Doctor Who specials (2013)

Last updated

Doctor Who
2013 specials
Doctor Who 2013 specials.jpg
DVD box set cover art
Showrunner Steven Moffat
Starring
No. of episodes2 (+2 supplemental)
Release
Original network BBC One
Original release23 November (2013-11-23) 
25 December 2013 (2013-12-25)
Specials chronology
 Previous
Series 7
Next 
Series 8
List of episodes

The 2013 specials of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who are two additional episodes following the programme's seventh series. In addition to the traditional Christmas episode broadcast on 25 December 2013, a feature of the revived series since 2005, there was also a special celebrating the 50th anniversary of the programme broadcast on 23 November 2013, both airing on BBC One.

Contents

Filming of "The Day of the Doctor" began in April 2013, and production of the Christmas episode, "The Time of the Doctor", began in September 2013. Two supplemental episodes were also filmed alongside the specials; "The Night of the Doctor" and "The Last Day" were both produced as lead-in mini-episodes for the 50th anniversary special, and were released online days before the special's broadcast. The two special broadcast episodes were initially released in separate home media sets, before being released together alongside the mini-episodes in a collector's boxset.

Both episodes starred Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. The 50th-anniversary special, "The Day of the Doctor" also starred David Tennant, Billie Piper, and John Hurt. "The Time of the Doctor" saw the departure of Smith from the series and the introduction of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor.

Episodes

"The Day of the Doctor" features the return of the Zygons for the first time since Terror of the Zygons in 1975. [1] "The Time of the Doctor" draws together a number of plot threads that have run through the series since the Eleventh Doctor's first episode in 2010. [2]

No.
story
No.
special
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
AI [3]
2401"The Day of the Doctor" Nick Hurran Steven Moffat 23 November 2013 (2013-11-23)12.8088
The Eleventh Doctor and Clara are called in by UNIT to investigate mysterious three-dimensional paintings, including one depicting the Time War of Gallifrey. In the war, the War Doctor, a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor, plans to use an ancient weapon called "The Moment" to end the ongoing war between Time Lords and Daleks. The Moment, knowing the disasters its use will cause, shows the War Doctor how its use will affect him by uniting him with the Eleventh Doctor, as well as the Tenth Doctor. Together, the three Doctors are able to end a Zygon invasion by enacting peace between Zygons and humans. Though the Doctors still contemplate using the Moment anyway, Clara convinces them to try another way to end the war. Uniting with all their previous and future incarnations, the Doctors use their TARDISes to trap Gallifrey in a pocket universe. In the aftermath, the Tenth and War Doctors return to their own times, with the War Doctor regenerating into the Ninth Doctor, and the Eleventh Doctor is told by the mysterious, but very familiar Curator that it is his mission to find Gallifrey, which the Doctor vows to do.
2412"The Time of the Doctor"Jamie PayneSteven Moffat25 December 2013 (2013-12-25)11.1483
A message echoing through all of time and space emanates from the farming town of Christmas on the planet Trenzalore, where a prophecy states the Doctor will spend the last of his years. With the help of the Papal Mainframe, the Doctor and Clara travel to the village and discover that the message is being sent from Gallifrey by the Time Lords. Sending Clara home, he proceeds to spend hundreds of years fighting and defending Trenzalore against hordes of aliens determined to prevent the Time Lords from returning. Clara returns to find the Daleks are the last remaining aliens, and that the Doctor has fought for so long, with no more regenerations, that he is on the cusp of dying of old age. As the Doctor faces his last stand, Clara convinces the Time Lords to give the Doctor a new regeneration cycle. The Doctor begins to regenerate, destroying the Daleks and ending the war. Clara returns to the TARDIS to find a rejuvenated Doctor about to finish his regeneration. After vowing to remember the incarnation he was and hallucinating a final goodbye to Amy Pond, he finally regenerates into the Twelfth Doctor, as the TARDIS suddenly begins crashing.

Supplemental episodes

TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
"The Night of the Doctor"John Hayes Steven Moffat 14 November 2013 (2013-11-14)(online)
16 November 2013 (BBC Red Button)
The Eighth Doctor is forced to join the conflict of the Time War by the Sisterhood of Karn. He is killed while trying to save a woman affected by the war, the Sisterhood revive him so that he can regenerate, allowing him to choose his next form, a warrior that must make the darkest sacrifice of his life in order to be reborn.
"The Last Day"Jamie StoneSteven Moffat19 November 2013 (2013-11-19)(online)
2 December 2013 (home video release) [4]
A soldier of Gallifrey defends the city of Arcadia, undergoing initiation through the use of a headcam. In the midst of his training, the impossible happens when Daleks invade.

Casting

2009 07 31 David Tennant smile 10.jpg
Space City 2016 - Billie Piper (26730678884).jpg
Both David Tennant and Billie Piper returned to appear in the 50th anniversary special
"The Time of the Doctor" is Matt Smith's last regular appearance as the Eleventh Doctor. Matt Smith speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International.jpg
"The Time of the Doctor" is Matt Smith's last regular appearance as the Eleventh Doctor.

