The transition between lead actors in Doctor Who is a decidedly delicate process. Tenth Doctor David Tennant was considered an impossible act to equal, yet his sprightly, eccentric successor has done just that.
Ahead of tomorrow night’s final episode of his second series, ‘The Wedding of River Song’, we’ve picked out five of Matt Smith’s finest episodes so far…
‘The Eleventh Hour’
As scores of fans scrutinised every move in his debut episode, Matt Smith could have been squashed by the pressure. Luckily, he proved to be perfect for the part.
A natural from the second he sprang onto the screen, Smith’s every mannerism was, while uniquely endearing, reassuringly Doctor-ish. Bouncing tirelessly around the set demanding fishy custard, the eleventh incarnation is instantly an absolute pleasure to watch.
As the slate is scrubbed clean in a way only this beloved sci-fi can manage, Series 5 also creatively introduces a new companion. After his TARDIS crash lands in seven year old Amelia Pond’s garden, The Doctor promises to return in five minutes – only to reappear 12 year later.
Karen Gillan, a Scot with talent as bold as her tangerine locks, is charming as impulsive Amy, while Arthur Darvill shows early promise as fiancé Rory in his brief scenes. With occasional writer Steven Moffat now firmly at the helm, this excellent series opener made us fall in love with Doctor Who all over again.
‘Vincent and The Doctor’
During a trip to the Musée d’Orsay, Amy and The Doctor notice something worrying in Van Gogh’s The Church At Auvers and decide to pay a visit to the man himself. Guest star Tony Curran is captivating as the once unappreciated artist who, staggeringly talented, was ultimately and devastatingly ruined by his depression.
Written by Richard Curtis, ‘Vincent and The Doctor’ paints a refreshingly honest picture of Van Gogh’s desperately murky days, which were salvaged only by sparks of glorious admiration for the world around him. The life of the artist, who was frequently ostracised and thought mad, proves a wonderful parallel to the misunderstood creature that, like mental illness, plagues him throughout the episode.
The beauty of this standout story, which closes with a touching, perfectly pitched scene, lies in its quest to examine the complexity not of the entire universe, but the mysterious human soul.
‘The Big Bang’
Rare is the occasion that the title of a Doctor Who episode is as self-explanatory as this. Not only does ‘The Big Bang’ describe the near-collapse of the universe in the Series 5 finale, but also the state of many a viewers head during the course of it.
As the fate of all time and space hangs in tatters following the momentous events of ‘The Pandorica Opens’, The Doctor had found himself with rather a lot on his plate. Boasting more loops and twists than the silliest of worm farms and a welcome re-appearance from the brilliant Caitlin Blackwood as the young Amelia, this episode was mesmerising from start to finish.
As we watched the heroes of Moffat’s tenure stitch everything back together at the end of his first full series, it was impossible to doubt the new showrunner’s masterplan.
‘The Rebel Flesh’
When you’ve been promised the run of the universe, silly old earth begins to feel a smidge dull. Yet some of Doctor Who’s grandest moments take place on the Doctor’s favourite planet – especially those, such as in ‘The Rebel Flesh’, when the Time Lord is forced to question the motives of its inhabitants.
The first of a two-parter that will unfairly be remembered primarily for its melty second cliffhanger, this episode introduces a 22nd century factory team who pump acid from a converted monastery to the mainland. Because of the danger of their task, the crew use ‘The Flesh’ to create disposable doppelgangers of themselves.
After a solar storm hits, however, the team discover their ‘gangers’ have become independent, and The Doctor can do little to prevent the beginnings of an outright war between the two groups. As Rory’s attachment to one of the gangers separates him from his wife for much of the episode, an overall shake-up of group dynamics makes for fascinating viewing.
‘The God Complex’
This episode from the latter half of Series 6 again demonstrates how effective a combination of sci-fi and psychological drama can be. In a frightening and claustrophobic set up, Amy, Rory, and The Doctor find themselves trapped in a 1980s-style hotel where a minotaur roams infinite ochre corridors in search of victims with enough faith to feed upon.
Like a Stephen King take on George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, every unlucky visitor eventually discovers a room containing their greatest fear. Written by Being Human creator Toby Whithouse, this instalment was bound to have viewers of all ages leaping unwittingly behind the couch.
Impeccable character development, excellent direction, and a surprising denouncement make ‘The God Complex’ as intriguing as it is spooky.
Do you agree? Let us know your favourite Matt Smith episode below…
> Order the Series 6 DVD boxset on Amazon.
> Order the Series 6 Blu-ray boxset on Amazon.
Watch the trailer for ‘The Wedding of River Song’…