The Time of the Doctor

Last updated

241 –"The Time of the Doctor"
Doctor Who episode
The Time of the Doctor promo.jpg
Promotional poster
Cast
Others
Production
Directed byJamie Payne
Written by Steven Moffat
Script editorDerek Ritchie
Produced byMarcus Wilson
Executive producer(s)Steven Moffat
Brian Minchin
Music by Murray Gold
Series 2013 specials
Running time60 minutes
First broadcast25 December 2013 (2013-12-25)
Chronology
← Preceded by
"The Day of the Doctor"		Followed by →
"Deep Breath"
List of episodes (2005–present)

"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. [1] 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.

Contents

The episode addresses numerous plot threads developed over the course of Smith's tenure, including the prophecy of the Silence, cracks in the universe, and the Doctor's fate on the planet Trenzalore, while also dealing with the regeneration limit established in the 1976 serial The Deadly Assassin . "The Time of the Doctor" is Smith's fourth and final Christmas special as the Eleventh Doctor.

Plot

Thousands of aliens orbit the planet Trenzalore, from which a message, "Doctor who?", is continually being broadcast across time and space. The Church of the Papal Mainframe constructs a force field around Trenzalore. The Eleventh Doctor and Clara are offered the opportunity to explore to find the source of the message on the planet by the church's head, Tasha Lem.

They discover the message is coming from a human settlement called Christmas. The message originates from a crack in reality in the clock tower and is being sent by the Doctor's people: the Time Lords. The Doctor deduces the Time Lords are trying to escape the pocket universe they are in and want the Doctor to announce his real name as a sign that it is safe to emerge. A stalemate is in place; the other aliens cannot attack at the risk of the Doctor letting the Time Lords out, while the Doctor cannot risk abandoning Trenzalore as most of the forces in orbit will burn it to stop the Time Lords' return.

The drawings the older Doctor is surrounded by, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience. Doctor Who Experience (16584487375).jpg
The drawings the older Doctor is surrounded by, as shown at the Doctor Who Experience.

The Doctor tricks Clara into being returned to Earth. Clara jumps onto the TARDIS before it returns to the Doctor, arriving 300 years later. The Doctor reveals to her that his body has no further regenerations left, and that he is prepared to die defending Trenzalore. The two discover that in the intervening time, the Papal Mainframe have renamed themselves the Church of the Silence, and that a chapter of the Silence broke off to try to interfere with the Doctor's life, which includes them unwittingly creating the crack in the tower. After rescuing Tasha Lem from the Daleks, the Doctor tricks Clara again into being returned to Earth. As even more centuries pass, the Daleks remain the only aggressors against the Doctor and the dwindling forces of the Silence. Tasha eventually brings Clara back to Trenzalore as the siege finally comes to a conclusion. The Doctor is dying of old age and cannot stop the Daleks' attack. After saying goodbye to Clara, he goes out to the top of the tower to face his enemies.

The Eleventh Doctor, about to die from old age, is granted a new regeneration cycle by the Time Lords, subsequently preventing his death. The time of the doctor regeneration energy.jpg
The Eleventh Doctor, about to die from old age, is granted a new regeneration cycle by the Time Lords, subsequently preventing his death.

Clara speaks to the Time Lords through the crack, begging them to help the Doctor. The crack in the tower closes and reappears in the night sky. Regeneration energy flows from the crack and into the Doctor, granting him a new regeneration cycle. The Doctor uses the excess energy of his regeneration to destroy the Daleks, while the crack closes, ending the stalemate. In the aftermath, the Doctor sets the TARDIS in motion, and finishes regenerating. The Twelfth Doctor finds the TARDIS is crashing and asks Clara if she knows how to fly it while she looks on in confusion.

Production

Matt Smith speaking at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International.jpg
Peter Capaldi by Gage Skidmore.jpg
"The Time of the Doctor" is the last episode to feature Matt Smith (left) in the central role, and the second to include Peter Capaldi (right) as the new Doctor, following his cameo in "The Day of the Doctor".

