Fun Fact: Smith and Jones was written because Davies found out that Tennant had trouble saying words with an "oo" sound without reverting back to his Scottish accent. Hence the sentence "Judoon platoon upon the moon" was written.
One of the things I love about midnight is that there are no real fancy props or special effects. the whole thing works entirely on superb acting by everyone to make the audience believe this is real. Definately one of my favourites. First time I saw it I wanted to applaud it.
that moment when they all look at Sky among the seat rubble, holding her face...and she slowly turns around and looks at them all the first time...master piece. Shows that good ol fashion acting trumps CGI any day.
I can't watch Midnight. I did once. When they got to trying to throw the Doctor out the door, and him so powerless, and seeing him hooking his feet on the seats to hang on... it was too much.I have a heart condition and that was over my line- it touched off an episode of a-fib and I almost ended up in the hospital. Even now, clips will make me get up and leave the room. So score one for RTD, I guess, for scaring a middle-aged woman near to death!
I'm not too much of a fan of dark stories, but that episode was the GOOD kind of dark story imo (wasn't so dark that I couldn't tell what was going on, characters were still appealing, the way the world is depicted is believable in the context of the story, et c.)
I grew up a huge fan of The Twilight Zone (the original series), which was why I loved Midnight so much. It reminded me of a modern take on a Twilight Zone episode.
This episode is not one of my favourites but its ok(I don't hate it), I had not thought about it regards the twilight zone until now, I have to say now it is so twilight zone!
I love it like everyone else but I'm not sure I would try and use it to get people into Doctor Who because it's not particularly Doctor Who-y, if that makes sense. Apparently it was a script idea that Davies had been sitting on his entire career, way before he was involved in Doctor Who, but he never got round to writing it and only did so to plug a schedule gap when one of the writers he had commissioned became very ill and had to drop out.
I loved all the pop culture game shows in the bad wolf storyline. Maybe because I'm British and as such am very familiar with the weakest link, big brother and trinny and Susannah :/
Martha is a sadly under-used and under-appreciated companion. She could've been so much better if she hadn't essentially been a replacement goldfish for Rose.
Seriously! I liked her first episode also, but it's like they created the character and cast her with no idea what they were going to do. Her potential was seriously under-utilized.
That was literally her whole story arc. She was supposed to be the rebound girlfriend and the Doctor treats her like that and he whole arc is overcoming that and becoming her own person. She's the only companion of New Who who DECIDES to leave the Doctor to do her own thing because she knows she deserves better. So... Congrats for understanding the character but somehow completely missing the point of her haha
Completely agree with your assessment of Midnight, one of my all time favourites. I actually think its a better introduction episode for new viewers compared to Blink. While Blink is a fabulous stand alone episode, it's also light on the Doctor and therefore not a true representation of what the show is like. Compare that to Midnight which has some of the same elements as Blink; terrifying villain, no backstory necessary, no cliffhanger at the end etc. but difference is this is heavy on the Doctor and gives new viewers an easy way to see just what his character is like and they can judge whether or not the show is for them.
It's funny you'd say that - midnight actually was my introductory episode and boy did it do the job right. I watched it for Colin Morgan (being a big Merlin fan) but was mesmerized by this brilliant, funny, tragic man called The Doctor and all the freaking suspense in this episode. I needed more so I watched it all. ^^
i love the fact that russell T Davies is my hero, because whether you enjoyed his writing or not(which I did) it was his idea,against all odds, to bring the Doctor back to us. So thank you so much for your gift to us.
I am going through many of your videos and I just love you!! Like as a sister or brother you have helped my doctor who spark to shine brighter than ever thank you
10: 73 Yards 9: The Giggle 8: Stolen Earth / Journey’s End 7: Aliens of London / World War 3 6: Army of Ghosts / Doomsday 5: Wild Blue Yonder 4: Turn Left 3: Partners in Crime 2: Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways 1: Midnight
I grew up a huge fan of The Twilight Zone (the original series), which was why I loved Midnight so much. It reminded me of a modern take on a Twilight Zone episode.
10. Rose 9. The End of Time 8. Smith and Jones 7. Partners In Crime 6. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 5. The Stolen Earth/Journey's End 4. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways 3. Utopia 2. The Waters of Mars 1. Midnight I put Waters of Mars in there, because as far as I'm concerned, Russell most likely wrote everything that was great about the story, hahahah.
Oh yes the brilliant Midnight!! Just the look on the Doctor's face after she steals his voice, the one thing he could always rely on to get him out of a tough spot. Tennant's eye's showing the desperation and the strain and the fight. Amazing.
I have seen Midnight staged as a play and it was amazing. It worked and if there was any sanity in the world, Skye Silvestri would be the most sought after female role since Lady Macbeth.
Really happy to see someone give Midnight the appreciation it deserves! It has been among my favorites forever, and I love to see others appreciating it like I do
The End of Time has some bits to it I don't particularly like (the master has lightning powers, really?), but the bits I do like are brilliant! I love Wilfried, I love the Doctor refusing to take the gun, and I love the master too (apart from the lightning powers), but the best part of that was by far the end [SPOILER ALERT] where it turns out it was Wilfried who was knocking and not the master. I still get goosebumps!
I LOVE your Number One. Just brilliantly written. Original, menacing and I LOVE that the Doctor and the viewer had NO idea what this was. It had sci fi, it had suspense, action, Easter eggs. God, I miss Davies. Just.. I’m going to go home and watch Midnight. AND I love that you actually thought the Doctor was going to die! You need moments like that in the series, otherwise it’s just flat.
i haven’t watched doctor who in YEARS. pretty much ditched it when capaldi started- fell out of love. but i’ve been binge watching quite a few of your doctor who vids and your love for the show has really rubbed off on me. plus the mentioning of some of my most favorite episodes of the show- midnight, doomsday, etc.- really make me feel the need to rewatch new who and catch up. thanks so much :)
Won't give you my top ten, but will offer this: (1) I love Smith and Jones. 45 minutes of pure silliness and insanity (in the midst of all the chaos, The Doctor spies the hotel gift shop. "They've got a little shop! I love a little shop!") and running around. David Tennant is, of course, hilarious, and it is great to see Freema Agyeman rise to the occasion in her first episode. It's one of those episodes that I go to again and again when I can't decide what movie or TV show to watch. (2) Midnight is, indeed, the greatest Doctor Who episode Davies ever wrote. So tense and claustrophobic. I think this episode would be an even better introduction to non-Doctor Who fans than Blink.
I agree with the first two picks: Mightnight and Utopia. I'd have put Gridlock up there in the first three, though, but that's cause, even though I agree with some of your critique in the other worst-episodes video, I just feel that's one of Russell's most brilliant ideas. A critique of society and their eternal wait and faith in something better at the end of so much, ridiculous waiting... with a plot of his having more than just the doctor running from danger, but rather having him go from car to car as a ladder, and a resolution that felt satifying AND that tied up to the Face of Boe AND Utopia. Catpeople babies being kittens notwithstanding, that episode has to be one of my favorites.
