The final two episodes, Bad Wolf and Parting of the Ways, are commonly placed on Doctor Who's best stories lists, and there is a clear reason. That story in particular is a marvel, and one of the most satisfying regeneration stories, even more so in 2014, knowing the sheer magnitude of the Ninth Doctor's shift from his previous life's warrior ways when he refuses to destroy the Earth. Dalek also shines as being unique in its own way and it's worth the price of admission for the interaction between the Doctor and the Dalek alone. Raxacoricofallipatorious is still lots of fun to say, but the Slitheen two-parter has not managed to age well. However, Boom Town is a lot of fun to watch, and the scene where the spaceship crashes into Big Ben loses none of its shock value. The Long Game was forgettable and Rose's faults have been talked about at length elsewhere, so that's a discussion for another day. Father's Day is still one of the better 'use time travel to save friends/family' episodes, and it really furthers the relationship between the Doctor and Rose. The Unquiet Dead is worth a rewatch and is a blast, especially the scene in which the Doctor finds himself n a carriage with Charles Dickens himself. The prototype for Clara's habit of having meaningful talks with the victim of the week also makes its proper debut here. The End of the World is the definitive episode for anyone looking to see the characterization of the Ninth Doctor laid bare, and no list is complete without the Steven Moffat classic two-parter, The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances. Those episodes have actually gotten better with age and they still possess the power to chill the blood as soon as the child asks, "Are you my mummy?" Overall, the quality of Series 1 is extremely high. Picking up a copy of Series 1 (or your already purchased copy) to watch again is definitely worth your time. What are your thoughts on Series 1 of the revived Doctor Who? What was your favorite episode? Post your comments below.
Matthew Quayle was born in 1994 in Queensland, Australia. He mostly spends his time watching TV, playing games and being opinionated. Now that he has a job writing at What Culture, he's getting paid to do it too.
