I doubt I’d go far, though I’ve never thought about ranking my days as a Who fan. I attended Gallifrey One in 2020, those days would have to be among the best days, but back to the point…
I saw Day on TV first. It aired in the theater here a bit after. My friend asked if we wanted to go (incidentally, same friend who asked if we wanted to go to Gallifrey One). I wasn’t particularly interested, having already watched it twice, but decided to go anyway, and as it turned out, I was glad I did. I can’t say quite why exactly, but I really enjoyed the theater experience.
Doesn’t hurt that I was, and still am, quite impressed with what they did with the episode. Seeing it on the big screen, in a crowded theater, I dunno, elevated it somehow.
I’ve just passed the 50th anniversary in my pilgrimage and as part of that have treated myself to my first ever rewatch of The Afterparty. The last 5 minutes or so simply have to be seen to be believed. A moment in Whostory.
My Day of the Doctor review is probably the best one I’ve done if anyone is interested.
Review
They pulled it off. The most incredible magic trick where everyone got what they wanted. Whether you have only watched a couple of Doctor Who episodes or have seen it all, you will feel something watching this. It isn’t just an anniversary episode. It is a robust, coherent story that is both fitting and one of the best bits of writing the show has ever seen.
If it is a runaround. If it is a runaround. It is the best runaround in the show’s history. It is not just content in celebrating The Doctor’s past, but also creates a new past, all while wrapping up the first 8 years of New Who.
It feels like this level of quality comes from nowhere because the series that proceeds it is so disjointed. This story makes me hopeful about the show’s future, and grateful for what we already have as fans. It is a major milestone, following the first 50 years, which makes me wish I could sit down with Verity Lambert, or Terry Nation, or Robert Holmes, or any of the many people involved in building this incredible show, and show them The Day of the Doctor. Show them the product of their vision and all of the parts of them that are within it.
John Hurt, David Tennent and Matt Smith are phenomenal. The supporting cast around them knock it out of the park. There is no doubt that this is the show at the peak of its popularity and these talented people are lapping that energy up and making beautiful, populist television out of it. Television that feels like a monumental movie. An anniversary episode that makes me proud to be a fan.
And it’s not even just The Day of the Doctor itself. It’s The Night of the Doctor; An Adventure in Space and Time; The Five(ish) Doctors; even the bloody Aftershow. All of that makes for the most overwhelmingly joyful 50th anniversary celebration. It was the most beautiful time to be a Doctor Who fan.
OMG. It’s a must watch. I don’t think that’s the whole show but it’s a good slice
Rewatching it back it seemed okay initially, if a bit sterile and stilted. It has a wonderful menagerie of companions, some of whom have never been included in any official Doctor Who documentaries or interviews, but they are used for nothing more than background reaction shots.
But then there is a point where it just dives into pure chaos.
Did you know that The Day of the Doctor had not one, but two cinema intros!
Strax, seemingly for the 2D showings (which I saw for the first time today) and the Doctors for the 3D showings. Both excellent and completely different from each other, save for a brief joke about Matt Smith’s chin. Top tier ephemera!
I’ve realised that this clip is not the whole thing. Not sure if the whole thing is easily accessible - much like Peter Capaldi’s announcement as the Doctor. Some of this stuff is surprisingly difficult to track down in it’s original form!
I was too young to remember the multi doctor specials of old who.
So for me this was a mega event. Two doctor who’s on screen together? 10 year old me was mind blown by that concept.
The cameo of Tom Baker was amazing,
I didn’t appreciate John Hurt’s War Doctor at the time. But it was such a lovely surprise. Especially as he went onto reprise his role in BF audios.
Really need to give this masterpiece a rewatch
I’m not as up on Day of the Doctor as most fans, but it’s a pretty strong episode.
I remember the 50th anniversary feeling like such a huge event in 2013 though…
Some fans had seen Name of the Doctor prematurely before it aired on TV; the cinema screenings were announced; two missing serials were found(!); we had loads of ancillary programmes, including the 2013 prom; Night of the Doctor came out of nowhere; An Adventure in Space and Time was amazing, there was brief hope that Eccleston might return; Tom Baker showed up in the special; Fiveish was secretive and exciting when the production team chimed in to help; the Afterparty was a complete trainwreck but it was lovely to see Jackie Lane appear for a brief moment after so many decades away; the celebratory convention was great; The Next Doctor live event gave us the excitement of Peter Capaldi, who then had a brief moment in the episode; that 50th anniversary trailer was the most exciting thing ever…
Blimey!
It was definitely one of those ‘had to be there’ years to really understand how crazy it all was!
Sylv and Peter seem to be enjoying being there, Matt’s the only one who’s aware this is a publicity photo, Colin is wondering why he had to be put between these two ███████ again, and Tom has Seen Things:tm: /j
timey-wimey. Not just a delay but a time loop 