Doctor Who: Every Doctor's Definitive Seasons

The Tenth Doctor: Series 3

Series 4 was certainly a high point for not only The Doctor, but Doctor Who in general. However, as successful, and epic the Tenth Doctor's final full series was, it doesn't hold a candle to the consistency, and well driven narrative displayed in Series 3.

What makes Series 3 so good is how well thought out, and executed, the story arc was. Everything fit together perfectly, with each successive hint, and tease, building towards the big reveal. Even the likes of the Chameleon Arch, which seemingly was there just to tell the story within the confines of Human Nature/The Family of Blood, ended up being another teaser towards the final outcome. When you see Yana holding his very own fob watch, everything immediately clicks into place.

Then the final message delivered by the Face of Boe explodes onto our screen with such a clever tie-in to the events during Utopia. This explains not only the meaning behind 'you are not alone' with a broad meaning (i.e. the Doctor isn't the last Time Lord), but also as a hidden warning to indicate who the person is (i.e. the message alluding to Yana). Honestly, there hasn't been a more clever reveal, or a better working story arc in the entirety of New Who to date. Russell T Davies really did wonders with Series 3, and his ingenious ideas, and made them work in such a satisfying way.

Of course, this series becomes definitive for the Tenth Doctor in his slow change in characterisation, slowly becoming more bitter, and emotional towards the universe, having just lost Rose. She was the beacon in his life during such a difficult time, and now she was lost to him, whilst the Daleks kept coming back. There's of course the introduction of the Weeping Angels, and furthermore, the return of The Master, which pushes The Doctor into some challenging corners, as well as being the set up to the Tenth Doctor's darkest hour during The End of Time.