Actor Matt Smith said filming would commence on the episode when he had finished work on the film Lost River . He later revealed filming would start in September. [2] The episode was directed by Jamie Payne, who previously directed the episode "Hide". [3] The read-through for the Christmas special took place on 4 September 2013. [4]

In August 2013, lead writer Steven Moffat stated in an interview that the Christmas episode would tie together the remaining story strands from the Eleventh Doctor era, some of which were introduced as far back as "The Eleventh Hour". [5] Production on the episode was scheduled to start on 8 September. Owing to his work on Lost River, which required him to have a buzz cut, Matt Smith had to wear a wig to mimic the Doctor's signature hairstyle. [6] In August 2013, it was revealed that the Cybermen would feature in the Christmas episode, when one of the show's regular stunt artists, [7] Darrelle "Daz" Parker, tweeted that she would be playing a Cyberman. [8]

Fake snow at Puzzlewood for filming. Fake snow at Puzzlewood.jpg
Fake snow at Puzzlewood for filming.

Cast notes

Sheila Reid had previously appeared in Vengeance on Varos in 1985. Elizabeth Rider had voiced the evil satnav system ATMOS in The Sontaran Stratagem in 2008; and Lady Ellen in The Sarah Jane Adventures episode Lost in Time in 2010. [9] Karen Gillan appeared as Amy Pond for the first time since "The Angels Take Manhattan". Gillan, like Smith, had to wear a wig (in her case, made from her own hair) after shaving her head to appear in the film Guardians of the Galaxy . [10]

Recasting the Doctor

On 1 June 2013, the BBC announced that Smith would be departing the series after almost four years, with the Christmas special episode being the episode of transition between Smith's Doctor and the next regeneration. The announcement sparked media and fan speculation as to who the next Doctor might be. [11] It was announced on 4 August 2013, during a special broadcast – Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor – that the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor would be played by Peter Capaldi. [12]

Filming

Filming for the episode began on 8 September 2013. On 10 September, Smith and Jenna Coleman were seen filming on location in Cardiff. [13] The location was Lydstep Flats, which had been previously used in Series 1 as the Powell Estate where Rose Tyler lived with her mother Jackie.[ citation needed ] On 19 September 2013, scenes were being filmed in the evening at Puzzlewood with fake snow being scattered over certain areas. [14] During shooting of the episode, elements were also filmed to be incorporated in both the previous and following episodes; Matt Smith also filmed a scene intended to be incorporated into the first episode of Series 8, [15] while Peter Capaldi was filmed for his brief introductory cameo that was part of "The Day of the Doctor". [16] On 5 October 2013, Doctor Who producer Marcus Wilson revealed via Twitter that filming was complete. [17]

Marketing

The wooden Cyberman as it appears at the Doctor Who Experience Doctor Who Experience (15083114422).jpg
The wooden Cyberman as it appears at the Doctor Who Experience

Trailers

A sneak preview for the episode was shown after the simulcast of "The Day of the Doctor", confirming the appearance of the Cybermen and revealing the inclusion of the Silence, Daleks, Sontarans and Weeping Angels, as well as confirming the Doctor's return to the planet Trenzalore. [18] The title and a poster were released on 26 November. [19] In the BBC Christmas 2013 trailer, there were clips confirming the Daleks and the Cybermen. [20] Through the online Doctor Who "Adventure Calendar", more images were released in December. [21] On 11 December, the BBC released a 35-second trailer in which the Daleks pronounce "The Doctor is Regenerating!" There was also the Silence, Cybermen, Clara and the Doctor featured in the clip. [22] On 17 December 2013, BBC One released another Christmas trailer, featuring Clara calling the Doctor during a Cyberman attack on the TARDIS. [23] Prior to the episode's broadcast, the BBC released three preview clips. [24] [25] [26]

Broadcast and reception

"The Time of the Doctor" was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on Christmas Day 2013 when it received initial overnight ratings of 8.30 million viewers (30.7% share) against the long-running soap opera Coronation Street which got 7.9 million viewers (though this was later bumped to 8.27 million after the later repeat showing on ITV+1 was factored in). "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. [27] The final viewing figures for the episode were 11.14 million viewers, making it the fifth most watched Doctor Who Christmas special. [28] It was also shown on 25 December in the United States on BBC America, [29] where, with 2.47m viewers, it achieved the highest ever audience figures for the channel, beating the previous record set just over a month beforehand with "The Day of the Doctor". [30]

