top of page

240) THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR

23 November 2013

Viewing Figure: 12.8M

Plot

The Doctor is forced to re-live the worst day of his life along with two of his previous incarnations

Cast

Matt Smith (The Doctor), David Tennant (The Doctor), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara), Billie Piper (Rose), John Hurt (The Doctor)

Christopher Eccleston, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton

William Hartnell (The Doctor), Tristan Beint (Tom), Jemma Redgrave (Kate Stewart), Ingrid Oliver (Osgood), Chris Finch (Time Lord Soldier)

Peter De Jersey (Androgar), Ken Bones (The General), Philip Buck (Arcadia Father), Sophie Morgan-Price (Time Lord), Joanna Page (Elizabeth I)

Orlando James (Lord Bentham), Jonjo O'Neill (McGillop), Tom Keller (Atkins), Aidan Cook (Zygon), Paul Kasey (Zygon)

Nicholas Briggs (Voice of the Daleks/Zygons), Barnaby Edwards (Dalek 1), Nicholas Pegg (Dalek 2), John Guilor (Voice Over Artist)

​

Uncredited Cast

Jon Davey (Zygon), Jon Davey, Jeremy Harvey, Matt Doman, Claudio Laurini (Daleks)

Chester Durrant, Allan Gill, Benjamin Holmes, Darren Swain (Time Lord Soldiers), Dale Henry, Nick Dunwell, Angus Brown

Louise Bowen, Rosie Douglas (Time Lords), Michael Gleeson, Ian Hilditch, Michael Houghton, Darryl Matthews (Chancellery Guards)

Jeremy Harvey, Steffan Alun, Simon Challis, Steve Coussens, Shelby Williams, Harry Burt, Adam Davies-Sheeham

Timothy Depaul (Bentham's Men), Clive Haffner (Max the Jailer), Jon Davey, Marcus Elliott, Justin Beaver, Steven Lathwell (Shrouded Statues)

Phil Dixon (Priest)

Crew

Steven Moffat (Writer), Nick Hurran (Director), Marcus Wilson (Producer) 

Crispin Layfield, Gordon Seed, Jo McLaren (Stunt Coordinators), Annabel Canaven, Tracey Caudle, Dani Biernat, Rob Hunt

Ian Van Temperley, David Newton, Cristian Knight, Kim McGarrity (Stunt Performers), Fay Selby (First Assistant Director)

Heddi-Joy Taylor-Welch (Second Assistant Director), Marie Devautour (Third Assistant Director)

Gareth Jones, Louisa Cavell (Assistant Directors), Ian William Geroge (Utility Stand In), Iwan Roberts (Location Manager)

Nick Clark (Unit Manager), Phillipa Cole (Production Manager), Gabriella Ricci (Production Coordinator)

Sandra Cosfield (Assistant Production Coordinator), Rachael Vipond (Production Secretary), Katie Player (Production Assistant)

Bethan Griffiths (Assistant Accountant), Steve Walker (Script Supervisor), Joe Russell (Camera Operator)

James Scott, Julius Ogden (Focus Pullers), Gary Norman (Grip), Meg de Koning, Chris Thompson, Cai Thompson (Camera Assistants)

Owen Charnley (Assistant Grip), Jay Patel (Stereo DIT), Adam Sculthorp (Stereo Supervisor)

John Perry, Donald Eke (Stereo Rig Techs), Tom Shoring, Christopher Goding (Sound Maintenance Engineers), Scott Napier (Gaffer)

Colin Price (Best Boy), Jordan Brown, Gareth Crean, James Foy, Billy Horan, Thomas Rhodri Moses, Andrew Williams (Electricians)

Jon Towler (Board Operator), Paul Spriggs (Supervising Art Director), Jim McCallum (Standby Art Director) 

Adrian Anscombe (Set Decorator), Sarah Frere (Production Buyers), Helen O'Leary (Petty Cash Buyer)

Richard Hardy (Assistant Art Director), Kartik Nagar (Draughtsperson), Paul Smith (Props Master), Ian Griffin (Prop Chargehand) 

Liam Collins, Ian Davies (Prophands), Ian Griffin, Mike Elkins, Jamie Farrell (Set Dressers), Jamie Southcott (Storeman)

Chris Lees (Graphic Designer), Christina Tom (Graphic Artist), Tim Jones (Standby Carpenter), Bryan Griffiths (Standby Rigger)

Christian Davies (Practical Electrician), Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas (Props Makers), Gareth Fox (Prop Driver)

Terry Harle (Construction Manager), Dean Tucker (Construction Chargehand), Clive Clarke (Scenic Artist)

Carly Griffith (Assistant Costume Designer), Clare Lynch (Costume Supervisor)

Katarina Cappallazzi, Gemma Evans, Lauren Kilcar (Costume Assistants), Steve Williams (Make-Up Supervisor)

Kathryn Newsome, Jenny Jones, Clare Golds (Make-Up Artists), Alice Purser (Casting Associate), Katrina Aust (Assistant Editor)

Joel Skinner (VFX Editor), Blue Bolt, Jellyfish (Additional VFX), Samantha Price (Post Production Co-ordinator)

