They pulled it off. The most incredible magic trick where everyone got what they wanted. Whether you have only watched a couple of Doctor Who episodes or have seen it all, you will feel something watching this. It isn’t just an anniversary episode. It is a robust, coherent story that is both fitting and one of the best bits of writing the show has ever seen.

If it is a runaround. If it is a runaround. It is the best runaround in the show’s history. It is not just content in celebrating The Doctor’s past, but also creates a new past, all while wrapping up the first 8 years of New Who.

It feels like this level of quality comes from nowhere because the series that proceeds it is so disjointed. This story makes me hopeful about the show’s future, and grateful for what we already have as fans. It is a major milestone, following the first 50 years, which makes me wish I could sit down with Verity Lambert, or Terry Nation, or Robert Holmes, or any of the many people involved in building this incredible show, and show them The Day of the Doctor. Show them the product of their vision and all of the parts of them that are within it.

John Hurt, David Tennent and Matt Smith are phenomenal. The supporting cast around them knock it out of the park. There is no doubt that this is the show at the peak of its popularity and these talented people are lapping that energy up and making beautiful, populist television out of it. Television that feels like a monumental movie. An anniversary episode that makes me proud to be a fan.

And it’s not even just The Day of the Doctor itself. It’s The Night of the Doctor; An Adventure in Space and Time; The Five(ish) Doctors; even the bloody Aftershow. All of that makes for the most overwhelmingly joyful 50th anniversary celebration. It was the most beautiful time to be a Doctor Who fan.

No sir. All thirteen!

Prerequisites: Given that it's an anniversary celebration, I'd recommend having seen as much of the show as possible up to this point for the full experience.

Spoilers!
I'll fully admit that some aspects of The Day of the Doctor aren't my favorite thing. I would have vastly preferred the Eighth or Ninth Doctor to be the one who had actually ended the Time War, the Time War itself is portrayed a little too much like conventional warfare for my tastes, and the whole pseudo-retcon of whether the Doctor actually committed genocide is something I'm split on. Still, it's remarkable to me just how much of this special does work, and I love it to pieces. It's cinematic, bombastic, and contains some of my favorite individual moments in the entire series (Tom Baker's Curator cameo is particularly touching and respectful). This is some great stuff, and it's one of the most rewatchable episodes for me.

📝10/10

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time! 

THIRD IMPRESSIONS: “THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR”

Doctor Who’s 50th-anniversary celebration culminated in The Day of the Doctor, an epic 75-minute special that masterfully brought together multiple Doctors, finally gave fans a glimpse of the fabled Time War, and reunited David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor with Matt Smith’s Eleventh and John Hurt’s War Doctor. Steven Moffat’s script feels more like a tribute to the revival era than the series as a whole, but with classic elements like the Zygons, UNIT, and nostalgic nods to earlier episodes, it plays like a "greatest hits" compilation.

The episode opens brilliantly with the original 1963 title sequence, quickly followed by a return to Coal Hill School and Totters Lane, iconic locations from An Unearthly Child. From there, the story wastes no time plunging into its intriguing premise: strange paintings, mysterious time portals, and the resurfacing of the Doctor’s secret past in the Time War.

One of the story’s standout concepts is the Moment, a sentient weapon capable of ending the Time War. The weapon appears in the form of Rose Tyler—or rather, her Bad Wolf persona—acting as a moral compass for the War Doctor. Billie Piper shines in this new, playful role, offering a fresh take on her character while contributing meaningfully to the War Doctor’s internal struggle.

The episode is a delightful blend of Earth invasion drama, sci-fi war spectacle, and historical adventure. It fluidly balances a classic alien invasion story with a comedic and action-packed detour to Elizabeth I’s court, riffing on the long-running gag of the Doctor’s supposed marriage to her. Amidst the humour and action, the episode boldly reshapes the series’ lore, delivering high-stakes drama, laugh-out-loud comedy, and memorable fan service. Iconic lines like “What are you going to do? Assemble a cabinet at them?” and clever in-jokes keep the tone light, even as the weighty themes of the Time War loom large.

