The Day of the Doctor
| 240 – "The Day of the Doctor" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor Who episode | |||
Promotional poster | |||
| Cast | |||
Doctors
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Companion
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Others
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| Production | |||
| Directed by | Nick Hurran | ||
| Written by | Steven Moffat | ||
| Produced by | Marcus Wilson | ||
| Executive producer(s) |
| ||
| Music by | Murray Gold | ||
| Series | 2013 specials | ||
| Running time | 77 minutes[1] | ||
| First broadcast | 23 November 2013 | ||
| Chronology | |||
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"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 succumbs to 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). 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. 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 critical acclaim 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]
Cite error: There are <ref group=N> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=N}} template (see the help page).
- ^ "The Day of the Doctor, Doctor Who - BBC One". BBC. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ Radio Times Staff (10 September 2013). "Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special title revealed". RadioTimes. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ^ "Doctor Who 50th anniversary schedule revealed by BBC". BBC News. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Mellor, Louisa (10 September 2013). "Doctor Who 50th anniversary special title revealed". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ^ a b "BBC announces Doctor Who 3D special". BBC News Entertainment & arts. UK: BBC. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
- ^ "Caroline Skinner steps down as Executive Producer of Doctor Who". Media Centre. BBC. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
- ^ "Doctor Who: David Tennant returns for anniversary show". BBC News. 30 March 2013. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ a b "'Doctor Who' 50th anniversary to be simulcast worldwide to avoid leaks". Digital Spy. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Guinness World Record for the Day of the Doctor". Doctor Who website. 24 November 2013. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
- ^ "Doctor Who will be portrayed in fantastic 3D and hits cinemas for 50th anniversary". This Week. 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
baftawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Doctor Who Announces All-Star Cast for 50th Anniversary". BBC. 30 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Jemmawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Doctor Who (22 July 2013). "The Daleks to Return in the Anniversary Special!". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ "The Zygons Return for the 50th Anniversary Special". BBC. 2 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
- ^ "BBC1 Controller Danny Cohen outlines new commissions and five key themes for 2013". Radio Times. 30 November 2012. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2013.