Doctor Who: 10 Most Underrated Eleventh Doctor Episodes

Series 7A was an odd time for Doctor Who. Because of its compressed five-episode arc building up to the Ponds' departure, most fans only seem to remember that bombastic and emotional final story, The Angels Take Manhattan, while neglecting some of the strong ideas and character moments that were peppered along the way.

Chris Chibnall's The Power Of Three aired during this time, and while it's ultimately an unsatisfying story (a notoriously rushed ending makes the episode's resolution a massive letdown), it's one of the best tales he's ever written thanks to an engrossing "monster of the week" setup mixed with some delightful kitchen sink comedy.

The concept of a slow, unexplained invasion by an army of motionless black cubes is a fantastic one, and watching how the Earth reacts is equal parts relatable and funny. Of course the cubes would have a Twitter account. There are also a couple of fantastic dramatic scenes for good measure (the Doctor reassuring Brain that the Ponds will be safe is heavy to watch when you know what's coming, as is Amy's assertion that she just wants a normal life), and the episode has a surprising amount of interesting things to say about the tricky relationship between the Doctor and his companions.

It's also rare for us to spend time with the Doctor as he just hangs around on Earth, and it's strangely refreshing to watch him do some chores and laze about on the couch. Where 99% of other episodes are "alien bad! Urgent! Stop the alien!" The Power Of Three slows things down and allows its characters to breathe, making for an entertaining mystery that is only let down by its deeply underwhelming ending.