Your Least Favourite Doctor Who Episodes

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Your Least Favourite Doctor Who Episodes, Which episodes could you live without?

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Dexton View member profile	10th August 2020, 04:45 PM Post #1
rip in peace Dickston Joined: 29 January 2017 Posts: 9,566 User: 25,045	Calling all Doctor Who fans! I’m currently rewatching the revived series for (maybe) the 4th or so time now and as per usual there’s a couple of episodes I find myself needing to skip. Whether it’s because they serve no overall purpose other than a “monster of the week” episode or just because I find it boring etc. I always end up skipping past at least one episode each series. I’ve been less strict this time around as I’ve been mostly watching whilst doing other things but still these are what I’ve skipped so far: The Unquiet Dead Fathers Day The Girl In The Fireplace The Idiots Lantern Love & Monsters Fear Her The Shakespeare Code The Doctors Daughter It’s more than I thought I skipped tbh but there we go - a shocking amount of Rose actually which I was very surprised at considering Martha is my least favourite of the 10ths companions. I do normally skip Gridlock also tbf but I enjoyed it this time Am I a true fan still?


JosephBoone View member profile	10th August 2020, 05:05 PM Post #2
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,804 User: 13,530	Most series have at least one skippable episode I find - I think that's generally the effect of a show taking risks and switching things up every single week, some stuff works and some doesn't! I think Love & Monsters is the only MAJOR clunker for me in the first four series. I used to dislike Boom Town and Gridlock but they've grown on me hugely, and stuff like 42 and The Long Game only suffer from being filler episodes really. I disagree with you on Father's Day and The Girl in the Fireplace for sure, they're two of my very favourites! I like The Doctor's Daughter too, though I'd say it probably is the worst of series 4 (my favourite series!). I don't really mind Fear Her The Moffat era was FAR more inconsistent for me and had some real stinkers throughout - Let's Kill Hitler, Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, The Crimson Horror and Nightmare In Silver all really tarnish Matt Smith's era for me, while Capaldi got lumbered with In the Forest of the Night, Sleep No More, and the utter borefest of The Woman Who Lived. Then there's just the "forgettable" or "filler" episodes like The Rings of Akhaten, The Eaters of Light and Hide, the decent episodes ruined by terrible concepts like in Kill the Moon, and the fact that almost nothing happens in the entirety of The Magician's Apprentice / The Witch's Familiar despite top notch performances from everyone involved (I'm surprised I've not mentioned more than one series 6 episode here - I binged it this year with our own Haus and it worked SO much better like that, I've got a new appreciation for it! bar Hitler x) Chibnall's era has been.... interesting so far and it feels like it's still getting into gear despite us being 2 series in now, but there's been some definite clunkers even if I think they all have some sort of redeeming quality - The Tsuranga Conundrum and Orphan 55 most notably. It's just poor writing that lets those down I think, small tweaks could easily improve both.


Klaus View member profile	10th August 2020, 05:35 PM Post #3
❤️❤️➕🟦 Joined: 3 June 2012 Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160	i can never skip an episode the next one on my rewatch is The Return of Doctor Mysterio which I think is a very strong contender for my least favourite episode. i think the whole concept doesn’t work, I have no investment in the leads and I still have no idea what all the actual plans are In the Forest of the Night, The Woman Who Lived, The Eaters of Light, It Takes You Away and The Battle of Ranky Avlos are all really dull for me and ones where, if I was forced too, would choose to erase first


Dexton View member profile	13th August 2020, 05:56 AM Post #4
rip in peace Dickston Joined: 29 January 2017 Posts: 9,566 User: 25,045	QUOTE(JosephStyles @ Aug 11 2020, 01:05 AM) Most series have at least one skippable episode I find - I think that's generally the effect of a show taking risks and switching things up every single week, some stuff works and some doesn't! I think Love & Monsters is the only MAJOR clunker for me in the first four series. I used to dislike Boom Town and Gridlock but they've grown on me hugely, and stuff like 42 and The Long Game only suffer from being filler episodes really. I disagree with you on Father's Day and The Girl in the Fireplace for sure, they're two of my very favourites! I like The Doctor's Daughter too, though I'd say it probably is the worst of series 4 (my favourite series!). I don't really mind Fear Her The Girl in the Fireplace is a good episode I just wasn't feeling it at the time and I didn't wanna stop watching, same goes for Father's Day although I'm less keen on it. I'm up to series 5 now and so far I haven't exactly skipped again... I fell asleep watching The Beast Below and didn't bother rewatching it again


