Doctor Who: 10 Greatest Chris Chibnall Episodes

We've already looked at the best of Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat, so now its time to count down the greatest episodes of Doctor Who's newest showrunner - Chris Chibnall.

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: 10 Best TARDIS Teams

With Pearl Mackie's Bill joining Peter Capaldi for Doctor Who Series Ten, we have a brand-new 'TARDIS Team' for the first time since 2012. So what are the best Doctor-companion groups ever? Let's take a look...

Doctor Who: Step Back in Time - Series Seven

The Time of Capaldi is almost upon us, with just a over two weeks left until his feature-length début (how spoiled are we?) is broadcast across television and cinema screens alike. So its time for Eleven to take one last bow as we cast a look back at the most recent series of Doctor Who: Series Seven. Though it's sort of two series that can either exist apart or as one. Like a worm. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Series Worm...

Starring: Matt Smith (the Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams), Jenna-Louise Coleman (Clara Oswald) with Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra), Catrin Stewart (Jenny Flint), Dan Starkey (Strax) and Alex Kingston (River Song)

Produced by: Marcus Wilson and Denise Paul

Executive Produced by: Steven Moffat and Caroline Skinner

Best Episodes

Asylum of the Daleks by Steven Moffat

What better way to open a series than a visit to a planet full of insane Daleks? 'Asylum' is a true thriller of an episode, starting the year of the 'Movie-of-the-week' perfectly. Alongside the aforementioned sanity-impaired Skarosians is a subplot involving the Doctor trying to save Amy and Rory's marriage and a surprise appearance from companion-to-be Clara (well, sort of) with Jenna proving herself to be a terrific actress. It turned out these episodes wouldn't just be any old movies-of-the-week, they would be blockbusters. 

The Rings of Akhaten by Neil Cross

Once in a while, a Doctor Who episode is unlucky enough to find itself on the receiving end of a barrage of criticism. So while many don't care for Neil Cross' début Who I, for one, think it's hugely enjoyable. The story may be slight but that only means it's going for atmosphere and heart more than complex plot. This also gives the other areas of production more chance to shine then usual, in particular costume design and Murray Gold's soaring score. 'Rings' is a magical sci-fi tale. Good enough, in fact, to feed Akhaten himself. 

The Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss

With 'Cold War', Gatiss provided his best Who so far but his second of this series was somehow even better. A wonderful hodge-podge of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Gatiss' very own Lucifer Box novels, 'Crimson' is a horror-tinged adventure with some great innovative storytelling. The finest example so far of how a Paternoster Gang spin-off show would work. The answer? Get Mark Gatiss to write it.

To read my reviews of all episodes of Series Seven click here. 

 TARDIS Team(s)

Series Seven is the first to employ the idea that the Doctor's companions do not have to runaway with the Doctor full-time. After formally leaving the TARDIS during the previous series, Amy and Rory Pond are unique in that the Doctor continues to come back for them, taking them on one-off trips across time and space before returning them to the normal lives. In fact, this arrangement went on for years, with the Ponds ageing from twentysomething to middle-age - however, though the Doctor does try, you can't hold off growing up forever. In the end, it took an invasion of New York by Weeping Angels to force the travels of the undisputed longest-running companions of the revived series to come to an end. 

The Doctor's next companion, Clara, was a true anomaly. Not only did she appear before she joined the Doctor on his travels, she also died - twice. When 21st century Clara (as opposed to Victorian and Dalek Clara) finally travelled in the TARDIS (with a similar arrangement to the Ponds) it made for a unique Doctor-companion dynamic. For the first time, the audience did not see through the companion's eyes to crack the mystery of the Doctor but quite the reverse. 

As well as his core companions, Series Seven also gives the Doctor a number of go-to allies. Reintroduced after their popular début in Series Six, Victorian detectives Madame Vastra and Jenny, now joined by the reformed Sontaran Strax, the Paternoster Gang notched up three appearances, including the series finale. This same finale also found time to wrap up the story of the Doctor's wife, River Song, literally laying her (data) ghost to rest. Out with the old and in with the new, it seemed the series was preparing for a change. A regeneration, you might say...

Story Arc

In a series full of firsts, Series Seven takes a new take on the issue of story arcs. Whereas its immediate predecessors were almost serials in their attitude to ongoing storylines, this series took a much looser approach. This was a series that was proud to be a different show every week, made up entirely of single-episode stories. Defined by featuring two different sets of companions, the two halves of the series are really two shorter runs bolted together and so have their own stories to tell.
The first five, or Series Pond, were the softer of the two on story arc, being almost devoid of overarching narrative, with the exception of some thematic foreshadowing of the Pond's exit. The second, or rather Series Clara, brings things to the boil somewhat more with the mystery of Clara, 'the Impossible Girl' being referenced in most stories before being revealed in the finale.
However, there was something that dripped through both Series Pond and Clara, as with 'Bad Wolf' or 'Torchwood' it was just a phrase that had a larger meaning. In fact, it was a question. The oldest in the universe. The question that the Doctor had been running from all his lives was coming back to haunt him. And that question was: 'Doctor Who?' The answer, apparently, lay on Trenzalore.
Combined with the 50th anniversary outing and Christmas special that followed it, Series Seven combined lively stories with friends and enemies, new and old, to send the Eleventh Doctor off in style. What's more, with its big-screen ambitions, Series Seven is the reason Doctor Who is currently enjoying a semi-regular home at cinemas worldwide. Thanks to Series Seven, the Doctor, rather than the Daleks or the Cybermen, is taking over the world.

