# Doctor Who – BBC Centenary Special: “The Power of the Doctor”
First broadcast: 23 October 2022 · Written by Chris Chibnall · Directed by Jamie Magnus Stone
[Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor – Comic Watch](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/Vw_JxgX7etYS6tP4GDzHOg_dGtQTJa8MQtyARq9osBDV5h1VdASrpLstR3Q0R4O3ltUszV42ICt7Koic4YXpbDQ_Oq4YQO2g0XGNjSpHeMZZnBWtzmOWlelsV__snRz2M-sSjpThiJw7ZWoeWznrpqV8PlaOYjBeP6O_Ye5XiCY?purpose=inline) [Who are Ace and Tegan? | Doctor Who](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/bOAeNlt8baa8UQlLCc0D2uFmyNDKVYiQzees46se4Fxc33w8eb9mtsCT1gm-CGWS0iiE5QvwJ2KrGGxyIjaWbA9uNXdm9Jr2HFHT5XHV2Tn_NYwZ2sT1zRC_-k5-WLYYDOwO9sAbdY41z2zj1Hoa3tO6J-zhHX6oxL_iWFZPekQ?purpose=inline) [Doctor Who cast were kept in the dark about the return of The Master](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/N7IRLJelNq-qKocFWZJ39LVbaJDdL5rJ6br_EMoho8eO_MwyA3XcFGP7qNQku_a4QZvWwEqhuRGe59GE_9qzQtl4tjDwmAqZdImD6xKh4DehMwQwE3d7DlW5RBmtb674F1i_fasVmpwvbTrypuW8NNDKdEm4SE5d8hrxwMuWDyk?purpose=inline)6
Jodie Whittaker’s final adventure as the Thirteenth Doctor is a huge celebration of Doctor Who. For the BBC’s centenary, Chris Chibnall brings together the Daleks, Cybermen and the Master, welcomes back former companions Ace and Tegan, and fills the story with references to the programme’s long history.
“The Power of the Doctor” is deliberately extravagant. It moves rapidly between several storylines, features an extraordinary number of returning characters and gives Whittaker’s Doctor a farewell that is both emotional and celebratory. It is not always a perfectly balanced story, but it understands that this is a special occasion.
Most importantly, it gives the Thirteenth Doctor a proper final adventure, allowing Whittaker to demonstrate the warmth, intelligence, eccentricity and compassion that have made her interpretation of the character distinctive.
## Episode details
– Starring: Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan and John Bishop as Dan Lewis.
– Guest cast: Sacha Dhawan as the Master, Sophie Aldred as Ace, Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka, Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart, Jacob Anderson as Vinder and Patrick O’Kane as Ashad.
– Returning Doctors: David Bradley, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Paul McGann and Jo Martin.
– Other returning companions: Bonnie Langford as Mel Bush, Bradley Walsh as Graham O’Brien, and several familiar faces from the programme’s history.
– Overnight audience: Approximately 3.71 million.
– Seven-day consolidated audience: 5.295 million.
– Appreciation Index: 82.
The special was broadcast on 23 October 2022, marking the BBC’s 100th anniversary celebrations. Its consolidated audience made it the fifth most-watched programme of the week, while its Appreciation Index of 82 was the highest for Doctor Who since “The Timeless Children” in 2020.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://www.tvzoneuk.com\&sz=32)RATINGS REVEALED+3
## The story: a final battle for the Doctor
The adventure begins with several apparently unrelated mysteries. A space train is attacked by Cybermen, seismologists disappear on Earth, famous paintings are mysteriously defaced and strange activity is detected around the world’s volcanoes.
The Doctor, Yaz and Dan soon discover that these events are connected to a scheme involving the Master. He has joined forces with the Daleks and Cybermen, and his plan is considerably more personal than simply conquering the Earth.
The Master is masquerading as Rasputin in 1916 Russia, while also working towards a scheme designed to destroy the Doctor’s identity and legacy. His plan involves an artificial moon, the mysterious Qurunx and a series of attacks that threaten the planet.
Meanwhile, former companions Tegan and Ace find themselves drawn back into the Doctor’s world. Their separate encounters with the new crisis bring them into contact with the current TARDIS team and the wider network of allies who have helped the Doctor over the years.
The story gradually brings these strands together, building towards a confrontation that places the Doctor’s very existence in danger.
