Tomorrow night the eighth series of Doctor Who begins with Peter Capaldi taking over the titular role. Like most Americans I began watching the show in 2010 when it was finally airing on BBC America, though I had seen a few episodes before that. For the most part, I hate things that take place in space. Maybe it was an overexposure to Star Wars at a young age, but I tend to skip anything that involves spaceships. Luckily, the Doctor and his companions don't spend that much time in the TARDIS and the planets look suspiciously like places in Wales.
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| What a strange new world! |
SERIES ONE
"Boom Town" (1.11)
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: Joe Ahearne |
What it's about:
The Doctor, Rose and Jack stop in Cardiff to refuel the Tardis. While there they discover an old nemesis, Margaret Blaine (Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen), is trying to build a nuclear reactor that will create enough energy for her to return to her home planet, Raxacoricofallapotorian. Also Mickey is there.
Why I like it:
A lot of my favorite episodes (as you'll see), deal with the implications of being a Time Lord and time travel in general. This episode, along with "Father's Day", were the first episodes in the reboot to show the downside to travelling through time and space. Rose can't keep up her relationship with Mickey, who is always having to say goodbye to her and we learn that being a Time Lord means making some tough choices that not everyone can live with...literally. This exchange between the Doctor and Margaret sums it up for me nicely:
"You let one go, but that's nothing new. Every now and then, a little victim's spared...that's how you live with yourself. That's how you slaughter millions. Because once in a while, on a whim, if the wind's in the right direction, you happen to be kind."
"Only a killer would know that. Is that right? From what I've seen, your funny little happy-go-lucky little life leaves devastation in it's wake. Always moving on, because you dare not go back. Playing with so many people's lives- you might as well be a god."
Best bit:
"She's climbing out the window isn't she?"
Runner Up: "Rose" (1.01)
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: Keith Boak |
Why I like it:
I have a thing for first episodes. When I taught a class on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I would show the first and the last episodes on the first day of class. If you don't get nostalgic watching "Rose", you're a monster.
Why I like it:
Why I like it:
SERIES TWO
"Love and Monsters" (2.10)
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| written by: Russell T Davies directed by: Euros Lyn |
What it's about:
Elton Pope is a Regular Joe who is obsessed with the Doctor after encountering him in his childhood. He, along with a band of loveable misfits, come together to try and track down the Doctor. Unfortunately, the group gets infiltrated by a baddie and Elton learns what's really important to him.
Why I love it:
This was the first episode of Doctor Who that I ever watched, so it will always be special to me. This is also another episode that explores how the Doctor negatively affects people. While the monster is a bit stupid (some kid won a contest), Elton's a rather sweet guy who comforts Jackie and sticks up for others. Also there is a Scooby Doo-esque chase scene.
Best bit:
All the glorious ELO.
Runner Up: "School Reunion" (2.03)
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| written by: Toby Whithouse directed by: James Hawes |
Why I like it: Sarah Jane! Anthony Stewart Head! Cheap shots at Mickey!
SERIES THREE
"Human Nature"/"Family of Blood" (3.08-9)
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| written by: Paul Cornell directed by: Charles Palmer |
What they're about:
In order to hide from the Family of Blood, the Doctor hides his Time Lord-ness, which makes him. believe that he's human, and travels to 1913. Martha, who knows the truth, and The Doctor find employment at a boarding school, but soon the Family of Blood realize that the Doctor is hiding somewhere at the school. The Doctor has to make the choice to remain human and lose his love or unleash his Time Lord-ness and defeat the Family of Blood.
Why I like them:
Yes, I cheated by including both episodes, but it's my list so suck it. Also I'm sure you were probably expecting "Blink". Maybe once upon a time, but The Weeping Angels have been done to death. In this two parter we see the two extremes of the Doctor: a gentle man who is capable of romantically loving somebody and a man who will go to the ends of the world to exact revenge. When the Doctor, as John Smith, asks what sort of man the Doctor is it's heartbreaking.
Best bit:
"We wanted to live forever. So the Doctor made sure we did."
Runner Up: "Smith and Jones" (3.01)
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: Charles Palmer |
Why I like it:
Martha's usually at the bottom of the list when it comes to favorite companions, but you can't deny it; the girl was smart. This episode is a nice mix of humor and drama that isn't seen in all the episodes in the third season.