Coming Soon: It's not just his kidneys that have changed. The new Doctor lands 23rd August. 

Doctor Who: Step Back in Time - Series Six

With Peter Capaldi materialising on our screens in just under a month, it's time to up our game of this run-down through the previous series of our favourite bigger-on-the-inside programme. Earlier this month, we covered Matt Smith's first foray into the TARDIS in Series Five and now - anyone good at maths out there? - we come to Series Six. So join us as we sing Melody's Song...

Starring: Matt Smith (the Doctor), Karen Gillan (Amy Pond), Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) with Alex Kingston (River Song).

Produced by: Sanne Wohlenberg, Marcus Wilson and Denise Paul

Executive Produced by: Steven Moffat, Beth Willis and Piers Wenger

Best Episodes

The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon by Steven Moffat

No other Doctor Who series opener sets up the episodes ahead quite as well as this one. In a year full of twists and turns and complex plots that keep you at the edge of your seat, this two-parter delivers a unique take on the classic extraterrestrial incursion ('we're not fighting an alien invasion, we are leading a revolution'). some terrific monsters and a Doctor Who explanation of a famous historical event. When, just ten minutes into the new series the main character dies, you know you're in for a quite a ride. 

The God Complex by Toby Whithouse

In a series full of gems, this thrilling, slightly surreal offering from Being Human creator Mr Whithouse is often unfairly overlooked. With a spellbinding premise - a creepy hotel with a different horror in each room - and an interesting collection of supporting characters - Rita is one of the best companions-who-never-was - as well finding time to look at the relationship between the Doctor and Amy, this is one of the bravest and most accomplished of its year. In fact, in a near-quote from the episode itself, praise it. 

Closing Time by Gareth Roberts

I've spoken before on Mr Roberts' reliability to produce the funniest Doctor Who episode of the year every time but here, a sequel to his tremendous The Lodger, he outdoes himself, creating possibly the most outright hilarious Who story ever told. Even if the Cybermen are underused, Matt Smith and James Corden simply crackle with comic chemistry and the humorous set pieces and one liners never let up. An episode to please the Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, in all of us. 

For more on my other favourite episode of Series Six, see here. 

TARDIS Team

For the first time in the modern series, the regular cast of Series Six were exactly the same as the previous year. And the growing familiarity between the Doctor and his companions, arguably to a level not seen since the Tenth Doctor and Rose, shines through as surely never before had the TARDIS Team felt so much like a family unit. There's Mum and Dad and their two kids. However, here's a question for you, which is which? 

With Series Six, Rory is promoted to full-time companion and, now that Mr and Mrs Pond have tied the knot, there is a greater emphasis on the love story of Amy and Rory, and how it is stronger than their, in particular Amy's, ties to the Doctor. In the reverse, a character who's ties to the Doctor increase this series is River Song. Previously their timey-wimey relationship had been rather strained but over the course of the series it burgeons into a fully-fledged romance. Despite the reveal that River was raised a perfect assassin for the Doctor. Well, what other kind of woman was the Doctor going to fall for?

Our four heroes begin the series as a group of friends but end it as a pair of married couples travelling through time and space (though only occasionally with River - one psychopath per TARDIS, unfortunately). However, every story has to end sometime...

 Story Arc

While Series Five introduced us to the story arc of the series being, rather than a few peppered references, like a rolling stone, building and building until it got to the finale, Series Six takes this one further. If Series Five was a rolling stone then the overall arc of Series Six is a boulder crashing down a mountain. Doctor Who was more of a serial show than ever before, with plots interweaving all over the place (and time).
In content, this series revolved around the Doctor discovering the mythic Silence who had been mentioned throughout the previous year and their new plot to ensure the Doctor dies. And at the centre of all this, as hinted above, is River Song - who it is not only revealed as an agent of the Silence but also the daughter of Amy and Rory. This marks the evolution of the story arc revolving around the main heroes to actually being about the heroes themselves (the mystery of Clara in the next series continues this).
Series Six, then, combines the show's classic story-a-week philosophy with modern television's penchant for ongoing storylines. As such, the result was a winner and overseas interest for the show increased, laying the path for Doctor Who's 50th anniversary which turned out to be an international extravaganza. In short, Series Six sees Doctor Who bigger, brighter and boulder than ever before.

