It's almost a play of four characters with the Doctor as the villain; Amy's abandoned in paradise, and Karen Gillan gives the defining performance of her young career.
9. The Eleventh Hour
Is there any better way to introduce the Doctor? 'The Eleventh Hour' is thrilling, amusing and gives Matt Smith the time and space he needs to show us all individual facets of his talent. And that rooftop scene perfectly sets up his entire tenure as the Doctor.
8. Midnight
Russell T Davies might be known the camp melodrama, but 'Midnight' is so fantastic because it's so simple; it's claustrophobic, eerie and centring on the evil within ourselves, in the face of the unknown.
7. The Girl In The Fireplace
A love story scattered through time windows, 'The Girl In The Fireplace' is simply exquisite: frightening, funny and sad all at once. It's a poetic biopic, a race against time and still at its heart, pure science-fiction; it's no wonder it would later influence Moffat's companions.
6. The Waters Of Mars
The burden of the Time Lord boils over into rage, and David Tennant gives one of the greatest performances of his career. It's a gripping, cabin-fevered tale of a man assuming his right to be a god, and it's everything that was great about RTD's writing.
