Smartie Daleks aside, Victory is a very enjoyable fun episode. Always really liked New Earth too :D

New Earth was fantastic, overlooked these days, but a great start to the season. Victory... though was one of the worst of that season (not a great one as it was), the Daleks looked like they were made out of 1960s cars and it was an intriguing premise that just turned into a mindless Star Wars-lite, filler episode at the end.

Edited October 2, 201410 yr by Chez Wombat

Indeed. The Daleks looked like the oh so fashionable at the time Mini Coopers.

'Victory of the Daleks' was very disapointing. The new Daleks really didn't work as they were far too bright and kind of take the threat of them away. Not that they posed much of a threat in this episode anyway, the whole bomb thing was very cliche and disapointing.

 

Oh and I agree that Winston was far too comical. Takes away from the true historical figure in that he's a different person.

Edited October 2, 201410 yr by Rabbit Heart

74

 

The Next Doctor

 

http://media.tumblr.com/25e0bf9e8dbf3865de0434ec8ae4ce93/tumblr_inline_mjgs0h3nsS1qz4rgp.jpg

 

When I first watched this episode on Christmas Day, my initial thoughts were "meh" and "oh, this could be heading for title of 'worst Christmas special yet'", but having watched it back a fair few times since then, it's actually a really really good episode. Definitely not one of Doctor Who's strongest ventures, but definitely worthwhile and a bit of festive fun to keep everyone entertained on the big day. We were introduced to a brand new component in the Cybermen's race in this episode - the Cybershades. While they were an excellent idea and they looked amazing on-screen, they served to be nothing more than little furry animals that ran about and could climb up walls and run around after the real Cybermen? One thing that did annoy me about this story, and still does, is Jackson Lake's whole story. There was really not that much to care about with him, which is a shame because David Morrisey is a brilliant actor, I just think he was given a really poor character to try and bring to life with this one. On the topic of the guest cast, can we just appreciate that Dervla Kirwan is and always will be one of the best villains ever to have been portrayed on the show. She's got the sass, she's got the sexiness, she's got everything. Such a fiesty woman when she was walking around the snow-white graveyard. The only thing I will say is that when she became the voice inside the Cyber King trapsing around the streets of London, it got a bit over-sensational. The Cybermen did seem like a bit of a sub-plot in this story what with all the character stories taking centre stage, but it was nice to see them again. All in all, iffy parts aside, the plot of the episode works well, Jackson's companion was more annoying than Martha, and there were many better Christmas episodes yet to come.

 

Average 7.000

Highest score 10 (Michael!)

Lowest score 5 (seantobewild, Rabbit Heart)

 

The Next Doctor is quite a "meh" episode, especially considering the series it followed :(

I feel like we'll never get another proper Cyberman adventure. The last one was really Series 2. I know they're due to feature in this year's finale but I feel that the Missy plot will be more prevelant.

At the time, The Next Doctor was OK, but compared to the latest Christmas specials, it's a masterpiece really.

The only Christmas special I've loved was The Runaway Bride and I liked The Next Doctor

 

Ive tried watching the Moffat ones but they've been dire, apart from the one with Clara and Richard E Grant was in it as the villain which was an ok episode

73

 

The Vampires of Venice

 

 

This, IMO, is a close second (well, not that close) behind 'Vincent and the Doctor' in terms of highlights of the series. The whole premise of this episode is very very fascinating. There's something about the location, the period of time, what the villain actually wants to do, and how sophisticated they are until they're revealed to be giant fish that just makes this an absolutely beautiful episode. Helen McCrory was a stellar guest star among many others, but she really stood out as the wicked witch villain that was so detestably evil, but had a vulnerability about her that you just loved and felt very sorry for her come the end of the episode. The scene where she stripped herself of her clothing and threw herself to all of the 'husbands in the water' was rather touching, I thought. Aside from all the 100% sexiness going on with all the vampires (girl on the left in the picture above is one of the reasons this episode is as fabulous as it is), we had Rory travelling in time and space in this episode, and generally just being a bit a twat while the Doctor and Amy were trying to get to the bottom of what was going on. The only scene that was worthwhile including Rory for was when he asked the Doctor why he kissed her [Amy] back and the Doctor said he didn't, he kissed her lips. Cringey comedy (a lot of it was during Smith's era), but something to giggle at nonetheless.

