The Time of the Doctor

"Speak your name and this world will burn."

Writer: Steven Moffat

Format: TV

Broadcast: 25 December 2013

Series: 2013 Christmas Special 

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Clara

Synopsis

Orbiting a quiet backwater planet, the massed forces of the universe's deadliest species gather, drawn to a mysterious message that echoes out to the stars. The Doctor must learn what this signal means for how own fate, and that of the universe.

Verdict

The Time of the Doctor was a superb episode to see out the Eleventh Doctor era! The extended Series 7 era concludes here with an incredible follow up to one of the all time best stories ever in The Day of the Doctor for the fiftieth anniversary. I bet it must have been tempting to do the Eleventh Doctor regeneration in that story somehow, but I think it's right that we get a proper way for him to shine alone one final time. Matt Smith is simply sensational and I think still remains my favourite incarnation of the Doctor, so to have him bow out here is tremendous. He absolutely shines. We start with the comedy of the holographic clothes and the bald head, before we get seriously flirty with Tasha Lem and then the seriousness of growing old. All bases really do get covered here. I would absolutely love for Tasha Lem to meet River Song as that would just be something spectacular, but what we got here was still fantastic considering the viewer had never encountered her before. The chemistry she shares with the Doctor is brilliant, so to see her become a Dalek puppet and fight it was quite the shock! I think Clara does tremendously well in the episode considering all of the focus is rightly on the Doctor, and the Christmas theme is just about done right. It doesn't overshadow the episode but is there as it should be considering the broadcast date of the episode. I think following up on what happened in The Name of the Doctor is the right move in having the Doctor on Trenzalore and seemingly aging to death. The continuity with The Deadly Assassin is strong in setting out that there is a limit on the number of regenerations, and whilst the surprise of the War Doctor obviously moves him along one, I'm still not convinced that the Meta-Crisis Doctor from Journey's End should count. I appreciate the story being told though and with the Fugitive Doctor now also established, who knows where things are number wise! I love the idea of the Doctor defending the town of Christmas and the potential return of Gallifrey isn't as exciting as you would expect for the Doctor. After everything each of his incarnations did to save it in the previous episode, the prospect of a Time Lord return wasn't something numerous other species wanted. There would be a whole new war waiting for them. The threats on Trenzalore came aplenty as they sought to ensure the crack was closed, with the wooden Cyberman an absolute highlight. It looked glorious and the use of the sonic not working on wood to actually defeat it was sensational. You also can't go wrong with Weeping Angels in the snow. I think the explanation of the Kovarian chapter breaking away for the events we saw between The Impossible Astronaut and The Wedding of River Song was magnificent and the way the Eleventh Doctor's entire era was tied together here with the origin of the Silence and their purpose along with the crack and even seeing that this was contained in the Doctor's room in The God Complex was just perfect. It's incredible that this was all planned and came together. The Daleks being the ones that were due to revel in the Doctor's death once and for all was fitting, but Clara's appeal to the Time Lords to the Doctor was done very nicely. A whole new regeneration cycle sent them packing. I thought the tease that we wouldn't actually see the Doctor regenerate was good and I would have been fine with that trail of clothes leading to Peter Capaldi, but alas it was back to the Matt Smith we knew. I don't like that reset as it undersells the rest of the episode for me, but I understand why it was done to give the Eleventh Doctor that final moment to shine as we know him. Handles was gone and having reminded him about the phone, I think it's great that Clara puts the phone back knowing what happens in the next episode. The regeneration happens too quickly and suddenly but I guess that can be sold by the new regeneration cycle bedding in. It's great though that we get to see Amy wish her raggedy man goodnight and that sparked my girlfriend into tears alongside me even though we have watched this episode together before prior to my reading of Tales of Trenzalore whilst we were in university. It's a shame we don't get to see the true actress of young Amelia, but the moment is great and I think the whole TARDIS sequence for the regeneration is wonderful. Overall, a fitting finale for the favourite Doctor. 

Rating: 10/10