Hubbry Logo
The Day of the DoctorThe Day of the DoctorMain
Open search
The Day of the Doctor
Community hub
The Day of the Doctor
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
The Day of the Doctor
The Day of the Doctor
The Day of the Doctor
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

240 – "The Day of the Doctor"
Doctor Who episode
Promotional poster
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byNick Hurran
Written bySteven Moffat
Produced byMarcus Wilson
Executive producers
  • Steven Moffat
  • Faith Penhale
Music byMurray Gold
Series2013 specials
Running time77 minutes[1]
First broadcast23 November 2013 (2013-11-23)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"The Name of the Doctor"[N 2] 		Followed by →
"The Time of the Doctor"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"The Day of the Doctor" is a special episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, marking its 50th anniversary.[2][3][4] It was written by Steven Moffat,[5] who served as an executive producer alongside Faith Penhale.[6] It was shown on BBC One on 23 November 2013, in both 2D and 3D.[7][8] The special was broadcast simultaneously in 94 countries,[8][9] and was shown concurrently in 3D in some cinemas.[10] It achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama[9] and won the Radio Times Audience Award at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards.[11] The episode was watched by 12.80 million viewers in the UK and received positive reviews from critics.

The 77-minute episode depicts the last day of the Time War, in which the War Doctor prepares to kill both Daleks and his own people, the Time Lords, to end the destructive conflict, paralleling this with a present-day choice by paramilitary organisation UNIT to destroy London rather than allow an alien invasion. Revising the backstory, the Doctor is eventually convinced by Clara Oswald's plea to change his mind; and instead he freezes his war-torn home planet in a single moment in time and hides it in a pocket universe, rather than destroy it; the time distortions incurred causes all but his latest incarnation to have no memory of the changed decision.

The episode starred Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and Jenna Coleman as his companion, Clara Oswald. Previous lead actors David Tennant and Billie Piper returned for the episode; Tennant reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor, while Piper portrayed a sentient doomsday weapon called the Moment, projected as an image based on her character Rose Tyler.[12] She is invisible and inaudible to everyone but the War Doctor (John Hurt), who attempts to use the device. Other appearances included a brief glimpse of the then-upcoming Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi), and a guest appearance by Fourth Doctor actor Tom Baker, as a mysterious curator at the National Gallery. Rounding out the guest cast are Joanna Page as Queen Elizabeth I and Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart, the daughter of central figure Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.[13] The special also featured the appearance of the Daleks[14] and the return of the Zygons, shape-shifting aliens who had previously appeared only in Terror of the Zygons (1975).[15]

As the episode celebrates 50 years of the programme, it references and alludes to various concepts featured throughout the show's run. It received generally positive reviews and has been described by producer Marcus Wilson as a "love letter to the fans" and then-BBC One controller Danny Cohen as an "event drama".[5][16]

Mini-episodes

[edit]
See also: The Night of the Doctor

Two mini-episodes written by Steven Moffat, "The Night of the Doctor" (14 November 2013) and "The Last Day" (21 November 2013), were released shortly prior to "The Day of the Doctor", depicting in-series events occurring during the Time War between the Doctor's own race of Time Lords and his nemesis, the Daleks.

"The Night of the Doctor" depicts the Eighth Doctor's regeneration into the War Doctor. After being resurrected temporarily by the Sisterhood of Karn in the aftermath of a spaceship crash, the Doctor is persuaded by the sisters to take action to end the Time War, offering him a selection of potions to control his regeneration.

"The Last Day" is filmed from the first-person perspective of a soldier who has had a camera implanted in his head when the Gallifrey city of Arcadia falls to the Daleks. The "Fall of Arcadia" becomes the central battle of the Time War around which "The Day of the Doctor" is centred.

Plot

[edit]
The Moment prop as shown at the Doctor Who Experience.

The Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald are brought by military organisation UNIT head Kate Stewart to the National Gallery. In the midst of the Time War between the Time Lords and the Daleks, the War Doctor decides to trigger an ancient and sentient weapon called the Moment to destroy both sides. The Moment's humanoid interface, resembling Rose Tyler, shows what the War Doctor's future would be after the Time Lords are destroyed but the Doctor survives. The Moment opens a fissure linking the War Doctor to the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors in 1562 England. There, the Zygons enter three-dimensional paintings made with the Time Lords' stasis cubes, entering suspended animation to emerge in 2013. After breaking out of the paintings in the National Gallery in the present, the Zygons take the forms of UNIT staff so that they can utilise their weapons and technology kept in the Tower of London.

Kate Stewart starts a countdown for a nuclear warhead beneath the Tower that will destroy the advanced technology along with London. The Doctors, unable to land a TARDIS in the Tower, use the stasis cube technology to enter a painting. They exit the painting in the Tower in the present and use UNIT's mind-wiping equipment to render the UNIT members and Zygons temporarily unaware which of them are which. The countdown is stopped and all present negotiate a peace treaty.

The War Doctor, convinced that detonating the Moment will save many more lives in the longer term, returns to his time. The other two Doctors follow him with the intention of helping him detonate the Moment. When Clara insists they do not destroy their people, the Doctors devise an alternative solution. Aided by ten of their other incarnations, they use the stasis technology to attempt to freeze Gallifrey in a pocket universe. When Gallifrey disappears, the surrounding Dalek warships obliterate themselves in the crossfire.

"I have a new destination. My journey is the same as yours, the same as anyone's. It's taken me so many years, so many lifetimes, but at last I know where I'm going. Where I've always been going. Home, the long way round."

–The Eleventh Doctor

The Doctors and Clara return to the Gallery, unsure whether the plan worked. The War and Tenth Doctors learn from the Eleventh Doctor that, due to their time streams being "out of sync" with his, they will not remember what happened. The War Doctor begins to regenerate after leaving. Hinting that the plan worked, the gallery's curator, who resembles the Doctor's fourth incarnation, reveals to the Eleventh that one of the three-dimensional paintings is called "Gallifrey Falls No More". The Eleventh Doctor vows to find Gallifrey.

Continuity

[edit]

As the show's 50th anniversary special, the episode contains a multitude of references to previous stories.

It opens with the title sequence and theme arrangement used at the series' debut in 1963. Echoing the opening of "An Unearthly Child", the first episode of the first Doctor Who serial, a policeman is shown walking past the sign for I.M. Foreman, the scrap merchant in whose yard the TARDIS was located, and its first few seconds are in monochrome (as had been the case in The Two Doctors (1985), the last time more than one Doctor had featured together in an official story). Coal Hill School, which the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman attended when they were on Earth in 1963 in the very first story, is shown to be the school Clara teaches at; it also featured in the 1988 serial Remembrance of the Daleks. According to the school sign, the chairman of the school governors is Ian Chesterton, one of the First Doctor's original three companions and a science teacher at the school, and the headmaster is W. Coburn, a reference to Waris Hussein and Anthony Coburn, who respectively directed and wrote An Unearthly Child.[17] Clara rides out of Coal Hill School on the Eleventh Doctor's anti-gravity motorcycle from "The Bells of Saint John" (2013) at 17:16, the time An Unearthly Child originally aired on BBC TV (the first broadcast began 1 minute 20 seconds after its scheduled time of 17:15 GMT on 23 November 1963).[18][19]

When the TARDIS is picked up by UNIT, the call sign used by the helicopter to refer to UNIT is "Greyhound leader", reflecting the character of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart,[20] whose daughter Kate is now portrayed as having his role as commander of UNIT. Lethbridge-Stewart was a central character in the Third Doctor's era and also several of his successors', originally appearing in the Second Doctor serial The Web of Fear (1968) and making his last appearance in Doctor Who in the Seventh Doctor serial Battlefield (1989), which is also referenced. The UNIT dating controversy, regarding where in time the UNIT stories take place, is alluded to in dialogue by Kate Stewart, when she mentions that previous events occurred either in "the '70s or '80s depending on the dating protocol".[20]

The Tenth Doctor's era is also heavily revisited. The Moment was originally mentioned in "The End of Time" (2009–2010),[21] but had not been explored in depth until now, where it takes the form of "Bad Wolf", a seemingly omnipotent being and personalisation of the Time Vortex itself, which manifested in Rose Tyler when she absorbed the Time Vortex in the first series finale, "The Parting of the Ways" (2005).[17] The Tenth Doctor also mentioned the Fall of Arcadia in "Doomsday" (2006). When the Eleventh Doctor tells Clara that the situation is "timey-wimey", and the War Doctor ridicules him for it, the Tenth Doctor remarks, "I've no idea where he picks that stuff up"; the Tenth Doctor originally used the phrase in "Blink" (2007).[22] His marriage to Queen Elizabeth I, previously mentioned in "The Shakespeare Code" (2007) and "The End of Time", is depicted.[22] During the negotiations with the Zygons, Kate mentions the Sycorax from "The Christmas Invasion" (2005). When he leaves after learning of Trenzalore, the Tenth Doctor tells the Eleventh, "I don't want to go", his final words before his regeneration in "The End of Time"; the Eleventh Doctor tells Clara that "he always says that" after his TARDIS leaves.[17]

