History Recap / DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor

The 50[[superscript:th]] anniversary special of ''Series/DoctorWho'', featuring Creator/MattSmith, the return of Creator/DavidTennant as the Tenth Doctor and Sir Creator/JohnHurt as the Doctor's [[Recap/DoctorWhoS33E13TheNameOfTheDoctor greatest secret]], the War Doctor. This is the first proper MilestoneCelebration story for the show since "[[Recap/DoctorWho30thASDimensionsInTime Dimensions in Time]]" 20 years prior, the first ''canonical'' one since "[[Recap/DoctorWho20thASTheFiveDoctors The Five Doctors]]" a decade before that, and full-length multi-Doctor episode to be released since the show was revived. It is also the fifth televised multi-Doctor story, after "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E1TheThreeDoctors The Three Doctors]]", "The Five Doctors", "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E4TheTwoDoctors The Two Doctors]]" and minisode "[[Recap/DoctorWho2007CiNSTimeCrash Time Crash]]" (it's the sixth multi-Doctor special [[CanonDiscontinuity if you count]] "Dimensions in Time"). It was written by Creator/StevenMoffat.

* RobotClown: Eleven finds one and repairs it with River. Their purpose is to act as therapists to children and edit their unpleasant memories.

** The War Doctor's sonic screwdriver is based on the original model used by the Second Doctor in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS5E6FuryFromTheDeep Fury from the Deep]]".

** The TARDIS jumps through Nine/Ten's, the War Doctor's and Eleven's "desktop themes", referencing her collection of them in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E4TheDoctorsWife The Doctor's Wife]]".

* CruelMercy: The Moment warns the Doctor that it will punish him if he uses it to end the Time War. The War Doctor reassures it that he's accepted that and doesn't mind if he dies along with the others.

--->'''Elizabeth I:''' How dare you? I'm the queen of England.
--->'''Tenth Doctor:''' [[FakeBrit I'm not English.]]

'''Eleventh Doctor:''' ''[imitating the Tenth]'' Oh, it's cool, isn't it cool? I'm the Doctor and I'm all cool -- Oops, I'm wearing sand shoes!

* PassingTheTorch: When the Curator gives the Eleventh Doctor his mission to go and find Gallifrey. Also on a meta level, the Curator, whilst chuckling with Eleven over the fact they are (maybe) the same person, [[HeartwarmingMoments shakes his hand and congratulates him, which Eleven thanks him for.]]

* PassingTheTorch: When the Curator gives the Eleventh Doctor his mission to go and find Gallifrey. Also on a meta level, the Curator, whilst chuckling with Eleven over the fact they are (maybe) the same person, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming shakes his hand and congratulates him, which Eleven thanks him for.]]

* PassingTheTorch: When the Curator gives the Eleventh Doctor his mission to go and find Gallifrey.

JustForFun/{{The one w|ith}}here [[Creator/MattSmith the Doctor]], [[Creator/DavidTennant the Doctor]], and [[Creator/JohnHurt the Doctor]] confuse the polarity (and just in time for [[MilestoneCelebration the big five-O]]).

* OutOfCharacterMoment: Averted. Moffat didn't use the Eighth Doctor as the Time War Doctor as he felt him destroying Gallifrey would be out of character. The War Doctor was used when Creator/ChristopherEccleston decided not to participate. Apparently, the Doctor being a warrior is really out of character, which is justified as the War Doctor was specifically meant as such. In fac,t he rejects the title of "Doctor" entirely, which is why he isn't counted in the numbering.

** The Moment's playful teasing of the War Doctor; mocking his frequent use of "No More" as being an attempt to have some gravitas, poking fun of his lifestyle and joking that his HeroComplex is something she'll remember if she ever develops an ego.

--->'''First Doctor Doctor:''' If you could [[http://www.bleedingcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/IMG_05611.png touch the alien sand and hear the cries of strange birds, and watch them wheel in another sky]], would that satisfy you?

* BarrierBustingBlow: The Zygon chasing Osgood smaskes an arm through the door to the Undergallery hidden behind the poertrait of Queen Elizabeth I: punching out Elizabeth's face in the process.

* BarrierBurstingBlow: The Zygon chasing Osgood smaskes an arm through the door to the Undergallery hidden behind the poertrait of Queen Elizabeth I: punching out Elizabeth's face in the process.