Every Doctor Who Revival Episode Rated (Series Five)
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It seemed like an impossible task to replace David Tennant. The job on new showrunner Steven Moffat and the unknown actor cast as the Eleventh Doctor seemed nigh-on impossible.
Yet somehow, Series Five of Doctor Who is considered one of the best ever. And this is all thanks to the blazing confidence and ambition set in place by the writers, production crew, and the one and only Matt Smith.
The Eleventh Hour – 10/10
No new Doctor has cemented themselves quicker and more convincingly than Matt Smith in his near-perfect debut episode. It was something that many could not see being done but the impossible task was made to look effortlessly easy.
The Eleventh Hour blazes with energy, charisma, courage and humour. No opening story will ever compare.
The Beast Below – 7/10
Steven Moffat admits he’s not a fan of this script. A shame really. Despite a few shortcomings, this episode really encapsulates fairytale crossed with sci-fi right off the bat.
A great development episode for Amy that doesn’t feel like the obligatory first outing and we get a wonderful taste of Eleven’s fury, one of his most underrated aspects.
Victory of the Daleks – 2/10
Obviously terrified of being another Dalek two-parter, this ill-fated episode crams in too much in the most inconvenient runtime. None of it works.
The infamous Dalek redesigns that were canned almost immediately and a shmaltzy and convenient resolution that gave me second-hand embarrassment, even as a child.
The Time of Angels – 9/10
When I was younger this was probably my most anticipated episode of all time. A perfectly paced, genre-bending thrill-ride with brilliant tension, sound design and production value. What’s not to love? As usual with Moffat, this entirely depends on what whacky ideas he has for part two.
Flesh and Stone – 6/10
Amy’s plight is certainly nerve-wracking and the stakes are intensely high but seeing the Weeping Angels actually move? Criminal. I don’t know who’s idea it was to show that but they should really have a long hard look at themselves. They won’t like what they see.
The Vampires of Venice – 7/10
Okay, bear with me here. This episode is good because it is not very good. The script is ridiculous, the villains are hysterical with appalling effects and if this isn’t the most unlikeable the main cast ever get… but at the same time, that’s kind of the fun of it? Despite all the problems, you can’t deny it is entertaining.
Amy’s Choice – 8/10
A dynamic and intriguing examination of this TARDIS team’s relationship. Toby Jones excels as the slimy Dream Lord and the conflict at hand here lends itself brilliantly to the character deconstructions. Simon Nye is a one-time Who writer but, goodness me, he took his chance well.
The Hungry Earth – 6/10
I don’t get it. Why does Chibnall write Eleven better than he writes Thirteen? Despite the early loss of Amy, the story takes a while to get going but when it does, the amount of good dialogue more than justifies it. The Silurian design is simply top-notch.
Cold Blood – 5/10
All that good dialogue Chibnall had for us in part one has unfortunately fizzled out. Smith tries everything to salvage the situation and starts a sadly common trend of him carrying episodes all by himself. Rory’s erasure is done marvellously but there’s a lot of snoozing to get through.
Vincent and the Doctor – 9/10
Leave it to the comedy writer in Richard Curtis to deliver us an intimate and mature examination of depression in a remarkable historical figure.
Tony Curran remains one of the greatest guest actors on any episode so far and there’s a reason why the ending is remembered as such an astonishing and breathtaking moment that resonates with so many.
The Lodger – 4/10
A story like this is ready-made for showing off how bizarre this Doctor is. Unfortunately, the episode is shared with the unbearable James Corden who I would rather they replace with literally anyone. I guess one could find this episode charming and humorous but it’s more annoying than anything.
The Pandorica Opens – 8/10
Smith brings his A-game here, delivering one of the coolest Doctor moments ever. The mystery is highly intriguing the whole way out and the ending twist is an absolute kicker. Even if the alliance does feel like Moffat emptying his toy box all over the BBC set.
The Big Bang – 4/10
To this day, I still don’t really know how this episode functions. It seemed here that Moffat’s reliance on ‘timey-wimey’ as a plot device got ahead of him and he paid the price with how scatterbrained this script is. If only we knew that this wasn’t the last of it.
I appreciate how introspective this finale is compared to the Davies era ones, but it all feels like it’s running on fumes.
A Christmas Carol – 10/10
Magical, intelligent and joyous, this is by far the best Who Christmas Special ever made. As nuanced and intimate as it is sweet and silly. With a stellar script, outstanding production and a cast firing off all cylinders, A Christmas Carol is the cherry on top for one of Who’s greatest ever seasons.
Also, full marks for actually making me enjoy Michael Gambon’s acting. That is hard to do.
Recommended Reading: Doctor Who: Every Revival Episode Rated (Series Four)