Now
that the Matt Smith era is over we can do a top ten list of his best
stories. There were a lot to choose from
and I’m sure some of your favorites did not make the list but hey somebody’s
favorite is someone’s least favorite. So
here are the stories that I thought were best stories of the three Series of
the Matt Smith era.
10. Closing Time
Written By Gareth Roberts
Directed By Steve Hughes
Why It’s In The Top 10:
A
light hearted story that is really fun to watch. Closing Time sees The Doctor visiting Craig
and his newborn baby Stormageddon Dark Lord of All and is curious over the
power surges going on. I love this
madcap story of watching The Doctor and Craig stumble around the shop looking
for the cause of the missing people and power surges. Closing Time is a touching story and if you
are a parent you will understand those moments.
Oh by the way the Cybemen are in Closing Time also and we also get the
return of their weapon the Cybermats.
9. Cold War
Written By Mark Gatiss
Directed By Douglas Mackinnon
Why It’s In The Top 10:
The
Ice Warriors return in a classic base under siege story. Not seen since the 1974 story The Monster of
Peladon the Ice Warriors make their triumphant return. Well one of them anyway. What makes this story fascinating is that it
takes place in a submarine under water in the artic. The Ice Warrior is lurking in the shadows of
the sub as Cold War shows us what an Ice Warrior looks like outside of its
armor. Had the feel of the classic
horror movie The Thing and was scary and a fun story to watch. Plus David
Warner sings a Duran Duran song.
8. Asylum of the Daleks
Written By Steven Moffat
Directed By Nick Hurran
Why It’s In The Top 10:
The
best Matt Smith Dalek story and it had a big surprise in it. We get to see the Asylum of the Daleks and
all the different types of Daleks from the Doctor’s past including the fan
favorite Special Weapons Dalek. Asylum
of the Daleks had a big surprise in it as Jenna Coleman makes an appearance as
Oswin who as it turns out is actually a Dalek.
Of course we know the answer to this mystery but at the time it sent the
fans into brain meltdown trying to come up with a theory for this. The story was really good also as we see the
Daleks asking for The Doctor’s help for once but then stick him in the asylum
was just cold. A really good Dalek story
that gives some classic Who fans a sense of nostalgia.
7. The Angels Take Manhattan
Written By Steven Moffat
Directed By Nick Hurran
Why It’s In The Top 10:
The
Weeping Angels return and unfortunately for Amy and Rory they spell the end to
their travels with The Doctor. One of
the most emotional and sad farewell for a companion in the series as Amy must
choose traveling with The Doctor or be sent back in time to be with the man she
loves Rory. Despite the pleading from
The Doctor she picks Rory leaving The Doctor heartbroken. We get a story that takes place in New York
City and was actually filmed near Grand Central Station and in Central
Park. The Angels Take Manhattan is a
scary and spooky story that the show needs from time to time and the Weeping
Angels are at their scariest in this story.
6. The Time of The Doctor
Written By Steven Moffat
Directed By Jamie Payne
Why It’s In The Top 10:
We
find out how The Doctor can regenerate again after using up his life
cycle. The Time Lords give him a new
life cycle not really as a thank you to him or to honor Clara’s request but to
satisfy their own purposes so they can selfishly return to our universe. We see the final adventure of The Doctor as
he lives out his life protecting the inhabitants of the town of Christmas on
the planet Trenzalore. We see all his enemies trying to get him to not say his
name the key for the Time Lords return as the Time War would start anew. It is an emotional goodbye and a touching
regeneration scene for Matt Smith who leaves as the 11th Doctor and
a scene that also gives us our first glimpse of Peter Capaldi as The Doctor.
5. The Doctor’s Wife
Written By Neil Gaiman
Directed By Richard Clark
Why It’s In The Top 10:
It
is a heartfelt story between The Doctor and his TARDIS whose soul is trapped in
the body of Idris. We also get to see
Amy and Rory go through hell inside the TARDIS corridors by House who has taken
over the TARDIS and is messing with time torturing Amy by aging Rory and yet
again killing him. Matt Smith gives us
one of his great performances and none was better than when he was able to talk
to his TARDIS in Idris body before she died.
