Doctor Who: 10 Most Underrated Episodes Of The Revived Series

9. The Unicorn And The Wasp

Everybody loves a good old fashioned murder mystery but unfortunately this Doctor Who one just doesn't receive the recognition it deserves. Back in Series 4, the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble - and much to Donna's excitement - encountered Agatha Christie in The Unicorn and the Wasp and it wasn't long before they found themselves caught up amidst an unravelling murder mystery that could've easily been written by the acclaimed author herself (it wasn't, by the way - it was actually penned by Gareth Roberts, perhaps another reason this episode is so underrated?). What followed was a classic case of crime drama as our heroes joined forces with the iconic novelist to solve the mystery of the almighty Vespiform. It was the sort of whodunnit that only Doctor Who could bring to the table and the show made good use of all the classic crime conventions whilst adding its own timey-wimey spin to the proceedings to offer a unique explanation to Christie's real life - and still unexplained - disappearance in December 1926. As it turns out, it wasn't down to amnesia or a nervous breakdown. After an in-depth investigation (which basically involved interviewing all of the suspects in turn), it transpired that the local vicar, Reverend Arnold Golightly, possessed the ability to transform himself into a giant alien wasp whenever his temper flared (you wouldn't like hime when he's angry) and you certainly didn't didn't see that one coming, did you? No, definitely not. Neither did Donna, though, and perhaps the reason this episode is so underrated is because when you've watched it once, you can't really enjoy it in the same vein again. Its element of surprise is somewhat distinguished when you know who's behind it all but it's fun to watch it again and keep an eye out for any clues you might have missed the first time. There really aren't that many, though, so don't feel inclined to spend an entire afternoon over analysing every frame. The Unicorn and the Wasp is the perfect episode for a rainy day but it's not one that will ever be included in the best of the rest. After all, the thrill is in the chase, never in the capture.