65. The Leisure Hive - Doctor Gets Old
In 1981, Doctor Who was more or less re-launched. It was all change in most respects and the style of the show was very different. Some might say garish, others might say bold. One of the most successful moves made by the production team takes place at the end of the second episode of 'The Leisure Hive', the Doctor is aged 500 years by the Tachyon Generator. He basically becomes a withered old man. The shock value of this is tremendous as truly nothing like this has been seen before and would be repeated in The Sound of Drums. The moment itself is brilliant but Tom Bakers performance throughout the next couple of episodes is superb. You can genuinely believe that the Doctor will be old forever.
64. The Doctor Dances - Everybody Lives
Dark and pessimistic moments arent difficult to find in Doctor Who, especially in the Ninth Doctors time. But triumphant moments are few and far between. However this moment cannot fail to make you want to punch the air. Having had all of humanity risked by being converted into gas mask people, seemingly as irretrievable as those who become Cybermen. Imagine the delight that the Doctor has that he can save everyone that has suffered already. For once in the Doctors words, Everybody lives!. He cant be that lucky all the time, but just once is enough to fill him with joy.
63. The Pandorica Opens The Cliffhanger
The last 5 minutes of this episode are so loaded its going to be difficult to condense it down. More or less every enemy the Doctor has faced and even some he hasnt met yet, are joined together in one room for one purpose, to imprison the Doctor. Having them all there is incredible enough, but seeing the Doctor dragged kicking and screaming helplessly into the Pandorica is strangely beautiful, with an atmosphere of victory for his gaolers. Meanwhile on the surface, Rory it turns out is an Auton and it turns out he has accidentally killed his wife after struggling with the Nestene control. Beyond that, the universe has ended. I dont think any cliffhanger has ever been so pessimistic. Its too bad that the following week the Doctors captors have all turned to stone.
62. Ressurrection of the Daleks - The Doctor Executes Davros
Having been tasked with destroying the Daleks at their birth years earlier, the Doctor clearly regrets his decision as he picks up a gun and explains that he has to kill Davros before he can save the ailing Daleks. He says as much to Davros as he faces him. Having given Davros a chance to prove he has changed, he has to inform him that he is his executioner and the guard hands the Doctor the gun and the Doctor points it at Davros head. Do I have the right? seems a long way away now. Ultimately the Doctor cant bring himself to do it, but for a moment you can believe he just might. In a story that contains so much death, it almost infects the Doctor. If it hadnt been the Doctor pointing the gun, Davros would be dead.
61. 42 - Burn With Me
The revived series seems to shy away from having the Doctor become possessed. The first instance since the series return is in '42', where the Doctor is taken over by a sentient sun. Having seen the effects it has on the other members of the crew of the mining ship the TARDIS lands aboard, the peril is clear. David Tennant delivers such a powerful performance its exhausting. He is effectively burning up on the inside, he gets frozen and ultimately becomes almost completely consumed but boy does it put up a fight. It has to be seen to feel the intensity. Just make sure you have a drink on hand with lots of ice.