Doctor Who: 10 Greatest Steven Moffat Episodes

Now that Doctor Who is getting a new showrunner in the near future, it's time to look at the best work of the previous incumbents of the job. Last month, it was Russell T Davies' turn. Today, it's the man who has overseen more Doctors than anybody- Steven Moffat...

Doctor Who: Other Dimensions - Engines of War

Last month we looked at the birth of the Cybermen in Spare Parts but now we turn to another great chapter in Doctor Who history that wasn't shown on TV - the Last Great Time War...

'No more.'

Ever since it was first mentioned in 2005, Doctor Who fans have been clamouring for a glimpse of the fabled Last Great Time War. We got something in 2010's 'The End of Time' and even more in 'The Day of the Doctor' when we met the War Doctor, a whole new incarnation of our hero. It was thought that was it for that massive period of the Doctor's life but then, to the surprise and excitement of many, George Mann's Engines of War came out - another adventure with the War Doctor! It had better be good...

Thankfully, Engines is a truly commendable achievement. I think every Doctor Who fan would simultaneously jump at and reel away from the chance to properly document such an oft-discussed but hardly seen piece of Who lore. In light of that, Mann does a remarkable job of weaving together most of the strands that we've heard about it alongside every fan's own idea of what it was like to create a very convincing realisation of the Time War. It may leave out some of the tantalising hints we've been told over the years - The Could-Have-Been King and his army of Meanwhiles, anyone? - but we see enough of the horror and the scale to totally believe in it. 

Yet there's much more to the novel than merely filling in a gap. It really is a unique piece with a feel very different from any other Who story. It certainly has a much bleaker outlook than most - the notion that everything and everyone is corruptible is a quite a prevalent idea here - yet hope still exists in the form of the leads. The War Doctor and Cinder make for a great partnership - both are jaded, battle-weary soldiers but they still believe there's something better out there than just the War. 

The War Doctor as a character is much like we saw on screen - a broken man but still with the Doctor's eccentricities and bravado peeking through - and it's easy to see and hear John Hurt while reading. His companion Cinder - who gets her name from her auburn hair as well as the fact that she was found in the ashes of her family home as a girl - is surely the most memorable one-off companion introduced in a novel. Actually, scratch that, she's probably one of the most memorable of any one-off companions. Thankfully, despite being very much involved in the conflict, she never feels like simply a boring hard-nosed soldier type but a believable person who has had a terrible life but still has a sense of humour and a strong heart - like all the best companions, really. 

Completely engaging and satisfying, if a story of the Time War needed to be told I am glad it was this one. Due to its unique angle and fascinating setting, it could even be the best Doctor Who novel out there. It is certainly the most significant. We can but hope that there is more of the War Doctor still to come but if his catchphrase turns out to prescribe his number of appearances at least there is Engines of War.

Before the Moment - Engines of War sees the War Doctor at an earlier point in his life.

Review: Doctor Who - Listen

Listen up! This week the Doctor searches for the thing in the corner of your eye in this utterly unique adventure...

'What's that in the mirror, or the corner of your eye?/ What's that footstep following but never passing by?/ Perhaps they are just waiting, perhaps that when we're dead/ Out they'll come a-slithering from underneath the bed.' 

For a that show can literally go anywhere, Doctor Who has quite a lengthy checklist of things we expect from each episode. But sometimes an episode comes along that breaks the mould - and 'Listen' is one of those episodes. This week we were delivered many inversions of the show's norms - just this once there was a hugely ambiguous nature to the monster of the week, it centred around the Doctor and Clara on their 'days off'' and, most tantalisingly, went to places that the show has never been before. Well, it has but it hasn't. Trust me, it's timey-wimey.  

There seems to be a deliberate effort to up the thematic content of the episodes this year as, beneath the whimsical adventures in space and time, we've had stories that are really about change, hatred and heroism. This week's episode not only continues the theme but emphasises it. While 'Listen' may start out as a familiar - but still spooky as heck - Moffat scarefest it then goes down a completely unexpected avenue to become a sensitive mediation on loneliness and fear. As the First Doctor - and now Clara - said 'fear makes companions of us all.' 