It was also seen in Canada on Space. [31] In Australia it aired on 26 December on ABC1, [32] and in New Zealand, it screened on Prime Television during Boxing Day evening with 106,390 viewers. [33] It received an Appreciation Index of 83 in the UK. [34]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Rotten Tomatoes (Average Score)8.2 [35]
Rotten Tomatoes (Tomatometer)88% [35]
Review scores
SourceRating
IGN 8.4 [36]
The A.V. Club A [37]
The Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [38]
TV FanaticStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [39]

"The Time of the Doctor" received positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the episode an approval rating of 88%, based on 16 critics, and an average score of 8.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor is a wistful swan song for Matt Smith, who gives such a graceful bow that he secures his place as one of the most essential Time Lords." [35] Dan Martin of The Guardian praised the episode 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?" [40] 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." [36]

Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times said that Matt Smith exited "with comic energy" and "grace", stating, "The Christmas special embodies the heartfelt style and playfulness that Matt Smith brought to his spell as the Time Lord. There are two ways to watch the series. The first requires a deep knowledge of its complicated 50-year-history and an ability to keep complicated strands of time-twisting action straight in one's head. The other way is to watch it for the poetry, the resonances and the connections and a sense of wonder about life (extra-terrestrially dressed at times, but our life underneath)." [41]

Jon Cooper of The Mirror gave the episode a positive review, calling it "Easily the highlight of Christmas telly," and that it "gave Matt Smith a perfect send off." He awarded the episode 4 stars out of 5. He praised Smith, saying, "Easily the best he's put in since his tenure began." He criticised the pacing, noting that "viewers hoping for an all-out intergalactic bloodbath must've left feeling disappointed, hundreds of years of inter-species warfare were skipped over in the blink of an eye". He also found the need for every single one of the Doctor's enemies to be there pointless, saying "Daleks on their own would have more than sufficed." He also found similarities with David Tennant's regeneration story "The End of Time", mainly the regeneration sequence, with the Doctor removing one piece of his costume before changing, and the now traditional callback to the previous regeneration with Capaldi's entrance with the kidneys line. [42]

Neela Debnath of The Independent gave a positive review, saying that "Smith gave a cracking final performance before bowing out." She said that the episode "was a sci-fi spectacular!" She also criticised the plot as being too complicated for its own good. [43]

Morgan Jeffrey of Digital Spy gave the episode 4 stars out of 5 and said that "Matt Smith steals the show, his final turn on Doctor Who is one of his very finest, perhaps even his absolute best." He compared it to David Tennant's final episode and said "Smith's regeneration scene too is a thing of beauty, like David Tennant before him, Smith gets to break the fourth wall, just a little, in his extended final monologue, [...] it's perfect." He also was positive towards Clara and suggested that she was now being written in a more human, empathetic way "in the wake of the Impossible Girl arc", although such efforts were "well-intentioned but rushed", he felt that there were "steps being taken in the right direction" with the character. He praised Jenna Coleman's performance, saying she is "dependably excellent." But he did say "'The Time of the Doctor' is a case of the parts being greater than the whole. It has great scenes and standout moments rather than being a great episode." He also criticised the pacing and "a repetitive story structure robbing many key moments of their power." [44]

Alasdair Wilkins of The A.V. Club was overwhelmingly positive in his review, praising the subtle emotional complexities. "This episode belongs to Matt Smith, and it's entirely likely that this will go down as his finest work in the role. Steven Moffat takes great care to spotlight every aspect of Smith's Doctor. He is alternately grumpy, funny, awkward, flirty, inquisitive, giddy, and heartbroken, and that simply covers the bits up to the reveal of the crack in reality. The old-age makeup isn't entirely convincing—though I'm not honestly sure any old-age makeup has ever been entirely convincing—but Smith nicely modulates his performance to suit the increasingly wizened versions of his Doctor." He praised the episode for being an effective "final act" rather than a standalone story. He gave the episode a rating of "A". [37]

Kyle Anderson of Nerdist wrote the finale "might leave a percentage of fandom cold, but... I can’t think of a better way for the Eleventh Doctor to end his tenure." He stated, "There were lots of loose ends for writer Steven Moffat to tie up, but somehow he did it." Of the Doctor's protection of Trenzalore: "It’s this action that is the perfect farewell to the Eleventh Doctor. He’s the Doctor, more than any other, who has run away and not wanted to be tied to any one place or time... compelled to stay put to save each and every life he can." The final scene "[allowed] the Eleventh Doctor to go out with dignity and both appreciate the sadness of leaving without casting a pall over the new." He added, "We get our first, very fleeting glimpse of the next Doctor, Peter Capaldi, who is just as intense and strange as we probably expected." [45]