Next Month: Series Seven - Putting the Who Back in Doctor Who

Doctor Who: Step Back in Time - Series Five

As the début of Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor materialises ever closer, we continue our retrospective on the past series of modern Doctor Who. This time, we've reached a new decade and it's time for a new Doctor. So as the clock will soon strike Twelve, let's look back at Eleven's first - and finest? - hour.

Starring: Matt Smith (the Doctor) and Karen Gillan (Amy Pond) with Arthur Darvill (Rory Williams) and Alex Kingston (River Song).

Produced by: Tracie Simpson, Peter Bennett and Patrick Schweitzer 

Executive Produced by: Steven Moffat, Beth Willis and Piers Wenger

Best Episodes 

The Eleventh Hour by Steven Moffat

Having the unenviable task of regenerating the series when it had never been more popular, Moffat pulls a blinder of an episode which not only introduces us to the twinkling talents of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan but also serves as a blueprint for the new incarnation of the show; fast-paced and as funny as it is clever. In just one hour, Doctor Who proved that you can better the best. 

Amy's Choice by Simon Nye

Amongst the wealth of terrific episodes in Matt Smith's début series, this quirky curio is oft-forgotten. Trapped by the enigmatic Dream Lord, the Doctor, Amy and Rory have to choose between dream and reality.In short, it has everything you could ever want from the show; an inventive premise, lots of heart in the form of Amy's declaration of love for her boyfriend and a corker of a villain. Truly, the Doctor Who episode from my dreams.  

The Pandorica Opens/ The Big Bang by Steven Moffat

Simply Doctor Who's most thrilling finale. Never before - or, arguably, since - had a single story been packed full of so many strong ideas. With the universe blown up by the TARDIS, the Pandorica, Rory brought back to life, the stone Dalek ETC, these episodes glut their audience on the magnificent amount of imagination on show. It may leave answers hanging but it certainly makes for a satisfying climax to the series. A big bang indeed. 

TARDIS Team

For only the third time in Doctor Who history (after numbers Three and Nine), the new Doctor was accompanied on his fourth-dimensional travels with a new companion. This time around the companion came in the form of Amelia 'Amy' Pond, an orphan girl who's known the Doctor all her life. As such, Amy's relationship with the Doctor differs as to her he is her imaginary friend brought to life, due to her never really growing up, while the Doctor still sees her as the seven year old he once met. Also, Amy is perhaps unique in having an ulterior motive to joining the Doctor aboard the TARDIS. She wanted to run away from something, something terrifying. Her wedding.
Superficially similar to Mickey Smith from Series One and Two, Rory Williams is Amy's under-appreciated boyfriend/fiancé who later on joins them on their travels. In Rory's case, however, unlike Rose who automatically chose the Doctor, Amy has trouble deciding between her two 'boys.' Although she does eventually decide and Amy and Rory become Mr and Mrs Pond. And, yes, it does work like that.
Series Five also saw one-off character River Song become a recurring character and exceedingly important person in the Doctor's life. Is that the cloister bell in the TARDIS I hear? Or is it wedding bells?

Story Arc

In strict contrast to the growing trend of the RTD era of lighter story arcs, Series Five employed the biggest yet with the developing threat of the Time Cracks. Rather than simply acting as Easter eggs for the audience to spot (although that element is present), the Cracks feature prominently in several episodes in the run-up to the finale, namely in the series opener when one is found in Amy's bedroom wall and in 'Flesh and Stone' where it is actually key to the climax of the episode. Doctor Who was clearly evolving. No longer just a series of independent stories, this series could be seen as both that and one longer story.
What's more, for a first on the show, several plot points are left unresolved in the series finale, leaving them as ongoing questions asked for the next few years of the show. This was a Doctor Who more ambitious and audacious than ever before, aiming to keep its viewers on the edge of the sofa when they weren't hiding behind it. In many ways, this series was a taster for what was to come, with many greater changes just around the corner. After this cracking series of some of the best-told Doctor Who stories ever and an exceptionally talented central cast, the show had once again proved that change was not only necessary it was welcome. Geronimo!

Doctor Who's Greatest Moments - Part Five: The 10s (So Far)

In 2010, The Doctor regenerated. Usually on such occasions, viewers are eased through the change in the knowledge that even with a new Doctor, they are watching the same show. However, this time, Doctor Who  itself regenerated. In as big a change as when the show returned to TV screens five years previously, it had an entirely fresh cast, headed by rising stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, and a all-new production team, led by newly-appointed head writer Steven Moffat. Anyone expecting this new incarnation of the show to continue on with Russell T Davies' Earth-rooted, often-angsty, 'proper drama' approach was in for a shock; Doctor Who was once again proud of its sci-fi status, with the stories becoming increasingly fantastical, and also its own history. The First Doctor's image can be seen a number of seven times in Series 5 alone, fact fans. In short, the Doctor Who of the 2010s (so far) has been 100% Doctor Who featuring some of the strongest characters and stories the show has ever seen. And, of course, some of its greatest moments...