While we've come to expect great blockbuster finales and Christmas specials from Steven Moffat, this episode takes him back to his creepy one-off roots, In fact, Moffat has described the episode as a 'chamber piece' a small-scale adventure with few performers. In such a story as this, then, the cast is all important and, thankfully, the three leads of Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Samuel Anderson do not disappoint. Firstly, Capaldi embodies the Time Lord better than ever before here, as we see him inspire children and face terrifying sights but also explore new facets to the character like his almost unhinged obsession with the notion of a perfectly-evolved hider. Can such things really exist?

Meanwhile, as several incarnations of Pinks were met this week, Anderson's Danny (don't call him Rupert) is fitting well into the show, aided by the actor's awkward charm that fizzes with Jenna's perky Clara. Speaking of whom, Clara herself proves once again this week how invaluable she is to the Doctor - we've already seen her save his entire life and inspire him to rescue the Time Lords but here she makes her biggest impact on the Doctor yet. The Doctor is the solider who never carries a gun - I wonder where he got that idea from?  

'Listen' utilises all the classic horror film tricks and motifs (the thing under the bedsheet is one we've all seen before but that makes it no less eerie here) to treat us to a sleepless-night-inducing episode but then is also not afraid (ha!) to pull the rug from our feet and surprise and scare us in different ways. But embrace that fear because being scared is a superpower. And being scary is just one tool in the endless arsenal of Doctor Who, the show that can do anything. Just as this episode reminded us. 

It's the end - Is there something waiting on the last planet in existence?

Next Week: The Doctor and Clara save the day - by robbing a bank? Find out how in 'Time Heist'...

The Twelve Regenerations Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the web and social media, not a creature was stirring not even on Wikipedia. Apart from me, that is. It's Christmas Eve, which can only mean one thing - its the Doctor Who special tomorrow! As you must already be aware, this final special of the show's 50th anniversary year will see the final hour of Matt Smith, before he regenerates into Peter Capaldi. And so, in fittingly festive decoration, what follows is a look at the Doctor's previous regenerations, which coincidentally happens to be twelve. It's 'The Time of the Doctor' tomorrow but first it's time for a Christmas song...

'On the twelve days of Christmas, a Time Lord gave to me...'

                                                      '...One Wearing Thin...'
In: 'The Tenth Planet' (1966)
Cause: Old age, died in the TARDIS
Verdict: The original regeneration still holds it's own after fifty years. While its sad that the First Doctor doesn't bow out in a blaze of glory, the thrill of it being the very first shines out. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 4



'...Two's Change of Appearance...'
In: 'The War Games' (1969)
Cause: Exiled to Earth and forced to 'change his appearance'
Verdict: While it is a game-changing moment for Doctor Who - the Doctor's own race is finally revealed and he is exiled to Earth- the regeneration itself is let down by not featuring the change into Pertwee. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 3

'...Three's Valedictory Victory...' 
In: 'Planet of the Spiders' (1974)
Cause: Radiation poisoning on Metebelis Three
Verdict: A touching, brave swansong for the Third Doctor, and the first Doctor-Death to be thematically resonant within the story; this serial features much Buddhist symbolism, including the idea of reincarnation... 'Here we go again...' See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 4


'...Four's Final Fall...'

In: 'Logopolis' (1981)
Cause: Fall from radio telescope at the Pharos Institute
Verdict: The bombastic and eccentric Fourth Doctor gets a surprisingly low-key downbeat end although Baker's tenure is celebrated with a montage of past villains and companions. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 3 1/2

'...Five's Significant Sacrifice...'
In: 'Caves of Androzani' (1984)
Cause: Suffered from Spectrox Toxemia on Androzani Minor
Verdict: Sacrificing himself to save his companion, the Fifth Doctor is gifted the perfect death of a Doctor. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 5

'...Six's Silly Slip...'
In: 'Time of the Rani' (1987)
Cause: Rani's hijack of the TARDIS/Fell from exercise bike/ Colin Baker was sacked
Verdict: Sadly the definite weakest regeneration. At the start of the episode, the evil Time Lady the Rani attacks the TARDIS, entering to find an already-regenerating Doctor, laying prone next to an exercise bike. Colin Baker wasn't even brought back for the scene - incoming Doctor Sylvester McCoy had to wear a wig...
Regeneration-ometer: 1

