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The Night of the Doctor was a mini episode released just prior to the 50th anniversary special. It starred Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, in his first on-screen appearance since the 1996 tele-movie. It also featured his regeneration — meaning that McGann has uniquely appeared on television only in regeneration stories.
It was uploaded to the BBC's iplayer and YouTube channel on 14 November 2013, which was also Paul McGann's 54th birthday.
Synopsis
Still trying to skirt around the edges of the Last Great Time War, the Eighth Doctor is forced to fully join the conflict by the mysterious Sisterhood of Karn. Killed while trying to save a woman who hates him for simply being a Time Lord, the Doctor gets to choose what his next incarnation will be like. He opts for a warrior...
Plot
Cass is piloting a damaged spaceship on the verge of crashing. The ship's computer offers to call for a "doctor" upon being asked for support, but Cass responds that she doesn't need one because she's not injured. Behind her ship, the Doctor's TARDIS is seen closing in on it. Inside, Cass continues to tell the ship that she is trying to send a distress call, and doesn't need a doctor. Suddenly, the Eighth Doctor appears, stating that he is a doctor, but probably not the one she was expecting. The Doctor notices that the ship's crew is missing and wonders why Cass is still aboard. She explains that she teleported the crew off the ship and stayed behind. The Doctor then offers to take her away and make her his companion. She accepts and they head for his TARDIS. As the Doctor is trying to open the doors to the room where the TARDIS is parked, Cass says she joined the crew to see the universe. She wonders if it is always like this. He finally opens the doors with his sonic screwdriver. Seeing the TARDIS, the Doctor reassures Cass that it's bigger on the inside. Cass is horrified, and correctly identifies it to be a TARDIS. She realises that the Doctor is a Time Lord, a species taking part in the Time War. The Doctor counters that he hasn't participated in the conflict, but this fails to assuage Cass. When he points out that at least he's not a Dalek, she replies that one can hardly tell the difference anymore. Cass then locks the doors with the Doctor inside and her on the outside. The Doctor states that he won't leave the ship without her, but Cass replies that she doesn't mind; she would rather die than travel with a Time Lord.
The ship crashes on the planet Karn, where the Sisterhood of Karn have been expecting the Doctor. Finding his dead body in the wreckage, they bring him back to life using the Elixir of Life, albeit briefly. As he regains consciousness, the woman named Ohila tells him he has four minutes to live. Her cult has several potions which can begin a Time Lord's regeneration process. They say they have perfected Time Lord science, and the potions will allow him to determine what his new incarnation will be like. The Doctor soon comes to recognise the Cult as the Sisterhood of Karn, which they confirm. They tell the Doctor he is the only hope to stop the Time War, stating that all of reality is at threat. The Doctor resists the idea of fighting. They state that since he is a doctor, he should attend his patient. They bring in Cass, who appears to have died from the crash. They say she is beyond even their healing powers. The Doctor grieves that she wanted to see the universe. Ohila claims that she didn't miss much. She tells him that he is part of the Time War already, like it or not. He says he would rather die than join the Time War, to which Ohila brings up that he is already dead. Many more could die if he does not become part of the war.
Succumbing to their persuasion, the Doctor takes hold of a bandolier he took from Cass. He tells them to, "Make me a warrior now". Ohila offers one of the drinks which she developed herself. The Doctor takes it, and yells at them all to get out. As they leave, he asks if it will hurt. Ohila simply replies "Yes." The Doctor is glad. He salutes his eighth incarnation's companions and friends, and apologises to Cass. He drinks the potion and begins to regenerate. After the process appears to complete, Ohila wonders if it works. A figure gets to his feet, removes Cass' bandolier, and buckles it on, as if girding himself for battle.
As the words "Doctor no more" are heard, in a reflection we see a younger version of the person the Eleventh Doctor and Clara Oswald encountered in the Doctor's timeline on Trenzalore.
Cast
Crew
References
Story notes
- The Eighth Doctor's costume here, designed by Howard Burden, is unique and is based on the Doctor's costume from the TV Movie.[1] There's no reason to believe that Burden did anything other than simply re-design the costume. Nevertheless, the costume is highly reminiscent of the character's appearances in Doctor Who Magazine comics, where his costume was slightly different almost every story. Perhaps the closest matches are found in Doctor Who and the Nightmare Game, where the combination of coat and open-neccked light shirt are prominent, and Uroboros, with its vest, tan pants and open-collared light shirt. Although the leather riding boots are an apparent innovation of this short, they, too, have precedent in the pages of DWM: Bad Blood had him in the Wild West wearing quite similar boots. The costume is notably dissimilar to that seen on the covers of Big Finish's Dark Eyes series, although it doesn't obviously contradict the brief description of that costume given within the narrative of the audio.
- The Doctor mentions his companions Charley, C'rizz, Lucie, Tamsin and Molly, all from Big Finish audio productions. It was the first time that the television series directly referenced Big Finish characters.
- The BBC initially promoted this episode with the teaser that the audience would be shown either the Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor, or the new unspecified incarnation. While this was indeed true, as it did feature the unspecified incarnation, it was a red herring to hide the surprise return of Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, and to lead into the secondary reveal of the "John Hurt Doctor", called "the War Doctor" by the credits.
- The only appearance of John Hurt's Doctor is in the form of a reflection using archive footage of a younger John Hurt.
- This story introduces the idea that the Time Lords had become collectively hated during the Time War by the individuals who had suffered from their actions. The Doctor's conflict with his own people over the issue is also made apparent.
- The phrase "no more" appeared in the 50th anniversary #SaveTheDay trailer, scrawled onto a girder. The meaning of the phrase was obscure prior to the release of this short, which gave some context for the words in its closing seconds.
Production errors
- The St John's Ambulance logo is visible on the SFX shot of the TARDIS as it chases after Cass' ship, but isn't there when the practical TARDIS prop is seen.
Continuity
- The Eighth Doctor's last visit to Karn was in AUDIO: The Vengeance of Morbius.
- Since making his decision about the war in PROSE: Museum Peace, the Doctor has decided not to fight but help out where he can.
- The Sisterhood of Karn last appeared onscreen in the Fourth Doctor story TV: The Brain of Morbius.
- Cass' bandolier is presumably the one that John Hurt's character is wearing in The Name of the Doctor.
Footnotes
- ↑ Stephen Moffat on The Night of the Doctor. BBC Doctor Who website (14 November 2013). Retrieved on 15 November 2013.
