Doctor Who- My Picks

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.

What a strange new world!

For the most part, I've loved Doctor Who though the seventh series and the two specials that followed it made me realize that the Doctor and I needed a break. However, this post is to list my favorite episodes of each season of the Doctor Who reboot, so let's have at it!

SERIES ONE

"Boom Town" (1.11)

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)

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.

SERIES TWO

"Love and Monsters" (2.10)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

Source

Runner Up: "Midnight" (4.10)

written by: Russell T. Davies
directed by: Alice Troughton

Why I like it:

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"

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"

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

written by: Neil Cross
directed by: Jamie Payne

Why I like it:

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!

True Blood 2.09- "I Will Rise Up"

written by: Nancy Oliver

directed by: Scott Winant

It's creepy if I photoshop my head in, right?

STAN'S (GODRIC'S?) HOUSE
-For the first time, we actually go back a little before the last episode ended, because what happened before a bomb went off is definitely more interesting than the bomb going off.

-Bill and Lorena talk. See previous comment.

-Boom goes the dynamite and, unfortunately, Bill is well enough to chase after the guys who brought Luke to the house.

OPENING CREDITS

STAN'S (GODRIC'S?) HOUSE
-Eric landed on top of Sookie and she complains that he "weighs a ton." Why is she complaining if Eric's on top of her?

-Jason gives a thumbs up that he's ok.

And a finger gun!

-I don't think Sookie made the best choice wearing a white coat to a vampire party.

-So Eric is pretty skeezy for tricking Sookie into sucking the bullet out, but, honestly, if Sookie were a regular woman she would want to put her mouth on Eric's chest without a reason.

Spoiler, this recap is going to have a lot of Eric pictures.

-Aw, Luke's honesty ring is still intact.

-Bill realizes he's been bested. 

Bill does have the best reaction faces.

-It only took 5 minutes for Sookie to run to Bill's arms!

-There's a whole back and forth about Eric being able to sense Sookie's emotions and she's obviously really pissed. I'll admit it, Eric sounds really childish during the whole thing.

-So who's more inappropriately hot when covered in blood: Eric or Hannibal?

Also who's deadlier?

HOTEL CARMILLA

-Sookie is lamenting falling for Eric's tricks and the fact that he can now sense her emotions. Um she's a telepath. How does she think people feel about her?

-Sookie claims that it's impossible to be sexually attracted to Eric. I can't even...

Because Bill just screams sexual attraction.

BILL'S HOUSE

-Yay Hoyt for being pro-sex, but not in a creepy way.

-Hoyt says that Jessica has never laughed at him. It's probably because they've only known each other a few days.

-Hoyt wants to sleep with Jessica in her cubbyhole. Seriously, what is wrong with these humans that they keep wanting to sleep in dirt?

STACKHOUSE HOUSE FOR WAYWARD TRAVELLERS

-Apparently acid is just floating around Sookie's house. Can't wait til she gets back.

-Maryann becomes all indignant about people not enjoying being beaten up. I can't wait til she gets beaten up.

-Tara says she's a blackout expert. Apparently, she's not an expert on knowing when to get the fuck out of a situation though. 

Spoiler, it's before you wake up covered in bruises.

JAIL

-As Bud keeps bringing more people into the clinker, Jane says there's no law against losing pants. Thank god.

HOTEL CARMILLA

-Sookie and Jason finally have a sit down and clear some stuff up. It's definitely necessary, but it's also weirdly sexy. 

Save those bedroom eyes for later.

-Jason knows that people like his "sex abilities." Nothing like a humble man. 

-Sookie says that Jason's not dumb, just lazy. Eh there's some dumb there. 

TELEVISION

-Steve and Sarah are having a go against Nan on tv. Steve has a mark on his forehead where the paintball hit him.

The Fellowship of the Sun's version of a stigmata.

-"I hate your hair."-You take that back!!

MERLOTTE'S BAR AND GRILL

-Some lady brought her camera to Merlotte's to take a picture of the refrigerator that Daphne's body was found in. Bon Temps really needs a cinema or something.

