Doctor Who: 10 Most Underrated Tenth Doctor Episodes
These Tenth Doctor episodes rarely receive the recognition they deserve...
The Tenth Doctor was a hit from his very first appearance. David Tennant managed to combine comedy, charisma, charm, and ferocity all into one distinctive persona.
In addition to Tennant’s performance, the Tenth Doctor’s era benefited from three terrific companions. Rose Tyler understandably remains a fan favourite given she was the first companion when the show returned back in 2005, but Martha Jones and Donna Noble had excellent chemistry with the Doctor as well.
Russell T. Davies was also an exceptional showrunner. Though no series was ever perfect, the quality of the writing for the Tenth Doctor was far more consistent than any of the subsequent Doctors. Indeed, not one of Tennant’s series had more than one or two genuinely bad episodes.
Moreover, during this era there were a number of episodes that are now considered the apex of the show. ‘Blink’, ‘Midnight’, ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’, and the two-part story consisting of ‘Human Nature’ and ‘The Family of Blood’ are universally lauded as outstanding episodes.
Whilst these stories deserve all the praise they receive, there are also plenty of episodes that deserve far more recognition…
10. The Idiot's Lantern
David Tennant’s first series as the Doctor is a fan favourite owing to the brilliant chemistry between the two leads. However, there are still a number of episodes which deserve more praise.
‘The Idiot’s Lantern’ is certainly one of the more relaxed Doctor Who episodes. Even after Rose becomes a victim of the Wire, it still maintains a relatively soft atmosphere.
There are also some wonderful performances from the supporting cast. Jamie Foreman makes for a great secondary villain as the narcissistic Eddie Connolly, and Rory Jennings (who plays Tommy Connolly) works well as the Doctor’s temporary companion.
Granted, the Wire is a stupid and irritating villain, but this is a minor quibble in the context of an episode which is thoroughly entertaining for the most part. Despite this, however, critics were not favourable towards ‘The Idiot’s Lantern’.