10.Goodbye Idris - The Doctor's Wife

Regular readers of this blog will know of my love for Neil Gaiman's The Doctor's Wife so it was bound to feature in here somewhere. The most affecting scene of the episode comes at its close when Idris, the Doctor's TARDIS trapped in a human body (yes, you read that right), is dying. This scene could have easily been over-egged but Idris' last words paired with Matt Smith breaking down get this blogger every time. 'Hello Doctor, it was so very nice to meet you.' Oh, here I go again....

9. Which day would you choose? - A Christmas Carol

As if you needed more evidence that 2010s Who could do sad well no.9 goes to a touching scene from the triumphant 'A Christmas Carol'. Miserly Kazran Sardick has been keeping his dying love frozen in a box for decades, never releasing her knowing that they can spend but one more day together. This scene, and the episode as a whole, perfectly capture that Christmas sentimentality that you find in festive films such as It's a Wonderful Life, making this Who's finest Christmas special. Along with the scene above (although she was the TARDIS), this moment proves that Doctor Who even creates supporting one-off characters that break our hearts.

8. River's reveal - A Good Man Goes To War

However, this era of the show is far from just about sobbing, on the contrary, it has become known for its timey-wimey plotting - and it doesn't come any timeier-wimier than the story of River Song. Finally, after the unsuccessful Battle of Demons Run, Amy and Rory (not to mention us) find out who the mysterious Dr Song is; Melody Pond, their daughter. It's a fantastic reveal, being one of those 'spanner-in-the-works' moments that Doctor Who (and particularly this version of it) can do so well. The moment of River's reveal perfectly captures the sense of the roller coaster that watching Doctor Who is; you might not know where it'll take you but you know it's going to be one hell of a ride.

7. Clara was born to save the Doctor - The Name of the Doctor

As mentioned above, 2010s Who is very aware of its past, with references to all eras of the show appearing all over the shop. This reached its pinnacle in the opening few minutes of the Series 7 finale when the Doctor's companion, Clara, was seen bumping into every Doctor. Including, most excitingly, the First Doctor on Gallifrey at the very moment he ran away to see the stars. The contemporary series is the only incarnation of the show that would ever do something as audacious as literally delving into its own history in such a way and also putting on screen such a significant part of the Doctor's origins. Moments like this encourage us to remember that Doctor Who isn't just a television series that we like watching on Saturday teatimes, it's a continuing legend that's been running for half a century.

6. The Pandorica speech - The Pandorica Opens

The Eleventh Doctor is good at speeches. And, at Stonehenge, in front of a legion of Romans, he delivered a belter. Every villain or monster he has ever faced has gathered in the skies for the Pandorica, an ancient mythical prison buried beneath the Henge. To stop all out war breaking out, the Doctor reminds them who is guarding it. 'Remember every black day I ever stopped you,' he says. 'And then - AND THEN - do the smart thing - let somebody else try first.' It's a bravura scene showcasing the fear the Doctor distills in his enemies, something not too well-explored at this point but has since become a running plot point (it was why he wiped his name from the universe, after all). Making the assembled horrors of the universe run away; the Eleventh Doctor is definitely good at speeches.

5. Lake Silencio - The Impossible Astronaut

Once upon a time, Doctor Who season openers would feature babies made of fat or fun, frothy stories about body-swapping. Not anymore. Ten minutes into Series 6, millions of viewers were gobsmacked when, at a picnic in Utah, an impossible astronaut rose from the lake and killed the Doctor, stone dead. With out any breathing room, this shock plunges you into the heady mix of intrigue, questions and twists that is Series 6 with terrific assuredness and a true cinematic feel thanks to the overseas filming. Doctor Who nowadays doesn't just expect you to be in the room when its on, it wants you to be glued to the screen.

4. Touched by an Angel - The Angels Take Manhattan

The longest-running companions of the post-2005 series, Amy and Rory, bowed out from the show when, after an exhausting adventure with the Weeping Angels, they met a solitary angel in a graveyard who sent them back in time. Amy's heartbreak at losing her husband, meaning she is willing to leave behind all of time and space, and her best friend to be reunited with him, answers the big question of their relationship since their introduction; Amy really does love Rory as much as he loves her. Particularly due to the performances of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan (for my money, the greatest Doctor-companion pairing we've ever seen) this is one of the saddest companion exits.

3. 'A pile of good things and bad things' - Vincent and the Doctor

As already seen, as well as the big attention-grabbing moments, the series can still do quiet reflections better than anybody. After revealing to Vincent Van Gogh that he will be adored, Amy returns to her time hoping to find that they saved Van Gogh from killing himself. At finding out otherwise, Amy breaks down but the Doctor reminds her that they did do some good. 'Every life is a pile of good things and bad things,' he tells her. 'The good things don't often soften the bad things, but vice versa the bad things don't always spoil the bad things or make them unimportant.' Written by the versatile Richard Curtis, this episode deals with a troubled lonely man rather than alien invasions and in this moment talks philosophically about life in a way that would not alienate children.They say Doctor Who is a kid's show yet I guarantee very few post-watershed shows would feature a moment quite as mature as this one.