I really do feel the episode would have benefited a great deal from losing Rory in the script. The idea of him trying to save Amy from the school in his own way and the Doctor trying to save her in his own way - they both just got on top of each other (as they did in several other episodes also when she needed saving), and it was quite uncomfortable to watch at times because we all know it's the Doctor we want to save her, not some pest who doesn't even seem like her boyfriend / fiancé at this point. Oh and another scene that was actually quite good with Rory was when he confronted the Doctor about putting people in danger when they're with him. That was a nice moment to see someone making the Doctor acknowledge the bad that he sometimes brings out in both himself and other people, unwillingly.

 

Average 7.000

Highest score 10 (Calum Hood)

Lowest score 4 (Regina)

 

One of the good ones, definitely.

72

 

The Impossible Planet

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/2mplp3a.png

 

I think I prefer this opening part of the story to 'The Satan Pit'. Not because it's more action-packed (because it isn't) or that it's any better in terms of drama (because it isn't), but just because the development of the setting and everything else about it was just really nice. The introduction to the Ood was very well done. Their 'purpose to serve' was nice, and this is going to sound extremely strange, but I just find it so interesting seeing how people survive on bases in space or rockets, or aircrafts and what have you. So it was nice that in this episode, for a change, the crew of this team were actually eating and drinking. The whole part where Toby became possessed pisses my life off to no end, really, but can't do very much about that. The good thing about it I suppose is that we didn't know entirely what the monster was at this point, we were just going by the mystique about this voice that was hunting him down and taking over him. And of course, by the end of this episode the Ood had gone bat-shit crazy, and it was quite terrifying really. Led us in just nicely to the second part of the story, and the picking off of all the crew one by one before we were left with less than a handful of them.

 

Average 7.000

Highest score 11 (Rabbit Heart)

Lowest score 1 (Michael!)

 

 

 

71

 

Aliens of London

 

http://media3.giphy.com/media/k70QQJ48AFKMM/200_s.gif

 

"Harriet Jones." don't we all just love Harriet Jones? She went from Doctor Who, to Downton Abbey because everybody got sick of her introducing herself over and over again when they already KNEW who she was, probably more-so than they wanted to. I really do like this two-parter. It was light relief following on from 'The Unquiet Dead' which is one of the scariest episodes of the show and should never be talked about at night (what am I doing?!). The fact that Jackie Tyler appeared in this two-parter was amazing, I think she's the ultimate comedy queen of Doctor Who, probably most of the time unintentionally. The plot of this episode was a bit all over the place, but the Slitheen were a good threat, and one that I really wish would make a comeback to the show more deadly than ever because I'd like to see what they were put up against in a serious plot (more along the lines of 'Bad Wolf' where the human element of the Slitheen was explored more-so than their true alien selves - although I suppose The Sarah Jane Adventures catered for us in always bringing the Slitheen back up to series 3). Toshiko from Torchwood made an appearance in this episode but sadly it wasn't meant to be as she was attacked by the mini space pig which is one of the cutest things. Fun fact: Owen and Suzie are the only two members of the Torchwood team not to have appeared in Doctor Who (not including Rhys in that because he's irrelevant).

 

Average 7.083

Highest score 10 (Michael!, Jester, April)

Lowest score 0 (Regina)

 

 

 

70

 

World War Three

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/ff/World_War_3_(Doctor_Who).jpg

 

And the second part of the story is just one place ahead of the first. One of the ULTIMATE moments of NuWho is when Jackie and Mickey find the vinegar to make the Slitheen in the iamspamspamamiexplode and it does then they're left standing there, their faces really agog and slime all over them from head to toe. Just hilarious. Have you been introduced to Harriet Jones yet? No? Don't start x Anyway, the episode picks up from where the previous left off and the Doctor is able to overcome his electric shock (one of the holes in this episode for me is that when everybody is electrocuted by the Slitheen when they're in that room, all the shock seems to stem to one large ball at the centre of the chest. And it applies to the Doctor too. There should be two large balls, no? (Not like that x) Anyway, this episode definitely had a lot more memorable moments IMO, fully resolved the story to my satisfaction, and presumably that of many others also considering a few of you rate it so highly.