The Tower of London's Black Archive, containing alien artefacts collected by UNIT, has photographs of many of the Doctor's former companions. Additionally, River Song's high heels from "The Time of Angels"/"Flesh and Stone" (2010), the mass canceller from the second series finale "Doomsday",[23] a Supreme Dalek head from the fourth series finale "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" (2008), a Dalek tommy gun from "Daleks in Manhattan"/"Evolution of the Daleks" (2007), the restraining chair which held both the Master and the Doctor in "The End of Time", and a Cyberman head are contained within the Archive. The vortex manipulator in the Archive was donated to UNIT by Captain Jack Harkness, a companion of the Ninth Doctor who was reunited with the Tenth Doctor on multiple occasions. The Black Archive was also seen in The Sarah Jane Adventures story Enemy of the Bane (2008).[24]

Other references are made to previous multi-Doctor anniversary stories, The Three Doctors (1972–1973) and "The Five Doctors" (1983).[20] Some of the Brigadier's dialogue from the former serial is alluded to when Kate asks for an incident report code-named "Cromer";[25] in the earlier story, upon being transported to another universe, the Brigadier initially believes himself to be in the coastal Norfolk town. When the War Doctor appears with the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors in 1562, Clara remarks, "I think there's three of them now", to which Kate responds, "There's a precedent for that", in reference to The Three Doctors.[20] The Eleventh Doctor's dismissal of the Tenth and War Doctors as "sandshoes and grandad" to mock their respective footwear and age echo the First Doctor's description of his two successors in The Three Doctors as "a dandy and a clown";[20] the War Doctor's initial incredulous reaction upon hearing his description also reflects this moment. When all of the Doctors unite to freeze Gallifrey, the General says, "I didn't know when I was well-off. All twelve of them." which recalls one of the Brigadier's lines from The Three Doctors: "Three of them, eh? I didn't know when I was well off."[26] A line of the First Doctor's from "The Five Doctors" is also reused near the end of the episode, when the Tenth Doctor tells the Eleventh, "It's good to know my future is in safe hands" (similar to what the First Doctor told the Fifth in the earlier story).[27]

Lines from past stories reappear in the special. The Eleventh Doctor resurrects the phrase "reverse the polarity", associated with the Third Doctor, to comical effect. In trying to compensate for the presence of three Doctors who utilise different console rooms, the Tenth Doctor's TARDIS console briefly changes to the War's console room, seen again later in the episode, before settling on the Eleventh's.[27] The Tenth Doctor proceeds to say, "Oh you've redecorated! I don't like it", a line originally used by the Second Doctor when remarking on the Third Doctor's TARDIS interior in The Three Doctors and later reused by the Second and Eleventh Doctors respectively in "The Five Doctors" and "Closing Time" (2011).[17] One of the War Doctor's final lines of dialogue prior to regenerating is "wearing a bit thin", echoing some of the First Doctor's final words prior to regenerating at the end of The Tenth Planet (1966), "this old body of mine is wearing a bit thin".[17]

The Moment's description of the TARDIS' sound as a "wheezing, groaning sound" is a reference to its frequent description in Target novelisations.[28]

Cast

[edit]

The Doctor

[edit]

Others

[edit]
The Zygon costume and makeup, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience.

Production

[edit]

Casting

[edit]
Both David Tennant and Billie Piper returned to appear in the 50th anniversary special.

On 30 March 2013, a distribution error occurred, and many subscribers to Doctor Who Magazine received the issue five days before the official release date.[12] The issue of the magazine included the official announcement that David Tennant and Billie Piper, who previously portrayed the Tenth Doctor and Rose Tyler in Doctor Who respectively, were lined up to appear in the special, along with actor John Hurt.[12] Moffat did not want to bring Rose the character back because he felt her story was wrapped up and did not feel comfortable adding to his predecessor Russell T Davies' arc. However, he liked the concept of bringing back her Bad Wolf persona and felt that Piper needed to be in the special as she symbolised the rebirth of Doctor Who.[34]

Hurt did not actually audition for the part, but had been asked by the production team and "said yes with remarkable speed".[42] His costume was meant to signify that he was "rougher, tougher", and had been around for a while. Hurt's request to keep his beard added to this effect.[42]

Christopher Eccleston discussed plans for the anniversary episode, but eventually declined to return as the Ninth Doctor.[43] Eccleston would later state that he declined due to a combination of it not doing "justice to the Ninth Doctor", as well as still being hurt by BBC's actions during his tenure.[44]

On 20 November 2013, Tom Baker, who previously portrayed the Fourth Doctor, announced that he would appear in the special, stating, "I am in the special. I'm not supposed to tell you that, but I tell you that very willingly and specifically; the BBC told me not to tell anybody but I'm telling you straight away."[45] Baker appeared as the Curator of the National Gallery, who openly discusses his resemblance to the Fourth Doctor.

Writing

[edit]
Then-head writer and showrunner Steven Moffat wrote "The Day of the Doctor", which he stated would "change the narrative" of Doctor Who.[46]

"The Day of the Doctor" was written by Steven Moffat,[5] the then-head writer of Doctor Who, and produced by Marcus Wilson with Nick Hurran directing.[47] Moffat was developing ideas for the 50th anniversary episode as early as late 2011, when he stated that the team "knew what [they] want[ed] to do" and were "revving up" for the episode in an interview discussing his work on the 2011 film The Adventures of Tintin,[48] and began writing the script for "The Day of the Doctor" in late 2012, announcing that, as a security precaution, he had not produced any copies, instead keeping it on his computer "under lock and key" until it was needed.[49] Moffat stated prior to the episode's release, "Most things that have been said about the 50th are not true... Normally I am responsible for the disinformation and the rubbish rumors—I usually put them out myself, but I haven't needed to for this one."[50] On the importance of the episode, Moffat has stated that it would "change the narrative" of Doctor Who.[46]

Moffat stated in an interview with Doctor Who Magazine that he initially began the story process with the idea that it would be the Ninth Doctor that would have been the incarnation that ended the Time War, in spite of misgivings in his own mind regarding it:

Yes, but do you know, I was always nervous of that one, because it doesn't fit with "Rose" at all. He is a brand new Doctor in "Rose", he's absolutely, definitely new. It couldn't have been is [sic] who pushed the button in the Time War, cos that's a new man, very explicitly, in that episode. I also had trouble, I have to be honest, imagining it being Paul McGann's Doctor.[51][volume & issue needed]

Once it became clear that Eccleston would decline to appear, Moffat turned to an alternative concept he had been formulating, featuring a "mayfly Doctor" who appears for a single episode, asking, "Would it be weird in the run of the series to have the 45th Doctor turn up and be played by Johnny Depp or someone? Would that be a cool thing to do?".[51] He also indicated that the "classic Doctor" he would most like to feature in a new story was William Hartnell's First Doctor, stating, "You'd want him to come and say 'What in the name of God have I turned into?' That's the confrontation that you most want to see, to celebrate 50 years. Going round and round in circles on it I just thought, 'What about a Doctor that he never talks about?' And what if it is a Doctor who's done something terrible, who's much deadlier and more serious, who represents that thing that is the undertow in both David and Matt. You know there's a terrible old man inside them. Well, here he is, facing the children he becomes, as it were."[52] Due in part to the stress surrounding planning the episode, Moffat has gone on record as stating that Series 7 was his least favorite to work on.[53]

Moffat felt that it was important to bring something different to Piper's return, as she had returned as Rose Tyler in various cameo appearances throughout series 4, most prominently in "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End", in which she had a central role, and "The End of Time". This led to the development of the Moment, which had previously been referenced in "The End of Time". Piper agreed with Moffat's sentiments, despite loving the character of Rose.[54][further explanation needed]

Although Matt Smith and Tennant ended up co-starring in the episode, neither actor was under contract for the series at the time, and at one point Moffat devised a plotline featuring Jenna Coleman as the sole regular cast member in case either declined.[55] Knowing that Smith was planning to leave the series, Moffat wrote the special specifically with the brief appearance of the Twelfth Doctor during the sequence of all of the Doctors uniting to save Gallifrey, prior to casting anyone in the role. Moffat later stated that it was his "plan from the start" that all the Doctors would fly in to save Gallifrey.[56]

Moffat explained his choice of title to SFX magazine, commenting that "... it's very rare in Doctor Who that the story happens to the Doctor. It happens to people around him, and he helps out – he's the hero figure who rides in and saves everybody from the story of the week. He is not the story of the week. In this, he is the story of the week. This is the day of the Doctor. This is his most important day. His most important moment. This is the one he'll remember, whereas I often think the Doctor wanders back to his TARDIS and forgets all about it."[57]

Filming

[edit]

Because "The Day of the Doctor" was filmed in 3D, the episode took longer than usual to shoot, and every CGI shot had to be rendered twice.[58]

"The Day of the Doctor" took approximately five weeks in 2013 to film; regular filming began on 28 March 2013 and ended on 4 May. The first three days of shooting—28 March, 29 March, and 1 April—took place entirely at the show's Roath Lock studios in Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay; some of the scenes set in the National Gallery and the Eleventh Doctor's TARDIS were filmed in the period.[location 1]

