Doctor Who: Best Episode Of Every Series

Honourable Mentions: The Magician’s Apprentice/The Witch’s Familiar, The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion

While Face The Raven, Heaven Sent and Hell Bent form an overarching trilogy, they are all technically individual episodes. And just as well because if Hell Bent had been included on this list there would riots all throughout time and space.

Following Clara’s death, the Twelfth Doctor has been transported to a castle on an unknown planet, where a clocked figure is stalking him.

Written by Moffat and directed by the wonderful Rachel Talalay, Heaven Sent is easily the best Peter Capaldi episode and one of the best in the shows’ 56-year history. Its exploration of grief is truly remarkable and handled with real care.

In a time where many believed Moffat was ruining Doctor Who, he wrote an extremely thoughtful and moving script. Talalay, who also directed the other Capaldi finales and his final episode, is a genius behind the camera, creating this surreal and epic setting. And Murray Gold’s music, particularly the track The Shepherd’s Boy, is so breath-taking. No offence to current composer Segun Akinola, but Gold’s music really made Who special.

But undoubtedly what makes this episode so magical is Peter Capaldi. It’s essentially a one-man show as he puts in a real tour de force performance as the Doctor, smart, confused, heartbroken and at times utterly hilarious. It’s his finest hour as an actor, which is saying something given his impressive filmography.

The cliff hanger we are left on is brilliant. Gallifrey is back and The Doctor is ready to take on the Time Lords responsible for his ordeal. Let’s not dwell on what happened next though.