 

Average 7.083

Highest score 11 (Jester)

Lowest score 0 (Regina)

 

 

 

69

 

Daleks in Manhattan

 

http://www.doctorwhoreviews.co.uk/2007-04_files/Daleks%20in%20Manhattan%20(13).jpg

 

Before we get into any details, there's one thing I need to say about this episode. It was so so good to actually see the Daleks converse with one another and devise a plan, strategy and disagree with one another before a final decision was made. In most episodes that followed, it seems like the Daleks don't actually communicate and it's all just a matter of "DESTROY ANYTHING THAT GETS IN OUR WAY"; "EXTERMINATE!!1!". Anyway, on the episode... The fact that it was set in Manhattan was automatically amazing. Love the scenery and when Martha and the Doctor got to the Statue of Liberty, that was a lovely moment. I think we need to see this type of episode more often where we visit a different location somewhere in the world, and we actually get to see the way that they live, people doing something and creating history and living in the moment, only for the destruction of an alien race to ruin it all. London isn't the only place in the world under threat, and it doesn't even make any sense that they film most material in CARDIFF, yet always want to focus on London. It's just not a very good look. I really liked Laszlo at first in this story, but as soon as he turned into a pig slave he was a bit of a pest and by the end I really wasn't feeling sorry for him at all (does that make me a bad person?). The pig slaves were a great addition however, and it was nice to see the Daleks using people and turning them into creatures for their own benefit. This was the type of episode where the Daleks were the ruthless machines that we once thought they were. There just isn't the same sense of threat now (or at least there wasn't up until 'Into the Dalek').

 

Average 7.083

Highest score 10 (Michael!, seantobewild, JosephStyles)

Lowest score 0 (Iz~)

 

Your commentary on the Slitheen episodes is hilarious! I love Jackie Tyler, she's so underrated.

 

Regina once again demonstrates his weak taste. Zero, seriously?

 

Daleks in Manhattan is okay, but probably the most forgettable Dalek episode of New Who?

Impossible Planet - Far too low, absolutely brilliant build up, characters and aliens, better than the concluding episode to the double. My favourite of all the space/alien centred episodes.

World War Three/Aliens of London - The Slitheen were an awful enemy, unpleasant and lacking the scare factor of a lot of Doctor Who villains. As for the episodes, I don't find them all that memorable, apart from the quite appropriate metaphor of the government being vicious aliens from another world.

Daleks in Manhattan - I just remember those really bad American accents on this! Also a pretty forgettable Dalek story.

Edited October 6, 201410 yr by Chez Wombat

Loads of good episodes there! The Slitheen two parter wasn't exactly a masterpiece but it is a lot of fun.

The Impossible Planet being lower than the Slitheen (forever unable to take them seriously as an enemy and as an alien race in general, both episodes annoyed me so much) and the horrors of Daleks in Manhattan saddens me.

 

Vampires In Venice was a fun little romp though, I do enjoy that.

I agree with you Eyes... The Impossible Planet is one of the most memorable stories of any series for me, really well paced and a decent mixture of character development and tension.

Definitely. The things that attract me to episodes like those (the 2-parter and 42, which is also way too low) are often the guest cast, all given names and a tiny biography at the start, all given a bit of sentiment attached to them so a lot of the first watch through is spent wondering who will die and who won't. You need episodes like that in a series as the fear of death for the Doctor and his main companion has very little tension in it.

 

Plus the scene that Calum mentioned, with the Devil and Toby, I find very compelling to watch and it's one of the few things in the whole series to have actually scared me a little. And the setting itself is inspired, a little base on the edge of destruction that is perfectly placed for isolated and dangerous hijinks to go down.

The Impossible Planet is my favourite episode and it is far far too low. The fact that it's those three episodes that are higher than it just insults me.

68

 

Evolution of the Daleks

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/229/489982534_f382e23af5.jpg

 

Starting to think it may have been a better idea to group the two-parters together because they seem to just be falling out one after the other - or is it more a case of both episodes being just as bad as each other? I'll leave that for y'all to decide. Anyway, this episode was a bit of a disappointment considering what came just before it. The idea of the human Dalek was a good one, but it wasn't exactly put to use as best it could have. I suppose the natural line of events being that the Daleks would eventually turn on one of their own for being different and for challenging all that they stood for was inevitable, but it was still quite underwhelming. Meh, I think this is the only time I can say that the two episodes in a two-parter seem to be complete polar opposites besides the characters and setting. The closing scenes with Laszlo were quite touching though.

 

Average 7.167

Highest score 10 (Michael!, seantobewild, JosephStyles, April)

Lowest score 0 (Iz~)