I definitely prefer Russel T. Davies as a show runner over Moffat. Moffat is a great writer but he has a lot of problems as a show runner - not only on doctor who lol. BBC Sherlock is a good example. Really great crimes in s1 and s2 and ad we get into s3 it sort of falls into something that really isn't Sherlock anymore and then s4 is just rock bottom... It does happen with doctor who less obviously.. questions unanswered. Endless storylines that will never be wrapped up... stupidly convoluted storylines that just aren't... right? I guess? I wasn't a fan of Moffat as show runner at all haha I'm really excited to see the next series!!
They need to get rid of the "show runner" position. Having the same person be an executive producer, main writer, AND *their own script editor* does not work IMO, and I suspect that BBC does it because it sounds prestigious and is (more significantly) cheaper. Classic Who had its issues with unevenness, budget and BBC indifference - but having a real script editor works far better.
So glad that over time Midnight has begun to get more love. It's truly an amazing piece of writing. It would be at home in the Twilight Zone as one of the best episodes to that series. The condition it leaves The Doctor in at the end, the fear in his eyes as he recalls the experience to Donna... absolutely chilling.
You know It's weird that "Midnight" was your number one. Cause I'm currently writing a list of Doctor Who episodes I can never rewatch. Midnight is right up there and it's not cause it's a bad episode, hell no. As you said it's brilliant but I just get so frustrated when people act the way they acted in this episode. When they dismiss the smart person(s) and the combination of their stupidity and fear and panic causes them to doom others, especially the ones who are trying to help them.
I'm not saying it's not, it's a brilliant story and fantastically made. I just am unable to watch it (not cause it's cringy or anything) just the sheer amount of emotions and frustration makes it un watchable for me.
Gem Stone Rose I see what you mean by it being hard to watch, but I think this aspect is really what makes the episode and brilliantly microcosms our society today. Seeing humanity at its worst due to fear and urge for survival is almost poetic in its use and works so well.
It makes me so happy to see someone praising End of Time this much- it's probably my favorite episode, just because of how emotional it is but also how ridiculous and fun it gets. Happy not everyone hates it as much as some.
Bad Wolf's parodies are more for the British audience watching at the time and I enjoyed the doctors interaction with them so I disagree on the first half of your negative point. But I do agree that it probably hasn't aged well especially with the Weakest Link references.
georgeomole14 Yeah I agree but they’re still enjoyable and great to watch. Aging well doesn’t really matter, they had tens or thousands of channels so they would have brought back the style or certain shows.
Yeah they haven't aged well but I agree with you. The show is special because of how British it is. And even though I'm Australian I have still watched the shows. And I've got to say, when rose is playing the weakest link it is one of the best sequences in all of her run as companion.
10) The end of the world 9) Partners in crime 8) Tooth and Claw 7) Smith and Jones 6) Utopia 5) Bad wolf/ the parting of the ways 4) Turn Left 3) Gridlock 2) The waters of Mars 1) Midnight
(Waters of Mars would be number 2 if I didn't go by the rules of this video) 10: Boom Town 9: The Christmas Invasion 8: Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 7: Rose 6: Gridlock 5: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End 4: Turn Left 3: Midnight 2: Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords 1: Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways
Mike Dignum totally agree with you. Her agency was taken away. If a tragic ending was needed, then they should have killed her off, and I am not a person who particularly likes it when they kill people off. I understand why, dramatically speaking, but I will never agree it was okay. And I have to say Donna is not my fav companion, so that is not in my consideration here.
It's been years since I actively stopped watching Doctor Who (after Hell Bent) and through the years Midnight is one of the handful of episodes that I still remember, that had a lasting impact. The other ones being Blink, Heaven Sent, The Empty Child and Silence in the Library. There were more good ones of course but to me, those were the exceptional ones.
I love Donna too! She's just too damn awesome not to love!Turn Left is one of my faves I love the way it explores an alternate reality w/o the Doctor, yet Donna is still shouting and trying to change things. Maybe we all gotta do that( constructively of course lol😉and I LOVE LOVE LOVE End of Time. It was the first episode I ever saw of new Who ( before I even knew what I was getting into lol) and had me hooked within 10 min. It was then that I realised that I identified with both the Doctor and the Master, chaos in order and the order of chaos.
'Midnight' is definitely the easiest pick! My top three is Midnight, Turn Left and Waters of Mars. And I love the contrast between the first two. Bacause 'Midnight', as you said, is a stand alone episode. I showed it to my friends as an introduction to 'Doctor Who', because you basically need no context to understand what is happening and enjoy it. Unlike 'Turn Left', which is impossible to fully enjoy without watching all the previous series (and at least knowing about 'Torchwood' and "Sarah Jane's Adventures'). Also the line "That's what they called them last time!", in my opinion, is the scariest "Doctor Who" moment.
I agree 1000% on Midnight. Sarah Jane's reaction to hearing the voice of Davros was so perfect! Midnight showed that no matter how horrible the conditions, life of some kind can live there.
God damn I'm so happy to see Smith and Jones get some recognition. And midnight too, excellent list. However, I've never been a huge fan of end two part episodes. It always feels like the end of something great which I know, has to happen in the end, but doctor who, especially tennant era, was such a massive part of my childhood. I always hate to say goodbye to a great doctor or companion which always puts me off rewatching end episodes.
Something I've seen pointed out about Midnight: while plenty of episodes end with the Doctor sad or shaken up, it's usually on account of somebody else. He considers it his job to save people, and if a story ends with him upset, it's probably because he didn't do that job to his satisfaction. Midnight is one of the very few times that the episode ends with the Doctor visibly upset over something that *happened to him*. The way, after the entitiy stopped possessing him, that for a few minutes he could only gasp out "It's gone, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone" was incredibly powerful, and it almost (considering how common it is in sci-fi/fantasy for telepathy to be presented as a stand-in for sex, or at least intimacy) gives the impression that the Doctor has just been raped.
I remember watching the pilot and then dropping the show, because I just wasn't sold on it, but then after the second episode, that's when I really became a fan.God Turn Left was such an amazing episode it was sooooo gooood, just everything about it worked. I definitely would've put it ahead of Smith and Jones and the Parting of Ways (which was the best part of that two parter anyway.) End of time and journey's end was amazing and beautiful and exquisite pain is exactly how i would describe it. Also yes to everything you said about Utopia and Midnight.
I don't like how the Daleks were used in The Stolen Earth / Journeys End. Their threat is that they're going to destroy reality itself. How can they ever be more threatening than that? They seem less menacing from then on, especially since the next Dalek episode was Victory of the Daleks.
Agreed. In fact, that's why I believe they've become so degraded. I mean, how the heck do they TOP the threat level in that story?! It would be almost ridiculous to try!
LiveHedgehog I dunno, I think if Victory of the Daleks never existed (I liked it when it aired but bit of a let down after a rewatch) and then the next Dalek episode was Asylum, they'd have still had their scare factor because the concept of mixing the doctor with a planet of insane Daleks is terrifying...the Daleks would still be good villains I think if Victory and Into the Dalek (and their cameo in The Pilot) never happened
I don't mind the scale of the plan, my bigger issue is that it isn't given the focus it deserves because we have to spend a whole episode on setting up all the protagonist characters. The story I think would have worked better as a three-parter.
