Doctor Who (TV Series) The Day of the Doctor (2013) User Reviews

The Ultimate fiftieth celebration.

[jgarbett-510-54203 · 8/10 · 23 November 2013]

I have just finished watching the doctor's fiftieth anniversary celebration 'The Day of the Doctor' and it is a wonderful tribute to the longest running sci-fi series in history.

The fiftieth anniversary is full of 'spoilers', see what I did there. So on the off chance you haven't see it yet, it is the team-up of the two most famous doctors since the reboot in 2005 and has them revisiting the 'moment that defined him' .

The TV show lasts one hour and fifteen minutes, a perfect length and is full of twists and turns and brilliant fan service and dialogue. It is a tribute to all the doctors from past, present and future and combines humour, emotion and brilliance in a fabulous concoction.

'The day of the doctor' is a television event that won't easily be forgotten and is the ultimate way to celebrate 50 years.

Confusion 'No more'

[pirateatbay · 10/10 · 23 November 2013]

Just finished watching the day of the doctor, and my God!!! I've waited a LONG time to feel what I am felling right now. By far, this episode was the best one yet in the Doctor Who series.

Before I saw the episode, I was both excited and worried at the same time because I did not want to be disappointed after waiting for so long to see it after watching the teaser trailer. But Setven Moffat pulled it off, and in a way you can never imagine. He takes us for a ride into the realms of Gallifrey with such detail and yet with the hint of humor.

I can swear that there were more than one instance where I had tears of joy in my eyes. This is by far the only episode/show/movie where I have given a solid 10 on 10 on IMDb till date.

If you haven't seen it yet, mark my words, "you are in for a treat".

Doctor Who Considered as an exhibit for Sydney's "In Defense of Poesie"

[boblipton · 10/10 · 23 November 2013]

In my reviews of various episodes of Doctor Who I try to take a balanced view, to place each particular episode in the context of the series and to highlight some particular aspect of the production. So, when I first thought about this review, I thought that it would include references to other anniversary shows, the Anniversary Season, the one-shot DIMENSIONS IN TIME, which was so something-for-everyone that it wound up having to be written out of continuity.

Then I saw this episode and the constant assault of jokes and catchphrases, of old, ridiculous scarves and space-time telegraphs, of cameo appearances by Significant Players, of Daleks and Zygons and members of the Lethbridge-Stewart family, as well as the pleasure of watching Matt Smith and David Tennant wrangle under the grumpy eye of John Hurt -- which recalls William Hartnell grumbling at successors Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee for a clown and a fop -- well, my critical faculties just went into overload and broke down. I was just another geeky fanboy having a great time and I don't care who knows it.

And now that I think about it: what's wrong with that assessment? The answer is: nothing. This is what escapist fantasy like Doctor Who is supposed to do: lift us out of ourselves, give us and hour or so free from the weight of the world. That is what this episode does and does brilliantly. If there is a serious message hidden in there -- and I believe there is -- then that is well and good. As W.S. Gilbert had one of the characters in his comic operettas with Arthur Sullivan say, "He who'd make his fellow creature wise must always gild the philosophic pill." But even if you don't see it, the Fiftieth Anniversary Special is great escapist fun.

Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to watch it again.

Steven Moffat's Best Yet?

[Br007 · 9/10 · 23 November 2013]

Steven Moffat has been a mixed bag at times. His scripts for "A Christmas Carol" and "The Girl In The Fireplace" are two of the better episodes in recent years. Sentimentality suits him. But when he goes to great lengths to explain the mythology of Doctor Who and begins creating new connections to the past, he can also be quite wordy. The entire last season has been victimized by this and most of the episodes were less than satisfying. We just want an adventure, not a treatise on Who history or an impossibly tangled web of River Song and a dozen other characters.

But this time, he pulled it off. While this past season, topped by "The Name of the Doctor," seemed to be painting him into a plot heavy corner, "The Day of the Doctor" unwinds the whole mess nicely and adds just the right amount of clever twists and, most importantly, delights us with its sense of humor. Suddenly, it all makes sense.

To add to the fun, this is one of those times when more doctors actually ratchets up the good time. Plus there's at least one wonderful surprise cameo to top it all off. A good time for all. Highly recommended and makes watching the previous season well worth it. This may be Moffat's best script yet.

Every Doctor Has Its Day...

[Xstal · 10/10 · 27 December 2021]

A delight for all Whovian fans. Celebrating the five decade spans. Time Lord with a blue box. Running rings around clocks. Resolutely proud Gallifreyan.

There are Zygons who mimic ID. Liz the 1st who can be quite stroppy. While the moment grasps Rose. Clara strikes a great pose. Kate and Osgood make perfect copy.

This is The Day of Doctor. Universal hero and wise protector. Filled with great dialogue. The ending leaves us agog. Here's to fifty more years to our saviour.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW - An amazing journey with the Doctor!

[sammibushman · 10/10 · 23 November 2013]

Going into this 50th anniversary episodes, I expected three things: multiple doctors, the return of beloved references and characters for the fans, and a whole ton of fun. "The Day of the Doctor" delivered that and so much more.

From the absolutely brilliant banter, to the amazing special effects, everything was perfect. And the best part is, they didn't let those things eclipse the true heart of the story- the Doctor himself, and who he perceives himself to be.

This is an amazing episode that will be cherished, revered, and most of all, REMEMBERED, in the many years to come. Happy 50th, Doctor Who. It has been well worth the wait. 10/10

Superb

[neil-476 · 23 November 2013]

Matt Smith's Doctor Who joins forces with David Tennant's in order to take some sort of action over the War Doctor (John Hurt)'s destruction of Gallifrey.

