Apollo's Rebellion

To add to the celebrations of the Fiftieth Anniversary year, I have decided to post my favourite stories from Doctor Who since its revival in 2005. Every Saturday I will post a list of my favourite stories from each series leading up to the week before the Fiftieth Anniversary. Feel free to also share your thoughts in the comments below.

5. The Girl Who Waited by Tom McRae
This was the episode that really, at least for me, cemented Rory and Amy's relationship. It really showed how much Rory cared for Amy and how much Amy needs Rory. This episode, again, allowed the Doctor to step back and let Rory and Amy's relationship to progress. The acting from Arthur and Karen was beautiful. Tell me I'm not the only one who got a pit in their stomach when Older Amy was talking to Rory from the other side of the TARDIS door.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The acting of Karen as a more aged version of herself. I read somewhere that they wanted to get someone else to play an older Amy, but Karen insisted on taking lessons and playing both roles. Also Amy's speech about Rory being the most beautiful person she had ever met.

4. Wedding of River Song by Steven Moffat
This was the episode that came full circle. After the mid-series finale where we find out who River Song really is, we though that there couldn't
be anything more that would surprise us. Lo and behold, we got a wedding. This episode played out well and the different elements that were set out from the beginning of the series really tied everything up. This was a great end to a more darker series.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The wedding of River Song and the Doctor, you can really see that they did marry each other for love. Also the fact that the Doctor wasn't actually dead.

3. The Rebel Flesh/ The Almost People by Matthew Graham
Can anyone say creepy? This two-parter was definitely up there on my things that creep me out list. I think the thing that made it creepy was the fact that it was real humans using science that could actually be real in a few years time. This could be what the future holds for us. The fact that the flesh or gangers actually felt real human emotions and the memories of their human doubles made them seem more real, more human. It was great to see, once again, the tension between humans and another species that could take over. It was also great to see that this wasn't a one-sided win. Some flesh people died and some humans died, and what they gained from all that was to teach others that gangers can be good and are capable of compassion.
Highlight(s) of the episodes: The human-ganger relationships and the fact that they found a way for them to actually live a together.

2. The Doctor's Wife by Neil Gaiman
This episode. Wow. This episode was pure brilliance. The concept of making the TARDIS into a living, talking being had never crossed my mind until I read the premise of this episode. We all knew that the TARDIS was a living entity, we knew that she could think for herself and that she was able to understand the Doctor at times. It is said by some that the bond between a TARDIS and a Timelord is something that is almost unbreakable. To have the opportunity to see these two interact was an absolute blessing. I applaud you, Mr Gaiman. You really out-did yourself this time.
Highlight(s) of this episode: I think you know what was the highlight of this episode. Having said that, I would also like to say that the end when the TARDIS finally has to leave her weak, mortal body was one of the most heartbreaking scenes ever. The relationships the Doctor has with his companions will never amount to the relationship he has with his TARDIS. After all, after they're gone it's just him and her out to explore the universe.

1. The Impossible Astronaut/ Day of the Moon by Steven Moffat
America 1969, the moon landing, the Doctor's death and scary creatures that you forget when you look away. This definitely a unique way ti kick off a new series. The first five minutes not only set the tone for the rest of the two-parter, but also for the rest of the series. Was just me or did the whole series become darker every time you remembered the Doctor getting shot by that astronaut by Lake Silencio? The introduction of the silence and what they were was perfect. The play on American conspiracies about the Men in Black and having your memories altered was great with a touch of now-I-don't-know-if there-really-is-a-monster under-my-bed-and-even-if-I-checked-I-wouldn't-remember.
Highlight(s) of the episodes: Mark Sheppard as Canton Everett Delaware III, when the Doctor beats the Silence by using the Silence and the end of Day of the Moon where the young girl (who is actually Melody) regenerates. That's what you call a cliff hanger.

Episode(s) of note: Let's Kill Hitler and Night Terrors
Let's Kill Hitler mainly for the fact that it gave us more of a Melody/River back story the reason it didn't make my list was because there was a lot more River and a lot less Hitler. Night Terrors just almost made it onto my list too because of its genuine scariness and Matt interacting with a child again. The reason it didn't make my list? Believe it or not, but it's because it was too scary that I didn't want to bring back the memories of those creepy dolls.