This was always going to be on the list, wasnt it? At the time it was of great significance - the cliffhanger is simply the sudden appearance of the Cybermen after a 7 year absence and having been a closely guarded secret. After such a long time, the Cybermen had become something of a legend, so after an episode with not so much of a hint of their involvement their appearance was quite a shock. Now you need only look at the DVD cover for spoilers.
4. Caves Of Androzani: Episode 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdLzNSV3bK4 The Doctor is dying from the start of the story, and by episode 3 he is on the edge of death, captured and tied up. Having released himself, he takes control of the ship he is a prisoner aboard, desperate to return to Androzani Minor to save Peri. Momentarily he sees a blurry wave of energy pass before his eyes, he is beginning to regenerate but he staves it off. Finally at gunpoint the Doctor lets rip in a moment of sheer determination and defiance from the usually amicable Timelord. He makes clear the option is save Peri or die trying as the ship is seconds from crashing into the planet. At this moment you really feel that the Doctor is a man with nothing to lose.
3. The Daleks: Episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo3KMnt282I Like the cliffhanger to An Unearthly Child, on paper it actually sounds really boring, but in execution it takes on a life of its own. Credit again goes to the late Chistopher Barry who directed this sequence and the late Jaqueline Hill who completely sold this sequence. Something as mundane as a sink plunger becomes a menacing inhuman limb and only two stories into the series, an iconic villain is born, Barbaras scream of terror is almost unrivaled in the whole 50 years since the show's inception.
2. Inferno: Episode 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oE2IXxQBiA For once, the production team had the chance to properly destroy the world. What is striking is that not only is the moment well executed with an unstoppable wall of lava approaching all the key players, but everyone bar the Doctor actually dies a grim and fiery death! Steven Moffat eat your heart out. The direction and editing of the scene makes it conceivable that even the Doctor, clinging to a bare bones TARDIS, has copped it. Its fair to say the elliptical edit and reaction of the Doctor at the beginning of the next episode imply that things were in fact a lot closer and traumatic than we actually saw, almost as if some graphic scene had been censored. So we have seen surprise Sontarans, Daleks on Earth and swarming Gas Mask Zombies feature in classic cliffhangers. But what is the number one cliffhanger of all time? Click next to reveal!
My name is Jon, recently graduated media production student. Always on the look out for chances to do what I enjoy and make it count. Writing, filming, animating, editing, radio. My speciality seems to be Doctor Who, years of accumulated knowledge and passion appear to be paying off creatively this being one outlet channel. So thanks for sharing in that with me and offering your support by reading my articles.