Tim Martin of The Telegraph gave the episode three stars, criticising the complexity of the episode and the fact that loose plot holes were all left to be answered in just 60 minutes: "Every time the Gordian plot-knot gets sonic-screwdrivered into submission for the 60-minute limit, the writers just tap the remnants into Later. What's the deal with the creepy brain-wiping creatures known as The Silence? Later. The name of the Doctor? Later, and then we get The Time of the Doctor, where every second line seems to offer a footnote to some arcane Wikipedia entry on Whovian lore." Despite this, he praised Smith's final performance saying, "the actor was so good as the childlike alien." [38]

Patrick Mulkern of Radio Times said he was "really warming to the current companion, especially now she's free of the 'Impossible Girl' baggage. Perky, resourceful, best-friend material, Jenna Coleman's Clara has a tangible echo of Lis Sladen's Sarah about her." He noticed an End of Time callback, with the Doctor seeing his previous companions before his regeneration and, just as the Tenth Doctor had once destroyed the TARDIS with regeneration energy, the Eleventh doctor destroyed a Dalek ship with it. He looked forward to seeing Peter Capaldi take over with his "Gaunt, lizard-like [face] and with frou-frou hair. [...] In Peter Capaldi, we have a dream-wish Doctor." [46]

Home media

"The Time of the Doctor" was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2014, [47] in Australia on 22 January 2014 [48] and in the United States on 4 March 2014. [49] It is accompanied by a behind-the-scenes feature and two documentaries. The UK and Australian releases additionally comes with an extra disc featuring the Eleventh Doctor's previous Christmas specials, "A Christmas Carol", "The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe" and "The Snowmen". 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 Day of the Doctor", "An Adventure in Space and Time" and "The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot". [50]

The ten Christmas specials between "The Christmas Invasion" and "Last Christmas" inclusive were released in a boxset titled Doctor Who – The 10 Christmas Specials on 19 October 2015. [51]

Soundtrack

Selected pieces of score from "The Time of the Doctor", as composed by Murray Gold, were released on 24 November 2014 by Silva Screen Records. [52]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Lord</span> Fictional alien species in the Doctor Who universe

The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Time Lords are so named for their command of time travel technology and their non-linear perception of time.

The Doctor Fictional sci-fi TV series character

The Doctor is the protagonist of the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. An extraterrestrial Time Lord, the Doctor travels the universe in a time travelling spaceship called the TARDIS, often with companions. Since the show's inception in 1963, the character has been portrayed by fourteen lead actors. The transition to each succeeding actor is explained within the show's narrative through the plot device of regeneration, a biological function of Time Lords that allows a change of cellular structure and appearance with recovery following a mortal injury.

<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 and nine specials. The character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs. In 2023, Tennant returned to the role, this time as the fourteenth incarnation of the Doctor.

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

The First Doctor is the original incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor William Hartnell in the first three series from 1963 to 1966 and the tenth anniversary story The Three Doctors from 1972 to 1973. The character would occasionally appear in the series after Hartnell's death, most prominently as portrayed by Richard Hurndall in the 1983 multi-doctor special "The Five Doctors", and as portrayed by David Bradley in the 2017 Twelfth Doctor episodes "The Doctor Falls" and "Twice Upon a Time" and in the 2022 Thirteenth Doctor episode "The Power of the Doctor", the latter previously having portrayed Hartnell himself in the 2013 biopic An Adventure in Space and Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Doctor</span> Incarnation of a fictional character from Doctor Who

The Second Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Patrick Troughton. Out of his 119 episodes, 53 are missing.

The Time War, also called the Last Great Time War, is a conflict within the fictional universe of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The war occurs between the events of the 1996 film and the 2005 revived series, with the Time Lords fighting the Daleks until the apparent mutual destruction of both races. The war was frequently mentioned when the show returned, but was not directly seen until the show's 50th anniversary special.