I actually had the privilege of meeting one of the actors of the cybermen during the parting of ways. He watched David Tennant acting the scene where he hugs the wall. He claims the room erupted in applause when the director shouted 'cut'. He claimed his eyes said it all and it was heartbreaking to watch. Further credence to why I will never forget that moment. He also said he tried sword fish on set (and he hated it) when he played a scarecrow in 'family of blood' :p he was a great guy.
Swordfish is banned in some countries these days because of its insanely high mercury content. Your friend has good judgement! (It is delicious though. Just not very healthy.)
in bad wolf/parting of the ways, i honestly really like the tv show parody (ignoring any metaphors or messages to real life) as it shows the stagnation of humanity and causes the dr to feel so much worse when he realises it's his fault these death tv shows are around. And then i always see it as interesting to see the show start out in a comedic tone yet basically everyone except the main trio of Jack, Rose and The Doctor being completely deathly serious, when ususally it's the other way around as the trio are usually the only people in the know that something is up. Then the out of nowhere juxtaposition of the comedic reality shows with the sudden deaths, and then when the daleks come back, it's almost immediate that those tv shows are so much more horrible, when you realise what the eliminated contestants have become. It's because the tv shows aren't supposed to age well they aren't really supposed to be massively comedic, instead the comedy comes from how absurd the situation is, followed by the immediate gut punch of people (and then rose) dying in the games and then the horror of the realisation that the daleks were behind it all.
10. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday 9. Turn Left 8. Partners in Crime 7. Voyage of the Damned 6. Tooth and Claw 5. Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords 4. Smith and Jones 3. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways 2. Gridlock 1. Midnight
My List is: 10 = The End of the World. 9 = Midnight. 8 = Partners in Crime. 7 = The End of Time. 6 = The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End. 5 = The Christmas Invasion. 4 = Turn Left. 3 = Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways. 2 = Utopia. 1 = Army of Ghosts/Doomsday.
and TH-cam says hey don`t you want to watch this in 2021 when again the old showrunner has been announced to leave the "new" one hasn`t started yet but let´s see previously written by RTD1. I think my list is the opposite of yours since I just watched the worst list. Well I´m not shouting because it`s all a matter of taste, best and worst lists are subjective and that`s good.
I might just add about Midnight that there was that theory when Tennant was going to regenerate that the prophecy about knocking was going to have something to do with the Midnight Creature. I don't regret that it turned out to be Wilf knocking, but can't help wondering how it might have been different.
I personally believe that Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways is the best finale of any Doctor Who series. Keep in mind, of course, I mean the new series and am more familiar with the Davies Era. The thing is, it's all set up so well. The pop-culture game shows are maybe not to your taste, and perhaps the death games thing is a bit cheesy (especially since the Hunger Games), it works really well. Then the Doctor leaves with the wonderful quasi-companion Lynda and meets Jack again, and they go to save Rose. And then she dies. That moment is just so heartbreaking. And you know how much it has affected the Doctor. Everything he does until the moment he finds out that she didn't really die is so clearly so angry. In addition, this first episode introduces you to a good number of seemingly random characters, set up for part two. And the Doctor's "No" speech at the end of the episode is such a good way of finishing the episode. The Parting of the Ways is the only episode of Doctor Who (except maybe season 9's finale) where everything feels entirely lost. The first episode ended on a kind of high note, where the Doctor ready to save Rose and 'wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky', but we're not sure how he'll do it. The second episode perhaps saves Rose a little too quickly, that perhaps shows his fury at what's happening. Then we meet the Dalek Emperor. To me, he feels very much like a first season villain, just the boss of the biggest threat we've seen so far, but he's still massive and threatening. Anyway, skipping forwards, most of the episode is build up to the final battle. We see all of the names characters again, just a few, but all human beings. We get to know them. The first sign that something's wrong is that the Doctor sends Rose home. This is the first really emotional moment in the episode. This is the only time the Doctor ever does this in the new series (not counting the attempt in Doomsday). And Emergency Program One is heartbreaking. And then everyone dies. Sure, the fact that the Daleks are invading Earth, and that's a massive issue, but here we have a dozen people willing to fight the Daleks. And we see every single one of them die, one by one. Even Roderick, the guy who was against Rose in the Weakest Link, dies, and we feel bad. Lynda dies, the two workers die, and even Captain Jack dies. The Doctor's only solution will kill absolutely everyone in the Game Station and on Earth. And he can't even go through with it. Rose as Bad Wolf, honestly, doesn't feel like the worst Deus Ex Machina either. It solves the problem rather quickly, but to me it feels set up. Bad Wolf in every episode, and the Heart of the Tardis in Boom Town. And, honestly, it feels like the climax of the personal arc between the Doctor and Rose. Her line, "I want you safe", says it all. People say that the two of them had a platonic friendship, but they clearly weren't paying attention. (In hindsight, of course, when "The Time War Ends" is kind of funny, but still). The entirety of the dialogue from when Rose returns is so moving. And, fine, "I think you need a Doctor" is corny, but it works. The issue with later finales is that the entire time, there's a plan clearly going on. In Doomsday, the Tenth Doctor works out how to beat the Daleks and Cybermen almost immediately, and nobody good dies. The Last of the Time Lords has Martha keeping going the whole time. When she gets captured, perhaps we're lost, but for like, five minutes at the most. Journey's End has it a little worse for this. Harriet Jones dies, sure, but not a single other person we know dies. Not that I want them to, but it keeps the issue at arms' length. It doesn't feel as real, when the entirety of the Doctor's crew are still alive. and the entire time, we're seeing Meta-crisis Doctor and Donna still alive and hatching a plan against Davros. Fine, both get defeated when they show up, but that's just for a minute or two as well. The Parting of the Ways sets up a success against all odds (which is warranted in most fiction, honestly. We like success against all odds) and then slowly shows it as an utter failure. It manages, entirely successfully, to make you feel like there's no way out. And it manages to finish the Doctor and Rose's story arc with a satisfying conclusion. His speech is my favourite one of any Doctor before their death. And, honestly, having rewatched the entirety of seasons 1-4 in the last few weeks, their personal arc, frankly, doesn't go that much further in the next season. Which is a shame, because I do really like Ten and Rose, but their dynamic doesn't seem to work as well as Nine and Rose. Except in the An Army of Ghosts/Doomsday of course. I should say, I don't hate any episodes from RTD's time on Doctor Who (though Love and Monster's is just so odd), and I do love all of the season finales. It's just that I prefer the first. Anyway, thanks for reading my essay/analysis on Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe.
10. The Christmas Invasion 9. Smith and Jones 8. Gridlock 7. The End of Time - Part One/The End of Time - Part Two 6. Utopia/The Sound of Drums/The Last of the Time Lords 5. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways 4. Army Of Ghosts/Doomsday 3. Turn Left 2. Midnight 1. The Stolen Earth/Journeys End
Midnight was so dark and easily the scariest episode, where you really feel that they are going to throw the Doctor out and still being left having no idea what that thing was.
This was really hard for me to do as while I'm very fond of the RTD era overall, I'm not actually very keen on most episodes written by RTD himself, Aside from number 1 I still find all these episodes on my list to be quite average. 10. End of the World 9. Boom Town 8. Gridlock 7. Rose 6. The next Doctor 5. Turn left 4. The Runaway Bride 3. Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways 2. Smith & Jones 1. Midnight
my top 10: 10: army of ghost 9: aliens of london 8: bad wolf 7: new earth 6: journey's end 5: partner in crime 4: utopia 3: end of time 2: midnight 1: Sound of drums
Thank you for not naming Rose as number 1! I loved Midnight, even though it creeped me tf out! All of the other episodes were great too, but no Partners In Crime?!?! I think that surely deserved top 10 status!
