Doctor Who: EVERY Fifteenth Doctor Episode Ranked Worst To Best

19. The Reality War

The Reality War scores low on this list, not because it's a terrible episode, but because it's two episodes crammed into one, poorly. Rarely, while watching an episode of Doctor Who, have we felt a shift in the structure that so clearly highlighted the beginnings of reshoots.

As the series finale, The Reality War had the usual task of wrapping up the overall arc, or at least teasing us with a continuation. Following on from the rather sudden reveal at the end of Wish World, the episode was bogged down with resolving the Rani, Omega, Conrad, Belinda, and then a regeneration - all in a slightly longer-than-usual runtime.

Where the episode succeeds (in particular, check out that scene with the Doctor, Belinda, and Ruby in the TARDIS) is in its character moments. Though Belinda's arc is resolved in a supremely dissatisfying way, nothing truly feels natural. Poppy may be saved, but at what cost? The regeneration serves to distract from all else, as does the uncalled-for connection to Joy To The World (the star, as opposed to the always-welcome Anita), but the sudden appearance of Billie Piper does little to help this outing feel like a satisfying close to Ncuti Gatwa's tenure.

Though his era as the Doctor may have ended on a whimper, the rest of his time was a lot more enjoyable.