This feature length special, made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the long-running BBC serial was shown in cinemas in 3D simultaneously with its telecast, and I must say that I am really glad that I saw it in a cinema packed with Doctor Who enthusiasts. The audience laughed at all the humour (this was a very funny film) and were absolutely silent throughout the considerable drama. They also reacted strongly to every little touch which was crafted into the film for fans who have followed since the very first episode.

The film worked well as a standalone movie, better as an episode which both resolved past questions and seeded future ones, and best of all as a celebration of this series since its inception.

It is delightful to see from this episode (together with the recent mini-episode) Paul McGann's Doctor welcomed fully and comprehensively into BBC TV continuity. It was good that not every cat was let out of the bag. And the effects and 3D were worthy of a cinema release.

Highly recommended.

The Elephant Man Makes One Heck Of A Good Doctor.

[zacpetch · 10/10 · 15 December 2014]

Before watching this, think back to the end of series 7: "Introducing John Hurt As The Doctor" reads the caption. The War Doctor was by far the greatest character reveal in TV history. The Eleventh Doctor has kept him hidden for fighting in the time war and it turns out that The War Doctor fits in between Eight and Nine as an unnumbered incarnation of our favourite time-traveller. He's the main character this time round.

This special is really all about him. This is a character study of the Not-Last Timelord exploring how the actions of The War Doctor have had knock-on effects on his successors Ten and Eleven. Tennant and Smith make a great pair as their more excitable versions of the character bounce off each other, Clara, UNIT, Queen Elizabeth I, Zygons and of course The War Doctor. Jenna Coleman is also fantastic, proving herself as a serious actress rather than just eye-candy (but face it, she's excellent at that too), with Jemma Redgrave making a nice return as Kate Stewart: It's easy to believe she is truly the Brigadier's daughter. Bille Piper is back too which I wasn't especially pleased to hear (Rose Tyler is an annoying spoilt brat) but she is terrific as The Moment, though criminally underused here. She always had excellent chemistry with Tennant but the two don't interact here even once! Still, that's only a minor issue and one we'll permit this once since she works really well with Hurt instead.

Wonderful though the cast all are, it comes as no surprise that the most experienced star steals every scene he's in. John Hurt is perfectly cast in this as the man torn by the ultimate dilemma. He's not a world famous actor for nothing and they don't just give anyone a CBE! He has excellent ability as an actor and uses his skill to its full potential at every opportunity.

This is filled with several references to classic Who as well. Every Doctor gets a look-in during the final moments of the Time War (via archive footage) and images of most companions are seen in the Black Archive. Quotes are used to great effect (We're both reversing the polarity!) and we finally get to see some of the implied relationship between Doctor Ten and Liz One when two of his other selves attend his wedding: For those keeping count this is the second, chronologically, of his four known weddings (Susan's Grandmother, Marilyn Monroe and River Song being the others).

There's not a great deal I can say without spoiling the episode due to the large number of plot twists this is filled with. In short, the biggest highlights have to be the two cameo appearances of some new Doctors. Twelve briefly gets seen but more exciting is the final scene: Tom Baker as The Curator. He's still as great at Dr Who as he ever was and this episode is made all the more special because he's in it. He'll probably never be in Dr Who again (except via archive footage perhaps) but it's exciting to see him return.

This is THE way to celebrate TV milestones. A TV Event like this will not be forgotten for a long time. Unlike the awful 30th & 40th anniversary specials, this is truly wonderful. 10/10

They've got their work cut out to top this on it's next big anniversary!

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 17 September 2015]

The Doctor and Clara are carried of in the TARDIS to the Tower of London, UNIT's headquarters, where Kate Lethbridge Stewart lays in wait, with a painting left by Queen Elizabeth.

The story of the Time War has run for many years, how fitting for the fiftieth that it gets explained. A clever concept, hopefully one that's over now.

The childlike elements of both Smith and Tennant contrast really well with the bleakness and soured maturity of the War Doctor. The interplay between the two of them is just glorious. Both also work extremely well with John Hurt too, must have been daunting he is literally a living legend.

It really pleased me that Billie was brought back, love or hate Rose, she played a hugely important role in helping the show get back on track. It's wonderful seeing her.

In all honesty my favourite part was the appearance of Tom, it literally had me in tears with a lump in my throat, what better possible celebration to the show then to have the longest running Doctor appearing. He's just magic.

The updated Zygons are amazing, among the most successful monster returns, they just look amazing, and the effect of them transforming into human copies fantastic. Talk about a long overdue return.

10/10 so many elements make up a truly wonderful special, like an updated Five Doctors. Utterly wonderful.

Doctor Who - The Day of the Doctor

[Scarecrow-88 · 9/10 · 2 January 2015]

I have to say after watching The Day of the Doctor, that I consider myself quite a rich fan of the long-time show. To have Steven Moffat as show runner and his magnificently brilliant staff putting together these complex, intricately plotted episodes, it is a delight to be alive to see it. I just wish my Uncle Bonnie would have persevered cancer to see where Doctor Who was going. The respect and admiration for the characters (actors who portrayed the Doctor and his adversaries) is presented in such an appreciative fashion, and to know this makes me proud of those carrying on the legacy first introduced in the 60s. For a little while the show was gone but never forgotten (the 90s is the dark decade for Who fans and I feel deep regret my uncle had to go so long without the show to enjoy) and now we, as Who fans, benefit and reap the rewards as viewers during this era.