In "The Day of the Doctor", Smith and Coleman star alongside David Tennant and Billie Piper; Tennant reprised his role as the Tenth Doctor, while Piper, although credited as playing Rose Tyler, in fact portrays a manifestation of "The Moment", a Gallifreyan super-weapon, that has taken on Rose's form. The casting of Tennant and Piper was announced by the BBC on 30 March 2013. [5] Photographs of Smith, Tennant and Coleman at the first read-through were published, which also confirmed the casting of Joanna Page. [6] On 8 April 2013, the BBC announced that Jemma Redgrave would reprise her role as Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's daughter Kate Stewart from "The Power of Three". [7] [8] Rumours had also circulated that Christopher Eccleston would have some involvement; Eccleston had some discussions with Steven Moffat, but eventually declined to return as the Ninth Doctor. [9] Despite claiming that it would be "a travesty" if his character did not feature in the special, John Barrowman did not feature as Captain Jack Harkness. Sylvester McCoy, who played the Seventh Doctor, claimed that none of the surviving actors who portrayed the Doctor prior to Eccleston had been contacted regarding the special. [10] The release of "The Night of the Doctor" on 14 November revealed that Paul McGann had returned to portray the Eighth Doctor. [11]

On 1 June 2013, Matt Smith announced that he would be leaving Doctor Who, with his final episode being the 2013 Christmas Special, [12] with that episode set to feature the Doctor's latest regeneration. Speculation about the identity of the actor set to take over began immediately, with a number of names suggested. [13] The official announcement of the actor of the Twelfth Doctor was made in a special live simulcast on 4 August 2013 in Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor, and saw confirmation of Peter Capaldi in the role. [14] [15] The 2013 special is the fourth and final Christmas episode to feature Matt Smith's incarnation of the Doctor, and the second to feature Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald. [16]

Production

Writing

The [Christmas] special ties up stuff from all corners of Matt's tenure – there are things I set in motion in Matt's very first episode that I'm paying off now. It's been a long game, but most of the questions that people ask will be answered...

Steven Moffat [17]

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 , [18] 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 until it was needed. [19]

Moffat has stated that the Christmas episode is intended to tie together the remaining story strands from the Eleventh Doctor era, some of which were introduced as far back as "The Eleventh Hour", Smith's first episode as the Eleventh Doctor. [19]

In September 2013, it was revealed that the Cybermen would feature in the Christmas episode, when one of the show's regular stunt artists tweeted that she would be playing a Cyberman. [20] [21]

Music

Murray Gold composed the soundtrack to these episodes, with orchestration by Ben Foster.

Filming

Paul McGann made his first on-screen appearance as the Doctor since 1996. Paul McGann.JPG
Paul McGann made his first on-screen appearance as the Doctor since 1996.

Filming of "The Day of the Doctor" began on 2 April 2013, with David Tennant, Billie Piper, John Hurt and Joanna Page seen at a location outside Neath in South Wales. [22] On 9 April filming took place involving Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman in Trafalgar Square in London. [23] [24] Various other locations included Chepstow (with some filming done inside the castle), and Cardiff – scenes shot in Cardiff are intended to represent both Totter's Lane and Coal Hill School. [25] Shooting wrapped on 5 May 2013. [26] The final two days of production were used for shooting the special mini-episode, "The Night of the Doctor", which featured Paul McGann returning to the role of the Eighth Doctor for the first time since 1996. [27]

At the 2013 Comic-Con, Matt Smith confirmed that production of the Christmas episode would begin in September, once his work on How to Catch a Monster was complete. [28] Filming for "The Time of the Doctor" began on 8 September. On 10 September, Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman were seen filming on location at Lydstep Flats in Cardiff, which have previously been used in Series 1 and 2 as the Powell Estate where Rose Tyler lived with her mother Jackie. On 19 September 2013, scenes were filmed in the evening at Puzzlewood with fake snow being scattered over certain areas. On 5 October 2013, Doctor Who producer Marcus Wilson revealed via Twitter that filming was complete. [29] [30]

BlockEpisode(s)DirectorWriter(s)Producer
1Anniversary special: "The Day of the Doctor" Nick Hurran Steven Moffat Marcus Wilson
2Christmas special: "The Time of the Doctor"Jamie Payne

Release

Broadcast

The BBC broadcast "The Day of the Doctor" in 94 countries simultaneously, [31] to avoid plot leaks. [32] [33] It earned a Guinness World Record for the world's largest ever simulcast of a TV drama. [34] The episode aired in over 100 countries on either 23 or 24 November 2013 in cinemas and on television. [35]

"The Time of the Doctor" was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on Christmas Day 2013. [36] It was also shown on 25 December in the United States on BBC America, [37] and in Canada on Space. [38] In Australia it aired on 26 December on ABC1, [39] and in New Zealand, it screened on Prime Television during Boxing Day evening with 106,390 viewers. [40]