Top 5 Partners in Crime - Cute, funny, exciting Turn Left - Scary, dramatic, gratifying. (seeing that Donna didn't need The Doctor to be amazing and compassionate and brave) Journey's End - I died that day! Last of the Time Lords - Harkness, Martha (and her family) being badass. The Doctor's interactions with The Master The End of Time - Wiiiiiiiiilf!!!! And crying through the victory lap. (and the Waters of Mars, which is the scariest episode, I cannot get over those eyes. They're just so... dead... and, well, alien. Alien in a way that isn't fun or interesting. Just scary. And it's in the water, man! And the water running from their mouths and the way they tilt their heads, but their eyes don't react! Kinda like Midnight made visual. Midnight is absolutely amazing, but those eyes, man. Those eyes!)
I loved the Time of the Doctor toobut all episodes apart from series 11but I remember that it took me some time to warm up to Peter Capaldi so I think it will take some time to warm up to the new Doctor
Can't believe how different our opinions are lmao Utopia and Christmas Invasion are like my least favourite episodes ever and I love so many of the episodes on your bottom 10 honestly this is wild and enough drama for me.
When I was little I had 4 doctor who DVDs, and it just so happened that they were all of the series 4 DVDs, so I never understood Turn Left it confused me a lot haha
Midnight also gives Donna a chance to shine as a character purely by her not being there, because she had the chance to go with the Doctor and instead chose to essentially just sunbathe, showing that she didn't really have to mindlessly follow the Doctor and instead just did what she wanted, which is better than the companions before and after her in my opinion.
Tbh I think they included all the reality shows in Bad Wolf to make it funny for the British public at the time without thinking about international fans or what would happen in 13 years... I personally love it but I understand why some people wouldn't.
Hear me out: A sequel to Midnight, where instead of being companion-lite, it's Doctor-lite. It's a companion, after at least a series of experience, having to survive alone in a similar situation. No more information about the entity, but the tension of having a companion, with no prior knowledge from the Doctor, having to deal with the same situation. I would like this to be a companion send-off, honestly.
It's not an awful idea, but while the maybe wouldn't know what was going on, we as the audience largely would and I think that would severely lessen the impact compared to Midnight.
Imo John Simm is my favourite incarnation of the master by far and Sound of Drums should have been no 1 easily. No other John Simm Master story had him at his best.
10.utopia\sound of the drums\last of the timelords 9.army of ghosts\doomsday 8.Smith and jones 7.voyage of the dammed 6.partners in crime 5.turn left 4.aliens of london\ww3 3.bad wolf\parting of the ways 2.midnight 1.stolen earth\journeys end
Here is a top 5 best: 1. Waters of Mars (I don't know....something about hating you for not mentioning it...I think that is how it works [?]) 2. Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways (Other than Rose, HOLY SH*T!!!!) 3. Rose (Dammit, I just love this episode!) 4. The Fires of Pompeii ("Just save someone". Nuff said.) 5. Midnight (Pretty damn great! Would have been higher if I didn't hate to hate the way the passengers acted) And a top 5 worst: 5. Boom Town (The only reason it is here is because nothing else would be. Average, to be honest, due to the GREAT stuff and BULLCRAP in it cancelling eachother out.) 4. Tooth and Claw (It is so average, I can't find enjoyment out of it.) 3. New Earth (NOW here come the REAL crap ones...Jesus, this was pretty cringe worthy.) 2. Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (Utopia-GREAT. The other two-F*CK THEM!) 1. End of Time (The ONLY time where I said "SCREW YOU" to the credits. Just....EEEUUUUUUUUUGGHH)
Could we see some classic reviews? I know you're not up to date with all of it, but it would be nice to see the odd video regarding top 10's or singular story reviews.
R. T. Davies : Science > Emotion Steven Moffat : Emotion>Science I like how RTD actually went back to canon(heck of a job)...while Moffat made his own canon(kinda lazy).
Um you have it way backwards. RTD always comes from the more emotional angle. Moffat is more about the The big shocks, plot twists, insane stories and nonsensical science.
Fun Fact: Smith and Jones was written because Davies found out that Tennant had trouble saying words with an "oo" sound without reverting back to his Scottish accent. Hence the sentence "Judoon platoon upon the moon" was written.
That's fucking great.
Fish302 that's actually really cool fact thx
Writers and directors are just mean. Have an actor with a slight issue? Poke at it!
LOL that's awesome.
That's like having Benedict Cumberbatch, who can't say the word Penguin right, be a major character in a movie about Penguins- oh wait.
One of the things I love about midnight is that there are no real fancy props or special effects. the whole thing works entirely on superb acting by everyone to make the audience believe this is real. Definately one of my favourites. First time I saw it I wanted to applaud it.
that moment when they all look at Sky among the seat rubble, holding her face...and she slowly turns around and looks at them all the first time...master piece. Shows that good ol fashion acting trumps CGI any day.
+
I'm watching this video so I know what I can rewatch to get ready for Davis returnn
I can't watch Midnight. I did once. When they got to trying to throw the Doctor out the door, and him so powerless, and seeing him hooking his feet on the seats to hang on... it was too much.I have a heart condition and that was over my line- it touched off an episode of a-fib and I almost ended up in the hospital. Even now, clips will make me get up and leave the room.
So score one for RTD, I guess, for scaring a middle-aged woman near to death!
Personally Turn Left would be way higher, idk I love the darkness of the episode
The "Where are you going?" bit was dark as fuck. Kid's show, my ass.
Skullexandria Gloomelda I agree, gives me goosebumps /:
The children of earth of Doctor who
I'm not too much of a fan of dark stories, but that episode was the GOOD kind of dark story imo (wasn't so dark that I couldn't tell what was going on, characters were still appealing, the way the world is depicted is believable in the context of the story, et c.)
Midnight is one of favorite episodes period. It's one of the episodes I make people watch when I'm trying to get them interested in Doctor Who.
I loved the Lovecraftian elements
I grew up a huge fan of The Twilight Zone (the original series), which was why I loved Midnight so much. It reminded me of a modern take on a Twilight Zone episode.
This episode is not one of my favourites but its ok(I don't hate it), I had not thought about it regards the twilight zone until now, I have to say now it is so twilight zone!
I love it like everyone else but I'm not sure I would try and use it to get people into Doctor Who because it's not particularly Doctor Who-y, if that makes sense.
Apparently it was a script idea that Davies had been sitting on his entire career, way before he was involved in Doctor Who, but he never got round to writing it and only did so to plug a schedule gap when one of the writers he had commissioned became very ill and had to drop out.
I loved all the pop culture game shows in the bad wolf storyline. Maybe because I'm British and as such am very familiar with the weakest link, big brother and trinny and Susannah :/
harry jukes Yeah same here, the episode wouldn’t be the same without it, it was great.
harry jukes I'm Australian. I knew those shows too. I loved the weakest link part.