Filming for the episode's outdoor scenes began on 2 April 2013.[36] The first outdoor scene was filmed at the Ivy Tower in Tonna, Neath.[location 2] The outdoor section of the scene involving Clara driving her motorcycle into the TARDIS, as well as the beginning of the sequence in which UNIT airlifts the TARDIS via helicopter, was filmed on Gelligaer Common Road in Bedlinog.[location 3] The remainder of the latter scene was later filmed on 6 April at MOD St Athan,[location 4] and on 9 April in Trafalgar Square, London.[59][location 5]

On 17 April 2013, Smith, Coleman, Piper and Tennant filmed scenes in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, and some scenes were shot in Chepstow Castle.[60] On 2 May 2013, filming took place in Cardiff for scenes that take place at Totter's Lane and Coal Hill School, locations which had previously featured in the first 1963 serial An Unearthly Child, the 1985 serial Attack of the Cybermen, and the 1988 serial Remembrance of the Daleks.[61] Filming for the special was completed on Sunday 5 May 2013, with the final two days taken with the production of the special mini-episode "The Night of the Doctor", which saw Paul McGann return as the Eighth Doctor on television for the first time since 1996.[62] The final piece of filming for the special took place on 3 October, five months after principal photography wrapped, with Peter Capaldi filming his cameo, concurrent with filming his official first appearance for "The Time of the Doctor".[63]

Miniatures constructed by Mike Tucker and his company The Model Unit were used in filming for the Time War sequences, including a model of a Time Lord staser cannon and the War Doctor flying his TARDIS into and subsequently destroying several Daleks. The Dalek models used were 18-inch voice interactive toys produced by Character Options. The technique of using Dalek toys as models for filming was a common method of presenting entire armies in the classic series.[64]

Marketing

[edit]

Minisodes

[edit]

"The Night of the Doctor", an additional 7-minute special, was released on 14 November 2013, and featured the Eighth Doctor's regeneration into the War Doctor.[65] Another 4-minute special, entitled "The Last Day", was released on 20 November 2013 and saw the start of the Fall of Arcadia.[66]

Trailers

[edit]

The first trailer for the special was shown to attendees of San Diego Comic-Con in July 2013.[67] The BBC's decision not to release the trailer online to international fans was met with controversy.[68][69][70] On 26 July, the BBC responded to criticisms by saying the trailer was intended to be exclusive to Comic-Con attendees and that content for all other audiences would be forthcoming at a later date.[71]

On 28 September, the BBC revealed that the trailer for the special had been shot and was in post-production.[72] On 19 October 2013, a specially made teaser trailer, directed by Matt Losasso, was shown on BBC One, and was then subsequently posted online. It contained icons from the history of the show and had a monologue by Matt Smith, as well as body doubles and CGI to create shots of previous Doctors.[73][74]

A clip from "The Day of the Doctor" was shown during the BBC's Children in Need telethon on Friday 15 November.[75] The official trailer for the episode aired in the United Kingdom at 8 pm GMT on 9 November. Due to the leak of a trailer earlier on 9 November on BBC Latin America's Facebook page, the BBC officially released it ahead of schedule. A second official trailer was released shortly thereafter.[76]

Furthermore, before the release of the main trailers, a short clip previewed the Eleventh Doctor and Clara examining a seemingly impossible painting. On 10 November 2013, a short clip of the Eleventh Doctor announcing "The clock is ticking" interrupted a BBC One ident.[77] This was followed on Monday 11 November by another ident interruption, with the Eleventh Doctor stating "It's all been leading to this..."[78]

Viral marketing

[edit]

On 28 September, the BBC unveiled a Twitter hashtag (#SaveTheDay) and an ident that was used to promote the special.[79] Respectively, the hashtag and the ident were shown before and after the premiere of Atlantis on BBC One. The hashtag was used to reveal all subsequent promotional material. On 7 November 2013, a video starring Smith in character as the Eleventh Doctor was released promoting the hashtag, promising exclusive content. A website was launched to reveal the content.[80]

Broadcast and reception

[edit]
Countries that screened "The Day of the Doctor" simultaneously.
  Countries that screened on TV.
  Countries that screened in cinemas.
  Countries that screened both on TV and in cinemas.

The BBC broadcast the episode in 94 countries simultaneously,[81] to avoid plot leaks.[8][82] It achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama.[9] While not simulcast on the same channel, a number of non-English translations were all transmitted at the same time.

The British Board of Film Classification rated the episode PG for mild violence and threat.[83] The Australian Classification Board also rated the episode PG for "mild science fiction themes and violence", noting there was "very mild impact" with regards to sexual themes.[84] The episode broadcast at 7:50pm in the UK,[85] and was preceded and followed by other Doctor Who related programmes and broadcasts, including broadcast of an after-party.

Canadian provincial film censors rated "The Day of the Doctor" PG in Alberta,[86] G in Manitoba[87] and G in Quebec.[88]

The episode aired in over 100 countries on either 23 or 24 November 2013 in cinemas and on television.[89]

Television

[edit]

The episode originally aired on BBC One, BBC One HD, and in 3D on BBC One HD Red Button. It aired on Prime in New Zealand, BBC America in the United States, ABC1 in Australia, and on Space in Canada. In English speaking Asia and Africa, it was released by BBC Entertainment.

Cinemas

[edit]

The episode was originally released in Cineworld, Vue, Odeon, and independent cinemas. It was released in Hoyts, Event, Village and limited independent cinemas in Australia. It aired in Cineplex cinemas in Canada and in Event Cinemas in New Zealand. In the United States it was released only at AMC, Century, Cinemark and Regal cinemas. In Mexico, the episode was released exclusively in 20 select Cinemark 3D theatres.[90]

The cinema version played with an introduction featuring Dan Starkey as Strax and John Hurt, David Tennant and Matt Smith as the Doctors, respectively.[91]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Rotten Tomatoes
(Average Score)		9.41[92]
Rotten Tomatoes
(Tomatometer)		100%[92]
Review scores
SourceRating
IGN9.3[93]
New York MagazineStarStarStarStarStar[94]
PopMattersStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[95]
Radio TimesStarStarStarStarStar[96]
The A.V. ClubA−[97]
The Daily TelegraphStarStarStarStarStar[98]
TV FanaticStarStarStarStarStar[99]

"The Day of the Doctor" received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the special has 100% approval rating based on 18 reviews, and an average rating of 9.41/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor is a joyous marker in the series, uniting two of the most beloved Time Lords and setting them together on a rousing adventure full of crowd-pleasing nods and winks."[92] Ben Lawrence of The Daily Telegraph gave the special five stars, calling it "charming, eccentric and very, very British."[98] Simon Brew of Den of Geek praised the special, calling it "terrific", and stating that it was "pulsating with comedy, ambition, and top to bottom entertainment." However, he commented negatively on the conclusion of the Zygon subplot, stating it "just fizzled out a little, after a strong build up", and felt that the retcon of the Doctor saving Gallifrey felt "like years of darkness was sort-of sorted out in 20 minutes (albeit with no little gravitas)".[100] Jon Cooper of the Daily Mirror gave the episode five stars, stating that it "not only gives hardcore fans a beautiful reinvention of their favourite show but also gives casual viewers a stonking story and a reminder why we all love this show so much."[101] SFX gave the episode five out of five stars, noting that it was not perfect but those were "churlish niggles". It praised the three Doctors and commented on how it linked the past, present, and future of the show.[102]

Chris Taylor of Mashable stated that the episode is "one designed to please fans and newcomers alike," and that it "shows why the Doctor is finding his way into ever more homes and hearts."[103] Viv Grospok of The Guardian criticised various elements of the episode, disliking the comedic dialogue and the episode's shifting points of view. She further criticised how Piper was not playing her original character, Rose Tyler, though she eventually concluded that "it was all worth it."[104]

Ratings

[edit]

Overnight figures revealed that the episode had a total of 10.18 million viewers for the live broadcast in the United Kingdom.[105] When time-shifted viewers were taken into account, the figure rose to a total of 12.8 million viewers, which makes it the highest rating since "The Next Doctor" (2008), which had a total of 13.1 million viewers.[106] For the week, it was the number one most-watched series on British television, a feat only three other Doctor Who episodes had ever achieved.[107] The box office takings for the cinema screenings totalled £1.7m, which placed it at number three in the UK film chart for the week, behind The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Gravity.[108] In addition, "The Day of the Doctor" became the most requested show within 24 hours on BBC iPlayer with 1.27 million requests, which rose to 2.9 million by 3 December 2013.[109] It was named the most-watched drama of 2013 based on the final viewing figures.[109] It received an Appreciation Index of 88.[110]

The live simulcast on BBC America had a total audience of 2.4 million viewers, briefly becoming the largest audience in the channel's history,[111] until the broadcast of "The Time of the Doctor".[112]