50th anniversary

An Adventure in Space and Time

In addition to the 50th anniversary episode featuring Matt Smith and David Tennant, a further special was produced to celebrate Doctor Who's half-century. An Adventure in Space and Time, written by Mark Gatiss, was a feature-length docudrama detailing the conception and initial production of Doctor Who. [41] It featured David Bradley as William Hartnell and Reece Shearsmith as Patrick Troughton; Matt Smith has a cameo as himself in his Eleventh Doctor costume. [42] [43] [44]

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

As a complement to "The Day of the Doctor", Peter Davison wrote and directed a 30-minute spoof entitled The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot featuring himself, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy attempting to gain parts in the 50th anniversary episode. Produced in mid 2013, the film first became apparent when images of the three staging a "protest" outside BBC Television Centre came out. [45] In addition to Davison, Baker and McCoy, the film featured cameos from a host of people connected with Doctor Who, including Paul McGann, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Steven Moffat, Russell T Davies and John Barrowman, with David and Georgia Tennant's children also guest starring; Georgia is the daughter of the Fifth Doctor actor Peter Davison, and played The Doctor's clone daughter Jenny in the episode "The Doctor's Daughter" under her maiden name "Moffett". [46]

Other television productions

"The Day of the Doctor" formed the centerpiece of the celebrations, which encompassed programmes across all of the BBC's platforms, including An Adventure in Space and Time, a Culture Show special entitled "Me, You and Doctor Who" presented by Matthew Sweet that explores the wider cultural significance of the show. [47] CBBC broadcast a show called "12 Again" in which past and present stars of the show recounted their memories, Professor Brian Cox delivered a televised lecture on the science of Doctor Who, and BBC Three had a weekend devoted to Monsters and Villains, as well as showing "Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide". [48] The BBC also announced plans to show a newly restored print of the first serial An Unearthly Child . [49] The announcement of the title was also followed by the release of the first official poster for the special. [50] [51]

UKTV's Watch showed a story from each doctor to celebrate the 50th anniversary, based around the broadcast of the eleven part BBC America series, The Doctors Revisited. This series has one episode dedicated to each incarnation of the Doctor, and was broadcast monthly alongside an omnibus edition of a serial of each Doctor. Watch broadcast two episodes per weekend, starting on 12 October. [52] [53]

The British Film Institute ran a year long celebration of the 50th anniversary with monthly screenings of stories from each Doctor, culminating in November with screenings of both "The Day of the Doctor" and An Adventure in Space and Time. [54] [55]

The Doctors RevisitedBFI Screenings
DoctorSerialUS DateUK DateSerialScreening Date
First The Aztecs 27 January12 October An Unearthly Child 12 January
Second The Tomb of the Cybermen 24 February13 OctoberThe Tomb of the Cybermen9 February
Third Spearhead from Space 31 March19 October The Mind of Evil 10 March
Fourth Pyramids of Mars 28 April20 October The Robots of Death 20 April
Fifth Earthshock 26 May26 October The Caves of Androzani 4 May
Sixth Vengeance on Varos 29 June27 October The Two Doctors 15 June
Seventh Remembrance of the Daleks 27 JulyRemembrance of the Daleks27 July
Battlefield 2 November
Eighth Doctor Who 31 August3 NovemberDoctor Who5 October
Ninth "Bad Wolf" / "The Parting of the Ways"29 September9 November"Bad Wolf" / "The Parting of the Ways"24 August
Tenth "The Stolen Earth" / "Journey's End"27 October"The Stolen Earth" / "Journey's End"29 September
"Silence in the Library" / "Forest of the Dead"10 November
Eleventh "The Impossible Astronaut" / "Day of the Moon"24 November16 November"The Eleventh Hour"8 December
"The Name of the Doctor"

Radio and audio

BBC Radio 2 broadcast a number of specials to commemorate the show, including a 90-minute documentary titled "Who is the Doctor?", a half-hour segment hosted by David Quantick and titled "The Blagger's Guide to Doctor Who", and Graham Norton's live Saturday show was broadcast from the Doctor Who Celebration event at the ExCel. BBC Radio 1 looked at the phenomenon of "Time Lord Rock", a musical style derived from the music of the show, while BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast a three-hour special called "Who Made Who", which discussed the world that inspired the show. [48]

In October, Big Finish Productions released a 50th anniversary special audio drama featuring the Fourth through Eighth Doctors entitled The Light at the End. [56]

Home media

"The Day of the Doctor" was released as a standalone DVD and Blu-ray on 2 December 2013 in the United Kingdom, [57] [58] 4 December in Australia, and 10 December in the United States. [59] An Adventure in Space and Time was released on DVD on 2 December in the United Kingdom and 11 December in Australia, and as a DVD/Blu-ray combo in the United States on 27 May 2014. [60] [61] [62] [63] "The Time of the Doctor" was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 20 January 2014 in the United Kingdom, 22 January in Australia and 4 March in the United States. [64] [65] [66] A complete box set was released on 8 September 2014 in the United Kingdom and 10 September in Australia on DVD and Blu-ray. [67] [68]

