15 Shocking Doctor Who Plot Twists That Nobody Saw Coming

1. The Eighth Doctor Returns

...but probably not the one you were expecting! Taking the top spot on this countdown of Doctor Who's most shocking plot twists - and deservedly so, it has to be said - is the surprise return of the Eighth Doctor who made his unannounced and long overdue comeback to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013. Last seen on our screens in his first and only televisual escapade, the ill-fated 1996 TV movie, the inclusion of the Eighth Doctor in The Night of the Doctor 'minisode' took everyone by surprise when it premiered online during the build up to the 50th anniversary feature-length episode, not only because Paul McGann had only recently confirmed that he would have no involvement in the show's landmark festivities. Rule one: Everyone even remotely connected to Doctor Who lies. And when something like this happens, aren't we just glad that they do!? It made for one of the most shocking and memorable moments in Doctor Who history when he turned up out of the blue and, as well as bridging the gap between the lost years of the show's prolonged hiatus, it also gave fans an insight into just what a full series of Eighth Doctor escapades would have entailed if the film had managed to take off as the proposed series relaunch it was designed to be. The Eighth Doctor's adventures have continued over the years in audio form, of course, but it was truly remarkable to see him back in visual form where he arguably belongs. It was short but sweet but The Night of the Doctor will go down in history in more ways than one. Now, who said something about an Eighth Doctor spin off...!? What did you think of this list? Are there any other Doctor Who plot twists that you didn't see coming? Let us know what shocked you to your very Whovian core in the the comments section below.