'...Seven's Risky Resurrection...'
In: 'Doctor Who: The Movie' (1996)
Cause: Botched operation to remove bullet in San Francisco
Verdict: A solid regeneration for the Seventh Doctor that makes use of an interesting Frankenstein's Monster comparison as the Doctor is reanimated from the dead in a morgue.
Regeneration-ometer: 3

'...Eight's Grave Decision...' 
In: 'The Night of the Doctor' (2013)
Cause: Spaceship crash on Karn, guided by the Sisterhood
Verdict: A long-over due finale for the Eighth Doctor was given to us this year, forming an integral part of the ongoing story of Doctor Who in that it details the beginnings of the War Doctor. See here for (no) more.
Regeneration-ometer: 4

'...War's Reborn...'
In: 'The Day of the Doctor' (2013)
Cause: Old age, died in the TARDIS
Verdict: One of the great things about 'The Day of the Doctor' (and there were many) was that it gave us the complete set of regenerations! After realising he was still the Doctor, before he forgot the good he had done, the aging War Doctor accepted his regeneration with dignity. Here's to John Hurt's Doctor! May we see more of him in the future...
Regeneration-ometer: 4

'...Nine's Triumphant Transformation...'
In: 'The Parting of the Ways' (2005)
Cause: Consumed the power of the time vortex
Verdict: Most probably the greatest regeneration, fed by excellent writing and fine performances from Eccleston and Billie Piper as the woman he saves. The Doctor saving his friend and dying with a brave smile on his face. It's how he should always go. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 5

'...Ten's Cheeky Cheat...'
In: 'The Stolen Earth' (2008)
Cause: Shot by a Dalek
Verdict: Played for shock value by Russell T Davies, this sneaky surprise  made us really think Ten's time was up - until he shot the regenerative energy into a handy nearby mcguffin. See here for more.
Regeneration-ometer: 4

'And the Actual End of Ten...'
In: 'The End of Time' (2010)
Cause: Slow radiation poisoning in Naismith mansion, died in the TARDIS
Verdict: An emotional farewell for one of the most beloved of the Doctor's incarnations. It is simultaneously made by its indulgence and hindered by it. I'm afraid 'I don't want to go' is still a bit too much for this fan. Here's hoping that in the Doctor's next, thirteenth (and surely final) regeneration, he holds himself with a little more decorum.
Regeneration-ometer: 4

As Christmas Eve draws to a close, it's time for Matt Smith's last bow, like all his other selves. The Eleventh Hour is over, the clock is striking Twelve's...

Have a very merry Christmas!

Review: Doctor Who - The Day of the Doctor

The day has come and gone. Christmas day for 77 million Doctor Who fans worldwide, the 23rd November 2013, is now over. The surprises have been unwrapped - so was it worth the wait? In a short answer; most certainly so! For a longer answer: read on...

'Never cruel or cowardly.' 'Never give up. Never give in.'

When UNIT call the Doctor in to investigate an impossible incident at the National Gallery, he is swept into an adventure involving Elizabeth I, shapeshifting Zygons and his past self! But there’s more, an even older incarnation of the Doctor is returning, and the Last of the Time Lords is going to have to visit his darkest day all over again...

A few months ago, we thought Series seven finale ‘The Name of the Doctor’ was a liberal re-shaking of Doctor Who history - yesterday the 50th anniversary special materialised in our dimension, pointing and laughing at that episode for its half-hearted attempt. For at its heart, 'The Day of the Doctor' treads a very clever line between changing a defining part of the revived series of Doctor Who while also, actually, not. For once, though, it can be said that the show will be the same 'no more...'

Away from the plot (spoilers), the special was released in cinemas worldwide – one screening of which I was lucky enough to attend – and so had extra pressure to reach the filmic quality that the Doctor Who of the past year has aimed for. And to all intents and purposes, it achieved it. Many fans have been after a big-screen Who outing for years, but surely if one ever came it couldn’t look anymore gorgeous than this (oh, those beautiful Zygons). As for the 3D element, it was a potentially superfluous but enjoyable addition to proceedings and was quite effective on several occasions. Nick Hurran, the show's current stand-out director, certainly handled it well and it really aided to the cinematic feel that the special possessed. 