SeriesStory no.Episode nameNumber and duration
of episodes
R2 release dateR4 release dateR1 release date
2013
specials
240Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor
"The Day of the Doctor"
"The Night of the Doctor"
"The Last Day"
1 × 77 min.
1 × 7 min.
1 × 3 min.
2 December 2013
(D,3D) [69]
4 December 2013
(D,B) [70]
10 December 2013
(D,B) [71]
213, 225, 231, 241Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials
"The Time of the Doctor"
"A Christmas Carol"
"The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe"
"The Snowmen"
4 × 60 min.20 January 2014
(D,B) [72]
22 January 2014
(D,B) [73]
241Doctor Who: "The Time of the Doctor"1 × 60 min.4 March 2014
(D,B) [74]
239–241Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition
"The Name of the Doctor"
"The Day of the Doctor"
"The Time of the Doctor"
"The Night of the Doctor"
"The Last Day"
An Adventure in Space and Time
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Doctor Who: The Ultimate Guide
Doctor Who Prom (2013)
1 × 45 min.
1 × 77 min.
1 × 60 min.
1 × 7 min.
1 × 3 min.
1 × 90 min.
1 × 30 min.
1 × 120 min.
1 × 70 min.
8 September 2014
D,B)
Not Region Locked [75]
10 September 2014
(D,B) [76]
5, 6, 7,
2013
specials
203–241Doctor Who: The Complete Matt Smith Years 30 × 45 min.
7 × 50 min.
1 × 55 min.
4 × 60 min.
1 × 65 min.
1 × 77 min.
4 November 2014
(B) [77]
2 October 2018
(D) [78]

In print

SeriesStory no.Novelisation titleAuthorOriginal publisherPaperback
release date
Audiobook
release date [lower-alpha 1]
2013
specials
240 The Day of the Doctor [lower-alpha 2] Steven Moffat BBC Books (Target collection)5 April 20187 June 2018
  1. Unabridged from BBC Audio/AudioGo unless otherwise indicated
  2. Also adapts "The Night of the Doctor"

Reception

Ratings

The ratings for "The Day of the Doctor" 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. [79] For the week, it was the number one most-watched series on British television, a feat only two other Doctor Who episodes had ever achieved. [80] "The Time of the Doctor" was the second most watched programme of the entire day across all channels, with the final 5 minutes (the regeneration from Smith to Capaldi) receiving the largest peak viewers of the day with 10.2 million. [81] The final viewing figures for the episode were 11.14 million viewers, making it the fifth most watched Doctor Who Christmas special. [82]

No.TitleAir dateOvernight ratingsConsolidated ratingsTotal
viewers
(millions)
AI Ref(s)
Viewers
(millions)
RankViewers
(millions)
Rank
1"The Day of the Doctor"23 November 201310.2022.6112.8088 [3] [83] [84]
2"The Time of the Doctor"25 December 20138.2922.85311.1483 [3] [81] [83]

Critical reception

Ben Lawrence of The Daily Telegraph gave "The Day of the Doctor" five stars, calling it "charming, eccentric and very, very British." [85] Den of Geek's Simon Brew praised the special, calling it "terrific", and stating that it was "pulsating with comedy, ambition, and top to bottom entertainment." [86] The Guardian 's Viv Grospok criticised various elements of the episode, though concluded that "it was all worth it." [87]

Dan Martin of The Guardian praised "The Time of the Doctor" as "awfully good". He wrote that Steven Moffat had "performed the fourth remix of the show's mythology in a row, tying up strands that date back to the beginning of Matt Smith's run." He added, "Perfectly, the rebooting of his regeneration cycle was done simply... Who could have guessed the Doctor's renewed regeneration cycle would be dealt with as simply as his best friend just asking nicely?" [88] Mark Snow of IGN gave the episode a score of 8.4, "GREAT", writing that "'The Time of the Doctor' was an exemplary exercise in celebrating the departure of a loved one. If you managed to stay dry-eyed during the Doctor's goodbye to Clara (itself a not-entirely-transparent goodbye from Smith to the role he embodied), then you should probably double check your heart's still working," also lauding Karen Gillan's "rather crowd-pleasing, tear-inducing cameo". While criticising its "rapid, almost breathless pace", he concluded, "It was a melancholic yet ultimately merry end to one of the show's best Doctors to date." [89]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef(s)
2014 BAFTA Awards Radio Times Audience Award"The Day of the Doctor"Won [90]
Constellation AwardsBest Male Performance in a 2013 Science Fiction Television Episode Matt Smith in "The Time of the Doctor"Nominated [91]
Hugo Awards Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)"The Day of the Doctor"Nominated [92]

