor falls. This episode was more about the doctor learning about himself and everything he stands for. It showed the evolution of him. I loved the story of how the first doctor left galifrey because he wanted to see how good could ever beat evil and actually the answer to that was himself. David Bradley was a great first doctor and he's a great actor and its a shame he couldn't be his own original doctor. The final shots of the ww1 Christmas truce were beautiful it sums up why the doctor loves the earth so much that these soldiers who are at war could lay down their weapons for one day just to be kind was a brilliant moment and the scene of the 2 doctors standing there watching like ghosts was truly amazing.

The cameos were a nice touch. Clara needed to be there in some form and they had a nice moment even if it wwsnt actually her. Also it was obvious Peter and Jenna didn't film the scene together but it was still a lovely moment and while nardoles appearance wasn't necessary it was still a nice and his speech about his battlefield being empty because everyone else had fallen was truly tragic and the last bit where they hugged and disappeared leaving his arms empty truly hit me hard. 12 I feel truly struggled with being alone more than any other.

Capaldis 2 final speeches were truly beautiful about kindness. A doctor who had often been criticised as to dark or to cold and ruthless has shown he is the one who values kindness more than most. Say what you want about Moffat but he has truly given the doctor as a whole so much depth, he truly understands what makes him tick. Peter Capaldi you have been amazing both in the role and out of the role you truly are the doctor the universe we all need and have done so much and you deserve a great career ahead still and I may not like it but doctor, I let you go.

The only negative I have is Jodie whitakers first scene. It felt lazy to me. This was chibnals debut scene and he did nothing to establish her character, the first words were as cliche and unoriginal as you can get then basically copied the 11th hour opening. Really hoping this isn't a sign to come for his era.

But overall a beautiful episode for Peter Capaldi and him and Steven Moffat will truly be missed. Thank you gentleman for the best era of doctor who in my humble opinion.

Overall rating: out of 10...12