Ladies, your viewing figures just went up ;)
'the man who knocks 4 times' knocks my heart every time
It just had to be Wilf. That sweet, sweet man...
Did you know that one of David and Georgia's sons I is named Wilf? Yes, after this character.
As soon as he knocks I'm in tears.
Martha is a sadly under-used and under-appreciated companion. She could've been so much better if she hadn't essentially been a replacement goldfish for Rose.
Seriously! I liked her first episode also, but it's like they created the character and cast her with no idea what they were going to do. Her potential was seriously under-utilized.
yeah! i think they screwed up with her, if she does not like the doctor in that way it could be SO MUCH better!
That was literally her whole story arc. She was supposed to be the rebound girlfriend and the Doctor treats her like that and he whole arc is overcoming that and becoming her own person. She's the only companion of New Who who DECIDES to leave the Doctor to do her own thing because she knows she deserves better.
So... Congrats for understanding the character but somehow completely missing the point of her haha
Excited to see him return to the show!
It makes me so happy to just listen to you passionately talking about something that you love
Completely agree with your assessment of Midnight, one of my all time favourites.
I actually think its a better introduction episode for new viewers compared to Blink. While Blink is a fabulous stand alone episode, it's also light on the Doctor and therefore not a true representation of what the show is like.
Compare that to Midnight which has some of the same elements as Blink; terrifying villain, no backstory necessary, no cliffhanger at the end etc. but difference is this is heavy on the Doctor and gives new viewers an easy way to see just what his character is like and they can judge whether or not the show is for them.
It's funny you'd say that - midnight actually was my introductory episode and boy did it do the job right. I watched it for Colin Morgan (being a big Merlin fan) but was mesmerized by this brilliant, funny, tragic man called The Doctor and all the freaking suspense in this episode. I needed more so I watched it all. ^^
i love the fact that russell T Davies is my hero, because whether you enjoyed his writing or not(which I did) it was his idea,against all odds, to bring the Doctor back to us. So thank you so much for your gift to us.
I am going through many of your videos and I just love you!! Like as a sister or brother you have helped my doctor who spark to shine brighter than ever thank you
10: 73 Yards
9: The Giggle
8: Stolen Earth / Journey’s End
7: Aliens of London / World War 3
6: Army of Ghosts / Doomsday
5: Wild Blue Yonder
4: Turn Left
3: Partners in Crime
2: Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways
1: Midnight
Let’s see how long this list remains accurate…
I grew up a huge fan of The Twilight Zone (the original series), which was why I loved Midnight so much. It reminded me of a modern take on a Twilight Zone episode.
10. Rose
9. The End of Time
8. Smith and Jones
7. Partners In Crime
6. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday
5. The Stolen Earth/Journey's End
4. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways
3. Utopia
2. The Waters of Mars
1. Midnight
I put Waters of Mars in there, because as far as I'm concerned, Russell most likely wrote everything that was great about the story, hahahah.
Great video. I agree with most of it. Rose as the Bad Wolf is one of my top five favorite moments on Who.
Thank you!!! Midnight never gets the recognition it deserves.
Oh yes the brilliant Midnight!! Just the look on the Doctor's face after she steals his voice, the one thing he could always rely on to get him out of a tough spot. Tennant's eye's showing the desperation and the strain and the fight. Amazing.
When the Doctor is sus
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I have seen Midnight staged as a play and it was amazing. It worked and if there was any sanity in the world, Skye Silvestri would be the most sought after female role since Lady Macbeth.
Where and when was that? I knew when I saw this episode that it would work great as a play!
Really happy to see someone give Midnight the appreciation it deserves! It has been among my favorites forever, and I love to see others appreciating it like I do
The End of Time has some bits to it I don't particularly like (the master has lightning powers, really?), but the bits I do like are brilliant! I love Wilfried, I love the Doctor refusing to take the gun, and I love the master too (apart from the lightning powers), but the best part of that was by far the end [SPOILER ALERT] where it turns out it was Wilfried who was knocking and not the master. I still get goosebumps!
I LOVE your Number One. Just brilliantly written. Original, menacing and I LOVE that the Doctor and the viewer had NO idea what this was. It had sci fi, it had suspense, action, Easter eggs. God, I miss Davies. Just.. I’m going to go home and watch Midnight. AND I love that you actually thought the Doctor was going to die! You need moments like that in the series, otherwise it’s just flat.
i haven’t watched doctor who in YEARS. pretty much ditched it when capaldi started- fell out of love. but i’ve been binge watching quite a few of your doctor who vids and your love for the show has really rubbed off on me. plus the mentioning of some of my most favorite episodes of the show- midnight, doomsday, etc.- really make me feel the need to rewatch new who and catch up. thanks so much :)
I agree with you so much!!! My fave companion is Donna, my favourite episode ever is midnight, I love so many of the episodes you listed. Agh!
AAAAGGH!
She's my favorite of New Who, but Sarah Jane tops my list of all time companions....
Won't give you my top ten, but will offer this: (1) I love Smith and Jones. 45 minutes of pure silliness and insanity (in the midst of all the chaos, The Doctor spies the hotel gift shop. "They've got a little shop! I love a little shop!") and running around. David Tennant is, of course, hilarious, and it is great to see Freema Agyeman rise to the occasion in her first episode. It's one of those episodes that I go to again and again when I can't decide what movie or TV show to watch. (2) Midnight is, indeed, the greatest Doctor Who episode Davies ever wrote. So tense and claustrophobic. I think this episode would be an even better introduction to non-Doctor Who fans than Blink.
Midnight is such a great episode, one of the best episodes of Doctor Who ever in my mind
I agree with the first two picks: Mightnight and Utopia. I'd have put Gridlock up there in the first three, though, but that's cause, even though I agree with some of your critique in the other worst-episodes video, I just feel that's one of Russell's most brilliant ideas. A critique of society and their eternal wait and faith in something better at the end of so much, ridiculous waiting... with a plot of his having more than just the doctor running from danger, but rather having him go from car to car as a ladder, and a resolution that felt satifying AND that tied up to the Face of Boe AND Utopia. Catpeople babies being kittens notwithstanding, that episode has to be one of my favorites.
I definitely prefer Russel T. Davies as a show runner over Moffat. Moffat is a great writer but he has a lot of problems as a show runner - not only on doctor who lol. BBC Sherlock is a good example. Really great crimes in s1 and s2 and ad we get into s3 it sort of falls into something that really isn't Sherlock anymore and then s4 is just rock bottom... It does happen with doctor who less obviously.. questions unanswered. Endless storylines that will never be wrapped up... stupidly convoluted storylines that just aren't... right? I guess? I wasn't a fan of Moffat as show runner at all haha I'm really excited to see the next series!!
They need to get rid of the "show runner" position. Having the same person be an executive producer, main writer, AND *their own script editor* does not work IMO, and I suspect that BBC does it because it sounds prestigious and is (more significantly) cheaper. Classic Who had its issues with unevenness, budget and BBC indifference - but having a real script editor works far better.
Shame you can't include waters of mars.... that would be in the top 3 easily
jp 1377 agreed that episode scared the shit out of me
jp 1377 that sares every one that and blink
Easily
I like Waters of Mars, but the problem with it for me is that it destroys Tennent's character. It created the Timelord Victorious idea, which is dump.