Worldwide, cinema screenings brought $10.2 million at the box office.[113] The cinema screenings in the USA, on a total of 660 screens nationwide, took a total of US$4.8m (approx £3m) at the box office.[114] The special had a total of 1.95 million viewers for its two broadcasts in Australia, with 590,000 watching the live broadcast on ABC1, and another 1.36 million watching the repeat at 7:30pm, while the cinema box office takings totalled AU$1.54m, putting it at number three in the Australian film chart.[115][116][117] In addition, the episode received 51,000 plays on the online ABC iview in a single day.[117][118] A total of 42,000 viewers watched the simultaneous screening in New Zealand, with a total of 177,510 viewers watching the 8.30pm repeat, which was Prime's highest rating show for the day. The figure includes live[119] and timeshifted viewers.[120] This means there was a total of 219,510 viewers for all screenings. A total of 1.7 million viewers watched the two broadcasts on Canadian channel Space, making it the most watched entertainment programme in Canada on the day, with the 1.1m watching the live broadcast at 2.50pm EST being the channel's largest ever audience.[121]

Social analytics website SecondSync revealed that Doctor Who generated almost 500,000 tweets on Twitter during its broadcast, with the peak number of tweets occurring at the beginning of the broadcast, at 12,939 tweets per minute.[122][123]

Awards and nominations

[edit]

"The Day of the Doctor" won the publicly voted Radio Times Audience Award at the BAFTA Awards in May 2014.[11] "The Day of the Doctor" was also nominated for the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form).[124]

In a poll conducted by Doctor Who Magazine, "The Day of the Doctor" was voted as the most popular story in the 50 years of the show.[125]

Home media

[edit]

"The Day of the Doctor" was released on DVD and 3D Blu-ray on 2 December 2013 in the UK.[126][127] It was released on 4 December 2013 in Australia, and on 10 December 2013 in North America.[128] The special was re-released on DVD and Blu-ray on 8 September 2014 as part of a "50th Anniversary Collectors Boxset" alongside "The Name of the Doctor", "The Night of the Doctor", "The Time of the Doctor", An Adventure in Space and Time and The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. This re-release features new footage of the specials' read-through.[129] The special is streamed on Amazon Prime.

Soundtrack

[edit]
Further information: Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor/The Time of the Doctor (soundtrack)

Selected pieces of score from "The Day of the Doctor", as composed by Murray Gold, were released on 24 November 2014 by Silva Screen Records. The album includes material not used in the final episode.[130]

In print

[edit]

A novelisation of this story written by Steven Moffat, including "The Night of the Doctor" storyline, was released in paperback and digital formats on 5 April 2018 as part of the Target Collection.[131][132]

Key Information

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

The Day of the Doctor

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Day of the Doctor is a 77-minute special episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, marking the series' 50th anniversary. Written by Steven Moffat and directed by Nick Hurran, it stars Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor, David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, and John Hurt as the War Doctor, alongside Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald and Billie Piper in a dual role as the sentient superweapon known as the Moment and a manifestation of Rose Tyler. First broadcast on BBC One on 23 November 2013, the episode was simultaneously simulcast in 94 countries and screened in cinemas in 3D, achieving a Guinness World Record for the largest ever global simulcast of a TV drama. The story unfolds across multiple timelines, beginning in 2013 at London's where a mysterious depicts a devastating event; in 1562 Elizabethan amid a plot involving Queen Elizabeth I; and during the ancient Time War, where the Doctor confronts a cataclysmic decision. All of reality hangs in the balance as the Doctor's past actions during the war against return to haunt him, forcing three incarnations to unite against an existential threat posed by the Daleks and the consequences of their own history. The episode introduces the , a previously unseen incarnation who fought in the Time War, and explores themes of regret, redemption, and the moral weight of , while featuring iconic elements like the , Zygons (shape-shifting aliens), and a climactic standoff on the planet Gallifrey. Produced by Marcus Wilson as part of the revived series (2005–present), The Day of the Doctor was a high-profile event coordinated by , involving extensive marketing including trailers, a global premiere tour, and tie-in media such as a behind-the-scenes documentary narrated by (the ). Its production emphasized anniversary nostalgia, with cameos from past companions and a post-credits sequence teasing future developments, while maintaining the series' blend of adventure, humor, and emotional depth. Upon release, the special drew record-breaking audiences, peaking at 10.61 million viewers on BBC One with an average of 10.2 million, and accumulating 12.8 million total viewers including iPlayer streams, making it the most-watched drama of 2013 in the UK. Internationally, it boosted Doctor Who's global profile, with screenings in over 1,500 cinemas worldwide and praise for its ambitious storytelling and visual effects, including 3D enhancements. The episode has since been lauded as one of the series' greatest, voted the top Doctor Who story by readers of Doctor Who Magazine in 2014, and it significantly influenced the show's lore by retroactively reshaping the Doctor's backstory.

Prequel mini-episodes

The Last Day

"The Last Day" is a three-minute black-and-white mini-episode serving as a prequel to the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, focusing on the opening moments of the Dalek invasion of Gallifrey during the Time War. The narrative unfolds entirely from the first-person perspective of a newly deployed Gallifreyan soldier, achieved through a neural block implant that relays his sensory experiences directly to the viewer, immersing the audience in the chaos of the battlefield. Key elements include the Daleks' deployment of translucent glass avatars—dubbed "glass people" by the soldiers—which stealthily infiltrate the fortified city of Arcadia, shattering the illusion of safety on the final day of resistance. The Doctor appears via a broadcast, urgently warning the of the catastrophe to come and revealing the activation of the Moment, a desperate weapon poised to resolve the conflict. Accompanying these scenes is an original score by composer , heightening the tension with ominous motifs that underscore the impending doom. Directed by and written by , with production handled by Denise Paul, the mini-episode premiered online on 21 November 2013 through the official Doctor Who website and BBC platforms, timed as a promotional teaser just before the special's broadcast. Its release aimed to build anticipation by demonstrating the 3D viewing experience planned for the main episode in select cinemas and home formats. Technically, the production was filmed in stereoscopic 3D to emphasize immersive, visceral invasion sequences, with the black-and-white aesthetic and shaky POV simulating the neural block's raw, unfiltered feed and amplifying the disorientation of the assault. This setup provides a stark prelude to the Time 's climactic events in the anniversary special.

The Night of the Doctor

"" is a mini-episode of the British series , created as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013. Written by and directed by John Hayes, the approximately seven-minute production depicts the pivotal regeneration of the into the , bridging a significant gap in the character's timeline during the Time . It was released exclusively online on 14 November 2013 via the BBC's Red Button service, iPlayer, and , just days before the broadcast of the main anniversary special "The Day of the Doctor". The episode opens with the , portrayed by in his first live-action appearance since the 1996 television film—spanning 17 years—piloting his to rescue Cass, a human pilot whose ship is plummeting toward the planet Karn amid the escalating Time War. Cass, played by Emma Campbell-Jones, rejects the Doctor's aid upon discovering his identity, associating it with the war's horrors, and perishes in the crash, prompting the Doctor's own vessel to collide with the surface. Stranded and grieving, the Doctor encounters Ohila (), a member of the Sisterhood of Karn, who offer him the to control his impending regeneration and transform him into a "warrior" capable of ending the conflict between the and . Reluctantly accepting the elixir after reflecting on his pacifist nature and the war's toll—"," Ohila urges—the Doctor drinks the potion and regenerates into the , embodied by in a brief visual and vocal appearance, declaring "Doctor no more" as he embraces this new, battle-hardened . Produced swiftly in Cardiff, the episode features minimal cast and sets, emphasizing intimate dialogue and practical effects to convey the Doctor's moral crisis. This transformation establishes the as a distinct between the Eighth and Doctors, underscoring the Eighth Doctor's decision to intervene directly in the Time War rather than remain a bystander. Thematically, "The Night of the Doctor" explores the Eighth Doctor's internal conflict over abandoning his principle of non-violence to become a soldier, providing essential backstory to the War Doctor's role in the main 50th anniversary special. Its release generated significant fan excitement, highlighting McGann's return and Hurt's introduction to the canon.

Plot

Summary

"The Day of the Doctor" is a 75-minute special episode of the British television series , marking the show's 50th anniversary and the first to be filmed and broadcast in 3D. The narrative unfolds across multiple timelines, beginning in 2013 at London's , where the and his companion investigate a mysterious painting that serves as a portal, awakening a Zygon threat linked to prior invasions. This leads them to 1562 Elizabethan , where the encounters Queen Elizabeth I amid a Zygon plot involving shape-shifting duplicates to conquer by infiltrating human society. The timelines converge with the on Gallifrey during the Last Great Time War, where the three Doctors unite to confront the decision of using the Moment—a galaxy-destroying weapon—to end the war, while resolving the Zygon invasion on . As the Doctors unite, Clara, embodying her role as the Impossible Girl, supports their efforts to outmaneuver the Zygons and prevent the catastrophe. The Moment's interface manifests as a figure referencing , played by in a dual capacity that ties into the Doctor's past while guiding the decision on Gallifrey's fate. Initially planning to destroy Gallifrey with the Moment to stop the Time , the three Doctors instead devise a plan to hide the planet in a , preserving it from destruction and resolving across time. The episode concludes with a cameo by the , portrayed by , hinting at the Doctor's future, followed by the Eleventh Doctor's characteristic cry of "" as the departs. The seamless jumps between timelines highlight the Doctors' collaborative heroism in averting universal disaster.

