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 Crimson Horror by Mark Gatiss
This episode played out like an old detective story where the pieces were being put together in front of our eyes. The return of the Paternoster Gang was a wonderful relief and the mystery of "The Crimson Horror" was something that definitely kept me on my toes. I loved that the story followed Vastra, Jenny and Strax more, allowing us to see it more from their perspective.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The Doctor's Yorkshire accent and, real life mother and daughter duo, Rachel Stirling and Diana Rigg as Ada and Mrs Gillyflower respectively.

4. A Town Called Mercy by Toby Whithouse
I'm not much of a fan of the old west, but I really did enjoy this episode. It really showed just how damaged the Doctor is and just how much he needs a companion. It reflected just how volatile the Doctor can become
and that he really does have a darker side to him. The episode also proved that sometimes the real monsters aren't the science experiments, but rather the scientists themselves.
Highlight(s) of the episode: Amy stopping the Doctor from allowing Kahler Jax to die.

3. The Angels Take Manhattan by Steven Moffat
New York City, the Weeping Angels and a heartbreaking end. The angels are back and this time they're sending people to the 1940's. Of course, being a Moffat episode, everything is a bit wibbly wobbly. River Song makes a return for what seems like the penultimate time and this time she's known as Melody Malone of the Angel Detective Agency. Then there's that soul wrenching rooftop scene with Amy and Rory. Then just when you think it's all over and that the Pond family are actually going to have a happy ending, your heart gets ripped out again. But it was a good ending and Mr and Mrs Pond finally got what they wanted: a normal life.
Highlight(s) of the episode: Amy and Rory getting a happily ever after, although not the one some wanted, but they did get to live to an old age and Rory did get his wish of growing old with Amy. I also loved the concept of incorporating a novel written by one of the characters into the story as a sort of means to send a message. Also, Amy's afterword to the Doctor.

2. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS by Stephen Thompson
I've always wanted an episode where we got to see more of the TARDIS. I absolutely loved getting to see the infamous swimming pool, the Doctor's
library and what exactly keeps the TARDIS flying. The fact that the TARDIS is so big that it can hide bad things that even the Doctor doesn't know about sent shivers down my spine. I enjoyed the story line of the Van Baalen brothers and that even after time reset itself the events still left echoes of it within everyone.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The chance to see more of the TARDIS, my favourite place being the study/library for obvious reasons.

1. The Name of the Doctor by Steven Moffat
I'm pretty sure you know why this episode has made it to the top of my list. It was the episode that this entire series has led up to. Finally, secrets are revealed and the nature of what Trenzalore is was discovered. The story was pretty good and the overall concept was also intriguing. Having both the Great Intelligence and Clara play an important part in the story was wonderful as those two have quite literally been the red herrings throughout the entire second part. And, as I've said before, the fact that the actions of Clara make her special shows that travelling with the Doctor has changed her.
Highlight(s) of the episode: The TARDIS being so distraught that she makes herself the monument to the Doctor and the return (and sad departure) of River Song.

Episodes of note: The Power of Three and Asylum of the Daleks
The Power of Three gets a special mention for it being from the perspective of Amy and Rory and how their lives are changing and for the introduction of Kate Stewart who is the daughter of the much loved Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. The only reason that it didn't make my countdown was because the story line was a bit weak and the resolution wasn't much of a resolution.
Asylum of the Daleks would have made it onto my countdown, but after watching it I felt like there was something missing. The introduction to Oswin Oswald and the return of the Daleks was enough to let it get a special mention, but the episode left me with more questions than answers.

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.