Topic; Review chosen by a fan
Episode: Day Of The Doctor
@WhoPotterVian’s Review
‘The Day of the Doctor encapsulates everything that Doctor Who is about. It is ultimately a story of hope, of second chances and of change. We see the Doctor three times over on his darkest day – the day he will regret for the rest of his life – as this is the day he will use The Moment to commit mass genocide by blowing up his entire planet. He knows this end to the Time War is inevitable, he knows he can’t change it – it’s a fixed point in time, after all, as he’s already done it – and yet, thanks to the intervention of his companion Clara Oswald, he decides to ‘change’ it anyway. This is the Doctor we know and love in his purest form – the Doctor who tries his best to find another way. Neither cruel or cowardly. Never gives up, never gives in. The Day of the Doctor is the perfect celebration of Doctor Who’s fiftieth year, and perhaps understands the character of the Doctor better than any episode before or since’.
Leigh Craddock’s Review
Day of the Doctor celebrated 50 years of Doctor Who in 2013 on the 23rd November, the day it started on in 1963. It starred Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald were the current regulars at the time and had the return of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and Billie Piper who didn’t play her usual character Rose Tyler but the Moment. Both David and Billie were very popular actors on the fan base when they were on the show as regulars and they still are now. John Hurt played the War Doctor, a character created by Steven Moffat, the show runner at the time.
There were a lot of plots in this episodes which was a bit too much and often ended abruptly but they all works. My favourite plot was the War Doctor and the Moment as we saw him struggle on if he should end the Time War or not and the Moment was telling him to do it. Later on in the episode, he is found by Ten, Eleven and Clara and as the Doctors make this decision to end the Time War against the Daleks, emotional Clara makes her plea to be a Doctor which is often seen throughout the rest of her era on the show and all 3 Doctors listen and decided to freeze time on Gallifrey and place in a pocket universe so it can return in the future. All the Doctors including the next incarnation played by Peter Capaldi who would replace Matt in the next episode which is kind of a trilogy. Peter filmed this the same day he filmed his first ever scene with Jenna in the TARDIS! It is successful and the Daleks destroy each other as there is no planet their for the Daleks to destroy.
Ingrid Oliver makes her debut a fan favourite Osgood and makes 3 more appearances in the TV series and has a central role in a big Finish as Scientific Advisor. She is a fan of the Doctor and often dresses up like the Doctor. I like the concept of there being two Osgood’s at the end as that they do address it in S9 as there is only one in S8 but when the Zygon’s return, it is addressed. Personally, I prefer her in a Big Finish to TV but is good in the TV see, check her in the Zygon two parter in S9 which I am conflicted on personally but it’s not a bad episode but she is good in this story.
Tom Baker who is the longest serving Doctor in Doctor Who made a appearance as The Curator. He definitely did a great job as this mysterious character and we find out that Gallifrey still exists and that of course cause problems in future where they kind of cause actions that end in the death of Clara’s Oswald in Face The Raven which I point the blame at a lot of characters but that is the story told in the respective episodes review.
Jenna continues her success in the show with a fabulous performance as Clara. I don’t get the hate for her and the whole Clara Show thing which is unfair! Clara is amazing and Jenna is awesome.
Mat, David and John make a great team and even though it’s one episode, it’s so great! I would have love to seen more Doctors and another companion as it would have worked even better.
A plot hole regarding Elizabeth I is completed as the Tenth Doctor is forced to marry and he abandons her and when he returns later in her life but earlier in his to livestream, she wants him behaved but narrowly escapes with Martha. Joanna Page was ok but the character was just getting to me as I just couldn’t stand the character and she should have been less annoying.
I enjoyed it and it celebrated 50 years of who but it did have a few issues and Steven Moffat should be proud of this script but he should have focused more in S7 as it had a few issues. Great story and it’s a Castaneda crew success. Well done and thank you for this celebration Steven and crew.
Score: 8/10
