The “day of The Doctor” is here as the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the longest running science fiction series on TV. Dr. Who is right up there with the James Bond films for sheer tenacity, the Time Lord almost matching British secret agent 007.
Tonight the episode airs in which multiple generations of Dr. Who actors appear on screen for something big. David Tennant trades chops with current Time Lord Matt Smith as we prepare for the coming of the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi. Even Google is in on the fun, showing an eight-bit style Google Doodle of the Doctors we’ve seen so far, not including a handful of one-time stand-ins who were considered non-canon.
It was on this day, November 23, in 1963, that the very first episode aired. The title was “An Unearthly Child,” and it kicked off a phenomenon which would not die, only regenerate. The pilot episode of Dr. Who is to this day considered the best ever made, and considering the show is still going strong, it must have been incredible.
“The Day of The Doctor” airs tonight, and Dr. Who head Steven Moffat says it’s the most ambitious episode he’s ever worked on, “This event means it is a worldwide show not simply a British phenomenon .” The 75 minute special, which will even be shown theatrically in some locations, is one that Steven Moffat says will end with an emotional whallop. He expects fans to be cheering by the end.
The Dr. Who 50th anniversary episode will also see John Hurt ‘s Doctor, who was introduced in the episode “The Name of The Doctor,” as well as the mechanical menace of the daleks. Making an unexpected return are the Zygons, shapeshifters introduced in 1975. Guest stars will include Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart and Joanna Page as Elizabeth I.
In preparation for “The Day of The Doctor,” a three day official Dr. Who 50th anniversary celebration began on Friday at London’s ExCel. The event included appearances from actors of every era of the show, and a question and answer session with Matt Smith. The event has certainly added an extra sense of dimension to the show which airs tonight on BBC One.
Doctor Who Newsflash: On The Day of the Doctor, Anchorman’s Ron Burgundy seems to have no idea who Peter Capaldi is: http://t.co/ojVqY583w7
— IGN UK (@IGNUK) November 23, 2013
Arguably bigger than Star Trek , Dr. Who has generated much anticipation over its mysteries through the years. Considering “The Day of The Doctor” is expected to be one of the biggest episodes the show has seen in decades, there is a lot of pressure on the Dr. Who 50th anniversary special to measure up.
Are you planning to catch “The Day of The Doctor”?