Doctor Who 50th Anniversary: The Night of the Doctor Review
- doctorbrick
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 7
What did you think of this minisode?
Sonic!
Good!
Bumpy-wumpy!
Exterminate!
The Night of the Doctor is a brief but thrilling gem that packs a surprising amount into just under seven minutes of Doctor Who delight. It was a genuine thrill to see Paul McGann return as the Eighth Doctor for the 50th anniversary - an overdue acknowledgment of his place in Doctor Who canon beyond the TV movie. For fans of the classic era, this must have been a massive moment, finally tying McGann's Doctor into the wider continuity of the Time War and bridging the gap between the classic and modern eras.
My classic Who knowledge is not what it should be, I am of the age where I caught the very end of Sylvester McCoy, then that was my lot. One day I will revisit as much classic Who as I possibly can, one day. I love watching Seskasays reviews of the current series, and it surprised me how far along she was on her watch of classic episodes. I am sure she hadn't started that long ago and she was on a Colin Baker episode last time I looked, so it is a doable mission.
I wasn't sure who the Sisterhood of Karn were, but I still loved how they persuaded the Doctor to go full on beast mode - or should that be warrior mode. It was quite understated, but it was devastating to see such a fun Doctor reject his identity and turn to war.
I do have one nit-pick, some of the dialogue was rattled off so quickly I found it hard to catch everything that was said. Maybe I am just slow, or my hearing is rubbish, or both.
But even with that, I loved this as a lead up to the main event. What a thrilling time to be a Whovian it was. Good times!
McGann’s regeneration into the War Doctor is a pivotal moment in Doctor Who history, and the minisode manages to make it feel meaningful despite its short runtime.
Overall, Night of the Doctor is a gift to long-time fans and a fitting, emotional lead-in to The Day of the Doctor. Seeing Paul McGann back in action - even briefly - was a joy.
This was just one of many Doctor Who things going on in 2013. Can you remember what else?
I would love to know your thoughts on this minisode? Did you enjoy it as a fan who had lived through the TV Movie? Did you enjoy it as a fan of modern Who? Let me know in the comments below.
RATING: Good!
BEST LINE: "I'm a doctor. But probably not the one you're expecting."
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