2. 'Raggedy Man, Goodnight' - The Time of the Doctor

Granted a new regeneration cycle by the Time Lords, the Eleventh (or should that be Thirteenth?) Doctor is dying. But before he goes, he has time to reflect on the nature of change. 'We're all different people all through our lives,' says the Doctor. 'And that's OK... so long as you remember all the people you used to be...' Now this one was always going to be tear-jerking but Steven Moffat really pulls out all the stops to make sure we're blubbing all the way through our mince pies. The Doctor's brave speech of acceptance PLUS the dream of Amelia telling him goodnight PLUS the bow tie dropping to the floor are all sad individually but put together and topped off with Matt Smith crying (surely no sadder sight exists) produce possibly the most heart-rendering regeneration that would make even a Cyberman weep. Yet in a flash, a silver-haired man is making you laugh by talking about kidneys. That's Doctor Who.

1. The Doctors Save Gallifrey - The Day of the Doctor

Many moments from the past four years could have made number one. The reunion of Rory with an older Amy in 'The Girl Who Waited'? The hilarity of the mismatched Doctor and Craig from 'The Lodger'? The Doctor's tale of the TARDIS at Amelia's bedside in 'The Big Bang'? However, the top spot had to go to this scene from the spectacular 50th anniversary special from last month; what could be better than all the Doctor's working together to save the most important day in all of their lives?

To save himself from destroying Gallifrey, all twelve of the Doctor's incarnations (no, all thirteen!) team up to save his home world from the might of the Daleks and shunt it into another universe. With all of his guilt relieved, the Doctor has a new goal. He is not running away from Gallifrey, as before, but running towards it. A celebration of fifty years of Doctor Who, intervening into its own past, taking the show in a brand new direction as well as carrying an emotional weight, this scene literally has it all.

Just like the moments in 60s Doctor Who inspired Steven Moffat and Russel T Davies to grow up and write for the show, maybe this moment and the preceding nine will enthuse a whole new generation of fans. Doctor Who is the reason for its own longevity simply because, although it constantly changes, as this series of posts show, in whatever incarnation it is in, Doctor Who is always supreme television delivering moments of drama, pathos and, most importantly, fun. And as long as its keeps on doing that, there's no reason it should stop.

Review: Doctor Who - The Time of the Doctor

It's Boxing Day (at least for us here in the UK) so all of you at home are most probably still full from the previous day's celebrations; full on food, drink - but also writhing emotion as this Christmas Day, the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, took his final bow in a climactic battle that saw all his enemies attack. You know what, I'll let Clara explain...

'Now it's time for one last bow, like all your other selves. Eleven's hour is over now, the clock is striking Twelve's.'

Like a Christmas dinner piled high, there were ingredients aplenty to this very special episode, with a trio of main areas to cover. Firstly, it had to act as frothy, Christmassy entertainment to satisfy the festive folks at home, secondly, it had to tie up all the ongoing plot lines of Matt Smith's tenure - and there were many - while also, and this is the thirdly, delivering enough emotion to serve as a fitting farewell for Doctor Eleven. His final hour was certainly packed, so did it make the most of ‘The Time of the Doctor’?

As for balancing Christmas with continuity, while there is some fun early on with Clara’s timey-wimey turkey and Handles the friendly Cyberhead, festivities largely fall by the wayside when, ironically, the Doctor treks to Trenzalore, taking up residence in a town called Christmas to stop the amassed evil of the universe from restarting the Time War. There’s cracks in time, every alien from Silents to Weeping Angels, the first question and so much more that would leave a casual viewer scratching their heads so much they resemble a shaved Matt Smith.

In actual fact, it’s a little too crammed with ideas to make for a perfect Doctor Who episode. Some of the time it sagged under the weight of all the plot threads, certain ideas such as Matt Smith's Doctor being the last and the inclusion of the Time Lords were not given enough room to make suitable impact. Likewise, the ageing of the Doctor sadly meant less of Matt Smith's physicality which has been such a large reason his incarnation is so beloved. However, most of the episode’s faults could easily have been fixed with a tad more running time – although maybe that’s just me being indulgent after the movie-length ‘The Day of the Doctor’? 

The high point of this episode truly is the final scene, Matt Smith's last as the Doctor. If the rest of the episode has a problem with heart then the reason could be that it's all been squeezed into the last ten minutes. The Doctor approaches his change with optimism to counter the heartbreak and there’s some touching talk of the necessity of change. Staying on the right side of sentimental, the Eleventh Doctor’s regeneration joins the long list of sad farewell scenes in modern Doctor Who, lifted beyond the norm by Matt Smith’s effortlessly endearing, emotive performance that he has delivered every episode for the past four years as the Doctor. Yes, Matt Smith, we will always remember when the Doctor was you.