Soundtrack

Selected pieces of score from "The Day of the Doctor" and "The Time of the Doctor", as composed by Murray Gold, were released on 24 November 2014 by Silva Screen Records. "The Day of the Doctor" includes 23 pieces, whereas "The Time of the Doctor" includes 18 pieces. [93] [94]

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor / The Time of the Doctor
Doctor Who Day of the Doctor soundtrack.jpg
Soundtrack album by
Released24 November 2014
Recorded20 September 2013 (Disc 1) [95]
3 December 2013 (Disc 2) [96]
Genre Soundtrack
Length93:10
Label Silva Screen Records
Producer Murray Gold
Doctor Who soundtrack chronology
Cold Worlds
(2014)
Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor / The Time of the Doctor
(2014)
Doctor Who: Series 8
(2015)
Alternate cover
Doctor Who Time of the Doctor soundtrack.jpg
Disc 1 - "The Day of the Doctor"
No.TitleLength
1."I.M. Foreman"1:10
2."Will There Be Cocktails?"0:40
3."It's Him (The Majestic Tale)"2:05
4."He Was There"4:23
5."No More"1:06
6."The War Room"1:42
7."Footprints in the Sand"1:43
8."Who Are You"4:38
9."England 1562"1:03
10."Nice Horse"1:43
11."The Fez And The Portal"2:44
12."Two Doctors"1:02
13."Three Doctors"1:56
14."Somewhere To Hide"1:50
15."Rescue The Doctor"1:08
16."2.47 Billion"4:28
17."Zygon In The Painting"1:35
18."Man And Wife"1:33
19."We Don't Need To Land"2:27
20."We Are The Doctors"0:49
21."The Moment Has Come"3:06
22."This Time There's Three Of Us (The Majestic Tale)"7:03
23."Song for Four / Home"3:41
Total length:53:35
Disc 2 - "The Time of the Doctor"
No.TitleLength
1."The Message"1:16
2."Handles"2:07
3."The Dance Of The Naked Doctor"2:13
4."You Saved It"0:57
5."Papal Mainframe"0:45
6."Tasha Lem"1:07
7."Bedroom Talk"1:49
8."The Mission"0:54
9."Christmas"2:27
10."The Crack"5:24
11."Rhapsody of War"0:52
12."Back to Christmas"3:09
13."Snow Over Trenzalore (Song for Four)"2:46
14."Beginning Of The End"2:47
15."This Is How It Ends"3:07
16."Never Tell Me The Rules"3:12
17."Trenzalore/The Long Song/I Am Information (Reprise)"4:03
18."Hello Twelve"0:40
Total length:39:35

Related Research Articles

<i>Doctor Who</i> British science fiction TV series

Doctor Who is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterrestrial being called the Doctor, part of a humanoid species called Time Lords. The Doctor travels in the universe and in time using a time travelling spaceship called the TARDIS, which externally appears as a British police box. While travelling, the Doctor works to save lives and liberate oppressed peoples by combating foes. The Doctor often travels with companions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenth Doctor</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who

The Tenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant in three series as well as nine specials. The character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 3 2007 series of Doctor Who

The third series of the revived British science fiction programme Doctor Who, and the twenty-ninth season of the show overall, was preceded by the 2006 Christmas special "The Runaway Bride". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast, starting with "Smith and Jones" on 31 March 2007 and ending with "Last of the Time Lords" on 30 June 2007. In addition, a 13-part animated serial was produced and broadcast as part of Totally Doctor Who.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 2 2006 series of Doctor Who

The second series of British science fiction programme Doctor Who began on 25 December 2005 with the Christmas special "The Christmas Invasion". A regular series of thirteen episodes was broadcast weekly in 2006, starting with "New Earth" on 15 April and concluding with "Doomsday" on 8 July. In addition, two short special episodes were produced; a Children in Need special and an interactive episode, as well as thirteen minisodes titled Tardisodes. It is the second series of the revival of the show, and the twenty-eighth season overall.

The End of Time (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2009 Doctor Who episodes

"The End of Time" is a two-part story of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 25 December 2009 and 1 January 2010. It is the fifth Doctor Who Christmas special and the last entry in a series of specials aired from 2008 to 2010. It marks the final regular appearance of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor and introduces Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor. At the time, it was the last Doctor Who story written and produced by Russell T Davies, who shepherded the series' return to British television in 2005 and served as the series's executive producer and chief writer, until he returned to the position in 2022 for the 60th anniversary specials onwards.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 5 2010 series of Doctor Who

The fifth series of the British science-fiction television programme Doctor Who was originally broadcast on BBC One in 2010. The series began on 3 April 2010 with "The Eleventh Hour", and ended with "The Big Bang" on 26 June 2010. The series is the first to be led by Steven Moffat, who took over as head writer and executive producer when Russell T Davies ended his involvement in the show after "The End of Time". The series has 13 episodes, six of which were written by Moffat. Piers Wenger and Beth Willis were co-executive producers, and Tracie Simpson and Peter Bennett were producers. Although it is the fifth series since the show's revival in 2005, the series' production code numbers were reset.