I guess the best way to describe The Day of the Doctor is precious. It brings two beloved actors portraying the Doctor in during one of its greatest eras on television—Matt Smith and David Tennant—and a screen legend, John Hurt, as "the doctor who made a devastating decision that destroyed his own people and their fierce rivals, the Daleks". Hurt's "War Doctor" has been "buried away" as the shameful time lord future Doctors wish they could completely forget. This episode shows Hurt dealing with the option to destroy Gallifrey with a doomsday device, but it has a "conscience" and appears in the lovely form of Billie Piper (she remains a personal fave of mine from her days with Eccleston in the early 2000s). Piper's Rose is actually "Big Bad Wolf", and she attempts throughout the episode to talk Hurt's Doctor out of using it to wipe out Gallifrey.

In a top secret location in the heart of London known as the Undergallery, a specific painting shows the supposed fall of Gallifrey during the Time War. Zygons, ugly slug like creatures with suctions that shapeshift into human form through the use of the hosts they imitate, existed back at the time of Elizabeth I, and her association with Tennant's Doctor (they marry!) allows us to see how the creatures plan to use paintings as a method of travel, awaiting a significant change in the world from the primitive time they were currently existing. So they were to "invade the future from the past", waiting for the world's advancement before conquering it! Prior to the decision on whether or not to condemn the innocent aliens on Gallifrey, the three Doctors have a chance to rescue modern day London, circa 2013, from annihilation. To halt the plans of the Zygons to conquer London, members of an elite alien task force led by the daughter of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart will perhaps allow the city to be detonated by a nuclear weapon. So the Doctors will need to talk her out of something truly terrible that would be a mistake. This intentionally parallels the ongoing struggle within Hurt's War Doctor.

This episode neatly gives us Who fans an opportunity to see the Time War, two awesome Doctor Who actors (and a third to be added to the acting cannon to attain Hurt further recognition in his career) together to share some truly marvelous screen time (their banter is lively, clever, witty, and quite funny), and a delightful cameo by Tom Baker—a Who fan favorite from the 70s—as a museum curator. Baker and Smith together is certain to be a lasting moment in Who lore forever. Tennant just slides the Doctor Who role back like comfortable loafers, and his return is a welcome one. Hurt's old timer constantly bewildered at his future selves is a treat, particularly his remarks about the sonic screwdriver, kissing, and Smith's use of his hands when talking. Oh, and the Fez is always a fun sight gag for Smith's particular Doctor. How it is used for the "time fissure (a tear in the fabric of time), which is able to open a gateway that brings three Doctors (Time Lords) together" is ingenious. The Day of the Doctor is a necessity, in my opinion, if you are a Doctor Who nut like many of us sci-fi fans, both young and old. It is a treasure. I'm tickled it was so successful and so universally seen across the world. The series' value brings a warm feeling to my heart. The nice mention of the "round things, always loved the round things" in regards to the design of the older inside of the decor of the Tardis was awesome. The final scene with all the Doctors is wonderful, an awe-inspiring, loving homage to the series.

"Dear God, three of them"

[Greyrat2 · 10/10 · 5 September 2021]

Easily one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes. I really loved the interaction between 10, 11 and the War Doctor showing how the character has changed through each regeneration.

The last few minutes where the 12 of them- no sorry, 13 of them saving Gallifrey is so mindblowing and very unique because no other show can even copy such a thing.

It was also very satisfying seeing David Tennant and Tom Baker's performance one last time.

23rd of November, an early Christmas for Dr Who fans

[mikeymcdo · 9/10 · 10 December 2013]

A great big treat for anyone who has at least loosely followed the show within it's 50 year history.

Moffat has met the incredibly difficult task of catering this story to the casual and the hardcore Dr Who fans with his brilliant and dynamic writing. I feel bad for doubting the man I always thought he was losing his touch with overly clever plots that were making him come across as smug but he nailed it here, with this celebratory milestone.

This may also be a contender for the funniest Dr Who episode with the humour mainly provided through the banter of Smith, Tennant and Hurt who have amazing chemistry together and deliver the right balance of humour and drama to this feature length romp. (Actually, thinking about it the 1979 story the City of Death cannot be beaten in the humour department but this is the funniest the revitalised series has ever been.)

Overall a great episode that will ensue Doctor Who will go on with it's startling and slightly controversial conclusion that may irritate some fans however the two surprise appearances one of a familiar face, another of a taste of what is to come is the icing on the timey wimey cake.

The Day of the Doctor...But Not The One You Expected

[GenevaDuck · 7/10 · 24 November 2013]

The 'Day of the Doctor' is going to be remembered for two cameos...Peter Capaldi's bloodshot eyes and Tom Baker as "The Curator" possibly cementing himself as The Doctor, the definitive article you might say (More on that in a minute). The rest of the episode...Ehhh In 'The Day of the Doctor' begins with The War Doctor (John Hurt) having made the decision to end the long talked about Time War by sending the message 'No More' and stealing The Moment, the most dangerous weapon in the Time Lord armory and taking it to an unnamed location/planet to do the deed. However, we're told that The Moment is such a powerful weapon that it became sentient. The Moment makes contact with The War Doctor in the form of the Badwolf (Billie Piper who thankfully did not appear as Rose Tyler)acting as The War Doctor's conscious showing the psychological effects setting off the weapon will have on his future selves (David Tennant and Matt Smith). (Think It's A Wonderful Life).