Despite its problems (and who can blame a bit of overfeeding on Christmas Day), ‘The Time of the Doctor’ was a truly eventful episode that gave us answers to long-asked questions and, most importantly, a tearful goodbye to the latest, greatest Time Lord. The ground is now clear for Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor to start a brand new golden age of Doctor Who. The eleventh hour has ended and it has now turned Twelve. A new day has begun. But what a day yesterday was? With a terrific lead actor and an abundance of intelligence and imagination (ably summarised in this episode), it really was Christmas. 

Doctor Who at 50: The Best Companions

In a similar style to my Doctor Who's Best Monsters post a few months ago, I've picked my favourite companions. However, to have a range over the whole history of the show, I've chosen the best companion of each Doctor's era. Who is full of great companions of the Doctor on his travels - never 'assistants' and certainly never ever 'sidekicks' - but here are eleven of the best...



First Doctor: Ian Chesterton & Barbara Wright

The Doctor's original companions. The two teachers investigated an 'unearthly' schoolgirl's home to find she lived in a police box - and her grandfather was an alien time traveller! And that's how it all began...
Accompanying the Doctor until they returned to Earth using a stolen Dalek time machine, Ian and Barbara were fiercely brave, loyal and intelligent; perfect companions for the Doctor at any time of the show.

Second Doctor: Jamie McCrimmon

A young Scottish Highlander from the 17th century, Jamie was a companion of Second Doctor on nearly all his adventures. Other  companions - such as hyper-smart Zoe and super-screamer Victoria - came and went but Jamie was forever at the Doctor's side. It was only due to the intervention of the Time Lords themselves that Jamie was forced to leave the TARDIS and returned to his original time and place with his memories of the Doctor wiped. Sad.

Third Doctor: Josephine 'Jo' Grant

The lovable-but-clumsy Jo was hired as the Third Doctor's assistant - all right, in this instance, assistant is correct - when he worked as scientific advisor for UNIT. At first the Doctor disliked her but the two grew to be very close friends. One of the most stirring and understated companion leaving scenes occurred when Jo left the Doctor to marry scientist Clive Jones and travel the world. Recently, Jo returned to meet the Eleventh Doctor in the Sarah Jane Adventures episode 'The Death of the Doctor.'

Fourth Doctor: Sarah Jane Smith

One of Doctor Who's most beloved characters is journalist Sarah Jane, companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors, friend of the Tenth and Eleventh and acquaintance of the First, Second and Fifth. Sarah Jane is the classic template of a companion; young female from Earth with a keen mind who is looking for something more in life. Of course, a big reason for Sarah Jane's enduring popularity is actress Elisabeth Sladen who played the character with a spark that ensured her place in Who fans' hearts.

Fifth Doctor: Vislor Turlough

Sadly, during the Fifth Doctor's era the TARDIS was so jam-packed  with companions characterisation tended to be a bit thin. There was Mouthy Tegan. geeky Adric and, um, yes, Nyssa. However, Turlough has a unique angle as he was an alien fugitive disguised as a human schoolboy tasked to kill the Doctor. Obviously, he didn't and joined the TARDIS crew as a good guy who's enigmatic past was finally revealed in his last appearance.

Sixth Doctor: Perpugilliam 'Peri' Brown

American student Peri (don't ask about her full name) at first joined the Fifth Doctor on the TARDIS. However, shortly after he sacrificed his own life to save hers and regenerated into his arrogant, abrasive Sixth incarnation. Peri was a fine companion thanks to her tenacity and dedication to continue travelling with the Doctor despite his frankly terrible attitude - until the terrible events of the Doctor's corrupt trial at the hands of the Time Lords took place...

Seventh Doctor: Ace

Ace is perhaps the first of the 'modern' Doctor Who companions - a character with a proper character arc who makes the show just as much about them as the Doctor. Ace was a troubled teenager with a love of setting things alight and blowing things up. The Doctor found her on an alien world despite her being from 1980s London - a mystery that was solved in the penultimate story of the classic series. The relationship between the Doctor and Ace - one of mentor and student, father and daughter but also great friends is one of the best the show has produced.

Eighth Doctor: Dr  Grace Holloway

When the Doctor was shot in San Francisco he was operated on by the talented Grace who was confused by his alien physiognomy and, um, killed him. Neverless, when he regenerated the Eighth Doctor took a great liking for Grace - both doctors, they had a  respect for each other although Grace turned down the offer to travel with the Doctor at the end of their adventure. Grace has the esteem of being the first companion to snog the Doctor. Although she wasn't the last...

Ninth Doctor: Rose Tyler

One of the most important people in the Doctor's lives, Rose Tyler helped heal the war wounds of the Ninth Doctor and became the best friend of the Tenth Doctor whom he felt the loss of for the rest of his life after they were separated at the Battle of Canary Wharf. Rose got her happy(ier) ending in the end as a duplicate half-human Doctor now lives with her on a parallel world.