HausofKubrick View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:21 PM Post #5
⬛ Joined: 17 February 2011 Posts: 56,215 User: 13,007	So I have just sat through 'In the Forest of the Night' and honestly, what did I watch? I couldn't even feign a smile at any of it. I want those 40 minutes of life back please xo Also 'Let's Kill Hitler', 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship' and any association of the farting Slitheen x


JosephBoone View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:23 PM Post #6
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,804 User: 13,530	It was even worse than I remembered what even WAS the plot? So nothingy


Klaus View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:30 PM Post #7
❤️❤️➕🟦 Joined: 3 June 2012 Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160	It’s so pointless! A complete misfire. But omg you get to meet the.....erm... Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere next! You’re in for a treat (perhaps less so the actual episodes themselves)


Calum View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:38 PM Post #8
nabad Pronouns: he/him Joined: 13 February 2013 Posts: 28,374 User: 18,316	no series 8 shade please, more Danny Pink shade please x Let's Kill Hitler is great for letting us see how River Song comes to be, it gets a bit of a hard time (but it does have its cringe/bad moments too).


Klaus View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:44 PM Post #9
❤️❤️➕🟦 Joined: 3 June 2012 Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160	Series 8 is genuinely my underrated fave On my recent rewatch I appreciated Danny a lot more than I have previously, I just think he’s an awkward fit for the show - perhaps too grounded in everyday life where the show is about escapism. The reactions from the Doctor are also completely miss the mark for me and are bad bits of writing.


JosephBoone View member profile	5th September 2020, 07:54 PM Post #10
you never forget your first time... Pronouns: he/him Joined: 19 April 2011 Posts: 121,804 User: 13,530	I like Danny too! Definitely a lot more rooted in the real world but it allowed for some great Clara development. Fully agree they missed the mark with 12's dislike of Danny, it didn't feel like the Doctor at all (and it's a shame as The Caretaker is otherwise a fun episode). There are other ways they could have provided contrast and development for 12's character than "lol he's a soldier I hate him go date the guy who looked like the last version of me." No slander to the series 8 finale please Klaus!


Klaus View member profile	6th September 2020, 09:37 AM Post #11
❤️❤️➕🟦 Joined: 3 June 2012 Posts: 22,246 User: 17,160	I like the finale! Dark Water a lot more, I think Death in Heaven does the usual Moffat thing of taking too much of a gear change rather than continuing along the line of what was built up in the preceding episode. I just know that it is very divisive amongst fans!


ElectroBoy View member profile	7th September 2020, 07:50 AM Post #12
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 26 February 2007 Posts: 14,305 User: 3,002	QUOTE(Klaus @ Sep 6 2020, 10:37 AM) I like the finale! Dark Water a lot more, I think Death in Heaven does the usual Moffat thing of taking too much of a gear change rather than continuing along the line of what was built up in the preceding episode. I just know that it is very divisive amongst fans! My main issue with that final is the Cyber Brig - which even now still doesn't sit right with me. The Series 8 finale as a whole though was a lot better when I rewatched a couple of years later. I'll be there soon on my marathon - finished Robot of Sherwood last week - so not long to go...