Continuity

"The Day of the Doctor" significantly alters the established canon of the universe, particularly concerning the fate of Gallifrey during the Last Great Time War. Prior to this episode, the 1996 television movie and the 2005 revival series had implied the complete destruction of the ' home planet, with the Doctor believing himself responsible for the annihilation of his people to end the conflict. The episode retcons this by revealing that the War, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctors collaborated on a plan to save Gallifrey, using every to create a time shield that froze the planet in the moment of its apparent destruction and parallel parked it into a , thus preserving it from both and forces. This revelation is later referenced and expanded upon in the 2015 episode "Hell Bent," where the Doctor returns to a hidden Gallifrey. The introduction of the , portrayed by , represents a major shift in the numbering of the Doctor's incarnations. Previously, the () regenerated directly into the () following the Time War, but "The Day of the Doctor" positions the War Doctor as a previously unacknowledged "secret" incarnation between them, effectively making Eccleston the ninth, the tenth, and the eleventh. This adjustment addresses the Doctor's limited regenerations, a concept established in "" (1976) and reinforced in the 2013 Christmas special "," where the receives a new cycle from the to continue beyond his allotted twelve incarnations. The episode weaves in several references to prior Doctor Who lore to enhance its continuity. The Zygons, shape-shifting aliens originally introduced in the 1975 serial "Terror of the Zygons," return as invaders using body-print technology to impersonate humans, setting up their reappearance in series 9's "" and "" (2015). Queen Elizabeth I, previously featured in the 2007 episode "" where the flirted with her, appears here as a Zygon target, fulfilling a promised future encounter. The Moment, depicted as a sentient superweapon capable of judging the Doctor's worthiness, nods to its ominous mentions in earlier Time War references like "The End of Time" (2009). Additionally, the War Doctor's declaration of having no children echoes the Eighth Doctor's stance in "" (2008), underscoring his rejection of family ties amid the war's horrors. Looking forward, "The Day of the Doctor" lays foundational elements for subsequent story arcs, including the full return of Gallifrey in series 9 (2015), which explores the planet's extraction from the and its political ramifications. This development influences later revelations, such as the Timeless Child arc introduced in 2020's "," which recontextualizes the Doctor's origins and the ' society in light of Gallifrey's survival. The episode also briefly acknowledges other Doctors through paintings in the , symbolizing the broader lineage and hinting at their collective involvement in Gallifrey's salvation.

Cast

The Doctor

The , portrayed by , debuted as the battle-hardened incarnation who fought in the Last Great Time War, first appearing in voice form in the prequel mini-episode "" before his full on-screen role in the special. His character arc evolves from a reluctant warrior, haunted by the moral weight of the conflict and initially ashamed of his actions, to a pivotal savior who collaborates with his future selves to find a non-genocidal solution for Gallifrey's survival, underscored by his poignant reflection on the human cost: "How many children there were on Gallifrey that day." The , played by , returns following his regeneration in the 2010 Christmas special "The End of Time," marking his first major appearance since leaving the role in 2010. Characterized by sharp wit and an initial denial of his personal guilt over the Time War—projecting a frivolous exterior to mask deeper remorse—he joins the alliance against the Zygons while grappling with his identity as "the man who regrets." His interactions with the other Doctors highlight comedic banter amid the tension, as he navigates in Elizabethan England alongside the . The , portrayed by as the incumbent , is depicted as a bow-tie-wearing adventurer whose youthful energy drives the present-day investigation into mysterious paintings at the . He leads the narrative's central inquiry, uncovering the Zygon threat and confronting his suppressed memories of the Time War, thereby grappling with the ethical consequences of his past actions during key confrontations with the . Smith's performance emphasizes the Doctor's excitable curiosity, blending humor with moments of profound self-doubt as he unites the incarnations. The episode features brief cameos from previous Doctors via archival footage, including William Hartnell (First Doctor), Patrick Troughton (Second), Jon Pertwee (Third), Tom Baker (Fourth), Peter Davison (Fifth), Colin Baker (Sixth), Sylvester McCoy (Seventh), and Paul McGann (Eighth), representing their involvement in the collective effort to save Gallifrey. Tom Baker also appears as the enigmatic , a mysterious figure in the who hints at a or post-regeneration of the Doctor by suggesting he has returned to tie up "a few loose ends." The narrative implies the participation of all 13 Doctors in the climactic plan, with their TARDISes converging to create a time pocket and rescue the planet. John Hurt was cast as the War Doctor for his commanding gravitas, bringing depth to the weary warrior role and balancing the lighter tones of Tennant and Smith's portrayals, while Tennant and Smith were selected due to their established popularity from prior successful runs as the Doctor. Hurt's performance cemented his legacy in the franchise, enduring beyond his death from pancreatic cancer on January 25, 2017, at age 77.

Others

Jenna Coleman portrays , the Eleventh Doctor's companion and the so-called Impossible Girl, whose fragmented existence across time allows her to aid the Doctor in navigating multiple eras and ultimately helps convince the incarnations to collaborate in averting Gallifrey's destruction. plays , director of scientific research at , who oversees the organization's contemporary efforts to counter the Zygon infiltration and embodies the ongoing legacy of her father, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, the Third Doctor's longtime ally. Joanna Page depicts the Zygon duplicate of Queen Elizabeth I in 1562, whose vengeful scheme involving body-print duplication propels the historical subplot and nods to the real queen's fraught past encounter with the . Billie Piper takes on a multifaceted role as the holographic interface of The Moment, the galaxy-devastating weapon that manifests with the consciousness of —echoing her prior portrayal of —and simultaneously as the Zygon high commander orchestrating the modern invasion from the Black Archive. Ingrid Oliver appears as Osgood, a bespectacled operative and enthusiast whose abduction leads to a Zygon body-swap, resulting in her survival as either the human or duplicate version, identifiable by the Fourth Doctor's scarf. Jonjo O'Neill plays Aiden McGillop, a operative revealed as a Zygon impostor who facilitates the aliens' access to the Black Archive and the deployment of the stasis cube technology. Peter De Jersey portrays Androgar, a Time Lord under-colonel serving as liaison to the War Council, who briefs the War Doctor on the High Council's emergency measures amid the escalating Dalek assault on Gallifrey. Ken Bones embodies The General, the authoritative Gallifreyan commander directing the planet's defensive forces during the climactic final day of the Time War. Several actors lend voices and forms to the Zygons, the shape-shifting invaders central to the episode's dual-timeline conflict, including uncredited performers for pod scenes and duplicates. Tom Baker guest-stars as The Curator, a retired guardian of art and artifacts who encounters the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors at the National Gallery, offering enigmatic guidance on the painting "Gallifrey Falls No More" with hints of his past as the Fourth Doctor. The episode concludes with a shadowy silhouette tease of the Twelfth Doctor, embodied by Peter Capaldi, stepping into the frame alongside the other incarnations to affirm "the Doctor is back."

Production

Writing and development

The BBC commissioned The Day of the Doctor as a landmark special to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who in 2013, with Steven Moffat, the series' lead writer and executive producer, tasked with crafting a multi-Doctor narrative that honored the show's mythology while setting up future possibilities, such as a potential 100th anniversary. Moffat began developing ideas as early as late 2011, confirming by early 2013 that the script would initially feature all eleven incarnations of the Doctor uniting against a formidable threat, though this ambitious concept was scaled back to three Doctors for logistical feasibility during production. Moffat drafted the script starting in 2012, weaving in fan-service elements like the return of the Zygons—selected for their unaltered, iconic design from the 1970s serial —to bridge classic and modern eras without overwhelming the core story. The writing process presented significant challenges in reconciling the episode's timelines and retconning the Time War's conclusion, ensuring the Doctors' decision to save Gallifrey did not undermine the emotional weight or continuity of prior episodes like The End of Time. Early drafts included a cameo by the in the pivotal barn scene, reflecting Moffat's exploration of various configurations before finalizing the War Doctor's role. Central to the script's thematic goals were redemption for the Doctor's past actions, the moral cost of war exemplified by the Time War's devastation, and the unity of the Doctor's incarnations in seeking an alternative to genocide. By having the Doctors collectively hide Gallifrey in a pocket universe rather than destroy it, Moffat avoided a permanent closure on the , intentionally leaving narrative doors open for subsequent stories while preserving the Doctor's lingering guilt. The 3D format influenced the writing, with sequences designed to leverage depth for immersive action, such as Zygon invasions, and the episode's runtime was expanded to 77 minutes to deliver a feature-film-like scope. Revisions incorporated feedback from and , who contributed to refining their characters' banter and interactions to capture the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors' distinct personalities authentically during table reads. This collaborative input helped balance humor and pathos, ensuring the script's emotional core—centered on the War Doctor's confrontation with his choices—resonated without alienating fans of earlier eras.

