*****SPOILER WARNING*****
With the advent of Peter Capaldi's brooding Scot Doc, I found myself looking back over my fave Doctor Who episodes since the series' revival. But choosing only 10 of the modern Doctor Who episodes from Eccleston to Smith is like telling me I have 91 children (the number of eps after 7 series with 13 eps each) and then asking me to pick favourites.
As I imagine is the same with having 91 children, there are some episodes I can categorically say I don't like. At least, I don't like as much as the rest. Those with complicated and messy story lines which lead nowhere (Moffat, I'm looking at you).
The following are my personal favourites and are listed in no particular order as that really would be pushing my decision making skills to the extreme.
Fish fingers and custard at the ready...
One of the saddest and most emotive modern DW episodes, The Girl in the Fireplace was an early episode in David Tennant's first series as the Doctor and featured his then girlfriend, Sophia Myles, as Madame de Pompadour. The Doctor, Rose and Mickey find time windows in the form of a fireplace in a 51st century spaceship that lead to 18th century France. Terrifying clockwork androids are using the time windows to stalk Madame de Pompadour throughout her life in order to harvest her brain to fix their broken ship. The heartbreaking climax comes when the Doctor tells Reinette (Pompadour) that he will be right back to take her away only to find that the tricky nature of the time window means that he instead returns six years later, after her death. The Doctor is handed letters that Reinette wrote in that time expressing her desire for the Doctor to return and take her away. Why do 51st-century clockwork androids require an 18th century French aristocrats brain in order to power their ship? The close of the episode reveals a spaceship drifting through space with the name SS Madame de Pompadour emblazoned on the side.
Reasons it's awesome: Cool-looking, steampunk androids who want to harvest human organs. Enticing love story. Amazing set design and costume. A well rounded and connected story which links the distant future with the past.
Two-parters count as one, right? Another Tennant favourite, 'Silence in the Library' is the first time we encounter River Song who is introduced as an old friend of the Doctor, bringing up SO MANY questions which aren't answered until Matt Smith's time. The Doctor and Donna arrive on a deserted planet containing 'the best library in the universe' since it spans the entire length and breadth of the planet. They encounter a team of archeologists, including Dr River Song, who are attempting to solve the mysterious disappearance of the planets inhabitants many years earlier. Not only do the episodes contain an awesome 'foe' in the form of the Vashta Nerada, but River Song's emotional departure is recalled every time we see her in newer episodes.
Reasons it's awesome: River Song. An entire planet made of a library. The Doctor opening the Tardis with a click. Great quotes: 'Hey, who turned out the lights', 'Spoilers'.
Since this episode aired my mum has always lamented that Sally Sparrow, the lead in 'Blink', didn't become a permanent fixture in the Tardis and I see her point. Sally is an incredibly engaging character though it may be the brilliance of this episode that elevates her to such high esteem in the history of Doctor Who characters. David Tennant's Doctor and companion Martha take a back seat in this episode which explores the power and nature of time with a truly horrific monster in the form of a stone statue. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll cover your eyes in fear and terror during this absolutely brilliant Moffat episode.
Reasons it's awesome: Carey Mulligan. The Weeping Angels. The power of time.
A brilliant Eccleston episode, and the only one to make the list, features so many incredible moments I hardly know where to begin. First there's companion Rose in her Union Jack T, dangling from a rope, attached to a zeppelin, over the streets of WWII London. Then there's the introduction of John Barrowman as the much loved Captain Jack, swooping in to save Rose with his invisible spacecraft and vortex manipulator to boot. The terrifying use of gas masks fusing to victims faces and creepy little kids marks this one out as the scariest episode to date. The end is also surprisingly brilliant when it turns out the aliens causing all the damage are, in fact, only trying to help and heal. Aw.
Reasons it's awesome: John Barrowman. Most terrifying use of gas masks, ever. "Are you my Mummy?"
One of the greatest things about Doctor Who is the freedom that the writers have to take the Doctor and his companions to absolutely anywhere in time and space, fact or fictional. The episodes which take us to an invented future are fantastic but the ones which explore real characters and events from the past are truly brilliant to watch. Vincent and the Doctor is a prime example of this and part of its brilliance is down to Tony Curran's incredible portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh. His drunk, depressed yet incredibly sympathetic character is electric on screen as well as respectful to the incredible artist that Van Gogh was, though not in his own lifetime.
Reasons it's awesome: Worth watching just for the final scene with Bill Nighy at the museum. You'll know what I mean.
An incredibly confusing Steven Moffat storyline in this two-parter season finale left me browsing wikipedia and forums looking for answers. Who is inside the Pandorica and when? How old does this make Amy now? Is Rory real or just a hunk of plastic and metal? This episode has so many twists and turns that it is impossible for me to write a coherent and short synopsis here. The only thing that is clear after watching this episode is how awesome it is, drawing on myths, legends and history teamed with the spectacular location of Stone Henge and asking the all important question of who is the real enemy?
Reasons it's awesome: Amy and Rory RULE. Matt Smith's speech at Stone Henge. Romans!
Poor old Amelia Pond does a lot of waiting throughout her stint as the Doctor's companion whether it's waiting for the Doctor as a young girl, waiting for the Pandorica to open or waiting for 30+ years in a creepy pseudo-Alice-in-Wonderland style spaceship for Rory and the Doctor to rescue her as we see here. The true brilliance behind this episode is how it establishes Amy as an incredible strong and kick ass character early in her career as the Doctor's assistant as we follow her survival in a world where everything really is out to get her.
Reasons it's awesome: TWO PONDS, Lewis Carroll kitsch.
