10 Greatest Cold Opens In Doctor Who

Now this one is, if you'll pardon the pun, a bit of a slow burn. Not a lot happens in The Fires of Pompeii's cold open until the closing moments, but this is far from a bad thing. Instead, we are treated to three minutes of bantering between Ten and Donna, showcasing David Tennant and Catherine Tate's unparalleled chemistry. It also gives some much needed breathing space to Donna's first trip outside of present day London, allowing her excitement and natural curiosity to take centre stage instead of immediately throwing the duo into danger.

Ten and Donna stroll casually through what they think is Ancient Rome, which, whilst looking cheap in some shots, feels very much alive with a wonderful atmosphere about it. As they interact with passers by, and Donna bombards the Doctor with relatable questions, they are stalked from the shadows by a creepy cult-robed priestess who bears an almost uncanny likeness to Amy Pond, giving the scene a little tension, but not overdoing it.

This peaceful excursion comes to an abrupt ending as the two of them round a corner and find an active volcano, and they realise they are, in fact, in Pompeii on the day of the famous eruption. It's a moment of sheer panic, and the Doctor's oh s*** face as Murray Gold's theme kicks in is more than enough to tell younger viewers that are unaware of the historical tragedy that this whole situation is somewhat of a pickle.