Meanwhile, in the 21st century, Doctor #11 (Smith) is brought by UNIT to investigate an odd experience at the National Museum where something or someone appears to have escaped from within a 3-D painting. At the same time, Doctor #10 (Tennant) is in 16th century England hobnobbing with Queen Elizabeth I while tracking down Zygons. The two Doctors are brought together with The War Doctor and we see how the 16th century Zygon invasion is tied in to the going-on's in the 21st century. This also introduces an extra-dimensional status cube that plays bigger part later on.

The War Doctor returns to where he started to press the big red button to end the Time War with 10 and 11 in tow so he doesn't have to do it alone...but then they come up with another plan involving the status cubes and involving all the Doctors (from Hartnell through Peter Capaldi's eyeballs).

The episode is a mess throwing the entire Doctor Who mythos off-kilter. We've been told since the return of the show in 2005 that the Doctor did what he did because the Time Lords became as merciless as the Daleks and he had to stop both before the universe was destroyed. Now, he didn't press the button because the helpless bloodthirsty merciless Time Lords, on the verge of defeat, have to be saved under the hope of a better day in the future.

I also question the necessity of adding The War Doctor to the line of Doctors possibly requiring a re-con of Doctor's lives. I wonder if the script was written with the idea Eccleston's 9th Doctor would play the John Hurt role, prior to Eccleston turning it down, which would make more sense. Or, alternatively, casting Paul McGann as the last days of the 8th doctor.

Likewise, I kept wondering why David Tennant was there other than to have a multi-Doctor episode. He comes across more as a companion bumbling and stumbling along with Matt Smith through the episode. Of course we did get an answer to the whole Queen Elizabeth I references, but again, it seemed to just be there with no other reason for it.

The episode does give a clever way to portray the other Doctors taking in to account William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee have all passed, but there is no explanation, even a throw away line, as to how they knew to be at Gallifrey at the moment.

The most talked about part of the episode is Tom Baker's cameo. It does raise the question if he is a future Doctor or somehow the Fourth Doctor having lived on past his regeneration. Try not to think about it too much because it really doesn't matter. What does is that at 80, and with the twinkle still in his eye, Baker blows the other performances out of the water.

.

Eleven Things Wrong with 'Day of the Doctor' (Spoilers)

[rbemorgan · 3/10 · 24 November 2013]

I thought Eleven might be fitting.

1) The Doctor didn't destroy Gallifrey because he had too, in order to INEXPLICABLY stop ALL Daleks. He destroyed Gallifrey because his people were power-mad, Barbaric, Narcissistic, Dangerous megalomaniacs who would have destroyed the Universe themselves. This might have been less numbing if it was at all mentioned in-character.

2) Speaking of Ten, he was out of character. The whole thing to do with Elizabeth reminded me so terribly of Girl in the Fireplace, and thus all the complaints about his laddish, lude, 'along for the ride' behaviour stand relevant here as well. Please also remember that this is the Ten coming out of 'The Waters of Mars,' and about to enter 'The End of Time', where he is dark, brooding, power-mad and in full grasp of the knowledge that his people are monsters.

3) The plot involved many holes, unexplained events and frankly… lazy writing. (For example, what happens to the Gallifrey in 'End of Time' now?) How did they get into the Time War? Who knows. Weapon we've all never heard of before did it. Literally… 50th anniversary of a very clever show had the plot of 'Just God Powers because' – and what hurts the most is that people are calling this wonderful. Also, near the end, where John Hurt explains that he simply won't remember and that's just accepted. Just thrown in there, so lazily. Why won't you remember? What happens if you had to delete yourself from your own History in order that the Doctor never remembers? Hence no one knows you.

4) The ending was the reworked final plot from Blink. In Blink, Sally and Lawrence – through guidance of the Doctor – have the TARDIS vanish and thus all the Angels end up defeating themselves by staring at one another. In this episode, the same thing happens, only we replace the TARDIS for Gallifrey. It is not a good thing for the same writer to be reusing his old plots.

5) There was nothing that Billie Piper's character could not have done as simply 'Bad Wolf'. The level of power she has as that entity is the same as 'The Moment'. Why then did Moffat chose to make his own character for her instead of calling back to another writer's work? I wonder. Does anyone seem a pattern emerging here? The only reason to write a new character is if something new is required. If he wished for a new character in and of this 'weapon', more could have been done with it. For example – a conscience is by nature is Conflicted. Why not have an angel-devil situation happening? Imagine John Simm on one shoulder and Billie on another.

6) Following along these lines, it was also pointless for John Hurt's Doctor to exist. It was, once again, more evidence that Moffat writes characters only for himself. Paul McGann was willing and able to be involved. And, with no offence to a fine actor like John, it would have meant so much more.

7) How did the first Doctor know to start doing this thing so long ago in his life, for an event he knew nothing of? I'm all for the cameo's of the old Doctors, and new ones. It was exciting. But it needs to make sense. A cameo has NO NEED to be just 'for the sake of being there.' It is lazy writing.

8) Stop calling the Doctor clever. You sound like a phone sex operator or a year 7 tutor. You're calling him clever now for things that aren't even mildly clever. It feels like some giant joke. Like Moffat has literally looked at the criticisms put unto himself, and amplified them by ten – and yet, oh well, people eat it up.

9) The Butchering of a great Historical figure. We've had many on the Show – take Churchill, for example, or Queen Victoria who ended up creating Torchwood. They are always played for intrigue – to a) teach the audience about history and b) add some new, sci-fi element to the character, such as how they held off an alien invasion or something. Elizabeth was played as some kind of over-the-top Panto Dame declaring her love for the Doctor every five minutes and acting as if she could not live if he did not marry her.