Casting

John Hurt was cast as the War Doctor after Christopher Eccleston, who had originally been approached to reprise his role as the Ninth Doctor, declined to participate despite discussions with writer Steven Moffat. Moffat selected Hurt for his ability to embody a battle-weary incarnation, describing him as "serious acting royalty" and one of the most distinguished British film stars to join the Doctor Who mythology. Hurt accepted the role almost immediately upon receiving the script, allowing filming to commence shortly thereafter. David Tennant reprised his role as the , confirmed alongside as the after Hurt's involvement was secured; continued as series regular . Moffat noted the exceptional on-screen chemistry between Smith and Tennant, calling their interaction a "sublime ." Smith described working with Tennant, Hurt, and returning cast member —who portrayed both and the interface for the sentient weapon known as the Moment—as a "joy," highlighting the high caliber of actors involved. Tennant echoed this, praising Smith's talent and the fun of collaborating on the special. Production maintained strict secrecy around Hurt's role as the to preserve the surprise reveal. Similarly, was brought in under wraps for the prequel minisode , filming his scenes as the in a brief session that bridged to the main special. A late addition to the production was Tom Baker's cameo as the , which Moffat incorporated as a surprise element; Baker delivered a memorable performance leveraging his iconic voice and presence from his time as the . To tease the incoming Twelfth Doctor, additional filming occurred on October 3, 2013, featuring in a masked cameo during the sequence of past Doctors, without fully revealing his face or identity. returned as , building on her prior appearance, while portrayed Queen Elizabeth I.

Filming

Principal photography for The Day of the Doctor commenced in , , spanning approximately five weeks in 2013 and directed by Nick Hurran. The production was the first Doctor Who episode shot natively in 3D, employing paired XT cameras to facilitate stereoscopic capture, though the multi-timeline sequences posed significant challenges during 3D conversion in . Interiors such as the console room and sequences depicting the were filmed at Roath Lock studios in . The landscapes of Gallifrey in the Time War sequences were created primarily through by Milk VFX, while the Elizabethan-era scenes set in 1562 were captured at in . The episode's , encompassing designs, explosive battle sequences, and the rendering of the , were crafted by Milk VFX, the studio's television arm formerly part of The Mill, ensuring seamless integration across the 3D format. To accommodate the , scenes involving multiple incarnations of the Doctor were recorded individually before being digitally composited together. Some script modifications occurred during the shoot, necessitating brief additional filming in early October to incorporate elements like the reveal of the Twelfth Doctor's silhouette.

Marketing

Trailers

The promotional campaign for "The Day of the Doctor" began with an exclusive trailer screened at on July 21, 2013, during a panel featuring and stars and . This initial teaser, lasting approximately one minute, hinted at a multi-Doctor storyline through shadowy silhouettes and timey-wimey visuals but avoided major reveals to maintain secrecy, particularly around the identity of the portrayed by . On October 19, 2013, the released the "50 Years" on and , directed by Matt Losasso in collaboration with VFX house . Running for 60 seconds, it showcased frozen moments from every Doctor's era, from to , evoking nostalgia for the series' history while posing the , "The Doctor?" to build intrigue about the character's legacy. The trailer's innovative VFX, which colorized archival footage and synchronized the Doctors' poses, was praised for its celebratory tone and quickly amassed millions of views online, heightening global anticipation for the anniversary special. The primary two-minute trailer debuted on November 9, 2013, broadcast on BBC One and uploaded to YouTube, featuring dynamic action sequences with the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) teaming up against Zygon invaders in Elizabethan England. It included cameos by Queen Elizabeth I (Joanna Page) and a Dalek, emphasizing themes of time travel and moral dilemmas with the tagline "Let me tell you who the Doctor is," while still concealing the War Doctor's role until the episode's airing on November 23. This trailer, directed by the production team, was crafted to appeal to both longtime fans and newcomers through high-stakes visuals and nostalgic callbacks. Additional promotional materials included shorter 50-second TV spots aired in the UK and internationally, adapted versions for markets like the on , and specialized 3D clips for the special's cinema screenings, which highlighted immersive effects like Zygon shape-shifting. The overall strategy focused on controlled reveals to sustain mystery—such as delaying full exposure—while leveraging the multi-Doctor concept and iconic villains to evoke the series' storied past, resulting in over 10 million combined views across trailers within weeks of release and significantly boosting pre-airdate hype.

Viral marketing

The viral marketing for The Day of the Doctor centered on the #SaveTheDay campaign, launched by the BBC and BBC Worldwide in early November 2013 to build anticipation for the 50th anniversary special. The initiative featured an interactive website (savetheday.co.uk) where fans could register for updates and exclusive content, including a countdown to the broadcast and clues teasing the plot involving multiple Doctors. Social media played a key role, with the #SaveTheDay hashtag encouraging fans to share messages, photos, and videos of support for the Doctor across platforms like , , and . Cast members, including and , posted teasers on , heightening mystery around elements like the returning Zygons and the identity of "the other Doctor." Fan contests tied to the hashtag offered prizes such as 3D glasses for viewing the special in cinemas, fostering community engagement. Promotional content, such as the "Strax Field Report: Zygons" video on the official blog, simulated alerts about a potential Zygon invasion, incorporating (ARG) elements with fictional documents and invasion warnings to immerse fans in the story's lore. Real-world activations extended the campaign beyond digital spaces, including pop-up digital out-of-home (DOOH) displays in and New York as part of the "Social " feature, where selected fan submissions appeared on public screens to "build" a virtual . Posters mimicking historical proclamations from Queen Elizabeth I—depicting her calling for aid against shape-shifting threats—were placed in public areas to evoke the episode's Elizabethan plotline. A collaboration with introduced interactive in search results and a themed game where users helped the Doctor battle to "#SaveTheDay," driving viral shares and website traffic. The campaign achieved substantial impact, with significant fan engagement on the #SaveTheDay website and propelling the to trend globally on , which amplified buzz and contributed to the special's record simultaneous worldwide broadcast in 94 countries. It effectively built suspense around and the War Doctor's role, engaging both longtime fans and new audiences through interactive and cross-platform elements.

Broadcast

Television

"The Day of the Doctor" was first broadcast on television in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 23 November 2013, airing from 7:50 pm to approximately 9:07 pm GMT. The broadcast was preceded by the mini-episode "The Last Day". Immediately following the episode, a mini-episode titled "The Night of the Doctor" was aired, featuring the regeneration of Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor into John Hurt's War Doctor, and it transitioned into a special segment for BBC Children in Need starring the newly announced Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi. The special was globally in 94 countries to create a unified viewing experience, with broadcasters adjusting for zones to approximate a simultaneous premiere. In the United States, it aired on at 2:50 pm ET, while in it was broadcast on Space at 2:50 pm ET, and similar arrangements were made with international partners such as ABC in and Prime in . This coordinated effort emphasized the episode's status as a major cultural event, promoted heavily in the weeks leading up to its release with trailers, previews, and anniversary-themed programming to build anticipation among fans worldwide. Accessibility features were integrated into the broadcast, including for and for visually impaired viewers. Additionally, a 3D version of the episode was made available exclusively on the interactive service in the , allowing viewers with compatible televisions to experience the special in stereoscopic format shortly after the 2D airing. This television premiere complemented the concurrent cinematic releases, providing a primary home viewing option for the anniversary milestone.

Cinemas

The Day of the Doctor received a simultaneous theatrical release alongside its television broadcast on 23 November 2013, making it available in 94 countries across . Screenings took place in over 1,500 cinemas worldwide, offered in both 2D and 3D formats, with options in select theaters to accommodate varying audience preferences and technical capabilities. This coordinated rollout with the TV ensured a unified global event, allowing fans to choose between home viewing and big-screen immersion. BBC Worldwide oversaw the international distribution for the cinema release, collaborating with prominent chains including Vue, Odeon, and Cineworld in the UK, where over 200 locations participated. In the United States, Fathom Events facilitated screenings in over 660 theaters across multiple cities. These partnerships enabled broad accessibility, with the special playing in diverse markets from and to and . The theatrical rollout featured high-profile events, including a red carpet world premiere at Odeon Leicester Square in on 4 November 2013, attended by cast members such as , , and , followed by a post-screening Q&A with the creative team. Ticket demand was exceptional, selling out rapidly in many markets; over 320,000 tickets were purchased in the for the debut screenings, contributing to an estimated half a million global cinema attendees. Filmed using native 3D cameras rather than post-conversion, the special was mastered to leverage the format's strengths on the big screen, particularly enhancing the immersive scale of the Time War sequences with added depth to explosions, spatial effects, and dynamic action. This approach amplified the visual spectacle for theater audiences, distinguishing the cinema experience from standard television viewing.

