Top 10 Fav. Episodes of Doctor Who Part 2

Less than a week to go until the 50th anniversary episode for Doctor Who!  My excitement levels are pretty much off the charts, and watching the mini-sode "The Night of the Doctor" has only added a heaping does of crazy happiness.  How great was it to see the Eighth Doctor again?  He was fantastic, and I wish Paul McGann could get a spinoff show.  I would totally watch it, as I suspect every other Doctor Who fan would, judging by the insane level of sheer glee on the internet in reaction to him reprising the role.  It was a great surprise, and it makes me think that "The Day of the Doctor" is going to be just freaking awesome.

So last week, I started a countdown of my favorite Doctor Who episodes, and this weekend we're finishing that countdown to number one.  The Whovember celebration continueths now with these Top 5 Personal Favorite Episodes!  Let's get to it...

#5: The Runaway Bride
Doctor: 10th

Now, I know a lot of fans don't like this episode, because many found the character of Donna here to be extremely annoying.  But I only ever found her hilarious in this episode.  This is another Christmas special, the first one after Rose is trapped in the alternate universe.  So here we get to see the Doctor when he is hurting, and angry, even a bit dangerous.  I like getting to see this darker side of the Doctor because it reminds you that even though he is a good man, (well, Time Lord) he still has flaws.  He's not perfect.

Also, he's not from Mars.

I also really enjoy the humor in the episode.  The running joke of Donna calling him a Martian and him trying to correct her is great, as is Donna's reactions to some of his questions.  I also like that Donna isn't afraid to give him what for--she speaks her mind and is straight up about what she thinks.  She tells the Doctor that he shouldn't travel alone and she's right.

Donna: Hmm...I think this situation calls for a cookie.
Doctor: I sense you are a wise woman.

Overall, I think The Runaway Bride is a vastly underrated episode.  Sure, the villain is ridiculously over-the-top, but the emphasis on character development makes up for it.  For this, The Runaway Bride cracks my top 5 favorites.

#4: School Reunion

Doctor: 10th

WE GET TO SEE SARAH JANE AND K-9!!  

*Does the Dance of Joy*

I haven't even watched Classic Who, but I know how beloved Sarah Jane is as a companion.  She first made her appearance with the Third Doctor, and she sticks with him through a regeneration into the Fourth. She is one of the most, if not the most popular companions in the history of the show, and so to get to see her interact with the Tenth Doctor is a wonderful surprise and treat for the fans.  The fact that the episode doesn't let us down in quality makes everything even better.

So not only do we get to see Sarah Jane and K-9 again, we also get to see Anthony Stewart Head, or as I think of him, Giles!  (From Buffy the Vampire Slayer)  It's so freaky watching him play the villain of the episode, and he does a great job--he is definitely creepy and sinister.  (Giles!  What happened to you?!)

The trademark Doctor Who humor is in full swing here--Rose's jealously over finding out that the Doctor has traveled with other women in the past is hilarious, and another hilarious scene opens the episode with the Doctor teaching a science class.

Gah, I wish the Doctor had been my science teacher.  Seriously.  School Reunion is a great episode, and it definitely belongs in my top 5 favorite episodes.

#3: The Fires of Pompeii
Doctor: 10th

I know, another Tenth Doctor Episode, but I can't help it.  The Tenth Doctor was my favorite, and it's because there are so many good episodes during his run.  The Fires of Pompeii is another example of Doctor Who at its best.  I just watched it again last night, and every time, it reminds me of how good it is.

This episode takes place in the past, and I always love it when the show travels back in time.  The production values are fantastic in this episode--Pompeii looks amazing, and the special effects are also just incredible.  You can tell the show put effort into making the special effects look good, and it pays off. Watching Mount Vesuvius erupt and destroy the city is such a powerful scene, one of the most moving I think in the whole series.  What's especially wrenching about this episode, is that we see that the Doctor can't always save everyone, no matter how much he wants to.  But I also like that even though he can't save everyone, he goes back, at Donna's begging, and saves a single family.  That's why the Doctor needs a companion, and he says as much to Donna at the end.

As sad as this episode is, there are also some great moments--like when the Doctor fights off the lava monsters with a squirt gun.

Total badass.

What's especially cool about this episode now, is that it has Peter Capaldi--the actor soon to be playing the 12th Doctor--playing the head of the Roman family the Doctor rescues.  I like that in the end, the family has a carving of the Doctor and Donna in their home.  It's always fun to see the Doctor leaving evidence of himself throughout history.

Modern Day Archaeologist: WTF?!

Plus, in The Fires of Pompeii we get this shot:

I can show you the world.

Which makes me think of:

Do you trust me?

Note to self: Call the BBC and ask for a Doctor Who/Disney crossover.  Because it would be awesome.

Anywho, moving on to...

#2: The Doctor's Wife
Doctor: 11th

This is such a great episode, written by Neil Gaimen, and I watch it over and over.  Why?  Because we finally get to meet the TARDIS and she is amazing.  Now it's important to remember that the TARDIS is alive and sentient.  She and the Doctor share a telepathic bond with each other, but this is the first time we get to see them interact person to person.  And it's gloriously entertaining, as well as touching.

My one true pairing of the show.

Really, that's why I love this episode so much.  The Amy and Rory subplot is whatever, it's the interactions between the Doctor and the TARDIS that makes this episode one of my all-time favorites.

So romantic...

And finally, we reach my #1 Favorite: The Christmas Invasion
Doctor: 10th

Where do I start with The Christmas Invasion?  First of all, it's our first proper episode with the Tenth Doctor, and even though he spends the majority of the episode unconscious, he still manages to steal the show.  Second, it's absolutely hilarious.  I crack up every single time when the Tenth Doctor stops his frantic explaining to ask why there's an apple in his dressing gown.

Doctor: We haven't got much time.  If there's pilot fish then...why is there an apple in my dressing gown?
Jackie: Oh, that's Howard's, sorry.
Doctor: He keeps apples in his dressing gown?
Jackie: He gets hungry...
Doctor: What, he gets hungry in his sleep?
Jackie: Sometimes.

Hello, have you seen my clothes?

From the Doctor, to Harriet Jones: Prime Minister, to the nod to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, to the instantly classic line, "I'm gonna get killed by a Christmas tree!!" to the Doctor's disappointment of not being a ginger, and to the fact that a cup of tea is what ultimately saves the day by reviving the Doctor--this episode is just over-the-top, beyond fun.  I like the acknowledgement of Classic Who as well, when we get to see the wardrobe room of the TARDIS and watch the Doctor assemble his new outfit, while wearing the Fourth Doctor's scarf. : )

So there is my list of my Top 10 personal favorites.  It was hard choosing what to include, but ultimately these are the episodes that draw me back for a re-watch again and again.  I'd love to hear about your personal favs in a comment!

Fun Fact of the Day: Several episodes of Doctor Who begin with the exact same sequence: a view of the Earth's moon, then panning towards Earth followed by a fast zoom down to London.  Episodes in which this opening was used include "Rose," "The Christmas Invasion," "Army of Ghosts," and "The Runaway Bride."

TTFN! Ta Ta for Now!