The Day of the Doctor

Hard to believe it's been 50 years since Doctor Who first appeared on our screens. Seems like just yesterday. Oh wait, I wasn't born back then. Actually, I didn't become a Whovian until pretty recently. Even as a kid I found the original series a little silly and when it restarted in 2005 I still thought the same thing (living mannequins? come on!). I caught a few episodes after that, but it wasn't until writer Steven Moffat and star Matt Smith took over the show that I became hooked. Series 5 had a wonderful fairytale quality and Amy Pond quickly became my favourite of all the companions. After that I went back and watched all the other "Nu-Who" episodes and found an appreciation for the show and the character I never really had before. I've stuck with the show since then and I think Moffat is probably the best thing to ever happen to the "Whoniverse", despite all the criticism he gets online.
So The Day of the Doctor had a lot to live up to. For the most part, it delivered.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
The plot had a credible enough threat to bring three Doctors together (Smith, his predecessor David Tennant and John Hurt as "the War Doctor") and there was plenty of humour. I especially liked Hurt's distaste at the juvenile language of his later incarnations ("timey-wimey?") and it's a shame we probably won't get to see more of him. The chemistry between Smith and Tennant was great and there were some fun unexpected cameos from the Fourth and 13th Doctors. I was even happy to see the "Bad Wolf" version of Rose return, despite not being a huge fan of Billie Piper. All the Doctors appear for the big finale to save Gallifrey. This was a little cheesy, especially when the actors who couldn't or wouldn't return were pasted in, but it still worked.
The special had a real epic feel with us finally getting to see the Time War and I liked the way the Doctor's guilt was alleviated without it being a copout. It's hard to imagine how they'll top this for the Christmas special (where Smith will regenerate into his replacement Peter Capaldi) but it wouldn't be the first time the writers have risen to the challenge. Overall this was a fitting tribute to the past and pointed towards a bold new future for the show.