10 Doctor Who Episodes That PISSED People Off
8. Orphan 55
Orphan 55 sits among the lowest-rated episodes of the Doctor Who revival, sandwiched between Love & Monsters and Sleep No More. The idea behind the episode is sound, with the TARDIS gang believing they're going on holiday, before being plunged into a nightmare. However, with heavy-handed messages and side characters who really don't stand out at all, the episode served to annoy rather than entertain.
The main issue behind this episode is the message it puts across. While the climate-positive elements are commendable, the audience is beaten over the head with them, which takes away from the great reveal at the episode's close.
Orphan 55 is Earth, hundreds of years in the future, with the Dreg monsters being humans who were mutated by nuclear fallout. What should have been a disturbing and shocking twist feels like being overly preached at. Added to the fact that none of the unfortunates who are killed along the way is that memorable, the episode feels like a slog rather than a strong environmental message.