SERIES FOUR
"Partners in Crime" (4.01)
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: James Strong |
What it's about:
Donna, who we last saw in "The Runaway Bride", has regretted not taking the Doctor up on his offer for her to become his companion. She begins investigating a company that promises suspiciously unbelievable weight loss and to her delight, the Doctor is too.
Why I like it:
I don't just like this episode, I love it. Donna is my favorite companion and the biggest problem with the fourth season is that Donna does not get enough alone time with The Doctor (not that way). This episode, however, has plenty of Doctor/Donna time. The Adipose are delightfully cute and there is some seriously great physical comedy.
Best bit:
The entire window sequence.
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| Source |
Runner Up: "Midnight" (4.10)
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: Alice Troughton |
Forget "Blink", this is the scariest episode of Doctor Who, because the alien is no where near as monstrous as the humans.
DAVID TENNANT SPECIALS
"The Waters of Mars"
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| written by: Russell T. Davies & Phil Ford directed by: Graeme Harper |
What it's about:
The Doctor travels to Mars to check in on the first colony. While he's there, however, the water spreads an alien life force that infects the crew one by one.
Why I like it:
This episode should just be called "The Doctor's Hubris", because this episode leads to the Doctor's downfall. It's beautiful and tragic and Lindsay Duncan is great.
Best bit:
Adelaide's decision to sacrifice herself for her granddaughter's future.
Runner Up: "The End of Time: Part 2"
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| written by: Russell T. Davies directed by: Euros Lyn |
Why I like it:
It seems like fan's are divided over the last 30 minutes of Tennat's reign. I'm not. I needed that time (and more) to say goodbye to my first, and favorite, Doctor.
SERIES FIVE
"Vincent and the Doctor" (5.10)
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| written by: Richard Curtis directed by: Jonny Campbell |
What it's about:
The Doctor and Amy travel back in time to meet Vincent van Gogh whose town is being spooked by an invisible monster.
Why I like it:
To me time travel narratives are all about inevitability (and thus why I hate "Day of the Doctors" and "The Time of the Doctor") and no episodes brings that home quite like "Vincent and the Doctor" which is directed by celebrated British director Richard Curtis. The episode shows us that even in someone's darkest times they are still capable of creating overwhelming beauty.
Best bit:
Vincent seeing all of his works in the museum.
Runner Up: "Flesh and Stone" (5.06)
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| written by: Steven Moffat directed by: Adam Smith |
Why I like it:
I hated Matt Smith with a passion when he first started as the Doctor, mainly because he wasn't David Tennant (so few people are). This is the episode where I realized that Matt Smith would be a good Doctor.
SERIES SIX
"The Girl Who Waited" (6.10)
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| written by: Tom MacRae directed by: Nick Hurran |
What it's about:
Amy gets separated from the Doctor and Rory on a planet suffering from a plague. Amy ends up in a different time line and 36 years have passed for her when Rory finally finds her.
Why I like it:
Rory has always been the strongest member of trio and this episode proves why. Rory is unwilling to leave the older Amy behind even though that means he will lose present day Amy (for lack of a better term.) Also Amy grows up to spite the Doctor which I think is a fear the Doctor has about all of his companions.
Best bit:
"I don't care that you got old. I care that we didn't grow old together." And the Rory bot.
Runner Up: "The Doctor's Wife" (6.04)
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| written by: Neil Gaiman directed by: Richard Clark |
Why I like it:
The TARDIS is the Doctor's oldest companion and it's great to see a human relationship between the two, even if it is brief. Also Neil Gaiman wrote it!
SERIES SEVEN
"Asylum of the Dalek's" (7.01)
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| written by: Steven Moffat directed by: Nick Hurran |
What it's about:
The Doctor, Amy, and Rory must destroy a planet that carries all of the Dalek's too crazy to be with the other Dalek's. Amy and Rory, however, have divorced since the last season. The group gets help from a girl named Clara who crashed on the planet years ago.
Why I like it:
This episode was a great introduction to Clara. Unfortunately, it set her up too much and now I find her to be the dullest companion ever. However, this episode had great visuals, Amy and Rory's marriage gets saved, and we realize that Amy and Rory can't travel with the Doctor forever.
Best bit:
The Dalek's asking "Doctor Who" over and over.
Runner Up: "Hide" (7.09)
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| written by: Neil Cross directed by: Jamie Payne |
It's a love story with monsters. That's like 90% of what I watch on tv.
Wait, no Christmas episodes?
I couldn't pick a favorite so I didn't!
Did I miss one of your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
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