-Arlene hated Daphne, but she "wouldn't wish that kind of death on a possum." Did Daphne also carry lerprosy?

-"I'll look out for you if you look out for me."-Don't worry Lafayette I'll look out for you.

-Is anybody else weirdly reminded of Veronica confronting Duncan about raping her, when Terry and Arlene talk?

-Arlene tries to make a sexy face, but her make-up is a mess.

-At least she's not trying to pull off a sexy wink.

-Lafayette sees Tara's bruises and rightly assumes that Eggs did it. He isn't about to let that shit fly.

-Eggs makes me hate him even more by telling Lafayette that he "might want to take those eyelashes out" and the hits Tara. Fuck you Eggs.

FORTENBERRY HOME

-I know it's bad to say, because I love my grandmother, but Maxine kind of reminds me of her and not because they're both Southern.

-Here's the list of things Maxine hates: Methodists, Catholics, African-Americans (shh! it's a secret!), people who don't take care of their gardens, people who park their cars on the lawn, women in red shoes, families with lots of children, checkered curtains, cats, dogs, and every girl Hoyt has liked. 

Hater gonna hate.

-Hoyt's dramatic exit is slightly marred by yelling at his momma that he's a "grown ass man."

SOOKIE'S SEX DREAM

-Oh this scene. 5 years later and it's still one of my favorites.

Like I even need to explain why.

-I like that we get to see Eric as playful. While he's pretty cheeky in the books, it takes awhile for that to happen in the show and not to the same extent. 

-"Trade the sun for moon and stars."- He could talk me into becoming a vampire, but let's be honest he could talk me into doing a lot of things.

-Don't you fuck this up for me Lorena!

-Screw it. Here's the whole scene.

HOTEL CARMILLA

-Sookie wakes up next to Bill. That's what I call a rude awakening (zing!)

JAIL

-Maryann comes to get Sam, but he turns into a fly and flies away (I'm on fire!). Instead she releases everybody else. Hopefully somebody gets Jane some pants.

MERLOTTE'S BAR AND GRILL

-Jessica is meeting Maxine and Maxine seems to be the only person impervious to her charms. 

-Jess stands up for herself when Maxine calls her out for being a vamp. Someone made her one against her will.

Nobody made Maxine a bitch against her will.

-Shockingly, the meet and great ends badly when Maxine brings up that Jess can't have children. It appears that Maxine does not hate making terrible first impressions.

STACKHOUSE HOUSE FOR WAYWARD TRAVELLERS

-Apparently Tara and Egg's resolution to be sober lasts as long as everybody else's resolutions.

I didn't even know it was possible to do angry body shots. 

-The calvary, Lafayette and Lettie Mae, come to save Tara. Nobody appreciates it.

-Tara wails, "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGGS" as she's being dragged off. Not the best last words.

HOTEL CARMILLA

-Finally, Nan in the flesh! It's as glorious as I dreamed it would be.

-Seriously, was Anna Paquin's only acting direction during this episode "give everybody bedroom eyes?"

At least she's finally pointing them at the right person.

-Apparently Godric just offered himself up to the Fellowship of the Sun. There's that mystery solved rather anticlimactically.

-Even less anticlimactic Godric accepts his punishment humbly. 

-Eric calls Nan a "cold bitch". That's coming from a thousand year old viking who recently had a man chained in his night club's torture basement.

At least the Skarsbrow is fighting for Godric.

-Eric claims that Nan doesn't have the power to dethrone him; "Hey I'm on tv. Try me."

MERLOTTE'S BAR AND GRILL

-Maryann comes looking for Sam. Why did she go to Sookie's house before looking for Sam?

MOTEL

-Is Dirty Jobs still on?

HOTEL CARMILLA

-I didn't think it was possible, but it appears that Godric is a more self-loathing vampire than Bill. At least he's got some cool tattoos.

-Bill wants to confront Eric about tricking Sookie and he looks like he can care less about the whole thing, even after being punched in the face. 

Bill, however, looks like he's just been punched in the face. 

