Doctor Who: Every Russell T Davies Episode Ranked From Worst To Best
1. The Waters Of Mars (Co-written With Phil Ford)
RTD really did peak in his first era. But he sure did leave it late!
Penultimate Tenth Doctor story The Waters of Mars sees the Doctor torn between letting a catastrophic fixed event play out and taking matters into his own hands.
With no companion by his side, and knowing that his time’s nearly up anyway, he ultimately goes with the latter option, taking on time in a moment of hubris. It’s something we’d never really seen before: a tragic arc for the Doctor.
Tennant brilliantly sells the Doctor's inner turmoil, with a magnificent assist from the supporting cast in a gut-wrenching sequence where the crew is picked off one-by-one.
Speaking of which, making something as ubiquitous as water the threat is a genius move – and with their cracked mouths and dead eyes, the Flood are just SO freaky. It's one of those stories that really pushes Doctor Who's family-friendly reputation, and along with the Empty Child was no doubt one of the biggest nightmare fuels for kids at the time.
Water always wins. And so does The Waters of Mars.