There is a lot happening, perhaps too much at times, but the central idea is strong: the Master is not merely trying to defeat the Doctor. He wants to take her place and rewrite what she means to the universe.
That gives the story a fittingly personal conflict for Whittaker’s final appearance.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://www.doctorwho.tv\&sz=32)Doctor Who+2
## The Master: Sacha Dhawan’s final confrontation
Sacha Dhawan is once again one of the episode’s biggest assets. His Master is theatrical, unpredictable and thoroughly dangerous, and Dhawan clearly enjoys every opportunity to make the character larger than life.
The Rasputin disguise is a particularly memorable touch. The Master has always enjoyed elaborate schemes, but pretending to be one of history’s most notorious figures is an appropriately outrageous idea. The musical sequence involving Rasputin is deliberately absurd, and it gives the episode one of its most unexpected moments.
Beneath the comedy, however, the Master remains deeply spiteful. His desire to take the Doctor’s identity is rooted in his obsession with defeating her. He cannot accept that the Doctor has become such an important figure, and his plan is an attempt to destroy her reputation as well as her life.
Dhawan makes this motivation convincing. His Master is funny, but there is always something unsettling beneath the performance. The character’s relationship with the Doctor has become one of the defining elements of this era, and their final confrontation is a fittingly dramatic one.
The story also gives Ashad and the Cybermen a role in the Master’s wider plan. Patrick O’Kane returns as the Cyberman known as the Lone Cyberman, although his contribution is more functional than in “The Haunting of Villa Diodati” and “Ascension of the Cybermen”.
The Daleks, meanwhile, provide the familiar threat of mass destruction. Their alliance with the Master and Cybermen is an entertaining combination, even if the episode does not spend much time exploring the practicalities of such an unlikely partnership.
## Ace and Tegan: a welcome return
For many viewers, the most exciting part of the special is the return of Ace and Tegan, played by Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding.
Both actresses bring an enormous amount of history to their roles. Ace travelled with the Seventh Doctor during the late 1980s, while Tegan was one of the Fifth Doctor’s longest-serving companions. Their return is not simply a nostalgic cameo: both are given important roles in the story and opportunities to reconnect with the Doctor.
Sophie Aldred is excellent as Ace. She brings the character’s familiar confidence, determination and rebellious spirit, while also showing how much she has changed since her earlier adventures. Ace is still resourceful and brave, but she is now an adult with a life of her own and unresolved feelings about the Doctor’s departure from it.
Her scenes with the Thirteenth Doctor are particularly effective. There is an affectionate familiarity between them, even though this is their first meeting in the television story’s continuity. The Doctor’s attempt to explain herself, and Ace’s understandable frustration, give their reunion genuine emotional weight.
Janet Fielding is equally welcome as Tegan. Her return allows the episode to revisit the character’s outspoken personality and her complicated relationship with the Doctor. Tegan has not forgotten the danger and loss she experienced during her travels, and Fielding makes that history feel important rather than simply treating it as a collection of references.
The two companions also work well together. They come from different periods of the programme, but their shared experience of travelling with the Doctor gives them an immediate connection.
Their presence is one of the special’s greatest strengths. Both characters feel like people who have continued living beyond their time in the TARDIS, rather than figures brought back solely to make the audience cheer.
## The Doctor, Yaz and Dan
At the centre of everything is Jodie Whittaker’s final performance as the Doctor.
Whittaker has developed a distinctive interpretation of the character: energetic, compassionate, endlessly curious and occasionally rather chaotic. Her Doctor has faced some enormous challenges, and this final adventure gives her the opportunity to bring those qualities together.
She is particularly effective in the quieter scenes, where the Doctor’s concern for her companions becomes more apparent. There is a sense that she knows her time is running out, even while she continues to concentrate on saving everyone else.
Mandip Gill has a substantial role as Yaz. The relationship between Yaz and the Doctor has been developing for some time, and the special finally brings their feelings into the open. Their conversations are among the most emotionally important parts of the episode.
The Doctor cares deeply about Yaz, but she knows that regeneration and the life of a Time Lord make a conventional future together impossible. It is a difficult conversation, and both Whittaker and Gill handle it with considerable sensitivity.
Yaz’s eventual departure is particularly affecting because she is not simply being sent home after another adventure. She is choosing to leave the TARDIS while she still has the opportunity to spend time with the Doctor before the regeneration.
