And this is where Season 20 ends. I’ll be reviewing the TV one, but will be watching the Special Edition and the updated 2020’s effects. I’ll be blunt, this didn’t feel like the fan service it probably was. I enjoyed having the other Doctors, even if it did feel a bit disjointed. Perhaps some more Multi-Doctor interactions could’ve improved this story, and having Baker there would be handy. It’s a nice story, that doesn’t have a strong sense of fan service. The first screen appearance of Rassilon was strong enough to properly display the character’s intended power.

when Jamie and Zoe turned up I got too excited and started taking pictures of my telly like I was at a concert

You know, it wasn't perfect, but it had a lot of heart and energy to it.  I don't dislike the laid-back fun of the story.  Borusa and the conflict feels second fiddle to all the opportunities for good nostalgia and seeing some characters interact together that hadn't before.  A must-watch for any Classic Who fan.

This is part of a series of reviews of Doctor Who in chronological timeline order.

Previous Story: The Kamelion Empire

Maybe I'm just biased because of all the fanservice but I really like this story. It's just great to see all these returning faces in a fun little self-contained adventure. It all makes the world of Classic Doctor Who feel a lot grander and more interconnected. All the actors have aged surprisingly well, especially the two returning Doctors (No, I'm not counting Richard Hurndall). We also get the very first appearance of Rassilon, and as a fan of Doctor Who that started with the new series it's shocking how different he is as a character.

Something that is basically unavoidable to bring up if reviewing this story is the recast of the First Doctor as William Hartnell. Now played by Richard Hurndall, who is alright. He captures the mannerisms quite well, but the writing is not perfect. Unlike David Bradley I just can't picture him as the same First Doctor that we know and love. It was also funny to see that he was still written as sexist in the 80s and I have a suspicion now that this story may have inspired Moffat's characterisation of One in Twice Upon A Time.

Overall, as an anniversary special, this is probably the best in terms of fanservice and returning characters. The story might not be fantastic but it's elevated by all the returning cast and characters. Daleks, Cybermen, Rassilon, this story has it all and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Next Story: The Five Companions

just a really fun romp! not incredibly plot heavy but that is not massively the point, the point is to have fun. i would have liked a few more unusual character parings, as mostly characters stuck to their doctor, one and tegan being the exception. cool timelord stuff, more of their incredibly wacky and ineffective power structures. the part where borusa became a stature-plaque with only moving eyes has to be my favourite part, it was just so creepy and a really cool end. but really as a multidoc story i think 2 and 3 doctors work better because you get more interaction between different character that you like.