Doctor Who: Every Tenth Doctor Episode Ranked From Worst To Best

30. New Earth

Doctor Who The End of Time
BBC Studios

Episode one of David Tennant's first series had an unusual start considering that, for half of New Earth, he is not playing the Doctor.

In a classic body-switch story, the Doctor and Rose are possessed by the human trampoline Lady Cassandra. This makes for one of the silliest Doctor Who episodes ever, with Tennant playing Cassandra in the campest way imaginable, while Billie Piper plays her as extremely posh.

However, considering that we want to get to know the new Doctor, this episode denies him a chance to shine. Compare New Earth to episodes like Rose, The Eleventh Hour, or Deep Breath, and it doesn't hold a candle to any of them.

Still, thanks to the fun body-swap antics, a moving ending involving Cassandra meeting her younger self, and the Doctor's "Pass it on!" speech, it's not a total disaster.

Contributor

An avid cinephile, love Trainspotting (the film, not the hobby), like watching bad films ironically (The Room, Cats) and hate my over-reliance on brackets (they’re handy for a quick aside though).