As well as Moffat’s script and the whole sheen of the special, the performances are really what held the whole shebang together. It was wonderful to see Billie Piper back, bringing new aspects to her character, Jemma Redgrave was once again solid as the Brigadier’s daughter and UNIT lead, Kate Stewart while Jenna Coleman was as likeable as ever, albeit in a diminished role. However, the sure stars of this special are certainly the three Doctors. John Hurt brings his usual gravitas to the 'War Doctor' while the riffing of David Tennant and Matt Smith is a true treat to watch. The return of Tennant was an exciting prospect alone but its extra pleasing to see him playing a fun Doctor again, not the tortured version of his later years in the role. Every exchange between the two Doctors is laugh-out-loud funny and work in tandem next to the special’s unfolding drama.

Unfortunately, there are a few nitpicks to be had – I'm unsure of the characterisation of a hopelessly besotted Elizabeth I and a resolution to the Zygon subplot would have been nice (I just want more Zygons) but, really, when the rest is as bold and exciting as this these foibles are forgiveable. 

Overall, 'The Day of the Doctor' is a fast-paced blockbuster as well managing to be a portrait of the Doctor's character, with a flavour of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. After the release of 'The Night of the Doctor' and the reveal that it was going to reveal secrets of the Time War, there was the worry that the episode would be low on shocks (we, of course, know how it ended). However, Moffat pulls out all the stops to produce an exceptional piece of television (even if you don't see it on a TV). Congratulations to all involved for creating something that, as with much of Doctor Who this year, celebrates the show’s illustrious past and aims to ensure its future. After this 50^th anniversary (very) special was broadcast in 97 countries across the world, it’s fair to say that Doctor Who will be with us for a good many years yet. Another fifty? For those of us without a TARDIS, we'll have to wait and see. 

P.S. Rather wonderfully, this is my fiftieth blog post this year. If Doctor Who has taught me anything, I now need to pop back into my own time stream to ensure that it turns out this way...

Review: Doctor Who - The Night of the Doctor (Minisode)

Unless you've been living in a cave on the planet Karn for the past day or so, you can't help but have been swept up in the hype over this very special minisode (hey, it's Matt Smith's term). If you haven't seen it yet, trust me, the hype is entirely justified as this is literally a seven minute chunk of Doctor Who history. If you don't trust me, see for yourself here:

A surprise appearance of a past Doctor! The Time War! A hitherto unseen regeneration! If these six minutes forty eight seconds contains all of that what in the name of Rassilon will the actual special contain? Well, that's a question for another day.

The best thing about this minisode is, of course, the fact that it stars Paul McGann, previously only seen onscreen for the 1996 TV Movie in which McGann gives a truly brilliant turn as a romantic, thoroughly hands-on (and lips-on, eh, know what I mean? Nudge nudge) version of the character who lives for the adventure. The Eighth Doctor is arguably the Doctor in his purest form, an alien with a love for humanity who can always be relied upon to save the day (no pun intended). So it is of course, fantastic to see him back but also incredibly sad to see perhaps the nicest, and most heroic incarnation of the Doctor forced to make the most difficult decision of his lives.

The switch around of the oh-so familiar set-up of Doctor Who - young brave woman swept off feet by the Doctor before being whisked off in the TARDIS - with Cass shunning the Doctor in disgust is simply heartbreaking, providing a fascinating insight into the effect the Time War had not just on the Doctor's race but the man himself. That he would refrain from partaking in the war for so long seems totally appropriate for his character, in particular, this incarnation. His ultimate decision to join the fight being due to the Sisterhood of Karn is also a nice touch, raising interesting questions and nodding back to fab Tom Baker story 'The Brain of Morbius'.

