Doctor Who: 10 Most Underrated Eleventh Doctor Episodes

9. The Almost People

Doctor Who Asylum of the Daleks
BBC Studios

The Almost People is the second episode in a two-parter story, but we're counting it here as an individual outing because that first part (The Rebel Flesh) is clearly all just setup leading to what writer Matthew Graham really wanted to do - an episode with two Doctors. Plus, The Almost People is simply the superior half.

Once Graham has both Doctors present and correct - one real, one made of fleshy goop - he's able to let loose and have both versions bounce off one another, with extremely entertaining results. There's also a mystery element built into the episode because you're never quite sure which Doctor is real and which is fake, which makes this an inherently more gripping ride than The Rebel Flesh could manage.

The final scene inside the TARDIS is also still a gut-punch to this day, with Amy being melted into a pool of liquid and waking up in Madame Kovarian's lair. In fact, The Almost People is actually better as a two-parter with A Good Man Goes To War, with the point of this episode all about demonstrating just how human the flesh doppelgangers can be - something it does brilliantly - which helps set up the twist of Amy's newborn child also being a flesh avatar.

It's frustrating, because if not for an extremely naff CGI boss monster and some dull side characters, The Almost People would actually be a pretty great episode.

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WhoCulture Channel Manager/Doctor Who Editor at WhatCulture. Can confirm that bow ties are cool.