Steven Moffat has just released a prequel mini-episode to the 50th anniversary Doctor Who special that will be broadcast later this month.
It’s titled The Night of the Doctor.
WOW!
Mini-episodes like this are often interesting and/or amusing, but they are rarely must-see.
This one is different. For any long-term Doctor Who fan, this one is must see!
We already know, from things that have been revealed by the publicity, that the 50th anniversary special will deal with the Time War that took place between the original Doctor Who series and the new series that started in 2005.
There are many unanswered questions about the Time War and the Doctor’s role in it, such as which of his incarnations participated n it and how some of his regenerations happened.
I don’t want to spoil what happens in the mini-episode, but long-time fans of the series really should watch it. We get some questions answered. We even get to see one thing that I never thought’d we’d see.
(One note: If you have not seen the conclusion to season 7 and don’t want to be spoiled on the final reveal in The Name of the Doctor, wait to watch the mini-episode.)
Here we go . . .
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.
NOTE FOR THOSE WHO WONDER WHAT THE FUSS IS ABOUT . . .
SPOILER SPACE.
After the original Doctor Who series ended, there was an attempt to get a new one started in the 1990s. They did a pilot movie, but it didn’t lead to a series.
That pilot movie was the first and only appearance on video of actor Paul McGann as the 8th incarnation of the Doctor.
We saw the 7th Doctor regenerate into McGann, but we never saw McGann’s regeneration or knew his role in the Time War.
This mini-episode has McGann as the 8th Doctor, meaning it is only the second time he has appeared on film as the Doctor. It also reveals that the 8th Doctor was active during part of the Time War but was not the incarnation who ended it.
We also get to see McGann’s regeneration into John Hurt–McGann’s regeneration being something many fans (including myself) never expected to see on film.
Awesome!
HERE’S AN INTERVIEW WITH MOFFAT ABOUT THE NIGHT OF THE DOCTOR.
Jimmy,
I hope you do a review of The Day of the Doctor soon. I enjoyed your past reviews of shows such as Battlestar and the episodes of Doctor Who for two (or three) seasons ago.