The Eleventh Hour is such a great debut/ start to the Smith era. Setting up Amy well too and the mystery of the crack too. Actually just thinking about it, so many arcs are sign posted here from the Pandorica to the Silence and then obviously the cracks and Amy's wedding too.

Smith is great from the off and it sets up his era nicely.

15 Amy’s Choice

Series 5 Episode 7

Doctor: 11th

Companion: Amy Pond, Rory Williams

First aired: 15th May 2010

Writer: Simon Nye

Back-to-back series 5 episodes as we arrive at a mid-series episode where even the viewer doesn't know what's real and what isn't. The Doctor visits Amy and Rory in Leadworth after they've stopped travelling with him, but something unusual is happening at the old people's home. Yet, at the same time, the trio are freezing to death on board the TARDIS. Which version of events is real, and who is the Dream Lord? This episode is one of the most imaginative of the show's run, and it was especially fun the first time round as we tried to figure out which version is real. The audience being just as confused as the characters made for such captivating viewing! It still holds up, though, as each of them desperately looks for details that don't add up. The Eknodine were a memorable and slightly funny idea, but the real threat came from the Dream Lord, superbly brought to life by Toby Jones, who was one of the series' most memorable guest stars. Rory's first "death" scene was heartbreaking and the immediate reaction of Amy was a top notch performance from Karen Gillan, and I love that it was a significant turning point in their relationship (particularly knowing what was to come a couple of episodes later). A creative and experimental episode that paid off in dividends!

Amy's Choice is a great story and was the first and probably only impactful Rory "death"

Amy’s Choice is great! Series 5 as a whole is basically perfect Who for me (along with Series 1)

Amy's choice was a great episode, the dream lord was such an interesting concept (wonder if we will ever see them again considering it was teased) both scenarios were easily believable (although I was a tad confused when the episode opened with Amy heavily pregnant like id missed an episode 🤣🤣) agreed props to Karen and Arthur for Rorys death Scene really hit its mark , overall an episode that can be enjoyed standalone and still very much make sense 🙌

14 Wild Blue Yonder

60th Anniversary Special 2

Doctor: 14th

Companion: Donna Noble

Also featuring: Wilfred Mott

First aired: 2nd December 2023

Writer: Russell T Davies

By quite some way the most recent episode in my top 20, Wild Blue Yonder is also the highest placed 14th Doctor episode. After Donna spilled coffee on the TARDIS console, it crash lands on board an eerily silent spaceship with an enormously long corridor. What the Doctor and Donna learn about the ship, its inhabitants, and an airlock door that opened and then closed, grows more unsettling the longer they spend there. Going into this episode knowing next-to-nothing was an insane experience and it made it all the better for me! I didn't know what was about to happen, what type of episode we were due to get, and it made for a really unsettling watch, as if I were on board the ship too. Not only does this episode have by far the best character moments of RTD2, from both the Doctor and Donna, but it develops an interesting and absolutely terrifying threat. The visuals of the creatures struggling to master the art of shape are iconic and horrifying at the same time, and them copying the Doctor and Donna makes for yet more unease, as even we don't know who's who at times! The shifting spaceship adds extra mystery, as does the robot (Jimbo x), who's moving extremely slowly. So much great mystery and tension, all topped off with that climax - the real Donna almost getting left behind! I was seriously worried they were about to kill off the real Donna for a second! An insane episode and one that holds up on each rewatch, and I think it'll only cement this high placement as time goes on. Also: Wilf!!! My heart felt so warm seeing him one final time