-Sookie says that she wants to go see Godric on the roof and Bill asks, "don't you think we've done enough for Dallas?" He's got a point.

HOTEL CARMILLA ROOF

-Godric has decided he's going to meet the sun no matter what anybody says. This is also one of my favorite scenes in the series.

-Eric says he'll forcibly stop Godric from meeting the sun; "Why would you be so cruel?"

Eric's not the only one crying at this point.

-Godric sends Eric off and now it's just Godric and Sookie. She asks him if he's very afraid and I'm reminded of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when Harry uses the resurrection stone in the forest.

-Godric meets the sun and is hopefully gone before he realizes how shitty the special effects are.

That's why he has his eyes closed.

END

-Musical Moment of the Night: "I Will Rise Up" by Lyle Lovett. It plays during the end credits and is the name of the episode.

SPOILERS

-I realized that I forgot to talk about some of the differences between the books and movie with this season. In the books Godric is not Eric's maker, it's some asshole Roman. Jason never goes to the Fellowship of the Sun, but most of the other differences with the Dallas storyline are pretty minor.

-In the books Bill leaves Sookie after the bombing to hunt after the Fellowship people, but he does so without letting her know, because Bill is more of an asshole in the books.

-This will be mentioned in the following episodes, but Bill also tricked Sookie into taking his blood by making the Rattray's almost kill Sookie.

-Godric kills himself as a way to fix things. While the final episode hasn't aired yet, it seems like Bill is doing this in the 7th season. 

-Eric doesn't want Godric to die alone. In the third season, Russell will lament that he let Talbot die alone.

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True Blood 1.11- "To Love Is To Bury"

written and directed by: Nancy Oliver

Leaving the world just as crazy as she came into it.

CEMETARY
-Pam Line of the Night: "I find myself doubting whether you were ever truly human." "Thank you."

-When Pam says "Vampire" you can just hear her capitalising the "V".

I don't have a witty caption. I just wanted a picture of Pam on here.

OPENING CREDITS

STACKHOUSE HOUSE

-Sam leaves a message on Tara's phone hoping she's not drunk in a ditch. She pretty much is.

ROADSIDE

-The woman who drove Tara off the road had a "crazy ass motherfucking Paul Bunyan pig."

-Tara tries to use the "sista" card on Kenya.

JASON'S HOUSE

-Jason finally sees how crazy Amy is. About time.

-Amy accuses Jason of knowing that it was never going to end well. I have to disagree. I think he's dumb (and lucky) enough to think it could end well.

-"Yankee bitch." "Dumb fucking hillbilly."

Who is what?

STACKHOUSE HOUSE

-Sam sleeps with his shirt off. I prefer it when he wakes up naked.

But I'll live with this.

-Sookie says she doesn't want to wait around to be killed. What else has she been doing this season?

JASON'S HOUSE

-Is wearing a white shirt the best idea when disposing of body parts?

-Bonus points for disposing of Vampire Eddie (RIP!) in a garbage disposal. 

MERLOTTE'S BAR AND GRILL

-Lafayette is painting his nails on the bar. It's kind of gross.

People are going to have sex on that bar!

-"I can't listen to politicians anymore. I get seizures."

-Instead Terry watches home decor show. Terry and I need to share a Netflix account.

BIG PATTY'S PIE HOLE (...OR SOMETHING)

-The waitress sounds like she has a mouth full of cotton.

-Look I know we're learning some important stuff about Cindy and Drew Marshal, but I just want you all to know that I would quit writing these recaps (that all ten of you read) and run a pie shop if I could.

-The old man says "vampers" instead of vampires like old southern people say "sugars" instead of diabetes.

JAIL

-Tara has to make the call of shame. 

The old prom dress only adds insult to injury.

ROAD CREW

-Maxine has night blindness, but who has a baby shower at night?

-Jason tries to become the third wheel for Renee and Arlene's date. That would be a hard pass for me.

-"These things, they got a way of working out, you know."- I'm surprised Renee wasn't twirling his mustache as he said that.

