Doctor Who, what a puzzle. It's captured the imagination of the British public at least three times (Dalekmania in the 60s, 'Baker-nomina' in the 70s and Tennantitis in the 2000s) , it has become a legendary institution and won Bafta after Bafta since the show's return in 2005. But on the other hand it has been severely criticized by people who really know what they're talking about. Stephen Fry scornfully referred to it as ' televisual junk food' and Terry Pratchett pointed in particular to Voyage of the Damned as an exceptionally bad piece of television. How can this be? How can it be simultaneously loved and scorned? Well the characters (Rose, 10 and Donna in particular) charmed the general masses. Russel T. Davies had an ability to create well loved characters and paint minor ones well in a few lines and the casting of the likes of the lovable Matt Smith generated stories that people could care about and follow happily on lazy Saturday evenings. But in contrast to this, the writing of genuinely good Science Fiction is a tricky process for any writer and sometimes watching lovable characters in brave new worlds can be ruined by poorly conceived endings to stories. In general these endings come in two categories 1. 'The Day is saved by Emotions' Check out episodes like 'The Lodger' or 'Fear Her' for this convenient device. 2. 'The Day is saved by as-of-yet unexplained machinery' this sin is less bothersome to people as alien machinery could technically be used for anything within reason but without rules writers could be able to solve any problem with the press of a button. This script-writing sin appears in episodes like 'Gridlock' (where the device in question is apparently fueled by the Face of Boe exhaling...) and 'Daleks in Manhattan' (if there is dalekanium on the mast then the people will think like daleks but if there is a time lord on the mast they will think like daleks until the script wants them not to...). I love Doctor Who so usually such things don't really get to me but lets take a look at the times when shoddy plotting actually ruined the story, resulting in a massive anti climax. Here are the 5 worst...