Tenth Doctor: Donna Noble

In her first appearance Donna was a shouty gossip but proved herself as someone better when helping the Doctor defeat the Racnoss, also growing as a person over her travels with the Tenth Doctor. Donna's exit - saving the whole of reality before the Doctor was forced to wipe her mind of their time together, ridding Donna of the confidence in herself that she had gathered - is simply the saddest exit of a Doctor Who companion ever.

Eleventh Doctor: Amy Pond & Rory Williams

For viewers of the current incarnation of Doctor Who, Amy and Rory need no introduction. Unlike nearly every other companion in the show, Amy and Rory had a life e.g. got married, had a child, had jobs while also travelling the universe with the Doctor - albeit most of those things were given a timey-wimey twist. Sure, they may have died several times each and existed in several different universes and alternate timelines (let's not get into that now) but Amy and Rory, at the heart of it, were a couple who managed to remain so despite the terrible things that happened to them. It is perhaps too early to say just yet how Clara rates next to them but she has a hard job to beat the Ponds.

Countdown to Doctor Who at 50: The Eleventh Doctor

As we are now just a DAY away from entering the year of Doctor Who's anniversary, now seems the perfect time to come to our finale stop in our year-long countdown to the big event as we take a look at the very cool Eleventh Doctor. Geronimo!

 

The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant.

                                                          The Doctor (Matt Smith)

After fifty years and ten previous lead actors in the role you'd be forgiven for thinking that surely each and every avenue the character of the Doctor can be taken down has been explored. However,  Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor proves that a new Doctor can carry everything that's gone before him and still add something of his own. Mr Smith is a man so endearing in the role that he has done what many would have thought impossible (after the unanimous popularity of David Tennant) and convinced new and old Doctor Who fans alike that he might just be the best Doctor yet, as proved in recent polls. The wonderful thing here is that his adventures are still unfolding and his character could go anywhere. All we know for sure is that, for the foreseeable future, Matt Smith is the Doctor!

The Eleventh Doctor is an immediate contrast from his previous two incarnations. While they preferred contemporary fashions such as leather jackets, slim suits and converse trainers, this Doctor clearly shows his alien roots in his apparel; a tweed jacket, braces and a vehement belief that bow ties (and assorted head gear) 'are cool!' This reflects his personality as well as this Doctor is more alien in every way. He is a complete genius, with a lightning mind that he likes to engage every instant - he particularly hates waiting around - which often causes him to babble a lot as he tries to keep up with it. He has also lost much of his predecessor's social abilities - as seen when acting very nervous around women attracted to him and a mistaken belief that he should kiss people when meeting them. However, the Eleventh Doctor, of course, possesses boundless kindness and also a great wisdom gained from his long, long life. Beneath his young-yet-old face this incarnation truly feels the oldest of all the Doctors as he seems to have such a sadness in his hearts. In a similar vane to the Tenth Doctor, the Eleventh Doctor started life as a freer light-hearted soul before becoming more sombre and perhaps harder as he suffered great blows. In 'The Snowmen', for example, the Doctor had apparently retired from world-saving after the loss of his two best friends...

As the Doctor himself said, Leadworth residents Amy Pond and Rory Williams 'were the first faces this face saw' - he met the pair shortly after regenerating when he had to stop the Atraxi from destroying the Earth while also tracking down the snake-like Prisoner Zero. However, the trio's friendship was a very unusual one - even compared to previous companions. Meeting Amy as a child - thanks to a TARDIS timing malfunction - the Doctor left Amy waiting for a whole fourteen years before she properly travelled with him, and soon after her fiancee Rory. As a couple in the TARDIS, Amy and Rory were unique as Doctor Who companions as they had an ordinary, proper life alongside their adventures. They got married, had a kid (let's not go there now) and temporarily separated (blub) before their lifelong relationship with the Doctor was cut short by Weeping Angels and they were sent back in time to live the remainder of the lives in 1930s New York. But the glorious Ponds will be forever 'seared onto (the Doctor's) hearts.'

Overall, unlike the other Doctors on this list, we can't judge the legacy the Eleventh Doctor will have but what we certainly do know is the current effect he is having; being a key part in steering the show to new highs as it sails in rude health into its 50th year. And its thanks to Matt Smith, David Tennant, Christopher Eccleston, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, Jon Pertwee, Patrick Troughton and William Hartnell, that Doctor Who has reached this milestone - and, who knows, might well see another fifty years. If only we had a TARDIS to go see...


The Ones to Watch

Vincent and the Doctor

The Doctor and Amy have to rescue 'the greatest artist who ever lived' Vincent Van Gogh in this corker from Richard 'Blackadder' Curtis. Simply an incredibly touching tale of loneliness and depression that is equally accessible to adults and children alike.

The Wedding of River Song

The enigmatic River Song's story and that of the Doctor's apparent death comes to a close as the entirety of time starts to collapse! A barmy series finale that ties up a few loose ends and creates several new ones; an episode that totally encapsulates Steven Moffat's take on the show.  