NOT BON TEMPS POLICE DEPARTMENT

-The police officer is a dick and Sam and Sookie set him straight. These two should team up more often.

...in bed!

SENATOR FINCH EVENT

-Lafayette looks good in that suit and there is something sexy about the way he blackmails Finch.

Rawr.

JASON'S HOUSE

-Poor Jason thinks this dinner is going to fix all of their problems.

CEMETERY

-I like that Jessica rises out of the ground like a hot mess. I always suspected the rising gracefully coffin thing was bullshit.

Bonus sad points for reminding me of when Buffy dug her way out of her grave.

-Bill looks so uncomfortable.

This is the face I make whenever he is on the screen.

SAM'S CAR

-I really wish that True Blood ends with Sookie and dogSam driving off into the sunset in a convertible. Or Eric and Pam doing the exact same thing, because they are the best.

-Sookie asks Sam if he knows any car songs? WTF is a car song?

JASON'S HOUSE

-Of course Amy had a French maid. Hurry up and die.

WHAT ARE THOSE MUSCLES JASON?!

-Amy convinces Jason to do V one more time. Bless him.

BACK WOODS

-"I shared my essence with you and we slept together in the ground." "Ew." "Not intercourse." 

The second "ew" you head was from me.

-Once again Bill explains being a vampire by magic. Lazy.

-"You have been made vampire." "Why?" "Because you were unlucky. Because life and death are unfair."- I love this quote in a non-ironic way. However, I do think this should be the tagline for the show. 

-Sounds like Jessica is going to be competing with Sam and Tara for shittiest family.

-Jessica argues that since she's a vampire she doesn't have to sit like a lady.

I'm not a vampire and I still don't sit like a lady.

-Jessica is me when I'm hangry.

JAIL

-What a righteous bitch Lettie Mae is now.

-"Fuck you."-She should have said that to Lettie Mae a long time ago.

JASON'S HOUSE

-Even though I really dislike Amy, I really, really love this scene. It's quite beautiful.

It's not just because Jason is in his whitey tighties.

-When Jason jumps on the bed after the dream, it reminds me of when everyone cheers for Harry Potter after he immediately comes out of the maze in The Goblet of Fire. I tear up during both.

FANGTASIA

-Jessica calls Bill a "dick".  Finally, somebody said it.

-Jessica wants to sit on Eric's lap. Finally, somebody said it.

Well somebody besides me anyways.

-Eric insinuates Bill is not a real vampire. This scene is just the writers pointing out my opinions I feel.

JAIL

-New character alert: Maryann. Just ugh.

-"You're not a Jesus person are you?"

-"I'm surrounded by assholes and morons."-Any must have worked in customer service too.

STACKHOUSE HOUSE

-"I'm looking in your heart."-Ugh.

Double ugh.

-Sookie finally rescinds Bill's invitation. Finally. Sam is a jerk about it though.

JAIL

-Bud sums it up by saying, "This is the worst confession I've ever heard in my life."

-The fax comes through. Renee is the killer!

I'll be honest. When I first saw this I had no idea who it was suppose to be.

END

I didn't have a musical moment for this episode, but enjoy "Come and Get Your Love" by Redbone instead, because I just saw Guardians of the Galaxy.

I know I don't really discuss how I liked the episodes, but this is my favorite episode of season 1 (hence the "my pick" tag). I think it's a great penultimate episode with some really good scenes.

SPOILERS

-Bill wonders if Pam was ever truly human which is funny, because he met her when she was human and he was feeding off her prostitutes. It's not "funny ha ha."

-The pig is Daphne.

-Sookie doubts Sam wants to spend 24 hours with her. BIG BOOK SPOILER they end up getting married at the end of the series.

-Amy's argument that they should do V, because of symmetry is very obvious bullshit. Like super obvious. Hilariously, though, it's the exact same tactic the series is doing at the end of its run to fool the audience into thinking there is real emotional investment. Especially with Bill and Sookie (blargh.)

Home of the Nutty has confused the names of this and the next episode on its site. It's still a great site though.

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