Dexton View member profile	18th September 2020, 04:00 PM Post #13
rip in peace Dickston Joined: 29 January 2017 Posts: 9,566 User: 25,045	I really wish they'd add series 12 to Netflix already I'm up to series 11 in my rewatch and I'm seriously struggling to watch tbh, more than I did when I watched it on release. I think coming off the back of a fantastic series 10 and Twice Upon A Time, then immediately jumping into series 11 I'm kinda sick of the series very quickly. I know theres some decent parts but getting to those is too much of a slog On a sidenote, Clara has gone from being one of my very least favourite companions to arguably Top 2/3 in this watch. I'm not a fan of her and #11, the episodes themselves are okay but I'm just not into the chemistry between them. Whereas her and #12 are PERFECT together. Series 8 is a bit off the mark with the writing at some points I agree but as a whole it's not a major issue. Danny wasn't entirely needed but it did for once give us someone who was completely disinterested in travelling with the doctor and seeing that play out between them was a nice change of pace. Series 9 is by far my favourite since Series 4 however. Under The Lake / Before The Flood are the only weak points for me but I still enjoyed it.


JSG View member profile	18th September 2020, 09:55 PM Post #14
BuzzJack Legend Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 18 March 2013 Posts: 34,810 User: 18,473	I've always felt like any of season 4 with Donna and the doctor is my favourite season. Think my favourite episodes ever are Turn Left from said season, and then also... Blink is one of the all time greats in my opinion. Oops.... I thought this was favourite episode �� My least favourites are anything with the Cybermen or The Daleks. ��


mick745 View member profile	19th September 2020, 07:02 AM Post #15
BuzzJack Climber Joined: 4 August 2012 Posts: 126 User: 17,441	Father's Day is a fantastic episode, exploring why things would change if you changed history, everyone he would meet from then on, everywhere he went etc would be changed, changing history for ever. For a programme about timetravel it doesnt really explore time travel or paradoxes very often, this is why Blink is so fantastic.


JSG View member profile	19th September 2020, 08:29 AM Post #16
BuzzJack Legend Pronouns: He/Him Joined: 18 March 2013 Posts: 34,810 User: 18,473	QUOTE(mick745 @ Sep 19 2020, 08:02 AM) Father's Day is a fantastic episode, exploring why things would change if you changed history, everyone he would meet from then on, everywhere he went etc would be changed, changing history for ever. For a programme about timetravel it doesnt really explore time travel or paradoxes very often, this is why Blink is so fantastic. Father's Day is superb. 👍 Blink was amazing. Up there with the best tbh.


ElectroBoy View member profile	21st September 2020, 04:57 PM Post #17
BuzzJack Platinum Member Joined: 26 February 2007 Posts: 14,305 User: 3,002	I'm up to the Zygon Invasion (2-Parter) on my current marathon... but everything i've rated a 3 and lower (out of 10): The End of Time (2-parter) Time-Flight The Twin Dilemma Daleks in Manhattan (2-parter) Underworld Fear Her In the Forest of the Night The Web Planet The Sensorites The Time Monster The Celestial Toymaker New Earth Although to add to that I disliked Ascension of the Cybermen (2-Parter), Orphan 55, Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos, Arachnids in the UK and Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror so will probably join the list alonside Sleep No More This post has been edited by ElectroBoy: 21st September 2020, 04:58 PM


mick745 View member profile	23rd September 2020, 10:37 AM Post #18
BuzzJack Climber Joined: 4 August 2012 Posts: 126 User: 17,441	QUOTE(ElectroBoy @ Sep 21 2020, 05:57 PM) I'm up to the Zygon Invasion (2-Parter) on my current marathon... but everything i've rated a 3 and lower (out of 10): The End of Time (2-parter) Time-Flight The Twin Dilemma Daleks in Manhattan (2-parter) Underworld Fear Her In the Forest of the Night The Web Planet The Sensorites The Time Monster The Celestial Toymaker New Earth Although to add to that I disliked Ascension of the Cybermen (2-Parter), Orphan 55, Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos, Arachnids in the UK and Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror so will probably join the list alonside Sleep No More The web planet i find unwatchable, it is just people running around in strange outfits for 6 episodes. Nothing of interest happens. Time Flight had good ideas but translating them to screen didnt work. The special effects needed were too grand for the budget available. Although the 6th doctor tv stories were weak he has come to be one of my favourite doctors through the audios. Colin Baker was shoddily treated but doesnt seem bitter about it at all.