John Bishop also returns as Dan, although his role is more limited than in some earlier stories. His decision to leave the TARDIS was already established in “Legend of the Sea Devils”, and the special gives him an opportunity to take part in the final adventure before moving on with his life.
Dan has been a likeable companion, bringing warmth and humour to the Thirteenth Doctor’s team. Bishop’s performance has helped make him an appealing addition, and his presence in the farewell is welcome.
Jemma Redgrave is another important returning presence as Kate Stewart. Her involvement provides continuity with the UNIT stories and gives the Doctor an experienced ally in the fight against the Master.
The wider group of returning characters also includes Graham O’Brien and Vinder, helping to make the special feel like a gathering of the Doctor’s friends and allies.
## A celebration of the Doctor’s history
The special’s most ambitious element is its collection of returning Doctors and companions.
The Doctor’s consciousness is drawn into a strange space where she encounters previous incarnations, including the First Doctor as portrayed by David Bradley, the Fifth Doctor played by Peter Davison, the Sixth Doctor played by Colin Baker and the Eighth Doctor played by Paul McGann. Jo Martin also returns as the Fugitive Doctor.
These appearances are more than quick visual references. They allow the Thirteenth Doctor to reflect on her identity and the extraordinary history she carries.
There is also a particularly enjoyable appearance from Mel Bush, played by Bonnie Langford. Her return is a lovely surprise, and she helps connect the special to the programme’s wider history.
The sequence featuring former Doctors is a highlight because it celebrates the idea that the Doctor is one continuing character, even as the face and personality change. Each incarnation has a different approach, but all share the same essential values.
For long-standing viewers, the returning cast provides plenty of nostalgic pleasure. For newer viewers, it demonstrates just how much history lies behind the character.
The danger with this many returning figures is that the episode could become little more than a parade of familiar faces. Fortunately, most of the appearances have a purpose within the story, even if some are necessarily brief.
## The regeneration: saying goodbye to the Thirteenth Doctor
The final act is where the special’s emotional purpose becomes clearest.
The Master has succeeded in forcing the Doctor into a situation where regeneration is unavoidable. The Doctor’s friends have survived, the immediate threat has been defeated, and she has one last opportunity to reflect on the life she has lived.
Whittaker’s performance is moving without becoming overly sentimental. Her Doctor has always been someone who looks for the good in others, and her farewell retains that sense of optimism. She is not defined by the enemies she has fought or the secrets she has uncovered, but by the people she has helped and the friendships she has made.
The farewell to Yaz is especially effective. Gill and Whittaker have built a convincing relationship over several series, and their final scenes together give the departure a genuine emotional impact. Yaz has become a confident and capable person in her own right, and the Doctor recognises that she deserves a life beyond travelling in the TARDIS.
Then comes the regeneration itself.
Rather than transforming into an entirely unfamiliar face, the Doctor regenerates into David Tennant, returning to the role as the Fourteenth Doctor. It is a huge surprise, and an effective way to lead into the programme’s 60th anniversary celebrations.
The moment is deliberately designed to leave the audience asking questions. Why has the Doctor taken this particular face again? What does it mean for the next chapter? It is a striking cliffhanger, and one that ensures Whittaker’s departure leads directly into a new period of the programme.
It is also worth recognising how much Whittaker brings to the final moments. Her Doctor has been a distinctive and important incarnation, and she leaves the role with warmth and dignity.
## Direction, production and music
Jamie Magnus Stone directs the special with considerable energy. The episode has a feature-length running time, and the direction has to accommodate several different locations, historical periods, returning characters and large-scale action sequences.
The production design is impressive, particularly in the scenes involving the artificial moon, the space train and the Master’s various schemes. The episode moves between different settings with confidence, and the visual effects help give the story the scale expected of a centenary celebration.
The Cybermen and Daleks are presented effectively, while the Master’s costumes and disguises add a theatrical quality to the story. The use of historical imagery, especially the Rasputin material, gives the special some memorable visual moments.
The editing is occasionally frantic. With so many plot strands to resolve, some scenes move on before they have had time to develop fully. The episode could have benefited from a little more breathing space, particularly in the scenes involving the returning companions.
