10 Best Episode Runs In Doctor Who History
2. The Pandorica Opens - Day Of The Moon
Between 2010 and 2011, Toby Haynes directed five consecutive Doctor Who episodes, all of which were penned by Steven Moffat – and all of which were bloody fantastic.
From the exhilarating, cameo-filled opening to the affirming ending that ties the whole series together in a neat little bow tie, The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang is an incredible end to a near-perfect series. The scene of the Doctor at Amelia’s bedside never fails to bring a tear to the eye, and the notion of Amy bringing him back through the power of memory is simply beautiful.
The high quality continued with the 2010 Christmas special A Christmas Carol. Dickens’ classic tale of redemption was an obvious fit for Moffat’s signature, timey-wimey style, and the results were just as rewarding as you’d expect. There are plenty of smart twists (like the identities of the three ghosts), and Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins are outstanding as Kazran and Abigail.
To top it all off, The Impossible Astronaut/Day of the Moon is a truly epic start to Series 6, boasting some breathtaking American location work, an instantly-iconic new monster, and an almighty hook in the form of the Doctor’s “death”.
The zippy dialogue between the Ponds, River, and the Doctor is also something special here – has there ever been a more quotable Doctor Who story?
Having a great series finale, a great Christmas special and a great series opener all in a row is no mean feat. Moffat and Haynes were on fire here – this is Doctor Who at the top of its game.