Doctor Who: Every Doctor's DEFINITIVE Episode

This episode only works because of Ncuti Gatwa. No other Doctor can exist in this story. That alone makes it definitive Fifteen. But don't worry, we've got more justification than that.

The Story & the Engine embraces culture with an authenticity that isn't always present in Doctor Who. The setting isn't just a backdrop, as it would be in other stories – Inua Ellams' script draws from it directly and organically. It presents Lagos through the Doctor's eyes, and what this place means to him, rooting us in the story, and presenting an oft-unseen glimpse behind the curtain.

The episode distils Fifteen’s character beautifully. He's not just a playful, sassy dude – he's contemplative, principled, and understanding. The audience feels closer and more connected to Fifteen as a character in this episode than any other in his run, and it's because, on this rare occasion, it's the Doctor, not the companion, who serves as the audience surrogate.

The Story & The Engine is about the power of stories, and specifically, the power of those who are telling them, and no story sums up the power of the Doctor better than the six words spoken by the man himself: "I'm born. I die. I'm born".

A never-ending story of renewal, change, and hope, that's not just at the core of the character, but at the core of the show itself.