"A Christmas Carol" is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It is the sixth Doctor Who Christmas special since the programme's revival in 2005, and it was broadcast on 25 December 2010 on both BBC One and BBC America, making it the first episode to premiere on the same day in both the United Kingdom and United States. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Toby Haynes.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 6 2011 series of Doctor Who

The sixth series of British science fiction television programme Doctor Who was shown in two parts. The first seven episodes were broadcast from April to June 2011, beginning with "The Impossible Astronaut" and ending with mid-series finale "A Good Man Goes to War". The final six episodes aired from August to October, beginning with "Let's Kill Hitler" and ending with "The Wedding of River Song". The main series was preceded by "A Christmas Carol", the 2010 Christmas special. The series was led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producers Beth Willis and Piers Wenger. Sanne Wohlenberg, Marcus Wilson, and Denise Paul served as producers. The series was the sixth to air following the programme's revival in 2005 after the classic era aired between 1963 and 1989, and is the thirty-second season overall.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 7 2012-2013 series of Doctor Who

The seventh series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who was broadcast concurrently on BBC One in the United Kingdom, and was split into two parts as the previous series had been. Following its premiere on 1 September 2012, the series aired weekly with five episodes until 29 September. The remaining eight episodes were broadcast between 30 March and 18 May 2013. The 2012 Christmas special, "The Snowmen", aired separately from the main series and introduced a new TARDIS interior, title sequence, theme tune, and outfit for the Doctor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Snowmen</span> 2012 Doctor Who episode

"The Snowmen" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, first broadcast on Christmas Day 2012 on BBC One. It is the eighth Doctor Who Christmas special since the show's 2005 revival and the first to be within a series. It was written by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat and directed by Saul Metzstein, with the special produced in August 2012, and filmed on location in Newport, Wales and Bristol.

<i>Doctor Who</i> specials (2008–2010) 2008–2010 special episodes of Doctor Who

The 2008–2010 specials of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who are series of five specials that linked the programme's fourth and fifth series. The specials were produced in lieu of a full series in 2009, to allow the new production team for the programme enough time to prepare for the fifth series in 2010, in light of Russell T Davies's decision to step down as showrunner, with Steven Moffat taking his place in the fifth series. Preceded by the 2008 Christmas Special, "The Next Doctor", the first special, "Planet of the Dead", was aired on 11 April 2009, the second special "The Waters of Mars", was aired on 15 November 2009, with the last special, the two-part episode "The End of Time", broadcasting over two weeks on 25 December 2009 and 1 January 2010.

<i>Doctor Who</i> series 8 2014 series of Doctor Who

The eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who began on 23 August 2014 with "Deep Breath" and ended with "Death in Heaven" on 8 November 2014. The series was officially ordered in May 2013, and led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat, alongside executive producer Brian Minchin. Nikki Wilson, Peter Bennett and Paul Frift served as producers. The series is the eighth to air following the programme's revival in 2005, the thirty-fourth season overall, and the first series since series five not to be split into two parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara Oswald</span> Fictional character in the TV series Doctor Who

Clara Oswald is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. She was created by series producer Steven Moffat and portrayed by Jenna Coleman. Clara was introduced in the seventh series as a new travelling companion of the series protagonist, the Doctor, in his eleventh and twelfth incarnations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Day of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who episode

"The Day of the Doctor" is a special episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, marking its 50th anniversary. It was written by Steven Moffat, who served as an executive producer alongside Faith Penhale. It was shown on BBC One on 23 November 2013, in both 2D and 3D. The special was broadcast simultaneously in 94 countries, and was shown concurrently in 3D in some cinemas. It achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest ever simulcast of a TV drama and won the Radio Times Audience Award at the 2014 British Academy Television Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Time of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who episode

"The Time of the Doctor" is an episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Jamie Payne, and was broadcast as the ninth Doctor Who Christmas special on 25 December 2013 on BBC One. It features the final regular appearance of Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and the first full appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor following his brief cameo in the previous episode "The Day of the Doctor". The episode also features Jenna Coleman as the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald, plus several enemies of the Doctor, including the Daleks, Cybermen, Silence and Weeping Angels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Night of the Doctor</span> 2013 Doctor Who mini-episode

"The Night of the Doctor" is a mini-episode of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was made available on BBC iPlayer and YouTube on 14 November 2013, as part of the BBC One lead-up to the show's 50th anniversary special. It was written by Steven Moffat and starred Paul McGann as the Doctor.

