Doctor Who: 10 Best NuWho Episodes
3. Heaven Sent
What could top Blink? A deeply profound, moving and riveting story by Moffat which explores the indescribable agony of grief.
An absolutely stunning episode, Heaven Sent is Peter Capaldi at his very best as the Twelfth Doctor, who has recently lost his companion and best friend, Jenna Coleman’s Clara, in Face the Raven.
Capaldi carries the entire 45 minutes on his own shoulders, delivering thought provoking monologues about the nature of grief itself as he finds himself trapped in a nightmarish castle haunted by a sinister Veil.
The entire episode revolves around The Doctor on his own with no companions, using his sheer willpower to fight his inner demons and escape his prison, a concept that may sound impossible to pull off, but it works.
What could be more thrilling and triumphant than seeing Capaldi’s Doctor relentlessly try and break free from his prison for millions of years, in an endless cycle?
The episode is flawlessly directed and edited, with a spellbinding sequence taking place towards the final act as The Doctor must be subjected to the torturous repeat of trying to escape over and over again.
A masterpiece of the metaphorical exploration of grief, led by an outstanding performance from Capaldi, Heaven Sent is a deeply psychological story in NuWho which examines The Doctor’s internal psyche and stands proudly as a huge achievement in television.