Paul Evans Clara invites the Doctor to Christmas dinner, all goes wrong and they end up travelling to the Papal Mainframe, a massive floating Church. The Doctor tries landing on the planet underneath to find out what the strange message is that they are receiving, but the Church blocks everyone's attempts at landing there, including the Doctor's. Head of the Church Tasha Lem allows them to teleport down, where they land on the truthful town of Christmas. Once again the crack in the wall appears. Tasha Lem informs the Doctor that the planet he has landed on is Trenzalore. The Doctor protects his new home from all manner of invasions and attacks. The Daleks attack the Papal Mainframe, and it falls on the Doctor working with the Silence against the Daleks.Now I love me some handles, Kayvan Novak, why would you have Mr Novak in a show and not get to see him though!! What a visual waste.They try to cram it all in, the Cybermen, the Daleks, The Silence, The Weeping Angels, Sontarans, they try almost too hard to force too much into it.I did love the wooden Cybermen. What an awesome creation.It does tie up lots of loose ends, 'Silence will fall,' who the monsters are, why Madame Kovarian broke away etc.Matt Smith is again spellbinding, he cannot be faulted in any way shape or form, it's a brilliant performance from him. I would have liked one more series from him. I liked that Amy made an appearance.The episode itself, huge ideas, masses going on, yes it's very messy but I quite like it, I don't think Matt was totally given the send off that he deserved but it is still a very sweet episode, with lots of features from his time, fish fingers and custard etc. It seems a little bit like we've been here before, elements of Time of the Doctor? possibly. 7/10

Scarecrow-88 The final adieu to Matt Smith, the Doctor of my thirties (with Tennant and Eccleston the Doctors of my twenties), and his work on the show will be remembered and his presence missed. He had some real delights during his three year tenure as one of the most beloved characters in the annals of television science fiction. While "The Day of the Time Lord" will probably be regarded as one of the very best Smith ever participated in, his work with Jenna Coleman after the wonderful Karen Gillan has certainly be treasured by me, and their final time together in "The Time of the Doctor" is a gift that kept giving all the way until Peter Cipaldi emerges as the next Doctor to the take the reins. Doctor Who? What is the Doctor's name? If he admits it aloud in the town where you cannot lie, Christmas (appropriate for the time of year when this episode premiered), on the planet Trenzalore, the Time Lords can return. However, all of the enemies against the Time Lords await around the orbit of this planet and the Doctor will protect his people if it means he must stay put and age 300 years. Jenna Coleman has really been a treasure as Clara Oswald, a masterful casting find that has been an emotional support system needed after we lost Gillan, quite a beloved Doctor companion in her own right. Coleman's spirited, vibrant, lifeforce has been a pleasure to see mature during her time with Smith as his companion. The casting over the years for this show has been so superb, it is no wonder the show has thrived successfully. Oswald realizes that the Doctor has a great obligation and tries to encourage him to allow her to be there alongside him but he loved her too much for that. Piper really set off the new era of friendly relations with the Doctor when cast with Eccleson as the companion. But with Gillan and Coleman, the camaraderie and bond between the Doctor and companions transformed significantly into something far more substantial. No longer was the Doctor haughtily holding himself in superior fashion to his associates: they were treated respectfully, protectively, and even lovingly. Smith really changed the way we looked at the Doctor: his translation of the character was wonderfully his own. His face and eyes, his energy and pizazz, and the comedic attack Smith devoted to his character to give him an enthusiastic quality so full of life was a joy to watch week after week. Following Tennant wasn't easy considering many (including me) believe he's one of the all-time greats to play the character, but Smith's approach to the character made him so lovable and huggable. To think, all of that and his Doctor faced one of the most turbulent eras in the history of the character: to help defend Gallifrey and save it even, not to mention protect his Time Lords and the name of the Doctor, Smith wasn't just involved with "dinosaurs on a space ship" or "Cyberman attempting to mind control him during a chess game". Certainly Smith was Buster Keaton to Tennant's Charlie Chaplin, but both were brilliant and had their place in history.Seeing an elderly Smith seemingly unable to no longer save innocents against his adversaries, his Doctor vulnerable and perhaps broken, it was refreshing to see the companion, Clara, come to the rescue. She appeals to the Time Lords to help the Doctor as the Daleks descent and potential victor appeared imminent. To be there as the Doctor was momentarily young again only to lose his face to Cipaldi was a fitting end for Oswald (as was her time with him as an old and tired man), and Gillan's brief return to greet him (in his memory) one final time was poignant. I was definitely teary-eyed. Saying goodbye to someone so fondly appreciated and enjoyed can be quite tough. Smith was able to bid us that, dwelling on how change is certain whether we want it or not. Cipaldi emerging and needing help to operate the Tardis with Clara stunned is a hoot! Protecting the planet was a "church", an order led by Tasha Lem (Orla Brady) and her military but even they cannot hold off those pesky Daleks forever. During his time on the planet, the Doctor befriended a kid in the town of Christmas which took us back to Amy Pond as a little girl. Also included is a Christmas gathering at Clara's home with her needing the Doctor's help as a "boyfriend" in front of her mom, pop, and gran.If I had a criticism is that the special effects can be variable and sketchy, but for Smith's final episode, the bad guys are in abundance. Ultimately, the decision to provide a "pal" in the guise of a Cyberman head he nicknames "Handles" for assistance (readings and warnings) actually leads to a rather sad moment when it finally dies due to malfunctions and age. Writer Moffet's use of time has always been rather demanding and not without being perplexing, expecting us to go with it regarding what happens to the Doctor, and this episode does the same. The split in reality allows for there to be a visual crack that could lead to the Time Lords arriving through it as a gateway.

Juusteri Simply astonishing episode. Clearly one of Matt Smith's best ones. This piece is full of emotion and we see Matt Smith being the doctor for one last time. Moffat clearly had many ideas he wanted to carry out, and the episode might be just too short for that. There would've been material for a full movie but instead it is all squeezed in one episode. However the episode itself works as a lucid ensemble and it made me laugh as much as it made me cry.Wonderful story with wonderful acting. I think Matt Smith gave his everything in this episode and this is the kind of Matt Smith I want to remember. The regeneration itself is different this time around. Without spoiling anything, let's just say, that you shouldn't expect anything too discreet. Definitely one of the best doctors is now history and it's Capaldi's turn to win people's hearts.

arhtass I must confess, I didn't like this episode at all the first time I saw it (though I loved the regeneration scene). I've now watched it for the fourth time, and this time I really sat down in front of a 55" flat screen with proper audio, and I actually think it's good. It's really good! Didn't have any expectations this time around and I really enjoyed how many of eleven's enemies returned, we closed up loosened ends and questions and sent eleven off with a bang. They also reused a lot of old musical themes which was super. It's funny, it makes Clara an important character, it has action, and it has feels. I only wish it was a bit longer, but other than that- Great episode!