ConStar Watches Doctor Who "The Day of the Doctor"
That’s me celebrating a new episode of Doctor Who with my starry headband, star/crescent earrings, my TARDIS necklace and my sonic screwdriver. I’ve loved Doctor who for a few years now and I RUSHED home from work to watch it (turned the TV on just in the nick of time).
I haven’t watched any Classic Who, so some of the–I’m sure, wonderful–references were lost on me, but I got a lot just from being on Tumblr. I love Matt, but I’ve really missed David as the Doctor and it was great seeing him slip seamlessly back into the role. Watching his scenes, I was never like “oh, he’s rusty” or did I even remember he wasn’t the Doctor for the last three years. I was sad his hair was so sad though. I wish they’d spiked it up a bit. John Hurt did throw me as the Doctor, only because he is meant to. But he eased into it too, even getting into the catchphrase game they love to play by the end. I SQUEALED when Peter Capaldi’s eyebrows showed up at the end too. Some really great moments.
Some plot questions/notes/theories/thoughts:
-So this is during Ten’s 2009 specials farewell tour (and happens to be during Eleven’s as well, since he is concerned with his trip to Trenzalore). This could explain the hair. lol
-Loved the Elizabeth the 1st call back and the fact that she’s mad at him in The Shakespeare Code (and the 2009 Specials reference to him and her being together).
-I really, really missed Nine in this episode a lot. You can’t just go from War Doctor (and even get Paul McGann to play Eight again) to Ten and not have Nine! I really was disappointed he wasn’t there. But I suppose there are a myriad of reasons he wasn’t in it. I would say popularity but Eight had one movie, so it’s not like he’s super high on the list either (not to get in a battle about Doctor rankings–you know what I mean).
-So they changed history, Gallifrey is safe. Though I’m pretty sure the Time War was always Time Locked so either way, the War Doctor kind of never did it? The original plan, the one Nine, Ten, and Eleven thought was carried out, was to freeze the War out of Time and Space of it doesn’t affect anyone else, yes? But now, they’ve moved the planet and let the Daleks kill themselves and Gallifrey is off in some pocket universe, waiting to be found. I dont know how I feel about what this means for the angst that Doctor felt all this time. I suppose since he forgets, WD, Nine, etc assume they did the horrible deed until The Curator [Tom Baker (!!!)] tells him otherwise.
-This explains how Daleks exist at all (though other Time Lords don’t) even though we thought they all died in the war. Some escaped–not from the freezing as we originally thought, but because they can’t all kill themselves.
-I like what this means for the direction of the show and for Capaldi’s entrance. There is a new mission, rather than just impending doom (there has been impending doom on the Doctor’s life since season 6 I guess–season 5 yes, but the gloominess of the show for me has been since 6). I look forward to Twelve looking for Gallifrey and then we’d be able to meet Time Lords (perhaps even some Classic ones that they talk about on tumblr lol)! Let’s find Gallifrey!
-I am glad there was a Classic Doctor appearance in this episode. I wonder why only Tom Baker, but McGann got the minisode, Davison got a multidoctor minisode special a few years back, and who am I missing? Again, I wish Eccleston had been involved some how, but who knows the reasons why not… Or why no Colin Baker or Sylvester McCoy. It indeed might have been too much, but some more minisodes might have been nice. =/
-I’m still underwhelmed by Clara as a companion. I suppose she’s the same idea as Rose, really; kind of the end all be all companion, but I dunno… So I wish there’d been room for other companions, but again, that would’ve been too much.
-All in all, I enjoyed the special. I’m sure people will be even more nitpicky than I am, but for the time given and the amount of things they already had to cram in (much less the things all the fans wanted to see), I think they did a great job. There were great moments of showing all the previous doctors, hidden companion clues, and three TARDISes! I wonder if they spoke to each other about their Doctor lol.
-I am ever so pleased BBC/BBC America simulcast it across the world. Even when you’re sitting alone in your room, it’s fun knowing millions of other people are doing the same thing you are.
Until the (assuredly heartwrenching) Christmas Special. (I really don’t want to think about Matt leaving. This will be my first live-regeneration (as I began watching the show from “Rose” after Matt’s tenure had begun). I’m not ready!
11/23/2013 @ 10:28 PM
Nice write up, though I’ve gotta ask… b/c now it’s just bugging me… do we now call 11, 12? and is Capaldi now 13? And 10… 10 is my favorite… I don’t think i can call him 11!!! Perhaps this is just my personal quandary but has anyone else thought about that??
11/23/2013 @ 11:11 PM
I feel like (and hope) the show will continue with the current naming pattern. My internal theory is that when they told him “you are now the doctor” they meant it, but War Doctor and Ten will now forget that adventure happened. So Ten is still Ten, Eleven still Eleven, Twelve will be Twelve, because they’ve forgotten that WD is absolved. That’s my take anyway. But Im pretty sure we’re going with Capaldi as Twelve. It just makes it easier lol
Thanks so much for reading! =)