Doctor Who premiered in November of 1963. Through many incarnations it has lasted through the decades, but in 1989 is was canceled. A TV movie tried to bring it back with a focus on an American audience in 1996, but alas that was not enough. It wasn’t until 2005 that a “reboot” took place and skyrocketed the Doctor into the modern age, and now (or when this premiered in 2013) it celebrates a staggering fifty years in this outstanding anniversary special that brings back the old, touches on the new, and closes out one of the biggest hanging threads that Nu-Who had introduced during it’s inception; the Time War.
It opens with John Hurt, introduced as the War Doctor in the Season 7 finale, in the thick of the Time War. What was only discussed in hushed ambiance is now depicted on glorious televised screens for the first time. Daleks invading cities, citizens running for cover or being blown up, and then John Hurt with a gun blasts the words “no more” in epic fashion onto a wall, and then leaves. Turns out he stole the one weapon that could destroy everyone on both sides and he has to come to a decision as to what’s best for everybody. The weapon creates a holographic image of his future companion Rose, and then takes him to meet his future selves to see how his decision effects his future.
Spliced in between is a cute reintroduction to Matt Smith’s Doctor as UNIT steals his TARDIS while he’s inside it and explains a situation involving Time Lord art. Previously, David Tennant’s Doctor is dealing with the Queen of England and a bunch of Zygons, an old enemy of the Doctor freshly introduced, to much comedic effect. A time hole opens and Smith’s and Tennant’s Doctors come face to face for the first time and history is made. Not long after this Hurt’s War Doctor appears and things get even messier as Zygons kidnap them.
For the most part the story is comedic yet heartfelt. This is the first time that modern Doctors have met each other, and as any fan would have fantasized it goes along swimmingly. Everyone’s chemistry with each other is great, and they play off one another stupendously. It’s not all fun and laughs as Hurt starts questioning his future selves and talking about the Time War. Their talk quickly becomes personal and starts shedding light on the Doctor’s arc since the Time War, which holographic Rose tells Hurt that Tennant’s Doctor is “the one who regrets” and Smith’s is “the one that forgets.” This small realization deeply affects Hurt’s Doctor and pits a deeper tragedy to the Doctors overall story that we’ve come to love over the last near decade.
The special is also rich with nods and easter eggs for long time fans. From familiar dialogue of seminal scenes, to props in the background detailing the Doctor’s rich history, and even archival footage that brings every Doctor to date participate in the epic conclusion. As if that weren’t enough it also sets up the next special and era of Doctor Who as the Doctor’s relationship with Gallifrey, a future Zygon episode, and side characters that’ll come back in a later season are plotted. This fiftieth anniversary special is packed with so much information that every rewatch will bring something new, and it really holds up as a corner stone as Nu-Who.
Since Moffat took over as showrunner this is by far one of his best episodes. It has everything you want out of a Doctor Who episode. Wackiness, time travel to historic periods, more information on the Time War, and an emotional ending. This special really showcases how far Doctor Who has come since 1963 and is more of a love letter as the ending and fallout of the Time War is discussed and showed for the first time in the show.
8.5/10
Film Assist 
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