<i>The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot</i> British TV series or programme

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot is a 2013 comedy spoof and homage to the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It appeared on the BBC Red Button service after the broadcast of "The Day of the Doctor", the official 50th anniversary special. The programme was written and directed by Peter Davison, who stars alongside fellow former Doctor actors Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker and Paul McGann. It features appearances from then-stars of the show Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman as well as former stars David Tennant and John Barrowman. Additionally, then-Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat, his predecessor Russell T Davies and numerous others connected to the programme all appear as themselves in a more or less parodic manner.

References

  1. "The Zygons Return for the 50th Anniversary Special". BBC. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  2. "Moffat Will Tie Up 11th Doctor Loose Ends". Doctor Who TV. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Ratings Guide". Doctor Who News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
  4. Lambert, David (15 November 2013). "Doctor Who – More Extras for 'The Day of the Doctor: 50th Anniversary Special' on DVD, Blu #SaveTheDay". TVShowsonDVD.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  5. "Doctor Who: David Tennant returns for anniversary show". BBC News. 30 March 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  6. Golder, Dave (2 April 2013). "Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: Another Pic of Matt Smith And David Tennant". SFX. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  7. Jeffery, Morgan (8 April 2013). "Jemma Redgrave returns for the 50th Anniversary Special". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  8. "Reunited: Jemma Redgrave Returns for the Anniversary Special". BBC. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  9. Jeffery, Morgan (5 April 2013). "'Doctor Who' 50th: BBC denies Christopher Eccleston 'quitting' rumors – Doctor Who News – Cult". Digital Spy. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  10. "DAVID TENNANT NEWS UPDATES: Sylvester McCoy: No 20th Century Doctors Will Feature in the 50th Anniversary special". Tennantnews.blogspot.co.uk. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  11. "Steven Moffat on The Night of the Doctor". BBC. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  12. Masters, Tim (1 June 2013). "Matt Smith to leave Doctor Who at the end of year". BBC News. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  13. Kelly, Stephen (11 July 2013). "Doctor Who's Steven Moffat: the search for the twelfth Doctor is "terrifying"". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  14. Kelly, Stephen (1 August 2013). "Doctor Who: The twelfth Doctor to be unveiled in live BBC1 special this Sunday". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  15. "Peter Capaldi revealed as Doctor Who's new lead". BBC News. 4 August 2013. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  16. "'Doctor Who': Matt Smith Out; New Doctor Revealed in 2013 Christmas Special". Screenrant.com. June 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  17. "Moffat Will Tie Up 11th Doctor Loose Ends". Doctor Who TV. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  18. "Moffat 'Revving up' for 50th Anniversary". 9 November 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  19. 1 2 Brown, David (18 March 2013). "Steven Moffat: Doctor Who 50th anniversary script is kept under lock and key". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  20. http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/cybermen-christmas-2013-tweet.jpg [ bare URL image file ]
  21. Wace Peck, Matthew (3 September 2013). "Cybermen set for Matt Smith/Peter Capaldi 'Doctor Who' special". Digital Journal. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  22. Leigh, Rob (3 April 2013). "Who's David Tennant talking to? First location pics of Tenth Doctor and Joanna Page filming 50th anniversary special". The Mirror. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  23. Doctor Who 50th special London filming!! (Video). London. 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013 via YouTube.
  24. Dex, Robert (9 April 2013). "Matt Smith lands the Tardis lands in Trafalgar Square for Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode. Filming wrapped up on May 6, 2013. It was a longer film than usual, suggesting the special might be longer than previously suggested". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  25. Kelly, Stephen (3 May 2013). "Spoilers! Doctor Who 50th anniversary filming pictures suggest nod to first ever episode". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  26. "Producer Marcus Wilson on Twitter". Cultbox. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  27. "Steven Moffat on The Night of the Doctor". BBC. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  28. "Smith on his 'Final Hour', Hurt Revelations, 12th Doctor". Doctor Who TV. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  29. "Matt Smith to start shooting Christmas Special from Sunday". Doctor Who News. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  30. "Farewell Matt! Christmas Filming Wraps". Doctor Who TV. 6 October 2013.
  31. "Millions tune in for Doctor Who 50th anniversary show". BBC News. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  32. "'Doctor Who' 50th anniversary to be simulcast worldwide to avoid leaks". Digital Spy. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  33. "50th Anniversary to be Simulcast in Over 75 Countries and Cinemas". Doctor Who TV. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  34. "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.
  35. "The Day of the Doctor on TV and in Cinemas". BBC Worldwide . Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  36. Jones, Paul (3 December 2013). "Doctor Who Christmas special air date and time confirmed". Radio Times . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  37. Jeffery, Morgan (4 December 2013). "Doctor Who: Matt Smith Christmas Exit gets US air-date on BBC America". Digital Spy . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  38. "New pics revealed from the Doctor Who Christmas Special". Space. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  39. Knox, David (6 December 2013). "Airdate: Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor". TV Tonight . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  40. "TV Ratings: 26 December 2013". Throng. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  41. "Doctor Who drama to mark show's 50th birthday". BBC News. 9 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  42. "David Bradley to portray William Hartnell in Celebration of Doctor Who". Doctor Who . BBC. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  43. "Doctor Who - Reece Shearsmith cast as Patrick Troughton". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  44. Kelly, Stephen (21 November 2013). "Doctor Who star makes surprise cameo in An Adventure in Space and Time". Radio Times . Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  45. "Classic Doctors Protest over 50th?". Doctor Who TV. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  46. Paul Jones (24 November 2013). "Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy unite for Doctor Who spoof The Five(ish) Doctors". Radio Times. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  47. Dowell, Brian (10 September 2013). "Doctor Who 50th anniversary shows to feature Professor Brian Cox and restored episodes". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  48. 1 2 "Fifty years of Doctor Who to culminate in The Day of the Doctor". BBC Media Centre. BBC. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  49. "The Day of the Doctor: new promotional image and press details released". Doctor Who News. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  50. The Doctor Who Team (11 September 2013). "Doctor Who – The Day of the Doctor: 50th Anniversary Update". BBC . Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  51. Lesnick, Silas (10 September 2013). "The Poster for Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of the Doctor!" . Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  52. "The Doctors Revisited reaches the United Kingdom". Doctor Who News. 13 September 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  53. Jones, Paul (25 September 2013). "Classic Doctor Who episodes and air dates confirmed for The Doctors Revisited". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  54. "Doctor Who at 50". BFI Southbank. British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  55. Justin Johnson (11 January 2013). "Doctor Who at 50". BFI Southbank. British Film Institute. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  56. "The Light at the End – Standard Edition".
  57. "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor 50th Anniversary (DVD)". BBC Shop. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  58. "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor – 50th Anniversary (3D Blu-ray)". BBC Shop. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  59. "Doctor Who DVD news: Announcement for Doctor Who – The Day of the Doctor: 50th Anniversary Special". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  60. "An Adventure in Space and Time (DVD)". BBC Shop . Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  61. "Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and Time". British Video Association. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  62. "Doctor Who: An Adventure in Space and Time Blu-ray". blu-ray.com. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  63. Lambert, David (5 March 2014). "Doctor Who - 'An Adventure in Space and Time' Blu-ray/DVD Combo: Date, Cost, BONUS!". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  64. "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials (DVD)". bbcshop.com. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  65. "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials (DVD)". ezydvd.com. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  66. "Doctor Who - 'The Time of the Doctor: 2013 Christmas Special': Date, Cost, Extras, Art!". TVshowsondvd.com. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  67. "Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition (DVD)". BBC Shop. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  68. "Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  69. ""Doctor Who" Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary (DVD) at BBC Shop". Bbcshop.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  70. "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor". EzyDVD. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  71. "Doctor Who - 'The Day of the Doctor: 50th Anniversary Special': Date, Cost, Packaging, More!". TVShowsOnDVD.com . 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  72. "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials (DVD)". bbcshop.com. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  73. "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials (DVD)". ezydvd.com. 20 December 2013. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  74. "Doctor Who - 'The Time of the Doctor: 2013 Christmas Special': Date, Cost, Extras, Art!". TVshowsondvd.com. 18 December 2013. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  75. "Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition (DVD)". BBC Shop. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  76. "Doctor Who: The 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  77. "Doctor Who: The Matt Smith Years [Blu-ray]". Amazon.com. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  78. "Doctor Who: The Matt Smith Collection [DVD]". Amazon.com. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  79. Marcus (1 December 2013). "Day of the Doctor – Final Ratings". Doctor Who News. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  80. "The Day of the Doctor - number 1 for the week". The Doctor Who News Page. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  81. 1 2 "The Time of the Doctor - Overnight Viewing Figures". Doctor Who News. 26 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  82. "Most Viewed Xmas Special 2005-2013". Doctor Who TV. 2 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  83. 1 2 "Weekly top 30 programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Archived from the original on 19 September 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  84. "The Day of the Doctor - Overnight Viewing Figures". Doctor Who News. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  85. Lawrence, Ben (23 November 2013). "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor, BBC One, review". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  86. Brew, Simon (23 November 2013). "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor review". Den of Geek . Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  87. Grospok, Viv (23 November 2013). "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor – review". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  88. Martin, Dan (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who recap: The Time of the Doctor". The Guardian . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  89. Snow, Mark (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who: "The Time of the Doctor" Review "Goodbye, Raggedy Man."". IGN . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  90. "Broadchurch wins three TV Bafta awards". BBC News . 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  91. "The Constellation Awards - A Canadian Award for Excellence in Film & Television Science Fiction". Constellation Awards. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  92. "2014 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. 18 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  93. Silva Screen Music. "Doctor Who – The Day of the Doctor/ The Time of the Doctor – Original Television Soundtrack". Amazon UK. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  94. "Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor/The Time of the Doctor". Silva Screen Records. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  95. Pixley 2014, p. 31.
  96. Pixley 2014, p. 54.

Works cited