Reception

Critical reception

Upon its release, The Day of the Doctor received widespread critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its ambitious multi-Doctor storyline, strong performances, emotional resonance, and impressive visual effects. On review aggregator , the special holds a 100% approval rating based on 21 critic reviews, with the consensus describing it as "a joyous marker in the series, uniting two of the most beloved and setting them together on a rousing adventure full of crowd-pleasing nods and winks." Critics frequently highlighted the chemistry among David Tennant, Matt Smith, and John Hurt as the Tenth, Eleventh, and War Doctors, respectively, noting how their interactions added emotional depth to the narrative. Ben Lawrence of The Daily Telegraph awarded it five out of five stars, lauding the episode as a "triumph" that successfully balanced fan service with heartfelt storytelling and stunning VFX, particularly in the depiction of the Time War. Ross Ruediger of New York Magazine/Vulture also gave it a perfect score, commending the script's elegant retcon of the Doctor's history and Moffat's direction for delivering a celebratory yet poignant anniversary milestone. While overwhelmingly positive, some reviews pointed to minor flaws, such as a occasionally convoluted plot involving timeline jumps and an overload of references that might overwhelm casual viewers. David Brown of described the episode as "patchy" with peaks and troughs, appreciating its spectacle but noting that the timey-wimey elements could feel disjointed at times. The special was widely regarded as one of the strongest Doctor Who anniversary episodes, with writer tweeting that it was "beautiful. And funny. And clever. And sad. And a million other things." This consensus positioned it as a high point in the series' modern era, earning praise for Moffat's skillful handling of lore while advancing the Doctor's character arc.

Ratings

"The Day of the Doctor" garnered 10.2 million overnight viewers in the on , securing a 37.4% audience share and marking the most watched non-festive episode of the series since its 2005 revival. Consolidated seven-day figures rose to 12.8 million viewers, surpassing the averages of Matt Smith's era, which typically ranged from 7 to 8 million per episode, and outperforming previous specials like the 2010 "" (12.1 million consolidated). The episode peaked at 10.61 million live viewers during its broadcast. In the United States, the special averaged 2.4 million viewers on , setting a record for the channel's highest-rated telecast at the time. Cinema screenings of the generated over $10 million in global revenue during its opening three-day run across more than 30 countries. On , the received 1.27 million streaming requests within the first 24 hours after broadcast, contributing to its strong family-oriented appeal.

Awards and nominations

"The Day of the Doctor" garnered recognition from several prestigious awards bodies, highlighting its technical achievements, visual spectacle, and audience appeal as a landmark . In the community, the special was nominated for the for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form at the 72nd World in , acknowledging its dramatic storytelling and production quality; however, it lost to the Game of Thrones episode "." At the in 2014, "The Day of the Doctor" won the award for Special, Visual and Graphic Effects, credited to Milk VFX, Real SFX, and The Model Unit for their innovative work on elements like the 3D-rendered fleet and Time War sequences. The episode further succeeded at the main in 2014, securing the Audience Award through public voting, which celebrated its broad popularity and cultural milestone status as Doctor Who's 50th anniversary installment. On the international stage, "The Day of the Doctor" received the for Best Event Cinema Release at the 2nd European Conference on Alternative Cinema (ECA) Awards in 2014, recognizing its successful simultaneous global cinema broadcast in over 100 countries.
AwardYearCategoryResultRecipient(s)/Notes
2014Best Dramatic Presentation, Short FormNominatedWritten by , directed by Nick Hurran
BAFTA Television Craft Awards2014Special, Visual and Graphic EffectsWonMilk VFX, Real SFX, The Model Unit
BAFTA Television Awards2014 Audience AwardWonPublic-voted for overall impact
ECA Awards2014Best Event Cinema ReleaseWon (Gold) production

Home media and legacy

Releases and merchandise

The Day of the Doctor was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the on 2 December 2013, including the 3D version of the special along with featurettes such as pre-production clips and cast interviews. In the United States, the home media debut occurred on 10 December 2013 as a combo pack featuring Blu-ray 3D, standard Blu-ray, and DVD formats, with similar bonus materials. Special editions followed in 2014, including the 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition box set, a four-disc limited release containing the special alongside episodes like and , plus additional anniversary content such as a read-through excerpt. The special was also incorporated into The Complete Matt Smith Years Blu-ray collection, a 16-disc set covering series 5 through 7 and related specials, released on 4 November 2014 in Region A. Digital downloads became available shortly after broadcast via platforms like and in late 2013. Prior to 2023, streaming was available on in select regions, but BritBox discontinued its US service in May 2023. As of November 2023, it became available on in the UK. Internationally, classic episodes like this special were not part of the BBC's partnership for new content and, following the partnership's end in October 2025, are available via digital purchase or in regions like the US, with no widespread streaming option as of November 2025. A 4K UHD remaster was not specifically issued for the special, though it remains bundled in broader collections upgraded to higher resolutions. As of 2025, no standalone major re-releases have occurred. No 4K UHD release has been issued for the special. Merchandise tied to the special includes action figures from Character Options, such as a 3.75-inch three-pack depicting the , (with fez), and Zygon, released as a Toys R Us exclusive in 2014, alongside individual and Zygon figures in series 1 wave 2. Official posters, measuring up to 24x36 inches and featuring the Doctors and Zygons, were produced by retailers like in 2013. Replicas of the 's 3D glasses, rendered in red-and-blue cardboard for , have been available through specialty vendors since the special's airing. Some home media editions also bundle the orchestral soundtrack composed by .

Soundtrack

The musical score for "The Day of the Doctor" was composed by , who served as the primary composer for the revived series of , with orchestrations and conducting handled by Ben Foster and performed by the . The score emphasizes sweeping orchestral arrangements to underscore the episode's themes of time, war, and regeneration, integrating leitmotifs from earlier Doctors to highlight the multi-incarnation storyline. Notable tracks include "The Zygons," which features tense, pulsating strings to evoke the alien invasion's suspense; "The Moment Has Come," building dramatic percussion and brass for the War Doctor's moral dilemma; and "Gallifrey Stands," a climactic piece that blends heroic fanfares from the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors' themes with new motifs for John Hurt's War Doctor, symbolizing unity and redemption. These selections exemplify Gold's approach to weaving recurring Doctor Who musical elements, such as the Doctor's theme, into fresh compositions that amplify emotional stakes without overpowering the narrative. The soundtrack was released on 24 November 2014 by Silva Screen Records as a two-disc CD set, with digital availability following shortly thereafter, comprising 41 tracks totaling over two hours that also incorporate music from the companion special "The Time of the Doctor." It marked the first official release of Gold's score for the 50th anniversary episode, capturing both the special's main cues and incidental pieces. Critics praised the album for its emotional swells, particularly in the multi-Doctor sequences, noting how tracks like "Gallifrey Stands" and "We Are the Doctors" deliver powerful, thematic crescendos that enhance the episode's celebratory tone. Reviewers highlighted Gold's leitmotivic richness as a standout, creating a "fun" and immersive listening experience that rivals his best work for the series. No major re-releases or remasters have followed the 2014 edition.

Novelization

The novelization of "The Day of the Doctor" was written by , the episode's original writer, and published by on 5 April 2018 as part of the revived Target Collection series. This edition marked the return of novelizations for televised stories after a hiatus since the 1996 of the television movie by , reviving the classic format with new cover art and additional content. Available in hardback and formats, the book spans 232 pages and incorporates elements from the related mini-episode "," providing a complete of the 50th narrative. In expanding the 77-minute television special into print, Moffat adds significant depth to the characters and events, including extensive internal monologues that reveal the Tenth, Eleventh, and War Doctors' conflicting perspectives on their roles in the Time War. Extended scenes depict the devastation of the Time War in greater detail, emphasizing its cosmic scale and moral weight, while Clara Oswald's thoughts offer new insights into her dynamic with the Doctor and her position as an impossible girl. The also clarifies the ethics surrounding the Moment device, portraying it as a sentient that grapples with and , thereby addressing ambiguities in the episode's portrayal of the Doctor's pivotal decision to end the war. Reception to the has been largely positive, with reviewers praising its enhanced emotional layers and Moffat's elegant , which capture the episode's and while tying into the broader legacy of Target novelizations. However, some critiques highlight its adherence to Moffat's intricate, timey-wimey style, which can feel overly complex or divisive for readers unfamiliar with his approach to storytelling. On , it holds a 4.4 out of 5 rating from 1,941 user reviews, reflecting strong fan appreciation for its role in the collection's revival.

