10 Doctor Who Episodes That Took Risks And Failed

Arguably, all of Clara Oswald’s episodes were building toward the massive reveal that she had been split into multiple versions of herself, dotted throughout the Doctor’s timeline. By stepping into the scar of the Doctor’s actions through time, she should have died. In fact, there’s a huge song and dance about it. However, virtually nothing happens.

The episode opens with one of the strongest cold openings in the revival era, shocking audiences with a reveal of Gallifrey, along with Clara interacting with the First Doctor, followed by all of the rest. It leaves the audience salivating, before petering out as the episode goes on.

The monumental twist of the Doctor’s grave being located on Trenzalore, something that must surely have been retconned by the Time Lord’s gifting the Doctor with a new cycle of regenerations, should have had much more of an impact on the franchise. Added to this, the revelation of why Clara was the Impossible Girl should have been a deeper cut.

However, the episode throws away the Doctor’s burial site, Clara’s sacrifice rings hollow when she is saved mere moments later, the last conversation between River and the Doctor while beautifully shot seems slotted in to an otherwise thin story. On top of all of this, the title card that appears beside John Hurt in the final moments just screamed of trying to make the audiences’ jaws drop, rather than serving the plot.