God yes. Those eyes haunt my nightmares, man
So glad that over time Midnight has begun to get more love. It's truly an amazing piece of writing. It would be at home in the Twilight Zone as one of the best episodes to that series. The condition it leaves The Doctor in at the end, the fear in his eyes as he recalls the experience to Donna... absolutely chilling.
It's one of the best. If not THE best episode of Who.
You know It's weird that "Midnight" was your number one. Cause I'm currently writing a list of Doctor Who episodes I can never rewatch. Midnight is right up there and it's not cause it's a bad episode, hell no. As you said it's brilliant but I just get so frustrated when people act the way they acted in this episode. When they dismiss the smart person(s) and the combination of their stupidity and fear and panic causes them to doom others, especially the ones who are trying to help them.
Gem Stone Rose Yeah, I hated the cringe.
Gem Stone Rose It shows such a brutal reality of humanity though, and that's so interesting to watch specially since it is set out so believably.
I'm not saying it's not, it's a brilliant story and fantastically made. I just am unable to watch it (not cause it's cringy or anything) just the sheer amount of emotions and frustration makes it un watchable for me.
Gem Stone Rose I see what you mean by it being hard to watch, but I think this aspect is really what makes the episode and brilliantly microcosms our society today. Seeing humanity at its worst due to fear and urge for survival is almost poetic in its use and works so well.
Gem Stone Rose Am I the only one that didn't really like Midnight? It's one of my least favourite 10th doctor stories but I can't really say why
Midnight is a masterpiece. There are menu exquisite episodes of Doctor Who but this as of yet my all Time favorite.
It makes me so happy to see someone praising End of Time this much- it's probably my favorite episode, just because of how emotional it is but also how ridiculous and fun it gets. Happy not everyone hates it as much as some.
Bad Wolf's parodies are more for the British audience watching at the time and I enjoyed the doctors interaction with them so I disagree on the first half of your negative point. But I do agree that it probably hasn't aged well especially with the Weakest Link references.
georgeomole14 Yeah I agree but they’re still enjoyable and great to watch. Aging well doesn’t really matter, they had tens or thousands of channels so they would have brought back the style or certain shows.
Yeah they haven't aged well but I agree with you. The show is special because of how British it is. And even though I'm Australian I have still watched the shows. And I've got to say, when rose is playing the weakest link it is one of the best sequences in all of her run as companion.
Dunno, I'm in the U.S. and it worked for me. A game show/realty show is pretty formulaic. We don't have GBB here though. 😀
Catherine Tate was a comedic actor I believe, and I never thought she could pull heart strings the way she did.
10) The end of the world
9) Partners in crime
8) Tooth and Claw
7) Smith and Jones
6) Utopia
5) Bad wolf/ the parting of the ways
4) Turn Left
3) Gridlock
2) The waters of Mars
1) Midnight
I think Waters of Mars had a co-writer
Ooooh midnight. First episode I EVER saw and I was hooked. It's just SO damn good, loved DW ever since.
Totally agree with Smith and Jones. Great intro for a companion.
(Waters of Mars would be number 2 if I didn't go by the rules of this video)
10: Boom Town
9: The Christmas Invasion
8: Army of Ghosts/Doomsday
7: Rose
6: Gridlock
5: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End
4: Turn Left
3: Midnight
2: Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords
1: Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways
#4 Never agreed with what the Dr did to Donna. I understand whay he did it but she didn't want it and was willing to die to stay the way she was.
Mike Dignum totally agree with you. Her agency was taken away. If a tragic ending was needed, then they should have killed her off, and I am not a person who particularly likes it when they kill people off. I understand why, dramatically speaking, but I will never agree it was okay. And I have to say Donna is not my fav companion, so that is not in my consideration here.
It's been years since I actively stopped watching Doctor Who (after Hell Bent) and through the years Midnight is one of the handful of episodes that I still remember, that had a lasting impact.
The other ones being Blink, Heaven Sent, The Empty Child and Silence in the Library. There were more good ones of course but to me, those were the exceptional ones.
I love Donna too! She's just too damn awesome not to love!Turn Left is one of my faves I love the way it explores an alternate reality w/o the Doctor, yet Donna is still shouting and trying to change things. Maybe we all gotta do that( constructively of course lol😉and I LOVE LOVE LOVE End of Time. It was the first episode I ever saw of new Who ( before I even knew what I was getting into lol) and had me hooked within 10 min. It was then that I realised that I identified with both the Doctor and the Master, chaos in order and the order of chaos.
'Midnight' is definitely the easiest pick! My top three is Midnight, Turn Left and Waters of Mars. And I love the contrast between the first two. Bacause 'Midnight', as you said, is a stand alone episode. I showed it to my friends as an introduction to 'Doctor Who', because you basically need no context to understand what is happening and enjoy it. Unlike 'Turn Left', which is impossible to fully enjoy without watching all the previous series (and at least knowing about 'Torchwood' and "Sarah Jane's Adventures'). Also the line "That's what they called them last time!", in my opinion, is the scariest "Doctor Who" moment.
Waters of Mars would not have counted for his list because Davies co-wrote that episode with Phil Ford
I agree 1000% on Midnight. Sarah Jane's reaction to hearing the voice of Davros was so perfect! Midnight showed that no matter how horrible the conditions, life of some kind can live there.
God damn I'm so happy to see Smith and Jones get some recognition. And midnight too, excellent list. However, I've never been a huge fan of end two part episodes. It always feels like the end of something great which I know, has to happen in the end, but doctor who, especially tennant era, was such a massive part of my childhood. I always hate to say goodbye to a great doctor or companion which always puts me off rewatching end episodes.
Yeah Midnight is one of my all time favourites too.
Something I've seen pointed out about Midnight: while plenty of episodes end with the Doctor sad or shaken up, it's usually on account of somebody else. He considers it his job to save people, and if a story ends with him upset, it's probably because he didn't do that job to his satisfaction. Midnight is one of the very few times that the episode ends with the Doctor visibly upset over something that *happened to him*. The way, after the entitiy stopped possessing him, that for a few minutes he could only gasp out "It's gone, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone, it's gone" was incredibly powerful, and it almost (considering how common it is in sci-fi/fantasy for telepathy to be presented as a stand-in for sex, or at least intimacy) gives the impression that the Doctor has just been raped.
Can't argue too much with this list
The Parting of ways, Smith and Jones, Journey's End, Utopia, and Midnight were all 10/10
I remember watching the pilot and then dropping the show, because I just wasn't sold on it, but then after the second episode, that's when I really became a fan.God Turn Left was such an amazing episode it was sooooo gooood, just everything about it worked. I definitely would've put it ahead of Smith and Jones and the Parting of Ways (which was the best part of that two parter anyway.) End of time and journey's end was amazing and beautiful and exquisite pain is exactly how i would describe it. Also yes to everything you said about Utopia and Midnight.
I don't like how the Daleks were used in The Stolen Earth / Journeys End. Their threat is that they're going to destroy reality itself.
How can they ever be more threatening than that? They seem less menacing from then on, especially since the next Dalek episode was Victory of the Daleks.
Agreed. In fact, that's why I believe they've become so degraded. I mean, how the heck do they TOP the threat level in that story?! It would be almost ridiculous to try!
