Doctor Who: All 40 Steven Moffat Episodes Ranked From Worst To Best
36. The Beast Below
It was always going to be tough task for Moffat to follow up his par excellence series opener of The Eleventh Hour.
In many ways, The Beast Below mirrors Russell T Davies' second story, The End of the World, which again followed a positively reviewed and high ratings series opening episode in Rose.
The spectacularly-looking Starship UK - and just generally being in outer space - has Amy, and us, in wide-eyed wonderment; the Doctor goes off and does his customary bad job of staying out of trouble, whilst his companion discovers the dangers of travelling with a madman with a box.
Moffat, himself, called this "a bit of a mess". Maybe not a mess, per se; rather a bit of a meh. The middle part is a trudge and a high calibre actor in Sophie Okonedo was underused... as was the Demon Headmaster!
However the ending presses all the necessary buttons. Matt Smith displays the full rage of a Time Lord when faced with an unenviable choice, thanks to the worst of humanity. But then brilliant Amy brings out the best in humanity by saving the star whale from further torture, and with it we witness the proper start of an affectionate and dynamic friendship.