Doctor Who: All 40 Steven Moffat Episodes Ranked From Worst To Best
You had us at "Are you my mummy?"
In an email exchange with Russell T Davies over a decade ago - regarding the opportunity of becoming Davies' successor as Doctor Who showrunner - Steven Moffat said "it's not only my dream job; it's my specific dream job since I was about seven... Russell, seriously, it's a huge honour even to be in the frame as the guy who follows you. Bloody terrifying, but a huge honour."
Fast forward in time honoured Doctor Who fashion to 2016 (or backwards in this case), and you can imagine current showrunner, Chris Chibnall, effusing similar sentiments towards the outgoing Moffat.
For Moffat gave us some of the greatest episodes in Doctor Who history, and created terrifying new monsters that have become equally iconic alongside the Doctor’s greatest adversaries like the Daleks and Cybermen.
Moreover, like Moffat, Chibnall is a lifelong fan of the show, and as he embarks on a trip of a lifetime with Jodie Whittaker's Doctor, he will doubtlessly be inspired by what his predecessor richly contributed in over 13 years as a writer and thereafter as showrunner.
Although there were times which made you engage the attack eyebrows in disappointment (and bafflement), Moffat's stories, overall, made us shout "Geronimo" with delight...
40. The Caretaker
Co-written with Gareth Roberts.
The Doctor is spot on about this being “a tiny bit boring. I’ll need a book and a sandwich."
The way he goes to great lengths to conceal his deep cover mission from Clara, piques our interest even more so. However, the way episode plays out like more of a caper is at odds with the overall seriousness of the situation: the total annihilation of Earth.
Even the Monster of the Week, in the form of a Skovox Blitzer, resembles little more than a slightly unhinged brother of Refbot from Robot Wars.
Peter Capaldi, as usual, excels despite a mediocre storyline. He’s electrifying alien, madcap and no nonsense as his “human” alter ego, John Smith. It’s one of those typical mid-series middling adventures.