LiveHedgehog I dunno, I think if Victory of the Daleks never existed (I liked it when it aired but bit of a let down after a rewatch) and then the next Dalek episode was Asylum, they'd have still had their scare factor because the concept of mixing the doctor with a planet of insane Daleks is terrifying...the Daleks would still be good villains I think if Victory and Into the Dalek (and their cameo in The Pilot) never happened
Yeah with those stupid power ranger daleks
Honestly... the villain wanting to destroy the universe trick has tired off a long time ago...
I don't mind the scale of the plan, my bigger issue is that it isn't given the focus it deserves because we have to spend a whole episode on setting up all the protagonist characters. The story I think would have worked better as a three-parter.
I actually had the privilege of meeting one of the actors of the cybermen during the parting of ways. He watched David Tennant acting the scene where he hugs the wall. He claims the room erupted in applause when the director shouted 'cut'. He claimed his eyes said it all and it was heartbreaking to watch. Further credence to why I will never forget that moment.
He also said he tried sword fish on set (and he hated it) when he played a scarecrow in 'family of blood' :p he was a great guy.
Swordfish is banned in some countries these days because of its insanely high mercury content. Your friend has good judgement!
(It is delicious though. Just not very healthy.)
Midnight was my first Doctor episode. still my favorite.
funnily enough midnight was the first episode I watched of doctor who purely because colin morgan was in it & it's what got me into loving doctor who!
*OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE (INSERT TITLE)! UNSTUBBED*
Skullexandria Gloomelda man I wish I could unstub. The amount of times I've stubbed my toes, just wish I could undo it.
You made my morning sir ^ xD
in bad wolf/parting of the ways, i honestly really like the tv show parody (ignoring any metaphors or messages to real life) as it shows the stagnation of humanity and causes the dr to feel so much worse when he realises it's his fault these death tv shows are around. And then i always see it as interesting to see the show start out in a comedic tone yet basically everyone except the main trio of Jack, Rose and The Doctor being completely deathly serious, when ususally it's the other way around as the trio are usually the only people in the know that something is up. Then the out of nowhere juxtaposition of the comedic reality shows with the sudden deaths, and then when the daleks come back, it's almost immediate that those tv shows are so much more horrible, when you realise what the eliminated contestants have become. It's because the tv shows aren't supposed to age well they aren't really supposed to be massively comedic, instead the comedy comes from how absurd the situation is, followed by the immediate gut punch of people (and then rose) dying in the games and then the horror of the realisation that the daleks were behind it all.
The endings of Return of the King are fine, there is nothing excessive about them.
Phil Ford only really did dialogue not ideas for Waters of Mars.
10. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday
9. Turn Left
8. Partners in Crime
7. Voyage of the Damned
6. Tooth and Claw
5. Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords
4. Smith and Jones
3. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways
2. Gridlock
1. Midnight
Omg you love Midnight too! Yay!
My List is:
10 = The End of the World.
9 = Midnight.
8 = Partners in Crime.
7 = The End of Time.
6 = The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End.
5 = The Christmas Invasion.
4 = Turn Left.
3 = Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways.
2 = Utopia.
1 = Army of Ghosts/Doomsday.
personally i would have put Journeys end at number one, everything just came together so perfectly
and TH-cam says hey don`t you want to watch this in 2021 when again the old showrunner has been announced to leave the "new" one hasn`t started yet but let´s see previously written by RTD1. I think my list is the opposite of yours since I just watched the worst list. Well I´m not shouting because it`s all a matter of taste, best and worst lists are subjective and that`s good.
I might just add about Midnight that there was that theory when Tennant was going to regenerate that the prophecy about knocking was going to have something to do with the Midnight Creature. I don't regret that it turned out to be Wilf knocking, but can't help wondering how it might have been different.
I love the tv show parody from bad wolf
I personally believe that Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways is the best finale of any Doctor Who series. Keep in mind, of course, I mean the new series and am more familiar with the Davies Era.
The thing is, it's all set up so well. The pop-culture game shows are maybe not to your taste, and perhaps the death games thing is a bit cheesy (especially since the Hunger Games), it works really well. Then the Doctor leaves with the wonderful quasi-companion Lynda and meets Jack again, and they go to save Rose.
And then she dies. That moment is just so heartbreaking. And you know how much it has affected the Doctor. Everything he does until the moment he finds out that she didn't really die is so clearly so angry.
In addition, this first episode introduces you to a good number of seemingly random characters, set up for part two.
And the Doctor's "No" speech at the end of the episode is such a good way of finishing the episode.
The Parting of the Ways is the only episode of Doctor Who (except maybe season 9's finale) where everything feels entirely lost. The first episode ended on a kind of high note, where the Doctor ready to save Rose and 'wipe every last stinking Dalek out of the sky', but we're not sure how he'll do it. The second episode perhaps saves Rose a little too quickly, that perhaps shows his fury at what's happening.
Then we meet the Dalek Emperor. To me, he feels very much like a first season villain, just the boss of the biggest threat we've seen so far, but he's still massive and threatening.
Anyway, skipping forwards, most of the episode is build up to the final battle. We see all of the names characters again, just a few, but all human beings. We get to know them.
The first sign that something's wrong is that the Doctor sends Rose home. This is the first really emotional moment in the episode. This is the only time the Doctor ever does this in the new series (not counting the attempt in Doomsday). And Emergency Program One is heartbreaking.
And then everyone dies. Sure, the fact that the Daleks are invading Earth, and that's a massive issue, but here we have a dozen people willing to fight the Daleks. And we see every single one of them die, one by one. Even Roderick, the guy who was against Rose in the Weakest Link, dies, and we feel bad. Lynda dies, the two workers die, and even Captain Jack dies. The Doctor's only solution will kill absolutely everyone in the Game Station and on Earth. And he can't even go through with it.
Rose as Bad Wolf, honestly, doesn't feel like the worst Deus Ex Machina either. It solves the problem rather quickly, but to me it feels set up. Bad Wolf in every episode, and the Heart of the Tardis in Boom Town. And, honestly, it feels like the climax of the personal arc between the Doctor and Rose. Her line, "I want you safe", says it all. People say that the two of them had a platonic friendship, but they clearly weren't paying attention.
(In hindsight, of course, when "The Time War Ends" is kind of funny, but still).
The entirety of the dialogue from when Rose returns is so moving. And, fine, "I think you need a Doctor" is corny, but it works.
The issue with later finales is that the entire time, there's a plan clearly going on. In Doomsday, the Tenth Doctor works out how to beat the Daleks and Cybermen almost immediately, and nobody good dies. The Last of the Time Lords has Martha keeping going the whole time. When she gets captured, perhaps we're lost, but for like, five minutes at the most.
Journey's End has it a little worse for this. Harriet Jones dies, sure, but not a single other person we know dies. Not that I want them to, but it keeps the issue at arms' length. It doesn't feel as real, when the entirety of the Doctor's crew are still alive. and the entire time, we're seeing Meta-crisis Doctor and Donna still alive and hatching a plan against Davros. Fine, both get defeated when they show up, but that's just for a minute or two as well.
The Parting of the Ways sets up a success against all odds (which is warranted in most fiction, honestly. We like success against all odds) and then slowly shows it as an utter failure. It manages, entirely successfully, to make you feel like there's no way out.
