10 Doctor Who Episodes NOBODY Was Ready For
4. Blink
After the disastrous Love & Monsters, an episode that doesn't feature the Doctor was a concerning prospect - but Blink made that concern disappear almost instantly.
After finding out that the Doctor and Martha have been sent back in time without the TARDIS, a woman named Sally Sparrow (brilliantly played by Carey Mulligan), finds herself stuck in the middle of helping the Doctor, and running away from the creepy Weeping Angels who are stalking her.
A mixture of great writing, acting, and the introduction of the scariest Doctor Who monster of all time is what made this episode successful. Despite the absence of the Doctor, the episode just worked, with Sally Sparrow being a strong enough protagonist to carry the episode almost single-handedly.
That's not to forget Larry, of course - we love that guy!
After The Empty Child, The Doctor Dances, and The Girl in the Fireplace, it was expected that Steven Moffat would deliver the goods with his next episode. But was it expected that he'd deliver one of the best Doctor Who stories and villains of all time, in an episode that barely features the Doctor? No. No it was not.