The Day of the Doctor Trailer Breakdown

It’s time to take an in-depth look at the 50th anniversary trailers for The Day of the Doctor. This breakdown looks at both the TV trailer and the extended version.

Note: This does include some mild spoilers from filming.

We open with some footprints leading away from a battered looking TARDIS. Given that we see John Hurt’s Doctor in a desert-y area later on it’s safe to assume it belongs to him.

The Last Great Time War! A sizable Dalek fleet in space about to invade Gallifrey.

The 11th Doctor narrates: “I’ve had many faces. Many lives…”

Gallifrey has taken a beating. The Time War must be in full swing.

We then see what looks like a Dalek variant invading a Gallifreyan city. Are these Spider-Daleks? Well, they don’t have 8 legs but they could be inspired by the early concepts.

“EXTERMINATE!”

This shot will be familiar to many as it was one of the images used to promote the Daleks return.

Daleks are blasting Gallifreyan troops in an all out battle.

So is this The Fall of Arcadia?

One of the cast extras is listed as an “Arcadian refugee” so it seems a pretty safe assumption. As many will recall, The Fall of Arcadia was a major battle in the Time War. The 10th Doctor briefly spoke about it in Doomsday:

DALEK SEC: How did you survive the Time War?
10th DOCTOR: By fighting. On the front line. I was there at the Fall of Arcadia. Someday I might even come to terms with that.

“There’s one life I’ve tried very hard to forget.”

In the extended trailer this shot of John Hurt is flipped.

This ties into the opening scene with Hurt journeying across a desert area. It seems that the shack in the distance is Rose’s.

Hurt Doctor: “I’m looking for the Doctor”

10th Doctor: “Well you’ve certainly come to the right place.”

In the extended trailer we see a different Hurt saying this, so the trailer is deceptive.

The 11th Doctor and Clara try some ‘Yoga’.

Joanna Page as Queen Elizabeth I. We know from filming she gets caught up in a Zygon plot. Speaking of which…

Zygons make their long-awaited return and my what big teeth they’ve got.

An explosion in the UNIT base.

UNIT scientist Osgood (Ingrid Oliver with Tom Baker scarf) and Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) making a return.

Actually there are two Osgoods and two Kates if you look carefully. Must be Zygons!

“Ooooh lovely!”

Fezzes and brainy specs are cool. The Doctors concur.

Interestingly we see Smith, Hurt and Tennant back in the supposedly time-locked Time War. This ties in with the behind the scenes pic showing all three about to use “The Moment device”.

Is Rose (Billie Piper) still in her Bad Wolf state here? It seems likely given the poster featured the phrase and the similar glow from Rose’s eyes. But how did she end up here?

Looks like Arthur the horse is back, last seen in The Girl in the Fireplace. The 10th Doctor is riding out of the TARDIS with Queen Elizabeth I.

The Doctor makes a big entrance when the TARDIS is ‘escorted’ to London by UNIT.

Clara is very upset here with a tear rolling down her face. Has she just said goodbye to Eleven?

It’s another Time War Dalek.

The Zygons really are smashing.

Sorry.

Poor Daleks. They really take a beating.

So Clara has got herself a vortex manipulator now. The question is, where is she going and who gave it to her?

John Hurt is presented with this strange device in an old shack. And the next line might offer a clue as to its purpose…

Rose: “The Moment is coming”

So is Rose some sort of guardian of “the Moment”? Somehow due to her Bad Wolf state?

As stated in The End of Time, the Moment was used to end the Time War.

President of the Time Lords: What news of the Doctor?
The Chancellor: Disappeared, my Lord President.
The Partisan: But we know his intention. He still possesses the Moment. And he’ll use it to destroy Daleks and Time Lords alike.
The Chancellor: The Visionary confirms it.
The Visionary: Ending. Burning. Falling. All of it, falling. The black, and pitch. And screaming fire. Soul burning.
The Chancellor: All of her prophecies say the same. That this is the last day of the Time War. That Gallifrey falls. That we die. Today.

Hurt Doctor: “I’m ready.”

Does Rose help Hurt end the Time War?

John Hurt’s TARDIS console! Notice how it looks pre-Eccleston.

Tennant’s TARDIS console.

In the extended version we hear Ten’s trademark catchphrase “Allons-y!”

“Geronimo!”

Notice the markings on the screen.

More explosions and Spider-Daleks (or whatever they are) mark the end of the first trailer. On page 2, we look at scenes from the extended trailer.