Doctor Who: EVERY Steven Moffat Episode Ranked Worst To Best

42. The Caretaker

Doctor Who The Caretaker Promo
BBC

Co-written with Gareth Roberts, The Caretaker approaches the inevitable 'companion has a life beyond the TARDIS' scenario.

While it makes sense for the Doctor to feel a little jealous or even protective over Clara as she explores a new relationship with Danny, Twelve's overly aggressive and rude behaviour towards him actually harms the episode. The usual balance is rocked by the fact that viewers feel more inclined to side with the stranger rather than our familiar hero.

Pair this with the fact that the alien element of the episode comes secondary to the relationship drama, and when it does appear, it looks more like a toy robot from a mid 2000s Argos catalogue, and The Caretaker just doesn't hold up as one of Steven Moffat's finest offerings.

You probably even forgot he had a writing credit on this one, didn't you?

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Ellie has been part of the WhatCulture team since 2021 where she began as a freelance presenter for the WhoCulture channel. As a diehard Whovian with a BA (hons) degree in Drama and Acting, this role was the perfect opportunity for her to combine her screen presence training with her extensive Doctor Who knowledge. From there, she branched out to various other WhatCulture channels, including TrekCulture, and became a full time Content Producer/Video Presenter in 2023. Ellie is now a regular fixture on both WhoCulture and TrekCulture and has become a well respected public figure within both fandoms, building up a substantial following across her social media platforms and being given the opportunity to represent the channels and the wider communities at several industry events. Her favourite Doctor Who character is River Song and her favourite Star Trek character is Captain Janeway - which tells you everything you need to know about how she approaches her role within a generally male dominated field.