25. The Hand of Fear - Sarah Jane Smiths Goodbye
This is the real heartbreaker of departures in Doctor Who. No fanfare, no drama, just what started out as a joke becomes suddenly serious and it separates the Doctor and one of his best friends. The most remarkable thing about this scene is that Tom Baker and Elisabeth Sladen wrote it due to being unhappy with the original. And they got it exactly right for the characters. While the Doctor tinkers with his motor, Sarah tries to wind him up about missing the comforts of home. The Doctor of course pays no attention when she threatens to pack up and go home. This was something of a long running joke between the two about loosely trying to get home and being talked out of it, going as far back as Invasion of the Dinosaurs. This time she snaps and goes off to her room. In the meantime, the Doctor gets a message from Gallifrey where humans arent allowed. When Sarah returns bags packed hes amazed shes ready having just found out himself. At which point Sarah herself realises that despite having packed her bags, she could never leave the TARDIS willingly and is almightily disappointed when the TARDIS supposedly lands at her home and I dont think either of the two characters fully understands the immense change that awaits them putting on something of a brave face. It is excellently underplayed, the way the Doctor shrugs it off and Sarah looks back as the TARDIS casually goes on its way. At the time this was the end of Sarah Janes story, but we all know now what happened next.
24. Remembrance of the Daleks Skaro
Russell T Davies said himself that 'Genesis of the Daleks' was the beginning of the Time War, something I dispute. If you want to know what the first big play of the Time War was, take a look at the climax of 'Remembrance of the Daleks'. We have the Seventh Doctor at his most manipulative allowing the Daleks to steal the Time Lords remote stellar manipulator, the Hand of Omega and begs them not to use it. Textbook reverse psychology as Davros gives the order to activate the Hand of Omega to turn Skaros sun into a black hole to make themselves Lords of Time. However the plan backfires, the sun goes supernova and vaporises Skaro before returning to the Dalek ship and destroying it. It turns out this was the Doctors plan all along. Its a dark moment on reflection. The Time War has started in spectacular fashion. Its too bad that there wasnt a follow up story to deal with the aftermath.
23. Day of the Moon - Doctor vs Silence
The Silence are undoubtedly a remarkable creation and seemingly undefeatable when you consider they cant be remembered. So as you can imagine the Doctors ultimate solution, to let the Silence order their own execution during the moon landing, something the entire human race will see at some point in their lives. It is a great and clever victory for the Doctor, but then he has to deal with the angry, angry Silence hes talking to. River Song sets the example shooting up the Silence as they start shooting their static bolts all over the place, the Doctor firing off sonic bolts in quite possibly one of the best action sequences in Doctor Who, worthy of being in a blockbuster movie. The dialogue or should I say flirting between the Doctor and River is also excellent.
22. Logopolis -The Master Kills the Doctor
Its surprising its not talked about more, and it almost sounds like one of those urban myths that the Master once killed the Doctor. Its constructed in such a way in that it doesnt appear direct so that the re-introduced Master couldnt become a hate figure, because thats not his place in the Doctor Who universe. The Doctor has never really had a death thats directly linked to an enemy aside from this and arguably the Sixth Doctors regeneration. Its also probably why the TV Movie regeneration feels so underwhelming. However this is the closest we have to the Doctor being murdered. The Master broadcasts a message holding the universe to ransome, with the power to close the last remaining CVE stabilising the universe at his finger tips if the peoples of the universe refuse to submit. The ever insane Master feels victorious, but the Doctor makes a valiant effort to disconnect the cable to stop the radio telescope transmitting. The Master instead decides to rotate the radio telescope with the Doctor clinging for dear life on the end of a cable, at which point past adversaries haunt him as his grip weakens. The Doctor inevitably hits the ground, triggering the regeneration of the longest serving Doctor. The flashback sequences allow both feelings of nostalgia as well as reflection on the long life this Doctor has served as well as offering a salute to the most fondly remembered Doctor.
21. Asylum of the Daleks - Oswin the Dalek
This one Im sure is still fresh in many peoples minds. Firstly it was jaw dropping enough that the Doctors new companion was being unveiled so early on and the fact it was a kept a secret so well. But then the twist in the tale was so simple, yet so warped and quite disgusting. When the Doctor risks his life to save the girl thats been watching over him all through the Asylum. Behind the final door, rather than the cheeky Oswin Oswald, he finds a Dalek. Chained up and with a love of soufflés, the converted Oswin has to face the truth, that she has been converted into a Dalek. Its a double layered revelation that despite being simple, is too horrible to even consider. But when it had to be done, it was done brilliantly here. It might be a good time to consider moment 58 from 'Revelation of the Daleks' when you rewatch this scene. Becoming a Dalek is a fate worse than death.