Dimensions in Time

The plot is quite nonsensical and didn't grip me at all. In theory, that could be fine for a comedy like this, but I just don't find it funny. It doesn't help that I've never watched East Enders so that whole side of it was lost on me. The story's resolution felt rushed. At least it's nice to see a load of Doctors all in one story, although they don't meet. Probably the biggest positive is that it raised a fair bit of money for charity.

This is a bit of silly nonsense.

Nice to see some of the doctors with different companions - something I really want BF to do more of.

It really did not to feature EastEnders however.

Maybe it is because this has a trash reputation I was very familiar with, leading me to put off ever actually watching it until now, but I didn't have a bad time now that I've finally gotten around to it. Dimensions in Time is actually pretty decent, even.  There's so many fun cameos and encounters between Doctors and Companions that we don't really get to see anywhere else!  Sure, it is silly, but it is also clearly constructed to be what it is - a satirical short story aimed for children for the sake of raising money for charity.  None of this is a bad thing, and I find pinning this as the worst of Doctor Who, a particular low point, or deserving of overly deep analysis both false and a little dishonest.  This was a lot like the Five(ish) Doctors Reboot - both fun little sets of cameo clearly not made to take seriously.

I understand this is probably weighed down by being a rare production in the Wilderness Years and can see how that would be disappointing for fans at the time.  Looking back on it now though, it is hard not to view this as just another goofy little thing like Time Crash.  So, yeah, it's not made that well - the effects are peak low-budget 90s cheese with computer effects that look like they were rendered by a calculator, and somebody on production loved to film the cast while the camera spun around them to the point of distraction, but at its core it feels like a love letter to Doctor Who and most especially the JNT era.  As many faults as there are to said era, it's hard to begrudge something that is clearly of the mind to be fun, make jokes, and raise money for little British children, or whatever.  I've seen a lot worse in this franchise that wasn't made for the benefit of the vulnerable, so what exactly about this short experience am I supposed to be miserable about?

Dimensions In Time is how NOT to do a multi-Doctor adventure. It has everything that could possibly go wrong with a multi-Doctor story: some of the Doctors don't get enough screentime, the narrative is confusing and almost non-existent, the acting often treads into camp territory and the companions may as well not be there.

It also inexplicably crosses over into EastEnders.

Who the hell wants to see Doctor Who in the same universe as EastEnders?

There's a reason why Tony Stark doesn't pop into The Woolpack or Bruce Wayne doesn't eat a Betty's hotpot in the Rover's. And that reason is because it would look ridiculous.

If there's one good thing about Dimensions In Time, it's that it only lasts fifteen minutes.

big ron should have won

A fairly bad Children in Need special that tries to distract you with a tidal wave of faces, while really being badly acted. For the most part, there are no redeeming qualities. This episode completists only.

This is why you don't put multi-doctor appearances and character returns above all else. As many returns as possible is what some fans think they want until they actually see it. I'd have preferred to have just a couple of characters back but see them explored properly in an actual mini-story but instead JNT puts some absolute guff together. This is the last opportunity to see the 3rd Doctor, Susan Foreman, Mike Yates and Nyssa in character (in a visual medium) which makes it feel like an especially missed opportunity.

I can't imagine many fans or any non-fans enjoying this confusing rush of characters walking on set to suddenly be replaced with other characters. I really wish there was more to it then that. It is a shame that nothing else was put together for the 30th anniversary special. The fact this was the first thing to air after 3 years must have been salt in the wound. Thank God I was too young to be able to take it all in.

Oh, and what was the whole EastEnders thing about? Was that explained?

The upsides? Well, it is charming and reminds the viewer how many amazing, capable actors had been in the series over the years. It was nice to see some of the old faces - even if it was whilst peeking through my fingers.