As is typical of Moffat’s storytelling, the narrative is intricately woven, with three Doctors navigating separate but interconnected storylines across time and space. The threads gradually converge into a cohesive, thrilling climax. While the Zygons’ shape-shifting antics provide tension and fun, the episode’s heart lies in the interactions between the three Doctors. Watching Tennant and Smith banter like siblings while Hurt’s War Doctor looks on with weary disapproval is endlessly entertaining. The trio’s shared moments—debating the morality of the Time War, activating the Moment, and ultimately saving Gallifrey—are deeply moving.

The production values are exceptional, showcasing breathtaking visuals and cinematic direction. Scenes like Clara riding a motorcycle into the TARDIS, the TARDIS being airlifted to Trafalgar Square, and the chaos of the Time War—including exploding Daleks and war-torn Gallifrey—are all beautifully executed.

Matt Smith delivers one of his finest performances as the Eleventh Doctor, seamlessly blending humour, energy, and emotional depth. John Hurt is magnificent as the War Doctor, bringing gravitas and complexity to a morally torn incarnation of the Time Lord. Meanwhile, David Tennant slips effortlessly back into his role, despite his slightly off hairstyle—a minor quibble for an otherwise flawless return. The dynamic between the three Doctors is perfectly balanced, with their differences leading to clever solutions and a newfound camaraderie.

UNIT’s inclusion is another highlight, with Jemma Redgrave’s Kate Stewart and Ingrid Oliver’s Osgood making strong impressions. The Zygons, while an unconventional choice for an anniversary monster, prove to be effective villains. Their shape-shifting abilities create tension and humour, while the episode respects their original mechanics from Terror of the Zygons.

One of the most significant achievements of The Day of the Doctor is its reimagining of the Time War’s conclusion. By revealing that Gallifrey was not destroyed but hidden in a pocket universe, the episode offers a hopeful resolution without undoing the emotional weight of earlier stories. The sight of all the Doctors—including Peter Capaldi’s surprise cameo—working together to save Gallifrey is a thrilling and heroic moment.

The episode also leaves viewers with a few intriguing takeaways: Zygon duplicates of Kate and Osgood remain unaware of their true identities, adding a layer of mystery to their futures. Tom Baker’s cameo as the Curator—a future, retired incarnation of the Doctor—provides a touching and nostalgic ending, likely his last appearance on the show. Finally, the episode gives fans a tantalizing glimpse of the War Doctor’s regeneration into Christopher Eccleston, beautifully tying together the series’ timeline.

The Day of the Doctor is a masterpiece that celebrates Doctor Who’s legacy while pushing the series forward. With its clever storytelling, brilliant performances, and emotional depth, it’s a fitting tribute to 50 years of adventures in time and space.

It's a little wild to think that at this point I basically have nostalgia for Day of the Doctor. It really is an ambitious story that more or less pulls off everything it is going for. Ten and Eleven are very fun interacting with each other, Tennant feels back in form right away and I love his scenes with the Queen, and the War Doctor, with virtually no build-up or established backstory, comes back fully swinging and feeling completely realized within the Doctor Who universe. John Hurt manages to give this character so much weight he feels very much like an incarnation we simply hadn't seen before, with all the weight and history an established one might already have.

This story does a lot well, with memorable set pieces and a strong use of both Billie Piper and Jenna Coleman as companions, too. It really feels like the whole emotional weight of the Moment and the Doctor saving Gallifrey hinges on Clara. And for once, without the forcible hand of overwritten crap like Clara being in the Doctor's time stream, or being the most important perfect blank slate of a character she all too often was, it just works so well here. She is just a person innately recognizing this moment is wrong, and challenging the Doctor to be the Doctor, to live up to the promise of his name that had so heavily defined the ongoing narrative at this time. It's really well done, and as overblown and Moffaty as the ending can be, I would argue by and large it works well as a celebration of all things Doctor Who. A great homage to the series itself while also being a nicely put together production, so big of an event they even showed it in theatres - and it feels pretty earned to me! There's a real cinematic quality to Day of the Doctor that gives it an appropriate amount of weight.

So much so that it really sucks Chibnall worked so hard to erase the emotional pay-off of Gallifrey living after this story and Time of the Doctor. This was something the Doctor had earned, and it was immediately burned away by inferior writing. I hope RTD can correct that embarrassment, because for all his faults as a showrunner, Steven Moffat's legacy deserved better than that. Day of the Doctor was an astounding achievement for the franchise, reopening the notion of inter-Doctor crossovers again while opening up new possibilities for the series in a thousand different ways. To be fair, neither Moffat nor Chibnall ever followed up on that opportunity meaningfully, and while I'm sure if Ecclesten had returned or if the event had a bigger budget, things could be improved.

