The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is just a few days away now, and the BBC is of course pulling out all the stops (and turning several handles, bashing a bit of the console with a hammer and consulting a screen) to make sure we A) all know it and B) get excited. With special episode The Day Of The Doctor set to air on the anniversary itself, November 23, the now-standard mini-episode prequel is online and it’s a doozy.
The Day Of The Doctor will see Matt Smith’s Eleventh incarnation meeting David Tennant’s popular Tenth and the mysterious version of our favourite Time Lord, played by John Hurt as was introduced in The Name Of The Doctor. We’ll finally get to explore what really happened with the Time War, the clash between Gallifrey’s people and the Daleks that caused the darkest period in the Doctor’s history, and one he’s not eager to revisit.
As for what happens in this short, The Night Of The Doctor? You’ll have to watch to find out - and then re-assess elements of the previous paragraph in that light. Meanwhile, you can watch one of the trailers for The Day Of The Doctor below and another right here. And don't forget there's a look at the drama about the creation of Doctor Who, An Adventure In Space And Time, in the latest **Empire. Find it in shops and in digital versions now...