There are so many more incredible episodes that I haven't mentioned here. Which recent episodes are your favourites and why? Comment below or let me know on Twitter.
Hayley x
The following are my personal favourites and are listed in no particular order as that really would be pushing my decision making skills to the extreme.
Fish fingers and custard at the ready...
1. The Girl in the Fireplace
One of the saddest and most emotive modern DW episodes, The Girl in the Fireplace was an early episode in David Tennant's first series as the Doctor and featured his then girlfriend, Sophia Myles, as Madame de Pompadour. The Doctor, Rose and Mickey find time windows in the form of a fireplace in a 51st century spaceship that lead to 18th century France. Terrifying clockwork androids are using the time windows to stalk Madame de Pompadour throughout her life in order to harvest her brain to fix their broken ship. The heartbreaking climax comes when the Doctor tells Reinette (Pompadour) that he will be right back to take her away only to find that the tricky nature of the time window means that he instead returns six years later, after her death. The Doctor is handed letters that Reinette wrote in that time expressing her desire for the Doctor to return and take her away. Why do 51st-century clockwork androids require an 18th century French aristocrats brain in order to power their ship? The close of the episode reveals a spaceship drifting through space with the name SS Madame de Pompadour emblazoned on the side.
Reasons it's awesome: Cool-looking, steampunk androids who want to harvest human organs. Enticing love story. Amazing set design and costume. A well rounded and connected story which links the distant future with the past.
2. Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
Two-parters count as one, right? Another Tennant favourite, 'Silence in the Library' is the first time we encounter River Song who is introduced as an old friend of the Doctor, bringing up SO MANY questions which aren't answered until Matt Smith's time. The Doctor and Donna arrive on a deserted planet containing 'the best library in the universe' since it spans the entire length and breadth of the planet. They encounter a team of archeologists, including Dr River Song, who are attempting to solve the mysterious disappearance of the planets inhabitants many years earlier. Not only do the episodes contain an awesome 'foe' in the form of the Vashta Nerada, but River Song's emotional departure is recalled every time we see her in newer episodes.
Reasons it's awesome: River Song. An entire planet made of a library. The Doctor opening the Tardis with a click. Great quotes: 'Hey, who turned out the lights', 'Spoilers'.
3. Blink
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Since this episode aired my mum has always lamented that Sally Sparrow, the lead in 'Blink', didn't become a permanent fixture in the Tardis and I see her point. Sally is an incredibly engaging character though it may be the brilliance of this episode that elevates her to such high esteem in the history of Doctor Who characters. David Tennant's Doctor and companion Martha take a back seat in this episode which explores the power and nature of time with a truly horrific monster in the form of a stone statue. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll cover your eyes in fear and terror during this absolutely brilliant Moffat episode.
Reasons it's awesome: Carey Mulligan. The Weeping Angels. The power of time.
4. The Empty Child
A brilliant Eccleston episode, and the only one to make the list, features so many incredible moments I hardly know where to begin. First there's companion Rose in her Union Jack T, dangling from a rope, attached to a zeppelin, over the streets of WWII London. Then there's the introduction of John Barrowman as the much loved Captain Jack, swooping in to save Rose with his invisible spacecraft and vortex manipulator to boot. The terrifying use of gas masks fusing to victims faces and creepy little kids marks this one out as the scariest episode to date. The end is also surprisingly brilliant when it turns out the aliens causing all the damage are, in fact, only trying to help and heal. Aw.
Reasons it's awesome: John Barrowman. Most terrifying use of gas masks, ever. "Are you my Mummy?"
5. Vincent and the Doctor
One of the greatest things about Doctor Who is the freedom that the writers have to take the Doctor and his companions to absolutely anywhere in time and space, fact or fictional. The episodes which take us to an invented future are fantastic but the ones which explore real characters and events from the past are truly brilliant to watch. Vincent and the Doctor is a prime example of this and part of its brilliance is down to Tony Curran's incredible portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh. His drunk, depressed yet incredibly sympathetic character is electric on screen as well as respectful to the incredible artist that Van Gogh was, though not in his own lifetime.
Reasons it's awesome: Worth watching just for the final scene with Bill Nighy at the museum. You'll know what I mean.
6. The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang
An incredibly confusing Steven Moffat storyline in this two-parter season finale left me browsing wikipedia and forums looking for answers. Who is inside the Pandorica and when? How old does this make Amy now? Is Rory real or just a hunk of plastic and metal? This episode has so many twists and turns that it is impossible for me to write a coherent and short synopsis here. The only thing that is clear after watching this episode is how awesome it is, drawing on myths, legends and history teamed with the spectacular location of Stone Henge and asking the all important question of who is the real enemy?
Reasons it's awesome: Amy and Rory RULE. Matt Smith's speech at Stone Henge. Romans!
"Hello, Stonehenge!"
7. The Girl Who Waited
Poor old Amelia Pond does a lot of waiting throughout her stint as the Doctor's companion whether it's waiting for the Doctor as a young girl, waiting for the Pandorica to open or waiting for 30+ years in a creepy pseudo-Alice-in-Wonderland style spaceship for Rory and the Doctor to rescue her as we see here. The true brilliance behind this episode is how it establishes Amy as an incredible strong and kick ass character early in her career as the Doctor's assistant as we follow her survival in a world where everything really is out to get her.
Reasons it's awesome: TWO PONDS, Lewis Carroll kitsch.
There are so many more incredible episodes that I haven't mentioned here. Which recent episodes are your favourites and why? Comment below or let me know on Twitter.
Hayley x
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