I still just love this special for what it is and the optimism it represents. It's an easy to digest, fun piece of Doctor Who history with a lot of moments worth revisiting. The big scene with "all thirteen" Doctors was great, you have the curator, and even the Zygon negotiations, all done really well and showing the Doctor at his best in the process.

I’ll never forget the anticipation for this special, all the buzz, the excitement around the returning cast such as David Tennant, Billie Piper and whatever surprises they might have in store. The ending of the Series 7 finale which dropped the mother of all bombshells with the introduction of a secret incarnation of the Doctor, played by the late great John Hurt who would be portraying the Doctor who fought in the Time War and would commit the ultimate act of betrayal to the Doctor’s principles to the point where his future incarnations would shun him and pretend he never existed. Of course, the real story behind his casting was the fact that Moffat tried to get Christopher Eccleston on board and when he turned it down Moffat decided to create a brand new incarnation of the Doctor. In that situation I would’ve expected Moffat to go with Paul McGann, so to create a new Doctor and slot him in between Eight and Nine was quite a ballsy move, especially with the Doctor Who fandom who are well renowned for holding canon so religiously, and yet it worked! Against all the odds I’ve never seen a huge change to previously established lore welcomed and accepted so quickly and so openly like the War Doctor and honestly given the choice, creating the War Doctor was the better decision. It certainly helped set off some fireworks in the months building to the 50th anniversary and while it would’ve been lovely to have had Eccleston (and McGann!) in Day of the Doctor, I think the War Doctor works very well in the context of Doctor Who lore.

So, with all that anticipation and the most excitement there has been for a Doctor Who event since 2004 when the show announced its revival, the big day arrived and whatever people’s opinions are of the story now, in 2013 this was so loved by fans! David Tennant was back as the Tenth Doctor, Billie Piper was back as Rose (sort of), John Hurt was brilliant as he always was, the Zygons made their first appearance in almost 40 years, the climax where all the Doctors come together to save Gallifrey including a blink and you’ll miss it cameo from future Doctor Peter Capaldi, the heart-warming ending with Tom Baker (which he completely spoiled in the weeks prior to this special), this was quite the event! But when the festivities died down and the years rolled on, the popularity of this episode has noticeably decreased over time. A lot of people nowadays don’t find this that special, some would call it boring, it’s far from being the most well written episode from Moffat, the climax was a cop out and completely ruins all the years of development around the Doctor’s grief, it’s fan service for the sake of fan service, saving Gallifrey in hindsight was pointless given where it all went in the end between the wasted return to Gallifrey story from Hell Bent to being destroyed again in Series 12!

All these complaints are admittedly valid, it is a story that’s built around fan service and crowd-pleasing moments and lines, the editing is a bit bizarre especially for the first half, it’s far from having the clever writing and depth of Moffat’s best works and Gallifrey being saved only to be wasted and destroyed again is depressing to look back on. Frankly the possibility of saving Gallifrey again in the future would just be worse! Is this all the show wants to do with Gallifrey and the Time Lords?!? Just keep destroying and bringing them back every decade?  However, I consider it one of my favourites because of what it meant for me as a fan and where I was at the time I first watched this. Believe it or not there was a time I was losing interest in Doctor Who, it started back when Tennant left I just wasn’t enjoying it like I used to cos I was in the “bring back Tennant” mindset a lot of fans were in (which is laughable today considering how my opinion on Tennant has evolved), I was dipping in and out of the show, not really caring about where it was going. But then the 50th anniversary starts drawing nearer and suddenly I start getting curious again and I decided to tune in to be a part of the celebration. When I finished watching I was in love with Doctor Who again, I had such a blast watching this episode, all the memorable moments, the familiar faces and game changing events. Not only was I excited for the show once again, but it led to me looking more into the classic show and my experience as a fan just grew and grew from there. It even snapped me out of my “bring back Tennant” mindset and made me approach the Eleventh Doctor era in a new light. So, without this episode I don’t think I would’ve stuck around as a fan at that point and missed out on some of my favourite stories of all time.