That scene was so powerful and emotional and is one of the best in
Doctor Who ever. Just seeing him getting
so emotional talking to her before she left Idris body was so heartfelt. The
Doctor’s Wife is just a brilliant story that helped a season that was lacking
in emotion
4. The Name of The Doctor
Written By Steven Moffat
Directed By Saul Metzstein
Why It’s In The Top 10:
The
big finale that caused quite a stir before it aired. First fans were worried we would finally know
the Doctor’s real name. Most fans er
scratch that most fans did not want to know The Doctor’s name at all. It was a pretty good gimmick to get people to
watch the series finale. The other
controversy was that it was released on DVD and Blu Ray early by a computer
error at BBC America Shop. Luckily the
story was not spoiled on Social Network at all.
It was clearly a minor miracle in itself. The Name of The Doctor wrapped
up the series with the Great Intelligence trying to rewrite The Doctor’s
timeline. Everything he ever did every
win against the foulest villains erased from happening. We also find out the answer to who Clara is
and why she was a Dalek in Asylum and in the 1800’s and in 2013. What got me really jazzed about this story is
that we got to see the 1st Doctor leave Gallifrey for the first time and also
we had every Doctor in it also as Clara went back in his timeline. But more importantly it gave is a cliffhanger
that leads into the 50th Anniversary with John Hurt being introduced as The
Doctor.
3. The Girl Who Waited
Written By Tom MacRae
Directed By Nick Hurran
Why It’s In The Top 10:
Here
is a really good story that deals more with Amy and Rory than The Doctor which
is a rarity in itself in the new series.
We have the dilemma of old Amy and young Amy and what to do with both of
them. Rory is torn because he wants his
Amy back but wants to keep old Amy also but The Doctor knows what can happen if
both are in the TARDIS together. The
Doctor makes the decision to lock old Amy out of the TARDIS despite the threats
from Rory. An unpopular choice he makes
but it is the best decision and the right one.
Rory actually stands up to The Doctor in this story and actually shows
some back bone. The Girl Who Waited is a
strong story with a sad ending and yet again the writer and producer have
decided to do something different and go outside the box and came up with a
story that was clever and excellent. It
worked out perfectly and is one of the best stories in the Matt Smith era.
2. Vincent and The Doctor
Written By Richard Curtis
Directed By Jonny Campbell
Why It’s In The Top 10:
This
story is just a wonderful but sad story that makes you think and take notice of
the way things are. Dealing with the
mental illness theme The Doctor and Amy meet up with van Gogh at one of his
more troubling times. Amy takes a shine
to him as he is her favorite painter and she tries to help him. They even go as far as bringing him to
present day to see how famous he will become.
What is sad is that Amy so wanted to help him and make him feel better
but she fails as van Gogh still takes his life because of his illness. Vincent and The Doctor is a very touching
story one of the few stories like this in Doctor Who’s history. Matt Smith gives a good performance and the
speech he gives Amy at the end is one of the best in his era. Plus there is a monster in it even if it is
invisible most of the time.
1. The Day of The Doctor
Written By Steven Moffat
Directed By Nick Hurran
Why It’s In The Top 10:
For
one it is the 50th Anniversary story and we get to see some old
friends. The Day of The Doctor sees
former Doctor David Tennant team up with current Doctor Matt Smith to stop the
Zygons among other things. They are
joined by the Doctor no one knew about the one who fought in the Time War. John Hurt plays The War Doctor and gives us a
new dimension to The Doctor’s history.
We find out what happens during the final days of The Time War and how
it affected The Doctor’s life afterwards.
You see the Three Doctors come up with a different plan to save
Gallifrey and change their timeline. In
fact you see all 13 Doctors come to the aid of Gallifrey in a moment of pure
celebration of all The Doctors and we get a glimpse of the new Doctor Peter
Capaldi. The Day of The Doctor also has
one of the best scenes in Doctor Who as we see Tom Baker return to the show as
The Curator and has a nice chat with Matt Smith’s Doctor. It was a great scene
that made the 50th Anniversary Special a lot more special.
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