Doctor Who: Peter Capaldi’s 9 Coolest Stand Alone Episodes

Peter Capaldi might have been a hard sell, breaking The Doctor out of the strapping young mould of previous incarnations and bringing a grumpy-old-man version of the character back into the modern age. But he was simply amazing from the world go. As soon as he stepped out of his TARDIS for the first time, you instantly forgot that he was ever a foul-mouthed political spin doctor in The Thick Of It. The new mantle of 'Time Lord' Doctor fit him like a glove.

The adventure he cut his teeth in was also a great level-up for the show, a gripping mystery with a whole new mythology put in place. Like the wind-up robot villains involved, everything was intentionally a little bit jarred and clunky, acting as a perfect fit for the Doctor's new impulsive, mildly aggressive, and often forgetful persona.

The time-bending Matt Smith cameo at the end of the episode was the icing on the cake. In conclusion, the episode had everything it needed to open a new chapter successfully. No false starts on this one.