10) Speaking of making fools of women – we have the character of the Scientist wearing Four's scarf. Her turning to the camera when in mortal peril and begging to be saved by the Doctor was so very uncomfortable – and she did this twice. She doesn't even know the man.

11) What really hurts, though? Is the lack of callbacks. We had footage of the Doctors, and a lovely scene at the end. But every new scene, I was expecting to see a face that I recognized. I can't think that many actors involved in the show would turn down the chance to be part of this 'global event', especially considering how many of them were gushing at the fact they were even in Doctor Who at all. As we cut to the Gallifreyan War Council, I was expecting to see Timothy Dalton as Rassilon, as we opened to the School, I was thinking we might see Susan, or a child of Susan's and the Doctor coming to see her. No older companions were mentioned, not even Sarah Jane Smith. Lazy writing makes me angry, but this breaks my heart.

Wow ... I Mean WOW.

[Loren-3 · 23 November 2013]

Right off the top, I'm no great-shakes Whovian, so let's get that out of the way right now. Cut my teeth on Tom Baker back in the 70s and thought he was great fun. More recently, I came to know the Doctor when he met Amy Pond ... who had this rather ominous crack in the wall of her bedroom. It was in large portion her character and energy that moved me to revisit this old friend and at least duck in now and again to see where things were going.

And then I heard that the Doctor was celebrating 50 years and noting that everyone from James T. Kirk to Malcolm Reynolds was offering their best wishes, and I figured, "Gad, I can't miss this." And I didn't.

I just finished watching ... and about all I can say is wow. Mr. Moffat, you've written some corkers in your day, but this one ... this one is something very special. Yeah, it was neat to see Tennant and Smith together, and Mr. Hurt brought his own palate to the show. But it was the twists of the plot, the thoughtfulness and inventiveness which is Steven's hallmark which carried the day here. There is also the matter of a ... curator ... who showed up toward the end. Yeah, that did put a smile on my face, a big one.

To Matt, David, Steven, Billie, John ... all of you ... many, many thanks.

The Day of The Doctor made my night!

[michaelbishopemery · 10/10 · 2 December 2013]

I managed to wait until the following Monday after this episode aired, so I could watch it in a movie theater in 3-D. And it was definitely worth the wait!

I had very high expectations, especially given that it was both the 50th anniversary episode AND was promoted as including the 10th Doctor; David Tennant. It delivered! Boy did it! The beginning minutes were just okay, nothing especially memorable; then from out of nowhere, I was staring at the screen like an awestruck child...and it continued until the closing credits.

Steven Moffat wrote not only a very engaging story, he also managed to deliver a powerful and action loaded finale that fit perfectly! I am a very analytically person, especially when it comes to writers trying to pull a fast one on a show's mythology; However, Moffat actually wove an intricate story that did not betray 50 years of established stories.

I was especially impressed with how he honored those 50 years; it was pure genius! Granted, some people who have not been a fan of Doctor Who since the 70's, as I am, might miss some of the more subtle nods he gives to the show's past stories; I still feel it will please newer "Whovians."

The climatic "showdown" of the episode was, for me, the best part of it all! I truly can not think of a better way to do it for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary than how it was done.

And while I am a man of late 40's, I squealed like a schoolgirl during a scene in the museum near the end (If you've seen the episode, you can probably guess why)

The only complaint that I have is...hmmm....actually, I have NONE!

Allons-y!

Best Midlife Crisis!

[steven-sadler312 · 10/10 · 14 September 2014]

First off, yes this does contain spoilers! Second of all...let me just geek out for a little bit! WOW! The way this episode starts pulls you in just by the simple vintage Doctor Who intro. From there we are shown The Doctor and Clara in the TARDIS being swooped up and then being face to face with that "painting" shortly after with the glass broken on the outside. Then we are shown The War Doctor and his decision to destroy the Daleks and the Time Lords...coming face to face with the interface of "Rose Tyler" which was a nice surprise. Jon Hurt plays the War Doctor perfectly...they couldn't have picked a better person to play him. Finally, to my favorite Doctor, David Tennant whom obviously rides out of his TARDIS on horseback yelling "ALLONS-Y!"

The moment that Matt Smith and David Tennant meet up it's pure gold. When they compare their sonic screwdrivers I couldn't help but chuckle. They were like two brothers as they figured out who they were. Always finishing each other's sentences or giving each other a hard time. Then Jon Hurt shows up thinking they're his companions and realizing they're his future selves saying "Am I having a mid life crisis?!"

From here they get captured and are put together in a cell and all come to terms of what happened. Tempers flair but they get it out of their systems and work together to get out. Throughout this, however, War Doctor is still deciding whether to push that button still to destroy the Time lords and the daleks.

Obviously they end up saving the earth but War Doctor still has that button to press and that huge decision to make. He departs but is followed by Tennant and Smith who vow to help him push the button together. Clara objects saying that there has to be another way. And at the same time they all get the same idea. This is where pure awesomeness takes place.

To save Gallifrey all the time lords freeze it in it's own pocket of time. But in order to do that...all the doctors have to meet up at the exact same time...all 13! All TARDIS' swoop in and freeze Gallifrey in it's own pocket universe or whatever (Time Lord Technology stuff). The Doctors meet up in front of the painting again and say their goodbyes...and the War Doctor admits he's happy to become them in the future. David Tennant leaves on his line "I don't wanna go." With Smith replying "he always says that." Clara heads to the TARDIS and Smith stays back to examine the painting and is interrupted by the caretaker of the place who is non other than Tom Baker. He gives him information about the painting and the true translation that "Gallifrey Stands." Just the cherry on top having Tom Baker in at the last minute like that.

