“A Good Man Goes to War” was truly a showcase for Matt Smith, as his Doctor must face the consequences of his actions. This episode forced the Doctor to see that his self-perception might be drastically different from the way others perceive him, and Smith expertly showed this realisation over the course of the episode. Not to mention the end of the episode had one of the biggest shocks we have ever seen.
A fascinating new concept was introduced to us in “The Rebel Flesh,” one that would play a critical role in the remainder of the season. Any chance for Matt Smith to interact with himself is always welcome, as were the deeper social issues that they explored in this story of “us and them.” The final reveal was unsurprisingly shocking, and we were left on the edge of our seats.
“The Bells of Saint John” was not a groundbreaking episode, but sometimes they don’t have to be. The abundance of internet-related jokes aside, this was a comfortable introduction to Clara and a solid story that engaged and amused us. The return to the modern day helped to reground the show (and the Doctor) before they departed on more fantastical adventures.
The cubes at the centre of this story are not what captured our attention when watching this episode. No, rather it was the insight into the Doctor’s life with Amy and Rory, as well as the return of Brian and the appearance of Kate Stewart that really got us. It was certainly necessary to show us this insight into the Ponds’ lives before they departed. But it also just happened to be a fantastic episode.
We admittedly loved the first episode from the Matt Smith/James Corden duo more, but “Closing Time” still deserves our praise. Seeing Smith’s Doctor in a (seemingly) mundane setting showed all kinds of aspects that we never have the chance to see when he is travelling around space. We love these episodes because of this domestic dynamic (because admittedly, the actual plot wasn’t the strongest).
The explanation for this plot (space pollen, really?) left a lot to be desired, but the performances in “Amy’s Choice” more than made up for any shortcomings. While the episode focused on Karen Gillan as Amy, it was balanced by a subtle performance by Smith, as the only character who really knew what was going on.
“The Impossible Astronaut” was a stellar episode and a fantastic way to kick off the new season. “Day of the Moon” was slightly more controversial, especially considering the method in which the Doctor managed to save the day this time. But the combination of these two episodes gave viewers a great jumping off point, and provided the first hints for the upcoming season.
This clever episode confronted the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and even the audience. While a Minotaur raced around, both Amy and the Doctor had to accept the fact that he just did not have the ability to save every person all the time. Smith’s masterful performance as he helped Amy make this breakthrough showed us a side of the Time Lord that we had never seen before.
“The Snowmen” is the highest ranked Doctor Who Christmas special on our list, and for good reason. The return of the classic villain was one thing, but the return of Jenna Louise Coleman was another. Despite the grim story matter, both Coleman and Smith brought a necessary element of whimsy to this episode, and the TARDIS in the clouds remains one of our favourite visuals.
If we are being honest, there was only one thing we really liked about “Nightmare in Silver” – and that was Matt Smith. The episode itself was flawed, but it almost didn’t matter. We were too mesmerised by Smith’s performance opposite himself, as he played chess for the control of his body and the planet. This was definitely one of the performances of the season, and it earned this episode its spot.
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