My Favourite Doctor Who Stories: Specials

by Apollo

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. Voyage of the Damned by Russell T Davies
Who can't resist the Titanic in space? I mean it's a literal ship...in space! Okay, so it wasn't the real Titanic, but it will do. This episode brought together a whole array of misfit characters (and Kylie Minogue who just wanted to see the stars) to help the Doctor save Earth and the passengers of the ship. Never will I look at Christmas angels the same again. The fast pace and the revelation that you can't always save the people who deserve it the most was the cherry on top for me. 
Highlight(s) of the episode: "I'm the Doctor. I'm a Timelord. I'm from the Planet Gallifrey on the Constellation of Kastaborus. I'm 903 and three year old and I'm the man who is gonna save your lives and all 6 billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?"

4. The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe by Steven Moffat
In my opinion, I think that this may be one of the most overlooked Christmas specials. I really felt that this episode brought about the real
essence of family and love which is what Christmas is all about. The whole conflict arises when the Doctor just wants to give those kids a little present. Something to make them feel happy before they get told some really bad news. And in the end, everything is good because it's Christmas and miracles can happen.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The Arwell family, especially Madge. I really think Claire Skinner was a perfect choice to play Madge, she has that motherly role down to a tee. I also loved the interactions between the Doctor and the kids. I think it would be great if the Arwell family could appear again sometime even if it is in a small way. 

3. The Waters of Mars by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford
On a small visit to Mars, the Doctor realises that something more sinister is going on. His instincts tell him that it's a fixed point in time and he should leave, but his heart is telling him to stay and try to save these people. This episode really showed how far the Doctor has come, how many lives he's had to sacrifice because of his Timelord knowledge and how much he's tired of doing it. By the end of the episode, he's bordering on crazy, thinking that he can take time into his own hands. 
Highlight(s) of the episode: It' hard to choose a moment that stands out the most, but I think the best moment is when Adelaide Brookes tells the Doctor that the Timelord Victorious is wrong and takes her own life knowing that she was meant to die. 

2. The Snowmen by Steven Moffat
Christmas has always been a special time for the Doctor and especially for Matt's Doctor who is like a kid himself and to see him so distraught during Christmas was the most heartbreaking thing ever. And the fact
that it took one special woman and the word "Pond" to bring him out of hiding was wonderful. It really showed that the Doctor needed that slight push to help him get up and start saving the world again. And I'm happy that it was Clara. The return of the Paternoster Gang was also fantastic and I'll forgive Moffat for turning one of the Doctor's foes into comic relief because I really do like Strax.
Highlight(s) of the episode: Vastra's one word interview with Clara and the Doctor dressing up as Sherlock Holmes. 

1. The Christmas Invasion by Russell T Davies
David Tennant's first full episode as the Doctor and he spends most of it sleeping? As I've said before, Series 1 and 2 was when RTD was at his prime, I'm not saying that Series 3 and 4 weren't good, but some of the other episodes had to pick up the slack sometimes and his resolutions weren't always well thought out. Back to the episode at hand, The Christmas Invasion tops my list because it really brought up the fact that Doctor is a show that changes while giving us a familiar environment: the Powell Estate with Mickey and Jackie. I liked the fact that for most of the episode the humans had to carry out the discussions because it shows that the Doctor can't always be there to save the day and sometimes we have to be prepared for a possible alien invasion. But in true Doctor fashion, he comes back just in time to save the day and stop the Sycorax from taking over the planet. This was the first ever Christmas special of the revival and I think it really did set a standard for all other Christmas specials that followed. Seeing the Doctor as a new man, sharing a Christmas dinner with Rose, Jackie and Mickey was the beginning of Christmas being the Doctor's day.
Highlight(s) of the episode: When the Doctor wakes up and gives his "Lion King" speech to the Sycorax.

Episodes of note: The End of Time Part 1 and 2
This gets a special mention because it was the departure of David Tennant as the Doctor and it marked the end of the RTD era. The reason it didn't make my list? I honestly felt like something was missing from it as if Russell wasn't putting his all into it because it was a fantastic story and would have been a brilliant departure for Ten. Having said that, I was upset when Daivd left, he really did embody the whole character of the Doctor well and I would have given anything to have him stay on for another series which is why I'm so happy that he's coming back for the 50th anniversary special.