I’ve just watched The Night of The Doctor, a special Doctor Who mini-episode that just went up last night.

And by “just watched,” I mean that I just watched it five times.  Go ahead and watch it four or five times yourself.  Its okay, I’ll wait.

 

****SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT WHOWHATWHENWHEREWHYHOW SPOILER ALERT****

 

What I have here are eight thoughts about this awesome episode.  Why eight in particular?  Well, let’s start it off by answering THAT question…

 

ONE

Paul McGann.  The dude was the Eighth Doctor in the TV movie that, let’s just say, a lot of selective amnesia has been tossed on that creation.  But one thing that can be agreed upon was that Paul McGann was awesome as the Doctor.  By sheer Extended Universe, he’s had more adventures via books, comic books, and audio adventures.  But he hasn’t been on screen as The Doctor since the movie.  Til now.  And holy crap, he must have felt he had something to prove.  Because he was owning The Doctor.  Not one beat was skipped, not one moment felt like he wasn’t The Doctor.  If anything, I want to see some more of McGann’s Doctor!  Maybe some other mini-episodes…?

TWO

The TARDIS is starting to show her mileage.  Worn down.  Much like The Doctor himself.  Even as nice as his clothes are (which are a great step up from his overly dandy look in the TV movie), they look rough around the corners.  But what’s amazing about this episode is that for the first time ever, a possible companion looks at the TARDIS in fear and disgust.  She knew what it is, and it doesn’t signify freedom and adventure like we see it.  She sees all the war and misery it symbolizes.

THREE

The Doctor  points out that he’s not part of the war.  The war he must be talking about is The Time War.  The huge war between the Time Lords and the Daleks.  Its not a stretch to assume that Cass is fighting in that war.  Perhaps her Gunship was damaged in the Time War.

FOUR

Cass’ reaction to realizing that The Doctor is a Time Lord was the same as seeing a Dalek.  She even states that there’s no difference between Time Lords and Daleks.  It makes me wonder just what crimes against life that the Time Lords have committed in their search for victory?  Back in The End of Time, the 10th Doctor even insinuated that the Time Lords had been corrupted by the war.  Twisted into a force nearly as evil as the Daleks.

FIVE

Before the Doctor regenerates, he says all the names of the past companions alive and dead.  All the innocence and life he’s had to witness disappear.  With Cass being the latest victim.

SIX

The Doctor went down with the ship.  Think about that.  He didn’t get into the TARDIS.  He died with Cass (until he’s resurrected later, but he didn’t know about the Sisterhood of Karn at the time).  This implies how suicidal and beaten down the 8th Doctor is, when he would rather choose death than be involved with the Time War.  What horrors has this Doctor seen?  Plus, he’s traveling without a companion, which we all know is bad for the Doctor’s health.

SEVEN

The Doctor commits suicide.  At least by choosing to become something OTHER than the Doctor.  The “War Doctor” in the credits, though he says exactly what his new name is:  The Warrior.  It stands against everything he is, but he has no choice.

EIGHT

Oh so, after years of mystery and wondering, we see the 8th Doctor regenerate into… NOT the 9th Doctor!

Nope, not Christopher Eccleston!  John Hurt, actually!  And a young one at that.  Not the older one we see in the 50th trailer.

So that leads into a surprise NINTH thought!

NINE

So by the time of the 50th Special, The Warrior would have went from being THIS young:

To being THIS much older:

So how long did The Warrior fight in the Time War?  Remember, by the FIRST Doctor, he was already 900 years old.  How long is a lifespan of a regeneration for a Time Lord?  As The Doctor, he’s over a 1000 years old.  So if doesn’t even include The Warrior’s life span… could the Time War have been another 800 or 900 years?  That… is a long damn time to fight a war.  No wonder he wants to forget.

So.

Yeah, I loved this mini-ep.  I absolutely loved it.  It wasn’t only incredibly written, but it brings about so many new implications and questions.  Steven Moffat knocked it out of the park.  And Paul McGann made me wish desperately for a season of him as the Doctor.  And how long is The Night of The Doctor?  6 minutes and 49 seconds.  That’s all.  How the hell can something that short knock me on my ass like this?  God I love this show!