Last night (23rd November 2013) saw the premier of the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who and it was a firm signal that things are about to change for the BBC sci-fi behemoth. The Day of the Doctor was the title of the 77 minute special that celebrated the golden anniversary and while it was a relatively chilled episode compared to some of the more high-intensity ones that we’ve seen in recent years, it was also the most significant episode we’ve seen since the very first show hit the Beeb back on Saturday 23rd November 1963.
While we’re going to do everything we can to keep this review from giving away the entire plot of The Day of the Doctor, spoilers are inevitably going to ensue. If you haven’t seen it and you’re wondering if you should, you should, so skip to the score at the bottom and flick over to BBC iPlayer to see if you can still catch it (it’s also available on DVD for anyone that missed the boat).
The storyline is one of the best, if not the smartest we’ve seen of the last three incarnations of the Doctor. It begins with the current Dr, played by Matt Smith (American Psycho, Almeida Theatre), in the present day as he and his latest assistant, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), are whisked away by head of UNIT, Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), to investigate odd pieces of art left by Queen Elizabeth I.
When they turn out to be Time Lord paintings that capture fragments of time and space in one canvas the Dr is spun into a vortex of 2 intertwining time frames of his previous generations. The first features David Tennant‘s return to the series as he tries to help Queen Elizabeth I stop an invasion from the Zygons and the second, and most momentous, is the War Doctor, or the Other Doctor, played brilliantly by John Hurt (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2009)). His time-frame is that of the Battle of Gallifrey, just before he destroys it all to end the war between the Daleks and the Timelords and save the Universe.
The culmination of the story brings a new future for the series in a bold move from head writer and executive producer Steven Moffatt. It resets the clocks and brings a set of new, exciting possibilities for the next generation, set to bring us the 12th Doctor Who (or is the 13th now), Peter Capaldi, during the upcoming Christmas Day special, The Time of the Doctor.
If you’re a little confused about the chronology of the War Doctor or its impact on the 12th regeneration constraint of Time Lords, you’ll need to watch The Day of the Doctor along with the regeneration Christmas 2013 special episode, The Time of the Doctor, and the mini-episode, The Night of the Doctor, which we’ve included below for anyone that missed it.
The Day of the Doctor was a great opportunity to see Smith and Tennant having one last hurrah as the Doctor before the impending regeneration. It wasn’t the most action packed episode, but because of the significance of the storyline it was more than enough genius to make it a fitting 50th Anniversary special.
Joanna Page (Gavin and Stacey) puts in a fun, if slightly Welsh, performance as Queen Elizabeth I and John Hurt was a great addition to the fraternity of Doctor Time Lords. One of the performances of the episode has got to be Billy Piper’s portrayal as the conscious of the weapon that was thought to destroy Gallifrey. Channeling just a little of her former character Rose, but blending it in with what comes across as the power and wisdom of the planet destroying device’s consciousness, she does a lot to bring a momentous feel to the episode, as well as giving fans a chance to see her back in the show a little.
There’s also a cool cameo from Tom Baker, the 4th Doctor Who, as the curator of the museum at the heart of the special episode, as well as a fleeting glimpse of what was probably Peter Capaldi’s Doctor, and a special effects inspired appearance for all of the Doctors that contributed to the excellence of the series over the years.
All in all The Day of the Doctor was a great episode and a fitting tribute to the last 50 years of Doctor Who. The special effects ranged from the truly impressive in the visuals for the Battle of Gallifrey and the Timlord paintings, to the absurd classic monster outfits of the Zygons, sticking true to the humble routes of the show.
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor review: 4.3/5
