30. Time And The Rani 24.1-24.4
The regeneration from the Sixth to the Seventh Doctor has to be the least climatic to date, starting this serial off on a strange note. The impersonation the Rani does of the Doctor's companion Mel is awkward because while well-acted, seems like it should be so much more obvious to the Doctor than it is. The Seventh Doctor is otherwise rather instantly likeable for his down on himself-ness. His constant incorrect clichés as a result of the Rani's drugs are a good source of amusement as are his spoon playing talents, one quirk displayed here early on. Other amusing tidbits in this story are a licking alien, and a glitter gun. We see a definite bond between Mel and this new Doctor right off the bat. I think this story is a good example of the "sad clown" version of this Doctor. If you do not find some aspect of the Doctor likeable here, you are not likely to enjoy him anywhere. For Doctor Who more broadly, I think this episode is valuable because of the Rani. We meet most other timelords in the context of sociopolitical battles on Gallifrey and in the middle of multi-glactic emergencies. Here, we have just another example of a renegade. That alone adds a new level of complexity, but the Rani is even more interesting because she seems less ultimately concerned with global domination and more with allievating feelings of boredom.
29. Dalek 1.6
A general behind-the-scenes consensus feels that the Doctor is not quite a full Doctor until he gets a chance take on the Daleks. That something about an encounter with the Doctor's longest and greatest enemy is truly character-establishing, for every Doctor. Never has this been more true than with this Dalek story. It is particularly fascinating because it gives us real access to the Post-Time War Doctors' mental state. The Doctor is truly shaken by the appearance of the Dalek here, clearly still deeply scarred by the Last Great Time War. He is afraid, afraid almost to the point of becoming unhinged. His response to that fear, is anger and cruelty, it is pointing a gun at Rose. This complete loss of self serves a sort of subtext for the next time we see the Doctor risen to anger. We know the depth of the darkness lurking inside. It also definitively reveals the Doctor's role in the end of the Last Great Time War, which is still affecting him today albeit less, or in a different way since the Anniversary special.