What an amazing film. Yes, let's just call it what it is. A film. It was funny at the right times and completely serious as well. The chemistry between the 3 doctors was amazing. I still watch this episode here and there just for the banter!

A cracking special worthy of the 50th anniversary

[Tweekums · 10/10 · 24 November 2013]

As this fiftieth anniversary special opened it looked as if it might be excessively comic; in the first few minutes we see The Doctor dangling from the Tardis as it is carried over London by a helicopter! Things soon get more serious though when he and Clara are taken to the National Gallery to see a picture that accompanies a message to The Doctor from Queen Elizabeth the First. This is no ordinary picture though; it is a 3D picture of the last day of Gallifrey. We then see what happened on that day as Daleks attack and The Doctor, played by John Hurt, leaves the message 'No More' blasted into a wall and steals the ultimate weapon that could eliminate both the Daleks and Gallifrey! As he contemplates setting off the device a woman appears; she calls herself 'Bad Wolf' and is in fact a physical representation of the weapon. While they are talking a time vortex opens and a fez emerges!

In what follows we see David Tennent's Doctor wooing Queen Elizabeth before they are attacked by shape-shifting Zygons. Soon this Doctor is joined by Matt Smith's Doctor and not long after that they are joined by John Hurt! The three of them are captured by the Zygons in Elizabethan England while in the present Clara is having her own problems with Zygons. Using methods I won't spoil she manages to join The Doctors and they get back to the present just as London is about to be destroyed in a way that mirrors the way he sacrificed Gallifrey… is will destroy it depending which of the Doctors we are talking about.

Having done my best to avoid spoilers I still feared the makers would try to cram too many references to the "Fifty Years of Doctor Who" into this special's hour and a quarter run time; thankfully they didn't. There were some of course but these didn't seem too forced and some were a real delight… Tom Baker's cameo was a real treat for those of us who watched in the seventies! The story managed to be exciting, poignant and occasionally funny as well as containing some good scary moments that were good without being too frightening for younger viewers. I wasn't surprised to read that is was shown in cinemas as well as on television as I thought it had a cinematic feel even though I was only watching it on the BBC iPlayer! The acting was great; I particularly liked John Hurt's version of The Doctor; he brought real gravitas to the role. On the strength of this I'm really looking forward to further instalments; I just hope they can keep up this high standard.

There will never come a time when we don't need a show like Doctor Who

[diep-16031 · 10/10 · 30 August 2020]

There are shows that are able to transform themselves and become anew every time you rewatch them. This is one of those shows. One random day, 7 years after I started watching Doctor Who, I decided to give it another run, just out of boredom. I was shocked and amazed at the fact that not only my love for it has not changed one bit, but was also enhanced a hundred times. I picked up things that I missed, depth and meanings and I was not able to grasp when I was a kid. I rewatched my childhood show and discovered new things. My childhood show, teaching me new lessons, at 20 years old. How is that even possible?

This episode has more memorable lines than most of the new movies and tv shows that I've watched in the past 5 years combined.

"Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame." "What we do today is not out of fear or hatred. It is done because there is no other way. And it is done in the name of the many lives we are failing to save."

"Clara sometimes asks me if I dream. 'Of course I dream', I tell her. 'Everybody dreams'. 'But what do you dream about?' she'll ask. 'The same thing everybody dreams about,' I tell her. 'I dream about where I'm going.' She always laughs at that. 'But you're not going anywhere, you're just wandering about.' That's not true. Not anymore. I have a new destination. My journey is the same as yours, the same as anyone's. It's taken me so many years, so many lifetimes, but at last I know where I'm going. Where I've always been going. Home. The long way around."

Doctor Who is, in my experience, the only show so far that has absolutely everything that you could ask for: lots of humour, adventures, histories, futures, love, friendships, families, kindness, hope, but also a tremendous amount of depth, meanings, great philosophies, tragedies, sacrifice, loss, grief, pain and of course, tears (so much tears). From this show, the greatest, most well-crafted character in history was created: The Doctor. There are two quotes that can pretty much summarise The Doctor:

"This man bore burdens, Archie realised, that he had seldom seen on mortal shoulders. But above all there was guilt. A guilt that had been fought off, bargained with, overcome, perhaps, but a guilt that sprung eternal." (Paul Cornell's Twice Upon a Time novelisation) "It's hard to talk about the importance of an imaginary hero. But heroes ARE important: Heroes tell us something about ourselves. History tells us who we used to be, documentaries tell us who we are now; but heroes tell us who we WANT to be. And a lot of our heroes depress me. But when they made this particular hero, they didn't give him a gun--they gave him a screwdriver to fix things. They didn't give him a tank or a warship or an x-wing fighter--they gave him a box from which you can call for help. And they didn't give him a superpower or pointy ears or a heat-ray--they gave him an extra heart. They gave him two hearts! And that's an extraordinary thing. There will never come a time when we don't need a hero like the Doctor." (Steven Moffat)

Anyway, after a long paragraph about the whole show, my point is, this anniversary episode, in my opinion, was able to truly capture its essence, everything that I've just mentioned above, and that, to me, is incredible for a 77-minute episode. This is why Doctor Who's still going strong today. And to steal a bit from Steven Moffat himself, I think there will never come a time when we don't need a show like Doctor Who. Its ability to stretch to the edge of creativity, of time and space, and still be able to touch most likely every human being who has ever watched it is truly magical. To its core, it remains a story about humanity, exploring love and loss and hope and kindness like never before. A story told by a strange old alien who comes from a world far far away.