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

The Eleventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is played by Matt Smith in three series as well as five specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

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

The Twelfth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Peter Capaldi in three series as well as four specials. As with previous incarnations of the Doctor, the character has also appeared in other Doctor Who spin-offs.

<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.

<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.

<i>Doctor Who</i> specials (2013) 2013 special episodes of Doctor Who

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.

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

"The Name of the Doctor" is the thirteenth and final episode of the seventh series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 May 2013. It was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Saul Metzstein. The episode was watched by 7.45 million viewers in the UK and received positive reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Pink</span> Fictional character

Danny Pink is a fictional character created by Steven Moffat and portrayed by Samuel Anderson in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a supporting character in the eighth series of the programme, first appearing in the second episode, "Into the Dalek". He appears alongside Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor and his storylines stem primarily from being the colleague, and later boyfriend, of companion Clara Oswald, portrayed by Jenna Coleman. He appears in every episode of Series 8 except for the series premiere "Deep Breath" and the third episode "Robot of Sherwood".

Deep Breath (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2014 Doctor Who episode

"Deep Breath" is the first episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who, first broadcast on BBC One and released in cinemas on 23 August 2014. It was written by showrunner and executive producer Steven Moffat and directed by Ben Wheatley.

"Death in Heaven" is the twelfth and final episode of the eighth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 8 November 2014. The episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It is the second of a two-part story; the first episode "Dark Water" aired on 1 November.

"The Doctor Falls" is the twelfth and final episode of the tenth series, and 843rd episode overall, of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay, and was broadcast on 1 July 2017 on BBC One. It is the second episode of a two-part story, the first part being "World Enough and Time".

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

The Thirteenth Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She is played by Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to portray the character, in three series as well as five specials.

Twice Upon a Time (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2017 Doctor Who episode

"Twice Upon a Time" is a special episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on BBC One on 25 December 2017 as the programme's thirteenth Christmas special. The episode was written by Steven Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay. It features the final regular appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, the first official appearance of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor, and also stars David Bradley as the First Doctor. Pearl Mackie stars as the Twelfth Doctor's former companion Bill Potts, while his other companions make guest appearances – Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald and Matt Lucas as Nardole. Mark Gatiss plays a First World War British army captain. The episode is a continuation of "The Doctor Falls", and takes place during the final serial of the First Doctor, The Tenth Planet (1966); footage from The Tenth Planet is used in the special. "Twice Upon a Time" is Capaldi's fourth and final Christmas special as the Twelfth Doctor, and at the time was the last Doctor Who story to be written and produced by Moffat, who served as the show's executive producer and chief writer since taking over from Russell T Davies in 2010. After the special's broadcast, Moffat was succeeded as executive producer and showrunner by Chris Chibnall.

