In this time of crisis and self-isolation, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the world could use a pick me up. What this world really needs, right now, is The Doctor! And fans are responding to that call by leading a worldwide simulcast of the 50th anniversary special “The Day of The Doctor”, which prompted former showrunner Steven Moffat to bring back an old fan favorite to introduce this occasion: Sontaran Commander Strax!
Watch this lo-fi intro, crafted with love, below:
Written by Moffat, and including the return of Strax’s actor Dan Starkey, as well as a vocal cameo by Madam Vastra herself, Neve McIntosh, this introduction was shared by Starkey himself through his Twitter feed. And just as you’d expect, the good Commander is as sharp as he’s always been.
Showing up in the form of a mass merchandised plushie, Commander Strax has returned to herald the return of “The Day Of The Doctor” in groundbreaking 2D. Considering the last time he introduced the special, it was in the theatrical presentation of the 3D version, this must have come as a bit of a shock to him.
However, nothing is more shocking than Strax’s knowledge of recent events. What with the inclusion of more Doctors into the Doctor Who canon, and The Master’s new transformation in the most recent season of the BBC’s long running sci-fi hit, there’s certainly a lot he’d need to have kept up with since his last appearance. That being said, his concept of gender is still a bit skewed, as he acknowledged The Master finally becoming a woman… after his recent battle with Sacha Dhawan’s incarnation.
This brand new opening to the 2013 feature length special that saw Matt Smith, David Tennant, and the late John Hurt putting their Sonic Screwdrivers together against the Zygons is a lovely gesture to those who are self-quarantining in the hopes of flattening the curve of the coronavirus pandemic.
Fans who are ready to revisit “The Day of The Doctor” in the comfort of their own home are going to have quite a fantastic experience throwing on this video in front of their viewings of this momentous occasion in Doctor Who history. However, there’s some good and bad news for fans who want to take part in this big socially distanced watch party.
The bad news is, the worldwide simulcast “The Day of The Doctor” is more of a do it yourself affair. Starting at 7 PM GMT/3 PM EST, everything’s already underway, so you’ve kind of missed the official start time. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t have your own experience in self-quarantine.
Which leads to the good news! In addition to this new video, we here at CinemaBlend have put together an extended viewing experience that will give you an even more complete picture of what “The Day of The Doctor” was like back in those sunny days of 2013! Follow these steps, and prepare to jump into adventure!
Step 1: Obtaining A Copy Of The Day Of The Doctor/Watch The New Intro
To start, you’re going to need a copy of “The Day of The Doctor”. Now whether you own one yourself, or need to rent one from a streaming provider, that’s simple enough. Also, you should definitely queue up that video above as your first stop in this adventure.
Step 2: Queue Up The Theatrical Intro To The Day Of The Doctor
After watching Dan Starkey and Steven Moffat’s new Doctor Who intro with Commander Strax, your next step should be to watch the original theatrical introduction to “The Day of The Doctor”. Sure, the 3D gags aren’t going to play, but the jokes between Matt Smith and David Tennant still work like a charm. Plus, Smith’s chilling utterance of “Doctor Who?” when The War Doctor appears is an absolute gem.
Step 3: Treat Yourself To Some Extra Background With The Night Of The Doctor
While there were a couple of videos released online that gave audiences some setup for “The Day of The Doctor”, one clip is more important than others. Entitled “The Night of The Doctor”, the video brings back Paul McGann’s Eighth Doctor, in the name of showing how exactly he regenerated into the form of John Hurt’s War Doctor.
Bridging 50 years of history for the first time, this vignette can be seen below:
And now, you’re all set to watch “The Day of The Doctor”! Don’t forget to chime in on Twitter with the #SaveTheDay as you make your way through this exciting adventure; and be sure to stay safe during this time of need. Allons-y, dear readers!