Another element of the episode worth a mention is the references to the Eighth Doctor's companions from the audio adventures produced by Big Finish, which finally creates a connection for at least one branch of Doctor Who spin-off media to the main series. My only gripe is that as Moffat had done that why couldn't he have had the Doctor mention, say, Fitz from the Eighth Doctor novels or Izzy from the glorious comics featuring this Doctor (she's still one of my favourite companions ever). It's a tiny nitpick but one small adjustment that would have truly brought all of Doctor Who together which would have added a little more icing on the cake. Although there is a hell of a lot of icing already. Maybe it would be one of those edible ball bearings on the cake instead. The Doctor does love ball bearings...

The scope and ambition of this short really shows that Steven Moffat is the perfect man to guide the show through its 50th year - he's the only writer with the sheer gall to liberally change massive parts of Doctor Who history. For one thing, does this affect the oft-argued '12 regeneration' rule? With the inclusion of the John Hurt 'War Doctor' (I personally prefer the term used by some fans prior to this episode - 'The Mayfly Doctor') it pushes Capaldi up to No.13 but does it also give the writers a legitimate excuse to continue on after him?
Whatever the answer to these questions, 'The Night of the Doctor' must be commended for being a seven-minute masterpiece of a web-only minisode that manages to significantly alter the course of Doctor Who. It certainly lays the groundwork for 'The Day of the Doctor', just a little over a week away. Now that we know who the John Hurt Doctor really is, we will surely find out what horrors he committed during the Last Great Time War. He is a Doctor, after all, but probably not the one we expected.

The Month of the Doctor!

And here we are. After fifty years of humour, heart but above all adventure, Doctor Who this month reaches its half-centenary - and it looks like its going to celebrate it with a blast! There's programmes on BBC Three, Watch, Channel Five - far too much to list here but, rest assured, Doctor Who is taking over television. Let's see what we've got in store..

DOCTOR WHO AT 50

First of all, a few weeks ago, we were treated to a 60 second trailer encompassing the whole history of the series. Fans who were after footage from the special episode were ready to complain about getting a half-baked teaser, but no one was complaining after they saw it. A glorious, gorgeous feast for the eyes (of a Doctor Who fan, at least), it manages to excite and entertain without giving us a single tidbit of information about the special. But who cares when it's this good? Let's have another watch, shall we?

THE SCIENCE OF DOCTOR WHO

One of the great things about this month is that there are a number of programmes being broadcast about the show as well the special itself. One of these is  The Science of Doctor Who, hosted by Professor Brian Cox (who had a cameo in last year's 'The Power of Three'), which will look at real theories on time travel and other science fiction concepts raised in the show - for instance, whether you could really build a TARDIS!
Have a butcher's at the trailer below for more - featuring a guest spot from the Doctor himself...

AN ADVENTURE IN SPACE AND TIME

Now here's the one fans are waiting for the most - some, I've heard, more than the special itself. Written by Mark Gatiss, An Adventure in Space and Time (based on the original sub-title for the series) is a one-off biopic focussing on the creation of Doctor Who and the people behind it. Brian Cox (nope, a different one this time) is Sydney Newman, the BBC head of drama who came up with the original concept as an educational children's series and Jessica Raine (Emma in Hide, earlier this year) plays Verity Lambert, Doctor Who's first producer who made the show the all-ages entertainment machine we all know and love. However, the star of the show is 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship''s David Bradley as William Hartnell, the first actor to take on television's greatest role. The whole thing sounds like a wonderful nostalgia fest (several scenes from early story are being recreated) as well as a dedication to the people we have to thank for making the show what it is. So far a trailer hasn't materialised but we do have these great retro posters!

THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR

And now for the big one; 'The Day of the Doctor', the feature-length special that will bring together Matt Smith's and David Tennant's beloved incarnations of the character alongside John Hurt's never-before-seen mystery Doctor. You can't help but know about it as the BBC has been plugging like mad - and rightly so. As you will have noticed in the trailer at the beginning of this post, an official hashtag has been created to get people talking about the show online - #SaveTheDay. And if that wasn't enough, recently, a cool spin-off website has been released in which sneak peaks of the special will be unlocked the more people tweet, facebook, tumblr ad infinitum about Doctor Who, using the hashtag. It's a nice idea and things are already starting to appear over the internet...

Like a trailer...?

Whoah, hold back. First, let's look at a few of the photos released so far...

