10 Greatest Modern Doctor Who Episodes

The Waters of Mars explored a darker side to the Tenth Doctor that had nary been seen up to this point. We were so used to seeing the Doctor as the embodiment of virtue and pacifism and so it was an interesting flip to explore the consequences of him rising above such restraints.

The entire "Time Lord Victorious" speech between the Doctor and Adelaide Brooke is one of the most powerful scenes in the show. The performances from David Tennant and Lindsay Duncan, the powerful score by Murray Gold, the severity and intensity of what the Doctor has come to believe – everything in these final five minutes contributes to making it such a memorable and poignant moment.

This made for an ambitious penultimate outing for the dashing Tenth Doctor, and everything about the episode rose to the occasion, from Russell T Davies and Phil Ford's propulsive script, to the supporting performances, to some of the most convincing makeup and prosthetics (and scariest villains) in the show. Seriously, just look at how good this is.

But above all else, The Waters of Mars is so special because it's a rare Doctor Who tragedy, and a damn good one at that. There's no easy way out here. There's no "Everybody lives!". People die. Horribly. There's loss, grief, loneliness. A single person holding the power to decide who lives and who dies. It's poetic and dramatic and moving and every other adjective you can throw at it.

Not bad for that old show about a spinning blue phone box eh?