Segun Akinola’s music supports the emotional and dramatic shifts well. The score helps make the final regeneration feel significant, while also giving the action sequences a sense of scale. It is a fitting contribution to the end of the Thirteenth Doctor’s era.
## What works – and what doesn’t
The strengths
– Jodie Whittaker gives a warm, emotional and memorable final performance.
– Sacha Dhawan is entertaining and suitably menacing as the Master.
– The returns of Ace and Tegan are genuinely rewarding and give both characters meaningful material.
– Mandip Gill delivers a strong conclusion to Yaz’s journey with the Doctor.
– The returning Doctors and companions make the special a real celebration of the programme’s history.
– The combination of Daleks, Cybermen and the Master gives the story an appropriately epic scale.
– The regeneration into David Tennant is a terrific surprise and an effective bridge to the anniversary celebrations.
– The Appreciation Index of 82 reflects the strong response from the audience.
The weaknesses
– The plot is extremely crowded, with several storylines competing for attention.
– Some returning characters receive only brief appearances.
– The Master’s plan is entertaining but occasionally difficult to follow.
– The Daleks and Cybermen could have been given more substantial roles.
– The action sometimes moves too quickly for the emotional moments to settle.
– Dan’s role is relatively small compared with those of Yaz, Ace and Tegan.
## Audience and critical response
The audience response was stronger than for the previous two specials. The overnight figure of approximately 3.71 million rose to 5.295 million in the seven-day consolidated ratings, making it the fifth most-watched programme of that week. The Appreciation Index of 82 was also a high point for the Thirteenth Doctor’s era.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://thedoctorwhocompanion.com\&sz=32)The Doctor Who Companion+2
Critical reaction was broadly positive. Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 100% critics’ score from 12 reviews, although that should be understood as a small sample rather than a universal verdict. Reviewers praised the energy, returning characters and celebratory atmosphere, while some noted that the episode’s abundance of plot and nostalgia left less room for quieter reflection.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://www.rottentomatoes.com\&sz=32)Rotten Tomatoes+1
That seems a fair summary. “The Power of the Doctor” is not the most tightly constructed story of the era, but it succeeds as a farewell and a celebration. It understands that the programme’s history is built not just around the Doctor, but around the companions, friends and enemies who have shared the journey.
## Final verdict
“The Power of the Doctor” is an entertaining and emotional farewell to Jodie Whittaker, and a fitting celebration of Doctor Who as the BBC marks its centenary.
The story is certainly overcrowded. There are so many returning characters, villains and plot developments that some elements are inevitably rushed. The Master’s scheme could have been explained more clearly, and the Daleks and Cybermen sometimes feel like supporting players in their own story.
But the special succeeds where it matters most. Whittaker gives the Thirteenth Doctor a warm and memorable farewell, Mandip Gill brings Yaz’s journey to a satisfying emotional conclusion, and Sophie Aldred and Janet Fielding make the returns of Ace and Tegan genuinely worthwhile.
The appearances of previous Doctors and companions add to the celebratory atmosphere, while the surprise regeneration into David Tennant provides an exciting conclusion and sets up the next stage of the programme.
Looking back across Whittaker’s era, there have been some uneven stories, but also some genuinely excellent episodes and memorable performances. “The Power of the Doctor” brings that chapter to a close with affection, energy and a clear appreciation of the programme’s history.
Final score: 8/10
A spectacular, nostalgic and heartfelt farewell. It may be overstuffed, but it gives Jodie Whittaker a memorable final adventure and celebrates the people and stories that make Doctor Who special.
## Next episode: “The Star Beast”
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First broadcast: 25 November 2023 · Written by Russell T Davies · Directed by Rachel Talalay
After the Thirteenth Doctor’s regeneration, our next review jumps forward to the first of the three 60th anniversary specials.
“The Star Beast” brings David Tennant back as the Fourteenth Doctor and reunites him with Catherine Tate as Donna Noble. The story introduces the mysterious Meep, a strange creature pursued by the Wrarth Warriors, and introduces Donna’s daughter Rose, played by Yasmin Finney.
It is a particularly important reunion because Donna’s memories of the Doctor were erased at the end of their previous adventures. The special explores what happens when their paths cross again, while introducing a new mystery that could have enormous consequences.
With Russell T Davies returning as showrunner and Rachel Talalay directing, the anniversary celebrations begin with two of the revival’s most popular stars back together.