This television masterpiece will stand the testament of time, and I'm the proof. Seven years later, I'm still here, and my love has only increased. Doctor Who might just be a story, and The Doctor might just be imaginary, but has anyone told you that "every stories ever told really happened"?

Where to even begin?

[mulreay · 10/10 · 2 August 2014]

As a 35yr old Englishman Doctor who is not something you just had to grow up with it's ingrained in British television culture. I would struggle to believe someone from Britain that stated they have never heard of Doctor who. The 50th anniversary episode was a chance to cement Doctor who as not only a great concept and show but as a worldwide phenomenon. They could have messed this up completely, did they? Not even slightly.

The story arc was not only intelligent but it had the wonderful effect of answering questions that needed answering without you realising that is what they were doing. The comedy was faultless without being cheesy, the multiple doctors was a wonder for the true Doctor who fans, the effects were outstanding for a BBC TV show budget and the writing was sublime.

The only regret I have about this episode is that I didn't have the foresight to book a theater ticket to watch it in 3d whilst it aired live around the world.

A quote from Craig Glenday from Guinness World Records "Who else but the time-twisting Doctor could appear in 94 countries at once?! This outstanding achievement is testament to the fact that the longest running sci-fi TV show in history is not just a well-loved UK institution but a truly global success adored by millions of people."

Is this the best ever episode of Doctor who? Probably. Will you smile after watching it? Definitely.

Well done BBC and Moffat you have outdone yourselves with this masterpiece.

The 50th Anniversary special

[JoeB131 · 10/10 · 22 August 2015]

Doctor Who has done some truly terrible anniversary specials. "Dimensions in Time" comes to mind to celebrate the series 30th anniversary four years after it was canceled. I wasn't a fan of "The Five Doctors" (which could have been titled, "Three Doctors, a Fake and some stock footage, but never mind") either.

The plot is that the Eleventh Doctor is contacted by UNIT to investigate a message left by Queen Elizabeth I, only to encounter a rupture in time that not only unites him with the Tenth Doctor but the mysterious War Doctor on the day he ended the Time War. An adventure involving the Zygons and the Daleks ensues.

The best part of this movie/episode is the interplay between Matt Smith and David Tennent, reminiscent of the banter between Jon Pertwee and Patrick Troughton on previous anniversary specials.

Also shining in this episode is Jenna Coleman as Clara. Clara is frequently annoying as a companion, but here she hits all the right notes.

Finally, there is John Hurt as the War Doctor. (Cast because Christopher Ecceleston,the Ninth Doctor, didn't want to participate) I think the introduction of his character was pretty good, as I couldn't imagine either Paul McGann or Ecceleston being the ones to have ended the Time War.

Overall, a great romp for all Doctor Who fans.

Massive

[gridoon2024 · 9/10 · 8 May 2015]

"The Day of the Doctor" is the ideal 50th anniversary special: it simultaneously celebrates the past of the series, while opening new roads for the future. Writer Steven Moffat and director Nick Hurran cover all the bases: this episode is funny ("We're confusing the polarity!"), dark, brain-twisting, and epic. The concept of the "paintings" which are really three-dimensional snapshots of reality frozen in time in which it possible to enter (and exit) is brilliant. The team of the three Doctors is extremely entertaining, while Billie Piper, returning as The Moment (a weapon so powerful it has a conscience of its own), gives what is probably her finest performance since the season 2 finale, "Doomsday". Although the episode is fairly accessible to casual fans, series devotees will undeniably get more out of it - call it a reward for their devotion. ***1/2 out of 4.

Out of this World (Pun may have been intentional)

[assasin0088 · 10/10 · 23 November 2013]

Words cannot describe the feeling felt when The Day of the Doctor ended, but I'll try- It was a mixture of sadness, revelation and.... a feeling I can only describe as basking in the glory of what I just saw, trying to figure out the ramifications of it, and being, as they say nowadays, 'mindblown'.

Steven Moffat, known for his sometimes convoluted, front-flip, loop-the- loop, twisty-turny, timey-wimey plot lines, has really stepped up his game, giving his audience a taste of what fans wish could happen in every episode. The plot line was twisted, the ramifications huge, but not so much that it left anyone confused, or with any plot holes.

The one niggling little concern was the tiny problem with the Zygons. Not seen in their actual form since 1975, the Zygons were, I feel, a major part of the story, with a nice build-up, interesting turns of events, and climaxing with the countdown and 'negotiations' - which then promptly fizzled into nothing. This left me with the feeling that Moffat either ran out of room to write a satisfying conclusion in, or he simply couldn't solve their plot line satisfactorily.

However, besides this one minor flaw, I cannot recall a better episode (from the reboot- the classics are another matter). There have only been 2 that, in my opinion, came on par with this masterpiece. The question now is - with a new window into the universe open, ready for more gripping adventures in time and space, where do they go next? What mysteries will be solved, tombs explored, cities saved and enemies broken?

Who Knows?

Touches of brilliance...

[johngraham1964 · 7/10 · 27 November 2013]

The 50th Anniversary episode... eagerly awaited by fans and a nightmare task for the scriptwriter.... in this case, Stephen Moffatt, the king of the plot holes and skimming over of stuff. And here he goes again. Having said that, there were some lovely touches and a great performance from John Hurt.