Cultural impact

"The Day of the Doctor" significantly shaped the narrative trajectory of Doctor Who by retconning the Time War's outcome, revealing that Gallifrey was not destroyed but hidden in a , which paved the way for its reappearance in later arcs from 2015 to 2020, including the series 9 finale "Hell Bent" where the Doctor returns to the planet. This shift influenced multi-Doctor stories, such as the 2022 special "," which echoed the collaborative themes of the anniversary episode in uniting past companions against a threat. The episode was also referenced in the 2023 60th anniversary specials, notably "," where the ' survival and the Doctor's past actions during the war are alluded to in discussions of regeneration and cosmic consequences. Within the fandom, the introduction of the , portrayed by , became an iconic element, with Hurt's performance earning widespread acclaim for embodying the Doctor's moral complexity during the Time War, solidifying the character's status even after his death in 2017. This has led to persistent popularity at conventions, where War Doctor cosplay remains a staple, often featured alongside multi-Doctor group costumes at events like Comic-Con International. In broader culture, the episode marked a milestone as one of the first major television productions filmed natively in stereoscopic 3D, enhancing its cinematic presentation and influencing future broadcast experiments in immersive viewing. It inspired parodies in media, including online animations riffing on the three Doctors' banter, while the filming location of as Gallifrey boosted local tourism, with guided tours drawing thousands of visitors annually to the site. Retrospectives marking the 20th anniversary of the show's revival in 2025 have highlighted its themes of redemption and unity as enduring influences on the series. Debates persist among fans regarding the retcon's implications for continuity, though it has largely been embraced for revitalizing the mythos without major controversies.

References

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01l1z04
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25076912
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2013/48/doctor-who-50
  4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/c66cd3ba-f9f2-3a5b-97ae-1ff978d31b00
  5. https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/spoilers-which-doctor-who-adventure-has-been-crowned-greatest-story-of-all-time
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eem2Ehq_xBI
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oo_rIjr3TA
  8. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3395306/
  9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01lhhv4
  10. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3332546/
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/41fd63f1-63ae-30b1-a302-bd6e59ddecbf
  12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/4P6Wk1ZGPtFwSW7Pw2XB9L3/the-war-doctor
  13. https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/may/eighth-doctor
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U3jrS-uhuo
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3332546/fullcredits/
  16. https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/worldwide/221013doctorwho
  17. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2779318/plotsummary/
  18. https://screenrant.com/doctor-who-gallifrey-destroyed-retcons/
  19. https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who-which-new-doctors-are-now-canon/
  20. https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/russell-t-davies-teases-whole-new-doctor-who-mythology-coming/
  21. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/05e789b4-9127-4656-8d07-ff9af73e1cbf
  22. http://www.chakoteya.net/DoctorWho/33-15.html
  23. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2779318/
  24. https://www.doctorwho.tv/characters/eleventh-doctor
  25. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/may/03/the-greatest-doctor-who-ranked
  26. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38778145
  27. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2779318/fullcredits/
  28. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-21413511
  29. https://www.wired.com/2013/01/doctor-who-all-eleven-doctors/
  30. https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/dayofthedoctor/steven-moffat/
  31. https://www.bbc.co.uk/writers/scripts/whoniverse/doctor-who/series-7-2012-13
  32. https://www.channelcanada.com/canadian-channels/specialty-tv/ctv-scifi-channel/doctor-day-doctor-50th-anniversary-interview-steven-moffat/
  33. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/steven-moffat-publishes-christopher-eccleston-version-of-the-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-script/
  34. https://gizmodo.com/steven-moffat-feels-guilty-for-changing-doctor-whos-tim-1708316370
  35. https://www.blogtorwho.com/steven-moffat-interview_24/
  36. https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/steven-moffat-interview-doctor-who-the-day-of-the-doctor-2/
  37. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/steven-moffat-finally-reveals-why-john-hurt-replaced-christopher-eccleston-in-the-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special/
  38. https://www.bbcamerica.com/blogs/doctor-who-10-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-day-of-the-doctor--1013519
  39. http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/2013i.html
  40. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/jul/22/dalek-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special
  41. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-67457559
  42. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2779318/technical/
  43. https://www.skwigly.co.uk/doctor-who-day-of-the-doctors-visual-effects-interview/
  44. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/film-tv/doctor-who-behind-scenes-day-6308649
  45. https://www.countryfile.com/tv/doctor-who-filming-locations
  46. https://www.awn.com/news/milk-delivers-vfx-doctor-who
  47. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/fdb8910d-0e54-3c61-94e4-f63c79fbf0ed
  48. https://ew.com/comic-con/2013/07/21/doctor-who-comic-con-anniversary-special/
  49. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/oct/21/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-trailer-day
  50. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hRy2N2CMhQ
  51. https://lbbonline.com/news/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-trailer
  52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS1cNjJSGQs
  53. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01l9ntt
  54. https://deadline.com/2013/11/video-doctor-who-special-the-day-of-the-doctor-official-trailer-631693/
  55. https://lbbonline.com/news/savetheday-with-doctor-who-digital-campaign
  56. https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/bbc-devises-doctor-savetheday-campaign-celebrate-50-year-anniversary/1220417
  57. https://adage.com/creativity/work/doctor-who-save-day/33156/
  58. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/2453676f-cd61-342d-b204-f782cbc129a2
  59. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/11/18/doctor-who-outdoor-campaign-unveiled-persuade-fans-savetheday-building-social-tardis
  60. https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2013/11/22/doctor-who-google-doodle-wants-you-to-savetheday/
  61. https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/1288/1612
  62. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25076912
  63. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/11/doctor-who-day-of-the-doctor-sets-world-record-for-biggest-tv-drama-simulcast-53133
  64. https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/22/doctor-who-the-day-of-the-doctor-screening-details-announced
  65. https://cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/doctor-who-the-day-of-the-doctor-cinema-release-details
  66. https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/north-american-cinemas-join-the-day-of-the-doctor
  67. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/doctor-who-anniversary-special-grosses-660553/
  68. https://blog.commarts.wisc.edu/2013/12/17/the-cultural-lives-of-doctor-who-the-hype-of-the-doctor/
  69. https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/the-day-of-the-doctor-a-3d-triumph-or-failure-56350.htm
  70. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/doctor_who/s07.3
  71. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/10469945/Doctor-Who-The-Day-of-the-Doctor-BBC-One-review.html
  72. https://www.vulture.com/2013/11/doctor-who-recap-season-7-episode-15.html
  73. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/a-day-in-the-life-of-doctor-who-a-50th-anniversary-review/
  74. https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a533463/doctor-who-50th-the-day-of-the-doctor-the-twitter-reactions/
  75. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/25/doctor-who-day-of-doctor-tv-ratings
  76. https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/ef1574ba-3a01-3d70-ad00-87782c08e2c2
  77. https://variety.com/2013/tv/news/dr-who-special-scores-record-ratings-for-bbc-america-1200882687/
  78. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/nov/27/doctor-who-50th-day-doctor-box-office-hit
  79. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/25211754
  80. https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/british-academy-television-craft-awards-in-2014-winners-announced/
  81. https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2014-hugo-awards/
  82. https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/cult/a567065/doctor-who-broadchurch-win-at-2014-bafta-tv-craft-awards/
  83. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTC_vrZYpc8
  84. https://www.imdb.com/news/ni57882164/
  85. https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Doctor-Who-The-Day-of-the-Doctor-3D-Blu-ray/85292/
  86. https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/The_Complete_Matt_Smith_Years
  87. https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/the-day-of-the-doctor/umc.cmc.3awu4rk042sdk7bssweqjp31e?showId=umc.cmc.1jtpx2ub10fc2kc8a3st7jnaq
  88. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/doctor-who-the-day-of-the-doctor
  89. http://doctorwhotoys.net/dayofthedoctorset.htm
  90. https://www.doctorwhostore.com/doctor-who-zygon-series-1-wave-2-3-75-inch-action-figure-character-options/
  91. https://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/doctor-who-poste-the-day-of-the-doctor/
  92. https://www.ebay.com/itm/356649902570
  93. https://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-50th-Anniversary-Special/dp/B00FAVRHBE
  94. https://www.silvascreen.com/silcd1465-the-day-of-the-doctor-the-time-of-the-doctor/
  95. http://www.doctorwhomusic.com/the-day-of-the-doctor/
  96. https://www.doctorwhonews.net/2014/10/day-time-soundtrack-281014190515.html
  97. https://cultbox.co.uk/reviews/soundtracks/doctor-who-soundtrack-album-review-the-day-of-the-doctor-and-the-time-of-the-doctor
  98. https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/the-day-time-of-the-doctor-soundtrack-review-disc-1-69162.htm
  99. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Day-Target-Collection/dp/1785943294
  100. https://tardis.wiki/wiki/Target_novelisation
  101. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37956517-doctor-who
  102. https://www.blogtorwho.com/target-review-doctor-who-the-day-of-the-doctor-by-steven-moffat/
  103. https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/steven-moffat-clears-up-some-of-doctor-whos-biggest-plot-holes-in-his-new-novel/
  104. http://danieltessier.blogspot.com/2018/05/who-novelisation-quest-11-day-of-doctor.html
  105. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/dec/09/doctor-who-the-giggle-60th-anniversary-special-3-recap-david-tennant-catherin-tate-ncuti-gatwa
  106. https://www.supanova.com.au/party-time-a-history-of-doctor-who-anniversary-celebrations/
  107. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/10467371/Doctor-Whos-Britain-50-years-of-out-of-this-world-locations.html
  108. https://www.toursoftheuk.com/private-doctor-who-day-tour-of-south-wales/
  109. https://www.thepopverse.com/doctor-who-watch-order-bbc-disney-plus-tv-show-where-streaming-how
  110. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-25070847
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.