Doctor Who: 10 Most Underrated Tenth Doctor Episodes

The two-part story consisting of ‘The Impossible Planet’ and ‘The Satan Pit’ is a dark and unusual Doctor Who adventure that is one of the Tenth Doctor’s best outings.

With its haunting soundtrack and theological underpinnings, the story has an unnerving atmosphere that sucks in the viewer.

Whilst the BBC budget can sometimes be a bit of a problem, the set designs for the sanctuary base and the planet’s surface are fantastic.

The supporting cast are also a highlight. Every team member on the sanctuary base stands out. After only a few lines of dialogue it’s immediatley clear who each of these individuals are and what role they play.

The only negative is the ending. Specifically, the CGI used to create Satan has not aged well, and the way the Doctor happens to stumble across the TARDIS is far too convenient. Having said that, the ending still has plenty of emotional punch even if it isn’t perfect.

Like ‘Gridlock’, both ‘The Impossible Planet’ and ‘The Satan Pit’ are well regarded by fans and critics. However, they are rarely seen as the very best of the Tennant era.

Sure, neither episode quite reaches the heights of ‘Blink’ or ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’, but the outstanding atmosphere, script, and performances make these two episodes some of the best of the whole show.

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Which Tenth Doctor episode do you think is the most underrated? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.