60. Flesh and Stone - The Crack
This episode really bucked the trend of story arcs in the series, becoming a vital plot point only half way through the series, making it all the more unexpected. It puts the excitement of a finale into a regular episode and really ups the stakes. While the Doctor is distracted the Angels close in and before he can leg it, a stone hand grabs him from behind. This is one of the best moments from Series 5, classic horror. Of course later on the crack would become a much greater threat, as each of the Clerics goes to investigate they are consumed and erased one by one. Of course as that happens, each time the remaining Clerics believe someone needs to investigate, unaware of the comrades theyve lost.
59. Survival - Doctor vs Master
The last story of the classic series aptly pits the Doctor against his greatest adversary, the Master. On a planet that is symbiotically connected to its inhabitants, it begins to bewitch its visitors; Ace and the Doctor begin to go the way of the Master, becoming beasts. The Master and the Doctor have a showdown on the apocalyptic planet, fighting in the sand with a possessed look in their eyes. The Doctor raises a skull about to cave in the Masters brain. With it being the last episode, youd be forgiven for thinking he might actually do it. However, this is the Doctor were talking about and he throws the skull down and tries to save the Master. The Master chooses to fight but before he can club the Doctor who has turned his back on the violence, he is transported back to Earth.
58. Revelation of the Daleks - The Glass Dalek
'Revelation of the Daleks' is by far one of the darkest Doctor Who stories and certainly one of the strongest of the Sixth Doctor era, nailing the themes and tone that some of the other stories my have overshot. One of the best and most graphic scenes comes in the first episode, in the embryo room. In itself its a grim concept. The grave robbers Grigory and Natasha have come to the planet Necros to retrieve the body of Natashas father Arthur Stengos. Rather than finding him resting in peace, they find him encased in a glass Dalek, undergoing conversion into a Dalek. The make up and prosthetics are second to none. Stengos, or what is left of him recognises his daughter before succumbing to the Dalek conditioning. With his last ounce of consciousness, between his ravings about the purity and supremacy of the Daleks, he begs Natasha to kill him and spare him from this horrific fate.
57. Vengeance on Varos Transformation
Like 'Revelation of the Daleks', 'Vengeance on Varos' is another high point of the Sixth Doctors era. For a series with limited resources this scene like the previous is a marvel of graphic horror. The Doctors companion Peri and ally Etta become victim to one of Vaross experimental forms of torture. The tortures are filmed and screened in every citizens home for entertainment. Peri and Etta become victims of the transmogrifier, a device that transforms the subject based on their deepest fears. Peris desire to fly away from trouble like a bird results in her growing feathers whereas Etta becomes a reptile, which slug-like president of the Galatron mining corporation; Sil, who is a triumph in character and design alone, finds almost attractive. His reaction makes the scene so perverse and even more grotesque that the concept alone would have been.
56. Vincent and the Doctor The Legacy of Vincent Van Gogh
Like the work of Van Gogh itself, 'Vincent and the Doctor' was a masterpiece dealing with some very sensitive issues. After helping Van Gogh face his demons, he does possibly the kindest thing he could have done for a man who otherwise would never have known how appreciated he was. He takes him to the Musee DOrsay to see his work on display being admired by dozens of visitors, while the Doctor discreetly asks Dr. Black t explain in 100 words, what Van Gogh means to the history of art. Van Gogh fights the tears as he turns and embraces Dr. Black and kisses the man on the cheek before apologising for the beard. Such a powerful scene brings a tear to the eye. Sadly it isnt enough to prevent Van Gogh ultimately committing suicide however the Doctor assures Amy that they did make a difference and brought something good to the life of a troubled man.