I thought it was a masterstroke to pair him with Rose (Billie Piper) so that it wasn't just another instance of Rose popping back from the parallel universe. The interaction between Matt Smith and David Tennant's Doctors was fun and well-scripted. Mix in John Hurt trying to fathom out his childish successors and things were looking great indeed.

The Time War - at last a conclusion (of sorts) and I settled down hoping for Dalek battles and destruction and Time Weapons and battling Tardises....

Instead we popped back to a highly unlikely encounter with Elizabeth I and a Zygon horse... And the less said about the wedding and the dangling over London from the Tardis the better. I have always had a soft spot for the Zygons but in true Moffat style they actually had little to do and even less to do with the plot. A wasted opportunity. I would have loved to see them in a standalone episode of their own. Maybe in 2014.

Plot holes: so Clara is now a teacher. I must have missed her years at College getting her degree. And she drops everything to jump into the Tardis. I hope she is back for class tomorrow or she will be in trouble. If Kate was always a Zygon why bother bringing in the Doctor who they know will interfere? And Kate is duplicated and held in a sort of slimy web thing so that her pattern can be kept alive for duplication (see 'Terror of the Zygons'), but no such affair is needed to duplicate the scarf-wearing assistant or Elizabeth I. Or the horse? And sticking Gallifrey and all the Time Lords into a parallel universe frozen in a second of time isn't much better than wiping them out anyway - especially as we seem to have forgotten that the Time Lords had a Master Plan of their own to destroy the Universe in order to end the Time War. So this way round they got off lightly! And a nice touch for fans but how on Earth (or off Earth) did UNIT get a photograph of Sara Kingdom who lived and died in the far future? Or of Susan? Or Kamelion? Or...???

Great Bits: John Hurt. In every scene he is in. Matt and David. Great interaction. Comparison of screwdrivers. Very funny. The reappearance of the circles on the walls in John Hurt's Tardis. At last! Rose as The Interface. An uncannily accurate voice impersonation of William Hartnell's doctor. A flash of Peter Capaldi's eyes (and brows).

So overall a fun romp that didn't live up to the hype (an almost impossible task I know). Roll on the Xmas Special :-)

(Oh and for all the people concerned that the Doctor is reaching the end of his regenerations don't forget that a) this is science fiction so anything can happen, b) the Master was planning to trigger a whole new regeneration cycle by stealing the Eye of Harmony in 'The Deadly Assassin' so we know it's possible to start again, c) the Time Lords offered the Master a whole new Regeneration Cycle if he rescued the Doctor in 'The Five Doctors' so they could do it (and the Doctor has been advised to search for Gallifrey....), d) River Song passed her regeneration energy to the Doctor to bring him back to life after she poisoned him so maybe there is extra regeneration energy left from her for more bodies. After all, we only saw her use up 3 bodies on TV (the young girl in 'The Impossible Astronaut', Mel is 'Let's Kill Hitler' and, of course, the Alex Kingston version). Plenty left over. And e) make up your own reason. Why not? :-) Doctor Who hasn't got to 50 years old only to stop because of a lack of Regenerations...... thank goodness).

The Nostalgia has worn off

[T-ZER0 · 3/10 · 18 January 2021]

This might be Steven Moffats best writing in the history of Doctor Who, and he did well. However, if you watch this again and ignore the nostalgia. It's sad to say this episode is not as good as you think. Let me first say, yes, I still enjoy all the doctors appearing and saving Gallifrey, yes, I still enjoy the Tenth Doctor meeting the Eleventh Doctor.

However, here's the issue with most of Moffat's writing. He largely copies his writing from great comedic scenes and elements from the classic series. Most would argue and say, "well, it is a continuation of the classic series right?"

Yes, it is a sequel series to the classic series. But that does not mean we want the same story. For example, the Tenth Doctor saying "You've redecorated, I don't like it!" Its a copy of the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and while I understand the whole the Doctor is the same person, having Tennant say that just breaks the personality of his Doctor's character. Have you noticed that when Davies writes an episode he makes the Doctor act different than the way Moffat makes him? The Tenth Doctor never said Timey-Wimey on any of Davies episodes, but he says it on Moffat's. Or on Moffat's episodes, the Doctor always gets super jealous of any guy who is a love rival for a women he likes, on Davies ones he teases like the Ninth Doctor, but he never gets jealous. Or when the Tenth Doctor says "Good to know my future is in safe hands!" That is something that was already said by the First Doctor on the Five Doctors.

There is also another forced joke when the Eleventh Doctor and Tenth Doctor joke about the "round things" in the TARDIS. And say that they never figured out what they are. This is another example of a forced joke by Moffat. In the classic series, it was established that the circles were dimensional stabilizers, by the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker). The fact that the Doctor himself cannot remember what they are used for is just bad writing. That's like saying someone does not know how to turn on their car. What about when the Tenth Doctor says "ITS A MACHINE THAT GOES DING!" Funny, but not in the Tenth's personality of humor.

The backstory of the War Doctor can be praised. Jon Hurt is an interesting casting (May he Rest In Peace), and it is nice to finally see the origin of the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston). But he wasn't given a good story much, he deserved more.

Tom Baker making a cameo was also decent to me, I'm glad they could bring him back, and kept his eccentricity.

Still, overall, this episode is Moffat's best, but not the best episode in the history of Doctor Who, or the best crossover episode. The nostalgia has unfortunately died off, and we're left with the crumbly remains of what could've been the best episode ever.