The Angels Take Manhattan

As the Weeping Angels close in on the Ponds in New York, it seems this could be his and the Ponds' final adventure. Superbly acted and finely scripted, this is an a heartbreaking end to the story of Amelia Pond and Rory Williams.


P.S. Happy new year, everyone!

Amy and Rory's Best Moments

And here it is. The Pond's final day. Tonight at 7.20pm on BBC One (for UK viewers) the mid-season finale 'The Angels Take Mahattan' is broadcast and will be Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill's last appearance in Doctor Who. Feeling sad? Want something to cheer you up? Well, you've come to the wrong blog as the following post may set of the waterworks as we look back at the Pond's greatest moments: as there won't be any more after this evening.


Top Amy Moments!

She's a kissogram! - The Eleventh Hour

The Doctor meets curious young Amelia Pond immediately after regenerating. Due to a fault of the destroyed TARDIS, the next time he meets her it seems Amelia - now Amy - Pond is all grown up and has become a policewoman... or a nurse... or was it a nun? No, the Doctor's little Amelia is actually a kissogram. The Doctor was shocked and so were we: right from the off, Amy was definitely a very different companion.

Amy chooses Rory - Amy's Choice

A major theme of Amy and Rory's first series is Amy's conflict about who to choose; the Doctor or Rory? However, once the dastardly Dream Lord traps the travelling trio in a dream world in which Rory dies Amy realises that she can't live without her fiancee (everyone now: 'Awwww'). It's a very important moment in the unfolding relationship of the Ponds from Amy describing Rory as her 'sort of boyfriend' early on to being happy to marry him later in the series.

The Raggedy Man is Late for their Wedding - The Big Bang

Talking of which, when Mr and Mrs Pond (cos it really does work like that with them) finally tie the knot in a world where the Doctor has never existed due to the time crack in her wall and the universe pouring into her head, Amy is able to remember the Doctor which brings him back into the world! Hooray! And just in time for a dance!



Top Rory Moments!

Rory punches Hitler - Let's Kill Hitler

Yes, I think we could all watch this for hours. Rory demonstrates his physical side as he smacks the Fuhrer right round the face. Well, he had just shot he's daughter. And, you know, he's Hitler.

The Lone Centurion -  The Big Bang 

We knew right away that Rory was loyal to Amy - but until he decided to guard her while she was trapped inside the Pandorica we didn't know how much. While the universe is all topsy-turvy and all over the place and he's a plastic Roman (I won't explain it now but, to be honest, it makes little more sense in the episode - in a nice way), Rory waits 2000 years until Amy can leave the Pandorica. Now that's what I call commitment.

Where. Is. His.Wife? - A Good Man Goes to War

When the Doctor and Rory discover that Amy has been kidnapped they do everything they can to find her - including blowing up some cybermen! Once again in the persona of the Lone Centurion, Rory gives the Cybermen a 'message' from the Doctor (the above explosion) and a question from himself (the above title). We know from other times that Rory is fiercely loyal to his wife but in this moment we see he is also super cool! Go Rory. 

Top Pond moments

                                                         Stupid Face - Day of the Moon

Amy is once again kidnapped (it doesn't happen that often really) this time by the Silence, as the Doctor, River and Rory search for her Rory clutches the device that's allowing him to hear Amy - but she can't hear him. As he bravely says he'll keep looking for her, Amy speaks of how a man fell out of the sky and changed her world. Of course it turns out that Amy was indeed speaking of her husband ('it's a figure of speech, moron!'). Another great 'aww' moment from the Ponds. 





Old Amy - The Girl Who Waited

The pivotal scene of this wonderful episode is a proper emotional moment as Rory has to leave an older, harsher version of his wife out of the TARDIS to be killed by white robots so the younger, our Amy can live. Both actors play blinding performances and show that they can play the lighter and more serious sides of their characters.

They Don't Divorce! - Asylum of the Daleks

Hi-hip hooray. I can't have been the only Amy and Rory fan to have been dreading 'Asylum' a bit once I heard that the Ponds were going to divorce. For the first half of the episode or so, that is exactly what is happening. After all these moments that we've looked at where the Ponds show what a great team they are and what they can survive through, they seem to now hate the sight of each other. However, in another emotionally-charged scene from Gillan and Darvill the Ponds pour out their problems and anxieties; mainly the fact that Amy can't have kids and how she felt she had to force herself to let Rory go because of this. Who says you can't have heart-to-hearts in the middle of a mad Daleks asylum.  

So there are my personal favourite Pond moments. However, I'm sure by the end of tonight I could fill another list of touching Amy and Rory scenes from that episode alone.

As said episode is only a few hours away, there's just time to say thank you to Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill who have brought the characters alive so well over the past two and a half years of the show. I'm sure both will go onto other successes. One thing's for sure, though, their time on Doctor Who will be fondly remembered. To Amy and Rory!