Doctor Who: 15 Greatest NuWho Deaths So Far

1. Madame Du Pompadour (The Girl In The Fireplace)

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BBC

The best death of the revived series didn't even happen on screen. Having built up a strong relationship with Madame Du Pompadour, known to him as Reinette, over the course of the Series 2 episode The Girl in the Fireplace by way of becoming her imaginary friend, the Doctor invites her on a trip into space to visit any star she chooses. However, he returns to find her dead, a carriage taking her body away, and a letter addressed to him.

The moment is wonderfully understated. Both the Doctor and the audience had grown to love Reinette during the 45 minutes, and so to have the character wrenched away so quickly and quietly emphasised how gutwrenching it was. No character cries, or breaks down with emotion, which somehow makes it sadder still.

That's not to mention the fantastic performance by David Tennant and Sophia Myles. Myles' voiceover complements just how upset the Tenth Doctor appears to be at losing this person, but again Tennant is understating everything to ramp up the pathos of the scene.

There may be more important moments in terms of the overarching storylines, and there may be more epic and satisfying deaths, but for a raw emotional moment this one is hard to beat.

What did you think of this list? Are there any other NuWho deaths that should've been included? Let us know in the comments section below!

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