Skip to content
TARDIS Guide

Overview

Released

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Written by

Steven Moffat

Directed by

John Hayes

Runtime

7 minutes

Story Type

Regeneration

Time Travel

Future

Tropes (Potential Spoilers!)

Breaking the Fourth Wall

Story Arc (Potential Spoilers!)

Time War

Location (Potential Spoilers!)

Karn

Synopsis

Still trying to skirt around the edges of the Last Great Time War, the Eighth Doctor is forced to fully join the conflict by the mysterious Sisterhood of Karn. Killed while trying to save a woman who hates him simply for being a Time Lord, the Doctor gets to choose what his next incarnation will be like. He arranges for a warrior... but makes the darkest sacrifice of his life in order to be reborn.

Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat

Edit date completed

Characters

How to watch The Night of the Doctor:

Reviews

Add Review Edit Review

7 reviews

How can you not love it? It's McGann on his best and dear lord, such a shame they didn't use him in 2005, 1996 and yes even in the 50th.
Such a good short, only issue for me is the camera basically, the camera work gets messy for no reason (sure i like it at the beginning, but it's way tooo shaky even at the simple conversations, which is a bit annoying).


8th doctor best doctor no arguments


This review contains spoilers!

It’s only two scenes, but it’s perfect. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect slice of Doctor Who. When I first watched this, in November 2013, I had to keep pausing it to run around the house in excitement, before going back to the beginning, getting slightly further into the episode, then doing the same thing again.

I have such uncomplicated feelings towards this marvellous performance from a Doctor who has had far too little screen time. This was his defining moment, many year’s after his character’s conception. This is what we think about first, when we think about the Eighth Doctor.


This review contains spoilers!

Epic return of the best doctor to the screen after years of Big Finish audios.

Shows the extent the time war has on this pacifist shows his willingness to end the war.

References audio companions until the point of release.

Charley, C'rizz, Lucie, Tamsin, Molly, friends, companions I've known, I salute you. And Cass, I apologise.

Physician, heal thyself.

Amazing last words from an amazing Doctor


This review contains spoilers!

Physician, heal thyself

Prerequisites: The Name of the Doctor gives context as to why this exists at all, and the TV Movie provides the only other televised appearance of the Eighth Doctor (at least in person).

Since the last time I saw this, I've listened to almost all of 8's audios with Big Finish, and yeah this is peak. McGann effortlessly 'is' the Doctor here, and nearly every line he delivers is wonderful. Hands down, this is one of my favorite regeneration scenes in the show, and I love almost everything about it. McGann should been the character the War Doctor became, if Moffat had to go down this route, this is the absolute best result we could've gotten, and for that, I'm beyond grateful.


Open in new window

Statistics

AVG. Rating595 members
4.52 / 5

Trakt.tv

AVG. Rating223 votes
4.22 / 5

The Time Scales

AVG. Rating267 votes
4.70 / 5

Member Statistics

Watched

900

Favourited

223

Reviewed

7

Saved

3

Skipped

0

Owned

5

Quotes

Add Quote

DOCTOR: I'm a doctor. But probably not the one you're expecting.

— Eighth Doctor, The Night of the Doctor

Open in new window

Transcript

[Spaceship]

CASS: Help me, please. Can anybody hear me?
COMPUTER: Please state the nature of your ailment or injury.
CASS: I'm not injured, I'm crashing. I don't need a doctor.
COMPUTER: A clear statement of your symptoms will help us provide the medical practitioner appropriate to your individual needs.
CASS: I'm trying to send a distress signal. Stop talking about doctors.
DOCTOR: I'm a doctor. But probably not the one you're expecting.

(It's the Eighth Doctor)

(Cue titles)

DOCTOR: Where are the rest of the crew?
CASS: Teleported off.
DOCTOR: But you're still here.
CASS: I teleported them.
DOCTOR: Why you?
CASS: Everyone else was screaming.
DOCTOR: Welcome aboard.
CASS: Aboard what?
DOCTOR: I'll show you.


Open in new window