Fab, aren't they? Thanks to these babies we now know that the rumour that Joanna Page (of Gavin and Stacey fame) was playing Queen Elizabeth I is indeed true (a character who was previously stated to have a fling with the Tenth Doctor...), there'll be a character wearing a Tom Baker scarf and... oh, just look at that, it's John Hurt in the TARDIS!

Not much, plot-wise, has been released as of yet but we do have this juicy synopsis:

The Doctors embark on their greatest adventure in this 50th anniversary special. In 2013, something terrible is awakening in London's National Gallery; in 1562, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England; and somewhere in space an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion. All of reality is at stake as the Doctor's own dangerous past comes back to haunt him. 


Oh, and, of course, there's this...

I know! Three Doctors! The Time War! Rose! A Fez! I need to sit down. Oh, I am sitting down. Good.

Going by this trailer, 'The Day of the Doctor' looks set to be a grand spacey-wacey adventure set in a ton of locations and with quite a big budget it must be said, by the looks of things. You could easily mistake this trailer for a new Star Wars film or something. The most striking things for me were David Tennant and Matt Smith together - I didn't expect to be so excited to see Tennant back as the Doctor  - and the biggest question the trailer raises - how, why and what the hell is Rose doing in the Time War? Well, as she says, the Moment is coming... And I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Review: Doctor Who - The Name of the Doctor

Prior to the highly-anticipated fiftieth anniversary special expected to celebrate the history of Doctor Who, the equally-highly-anticipated ‘The Name of the Doctor’ beats it to the punch, offering us a story that encompasses the Doctor’s entire life. And intervenes in it liberally. A mysterious conference call from Madame Vastra and the scheming of the Great Intelligence takes the Doctor and Clara to Trenzalore, the one place in the universe the Doctor must never go; to his grave. Where his greatest secret will be revealed…Or will it? As we expect from Moffat series finales, this episode actually raises more questions than it answers. In this case, though, this is entirely fitting, meaning ‘Name of the Doctor’ is a fantastic way to conclude the series.

The atmosphere is unique compared to other episodes of this series (think, the thrills of ‘The Crimson Horror’ and the whimsical ‘Nightmare in Silver’), being distinctly funereal. There are a few surprisingly hilarious lines sprinkled throughout– when isn't there when Strax is involved? – but largely it's full of doom and gloom which, conversely, really, keeps the momentum up, aided by Matt Smith’s masterful performance and Saul Metzstein’s skilful direction. The fabled Fields of Trenzalore – first mentioned in ‘The Wedding of River Song’ back in 2011 – are suitably imposing and properly deathly-looking, with its thunder-clapped sky and the gigantic TARDIS tombstone being particular highlights.

The supporting cast is well-used. Vastra, Jenny and Strax add to that feeling that the series has come together and River Song also gets a touching fleeting appearance here that might possibly be her last ever. On the monster side of things, the Great Intelligence’s silent henchman – really, they must be related in someway to Moffat’s bulbous-headed, suited-and-booted aliens – are an absolute treat. Though they are not an integral part of the episode there is enough of them on show to make them memorable villains. Their penchant for speaking in rhyme is another Moffat monster masterstroke – slightly moving on from his usual repeated phrase motif. Richard E Grant of course entertainingly hams it up as Mr. G. Intelligence, intent on getting revenge on his old enemy.  However, he’s far from the only link to the Doctor’s past on show…

Yes, if any Doctor Who episode has been written for fans it is this one. This is an episode that rightfully revels in the show’s long past and literally inserts itself amongst it. The mystery of Clara, the Doctor’s impossible girl, is solved in the only way that made, a strange sort of, sense and the show is kicked off in an all–new direction with a flabbergasting cliffhanger that will definitely keep fans gnawing at their fingernails until 23^rd November. It’s sure to be good.

This may have been more of a stream of praise than an actual review but that is because this episode does everything a finale should. Looking back to not only recent episodes but also the whole history of the series while also creating stepping stones to the future of Doctor Who. In all, ‘The Name of the Doctor’ is a triumph, concluding a short series of episodes of a great consistent standard. Fitting for this very special year for the show.