David Wigram (Stero 3D Consultant), Tim Ricketts (Dubbing Mixer), Matthew Cox (ADR Editor), Darran Clements (Dialogue Editor)

Paul Jefferies (Sound Effects Editor), Jamie Talbutt (Foley Editor), Geraint Pari Huws (Online Editor), Mick Vincent (Colourist)

Daleks created by Terry NationZygons created by Robert Banks SmithThe Cybermen created by Kit Pedler & Gerry Davis

with thanks to The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted and orchestrated by Ben Fostermixed by Jake Jackson

recorded by Gerry O'Riordanoriginal theme arranged by Delia Derbushire

Ron Grainer (Original Theme Music), Andy Pryor CDG (Casting Director), Julie Scott (Production Executive)

Richard Cookson (Script Editor), Nerys Davies (Post Production Supervisor), Jeff Dunn (Production Accountant)

Deian Llyr Humphreys (Sound Recordist), Howard Burden (Costume Designer), Lin Davie (Make-Up Designer)

Murray Gold (Music), Mile, BBC Wales Visual Effects (Visual Effects), Real SFX (Special Effects), The Model Unit (Miniature Effects)

Millennium FX (Prosthetics), Liana Del Guidice (Editor), Michael Pickwoad (Production Designer)

Neville Kidd (Director of Photography), Des Hughes (Line Producer), Steven Moffat, Faith Penhale (Executive Producers)  

​

Uncredited Crew

Charlie Elliott, Lily Novak, George Batchelor, Tabitha Fordham (Assistant Directors), Ed Moore (Camera Operator), Kim Seber (Focus Puller)

Pete Nash (Grip), Kriss Dallimore (Camera Assistants), Andrew Dodd (Electrician), Sam Randels, Amber Shorrock (Make-Up Artists)

Ed Moore, Pete Tyler (Director of Photography)

Broadcast

Filming Locations

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 4

  • Ivy Tower, Gelli Deg Farm, Tonna

  • Gelligear Common Road, Bedlinog

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 2

  • MOD St Athan, St Athan, Barry

  • Tower of London, London

  • Tower Bridge, London

  • Trafalgar Square, London

  • Caerwent Training Camp, Caerwent

  • BBC Roath Lock Studios: Studio 3

  • National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff

  • Doctor Who Experience, Cardiff Bay

  • Chepstow Castle, Chepstow, Monmouthshire

  • Butetown Tunnel, A4232, Cardiff

  • Gladstone Primary School, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff

  • Park Davies, Mamhilad Park Estate, Pontypool 

Deaths

​

  • [death fails to follow The Doctor this time]

    • all 'deaths' happened in the past

Production Days

  • 33 Days between Thursday 28 March - Thursday 3 October 2013

Production Errors

  1. During the wedding scene between Elizabeth and The Doctor, his collar is up one in one shot, and down the next

  2. During a close-up of the Space-Time Telegraph refers to the Brigadeir's late name as 'Left-Bridge' Stewart

  3. Towards the end of the special, in the scene with the three Doctors in the museum, the Tenth Doctor's Tardis door is open. In the next shot, the door is closed

  4. During the last scene, where the Eleventh Doctor walks out of the Tardis to join the other incarnations, the door handles to the Tardis have been removed 

  5. During the shot where the three Doctor point their sonic screwdrivers up into the air, the War Doctor's arm is pointing upwards. In the next shot, his arm is pointing at about 90 degrees 

  6. When the Eleventh Doctor says 'we're going to freeze Gallifrey' to the War Council, Matt Smith's script is on the Tardis console 

  7. The end credits clearly states that Billie Piper played Rose Tyler, when it is clear that she is playing the Moment

​​

Working Titles

  • [no known working titles]

Verdict

An anniversary special finally worth the wait. 'The Day of the Doctor' ties the last fifty years even if the lack of the classic Doctor Who actors were not invited back for this very special event. The plot finally gives us what has been building up for the last eight years, the return of Gallifrey to its full glory. The resolution seems weak, with The Doctors all coming together to move Gallifrey to another point in space. Many old clichés are revisited, the polarity of neutron flow, the sonic screwdriver getting The Doctor out of trouble, UNIT (not at their best) and shape changing aliens, the Zygons. The Zygon do not really fit well here they only appeared in 80 and have never been seen since. It is however a breath of fresh air that the production team used a classic Who villain rather than a new Who villain. The Daleks are incorporated quite naturally. The reveal of the saved Gallifrey is not surprising, the production team would never do something as low grade as fool The Doctor that he actually saved it. The conventional backward hidden joke ‘No More’ and ‘Gallifrey Falls’ only works because the two titles are always uttered in that order. Even the intelligent Doctor would figure that one out in a second, he can speak thousands of languages, has an incredible knowledge of science and the Universe and history but he can’t see a hit-you-in-the-face answer. The whole production is big and money is well spent and the cast are having a ball and finally answers why Elizabeth I was angry with The Doctor in The Shakespeare Code. ****​

76) THE ARK IN SPACE

Number of Production Days: 5

bottom of page