20 Essential Doctor Who Stories For The "New to Who" - Part I: The Davies Era ('05 - '10)

By Mike Reyes /

3. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (Series 1, Episodes 9 & 10 - 2005)

New fans get a Trifecta here: this is the first Two Part story in the New Who canon, as well as the first introduction to future head of Torchwood/pansexual heartthrob Captain Jack Harkness. Point three of the Trifecta comes in the fact that this was Steven Moffat€™s first official out as a Who writer (not counting the Comic Relief special €œCurse of the Fatal Death€). The Doctor, Rose, and Jack are hunting a monstrous child in World War II London. A dangerous child who€™s just looking for his mummy€and can transform people into gas masked monstrosities like himself. Perhaps the most important aspect of this episode is the speech that The Doctor gives towards the end of €œThe Doctor Dances€ where he espouses his joyful acceptance of a day where €œeverybody lives€. No one had to die to stop this menace, no one had to even get hurt. As once pointed out by Craig Ferguson, €œIntellect and romance, over brute force and cynicism€ are the qualities that the Doctor embodies. If he can out think a problem and send everyone home happy, that€™s fine by him.