And it manages to finish the Doctor and Rose's story arc with a satisfying conclusion. His speech is my favourite one of any Doctor before their death.
And, honestly, having rewatched the entirety of seasons 1-4 in the last few weeks, their personal arc, frankly, doesn't go that much further in the next season. Which is a shame, because I do really like Ten and Rose, but their dynamic doesn't seem to work as well as Nine and Rose. Except in the An Army of Ghosts/Doomsday of course.
I should say, I don't hate any episodes from RTD's time on Doctor Who (though Love and Monster's is just so odd), and I do love all of the season finales. It's just that I prefer the first.
Anyway, thanks for reading my essay/analysis on Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe.
10. The Christmas Invasion
9. Smith and Jones
8. Gridlock
7. The End of Time - Part One/The End of Time - Part Two
6. Utopia/The Sound of Drums/The Last of the Time Lords
5. Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways
4. Army Of Ghosts/Doomsday
3. Turn Left
2. Midnight
1. The Stolen Earth/Journeys End
Midnight was so dark and easily the scariest episode, where you really feel that they are going to throw the Doctor out and still being left having no idea what that thing was.
This was really hard for me to do as while I'm very fond of the RTD era overall, I'm not actually very keen on most episodes written by RTD himself, Aside from number 1 I still find all these episodes on my list to be quite average.
10. End of the World
9. Boom Town
8. Gridlock
7. Rose
6. The next Doctor
5. Turn left
4. The Runaway Bride
3. Bad Wolf / Parting of the Ways
2. Smith & Jones
1. Midnight
my top 10:
10: army of ghost
9: aliens of london
8: bad wolf
7: new earth
6: journey's end
5: partner in crime
4: utopia
3: end of time
2: midnight
1: Sound of drums
Bad Wolf "kind of a deus ex machina" understatement of the year lmao 😂
And YANA in Utopia. Remember what the Face of Boe said in Gridlock said? You Are Not Alone. YANA.
I'm actually very surprised Turn Left is so low! That's one of my all time favourite episodes of the show!
Turn Left was an amazing episode.
Thank you for not naming Rose as number 1! I loved Midnight, even though it creeped me tf out! All of the other episodes were great too, but no Partners In Crime?!?! I think that surely deserved top 10 status!
Top 5
Partners in Crime - Cute, funny, exciting
Turn Left - Scary, dramatic, gratifying. (seeing that Donna didn't need The Doctor to be amazing and compassionate and brave)
Journey's End - I died that day!
Last of the Time Lords - Harkness, Martha (and her family) being badass. The Doctor's interactions with The Master
The End of Time - Wiiiiiiiiilf!!!! And crying through the victory lap.
(and the Waters of Mars, which is the scariest episode, I cannot get over those eyes. They're just so... dead... and, well, alien. Alien in a way that isn't fun or interesting. Just scary. And it's in the water, man! And the water running from their mouths and the way they tilt their heads, but their eyes don't react! Kinda like Midnight made visual. Midnight is absolutely amazing, but those eyes, man. Those eyes!)
I loved the Time of the Doctor toobut all episodes apart from series 11but I remember that it took me some time to warm up to Peter Capaldi so I think it will take some time to warm up to the new Doctor
Can't believe how different our opinions are lmao Utopia and Christmas Invasion are like my least favourite episodes ever and I love so many of the episodes on your bottom 10 honestly this is wild and enough drama for me.
Agree with Midnight. Personally I'd rank Army of Ghosts/Doomsday a lot lower and Stolen Earth/Journey's End a bit higher.
I like your perspectives on things but to be honest I think you're positive episodes better than the negative ones
When I was little I had 4 doctor who DVDs, and it just so happened that they were all of the series 4 DVDs, so I never understood Turn Left it confused me a lot haha
Midnight also gives Donna a chance to shine as a character purely by her not being there, because she had the chance to go with the Doctor and instead chose to essentially just sunbathe, showing that she didn't really have to mindlessly follow the Doctor and instead just did what she wanted, which is better than the companions before and after her in my opinion.
Tbh I think they included all the reality shows in Bad Wolf to make it funny for the British public at the time without thinking about international fans or what would happen in 13 years... I personally love it but I understand why some people wouldn't.
I'm 100% with u on #1
Hear me out: A sequel to Midnight, where instead of being companion-lite, it's Doctor-lite. It's a companion, after at least a series of experience, having to survive alone in a similar situation. No more information about the entity, but the tension of having a companion, with no prior knowledge from the Doctor, having to deal with the same situation. I would like this to be a companion send-off, honestly.
It's not an awful idea, but while the maybe wouldn't know what was going on, we as the audience largely would and I think that would severely lessen the impact compared to Midnight.
Imo John Simm is my favourite incarnation of the master by far and Sound of Drums should have been no 1 easily. No other John Simm Master story had him at his best.
Yikes...
Simm was so unlike any other Master I think he would have worked better as being another character entirely.
Utopia is my favourite. Just perfect. But I never bought into Jack and the Doctor's conversations here, tbh
Turn left should have been a spinoff
Nice list!
10.utopia\sound of the drums\last of the timelords
9.army of ghosts\doomsday
8.Smith and jones
7.voyage of the dammed
6.partners in crime
5.turn left
4.aliens of london\ww3
3.bad wolf\parting of the ways
2.midnight
1.stolen earth\journeys end
love ur vids
Utopia, Sound of drums, and last of the timelords were a 3 part story
Here is a top 5 best:
1. Waters of Mars (I don't know....something about hating you for not mentioning it...I think that is how it works [?])
2. Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways (Other than Rose, HOLY SH*T!!!!)
3. Rose (Dammit, I just love this episode!)
4. The Fires of Pompeii ("Just save someone". Nuff said.)
5. Midnight (Pretty damn great! Would have been higher if I didn't hate to hate the way the passengers acted)
And a top 5 worst:
5. Boom Town (The only reason it is here is because nothing else would be. Average, to be honest, due to the GREAT stuff and BULLCRAP in it cancelling eachother out.)
4. Tooth and Claw (It is so average, I can't find enjoyment out of it.)
3. New Earth (NOW here come the REAL crap ones...Jesus, this was pretty cringe worthy.)
2. Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (Utopia-GREAT. The other two-F*CK THEM!)
1. End of Time (The ONLY time where I said "SCREW YOU" to the credits. Just....EEEUUUUUUUUUGGHH)
Because he said no stories that were CO-WRITTEN by other writers would make the list. Davies wrote Waters of Mars with Phil Ford and not by himself
Could we see some classic reviews? I know you're not up to date with all of it, but it would be nice to see the odd video regarding top 10's or singular story reviews.
Could you do a ranking of all the seasons so far?
I'm considering it.
Council of Geeks thank you
Season 4 or 2 is the best. Going by NuWho I assume.
All 36?
I'd put "Christmas Invasion" in there. Maybe even at number one. And "Gridlock" would land a place in my top ten.
R. T. Davies : Science > Emotion
Steven Moffat : Emotion>Science
I like how RTD actually went back to canon(heck of a job)...while Moffat made his own canon(kinda lazy).
Um you have it way backwards. RTD always comes from the more emotional angle. Moffat is more about the The big shocks, plot twists, insane stories and nonsensical science.