Doctor Who: 10 Moments In NuWho That Made Us Cry

9. Idris

Doctor Who Vincent and the Doctor Tony Curran
BBC Studios

We meet Idris in The Doctor’s Wife. She’s a woman who has been used as a vessel for the TARDIS matrix so that a sentient planet called House could eat the TARDIS shell.

The episode, written by Neil Gaiman, is widely considered to be one of the best episodes of NuWho. The dynamic between Eleven and Idris is so much fun to watch; we wish it could have lasted longer.

Sadly, the fun couldn’t last. Idris can’t live forever with the TARDIS matrix, and the TARDIS needs its soul back. It’s a Catch 22 situation in which Idris has to die.

It’s a heartbreaking moment as the Doctor and Idris say goodbye, and she tries to get her head around human language. It’s a gorgeous scene by Gaiman that explores what it means to be alive and is only enhanced by Murray Gold’s score.

If that didn’t set you off in floods of tears, Idris’ final whisper of “I love you,” as she vanishes, definitely will.

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Simon is a writer, cat dad and presenter of a geeky radio show with his husband. He loves Doctor Who (except 10 who can get in the bin…only joking.) He idolises Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lara Croft and would 100% be a Sith Lord in a galaxy far, far away. He wishes life was like a musical so he’d actually be a good singer.