References

  1. ↑ BBC One Christmas. "BBC One Christmas 2013 - Schedule Highlights". British Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "Smith on his "Final Hour", Hurt Revelations, 12th Doctor". Doctor Who TV. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "Doctor Who: Christmas Special director announced". Den of Geek. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "Christmas Special Read Through". BBC. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Moffat Will Tie Up 11th Doctor Loose Ends". Doctor Who TV. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Matt Smith to start shooting Christmas Special from Sunday". Doctor Who News. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Parker, Darrelle "Daz". "Daz Parker - Showreel". Suunto. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Parker, Darrelle "Daz" (28 August 2013). "Great to be stunting again for Dr Who in the Christmas special playing a Cyberman!". Twitter . Doctor Who TV. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Behind The Lens - The Time of the Doctor - Doctor Who: Christmas Special 2013 - BBC — YouTube, official BBC channel, 26 December 2013. Received 14 July 2018.
  10. ↑ "Gillan donned wig for Smith's Doctor Who swansong". ITV News. 25 December 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "'Doctor Who': Matt Smith Out; New Doctor Revealed in 2013 Christmas Special". Screenrant.com. June 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Twitter / bbcdoctorwho: BREAKING NEWS! The identity ..." British Broadcasting Corporation . Twitter. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  13. ↑ "Doctor Who Christmas Special filming begins - and Matt Smith's wig looks pretty convincing". Radio Times. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  14. ↑ Rowan Charlton (@RowanCharlton) (20 September 2013). "Fake snow at #Puzzlewood from the filming of #DoctorWho last night".
  15. ↑ "Fact File: Deep Breath". Doctor Who. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  16. ↑ Benjamin Cook, "The Clock Strikes Twelve." Doctor Who Magazine #469, January 2014, p. 19
  17. ↑ Wilson, Marcus (5 October 2013). "So it's goodnight from me, and it's goodnight from him. That's a wrap. Christmas 2013. Thank you all". Twitter . Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  18. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (23 November 2013). "Doctor Who Christmas Special 2013: The first TV teaser trailer - BBC One". YouTube . Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "Christmas Special Title and Image Revealed". BBC. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  20. ↑ Daly, Emma (5 December 2013). "New Sherlock and Doctor Who footage revealed in BBC's 2013 Christmas showreel". Radio Times . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  21. ↑ "Doctor Who Adventure Calendar, 2013". BBC. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  22. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (11 December 2013). "The Time of the Doctor: Official TV Trailer - Doctor Who Christmas Special 2013 - BBC One". YouTube . Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  23. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (17 December 2013). "BBC One's Christmas Day 2013 trailer". YouTube . Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  24. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (20 December 2013). "It doesn't do turkey... - Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor - Preview - BBC One Christmas 2013". YouTube . Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  25. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (23 December 2013). "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor - Preview Clip Two - BBC One Christmas 2013". YouTube . Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  26. ↑ British Broadcasting Corporation (24 December 2013). "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor - Preview Clip Three - BBC One Christmas 2013". YouTube . Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  27. ↑ Jones, Paul (3 December 2013). "Doctor Who Christmas special air date and time confirmed". Radio Times . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  28. ↑ "Most Viewed Xmas Special 2005-2013". Doctor Who TV. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  29. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (4 December 2013). "Doctor Who: Matt Smith Christmas Exit gets US air-date on BBC America". Digital Spy . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  30. ↑ Deen, Sarah (28 December 2013). "Doctor Who Christmas special The Time of the Doctor breaks BBC America ratings record". Metro. Metro Newspaper. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
  31. ↑ "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.
  32. ↑ Knox, David (6 December 2013). "Airdate: Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor". TV Tonight . Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  33. ↑ "TV Ratings: 26 December 2013". Throng. 28 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  34. ↑ "Time of the Doctor - AI score". Doctor Who News Page. 28 December 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  35. 1 2 3 "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  36. 1 2 Snow, Mark (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who: "The Time of the Doctor" Review "Goodbye, Raggedy Man."". IGN . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  37. 1 2 Wilkins, Alasdair (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who: "The Time Of The Doctor"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  38. 1 2 Martin, Tim (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who, The Time of the Doctor, BBC One, review". The Telegraph . Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  39. ↑ Pavlica, Carissa (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who Review: Raggedy Man, Goodnight". TV Fanatic. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  40. ↑ Martin, Dan (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who recap: The Time of the Doctor". The Guardian . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  41. ↑ Lloyd, Robert (26 December 2013). "Review: 'Doctor Who's' Matt Smith exits with comic energy, grace". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  42. ↑ Cooper, Jon (27 December 2013). "Doctor Who verdict: Matt Smith had a superb send off in The Time of the Doctor and it wasn't just prosthetics that made you believe the Doctor had aged". The Mirror . Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  43. ↑ Deebnath, Neela (25 December 2013). "Confused by Doctor Who? You're not alone. Peter Capaldi's debut is most-watched TV moment" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 20 June 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  44. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (26 December 2013). "Doctor Who: Matt Smith's final episode". Digital Spy . Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  45. ↑ Anderson, Kyle (25 December 2013). "DOCTOR WHO Review: The Time of the Doctor (SPOILERS!)". Nerdist . Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  46. ↑ Mulkern, Patrick (25 December 2013). "Doctor Who Christmas special review: a spectacular farewell to Matt Smith but was it too Christmassy?". Radio Times . Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  47. ↑ "Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor & Other Eleventh Doctor Christmas Specials (DVD)". bbcshop.com. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  48. ↑ "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.
  49. ↑ "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.
  50. ↑ "Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary DVD Collection". Doctor Who TV. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  51. ↑ "Doctor Who News: Doctor Who - The Ten Christmas Specials". Doctor Who News. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  52. ↑ Silva Screen Music. "Doctor Who - The Day Of The Doctor/ The Time Of The Doctor - Original Television Soundtrack". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.