5. The Power of Three (2012)
For its minor faults- the slightly rushed ending my only real bugbear- last week's episode of Who was a fantastic prelude to the Ponds' final adventure, showcasing their life at home like never before. From kissogram to travel journalist, Amelia seems to have got through just about every employment agency known to man, while Rory retains his role as a nurse (merse?) from The Eleventh Hour. There were some touching and humorous moments throughout the story, with a real sense of normality and closeness echoing the harrowing events of Asylum that brought the pair closer than ever before. Paired up with Rory's dad Brian too, once again marvellously portrayed by the lovable Mark Williams, the Ponds were a likeable force to be reckoned with here. Of course, The Power Of Three carried its fair share of emotional weight too as and when writer Chris Chibnall dictated. Perhaps the most memorable instance of this was the Doctor's foreshadowing conversation with Amy about "running to the Ponds" rather than leaving them behind, as the Time Lord noted his realisation that one day soon the first companions of his new incarnation will fade out of his life. Chibnall certainly knew how to touch upon the different spin Moffat has placed on this companion saga, truly evoking pathos for these characters given the tragic events that are to come. Matt Smith as ever did the perfect job of showcasing the Doctor's age and mourning at the loss of those before Amy and Rory, especially when Williams' Brian went so far as to question the Doctor about what happened to those who used to travel with him. "Not them, Brian. Never them." But is that a promise, or a lofty ambition...?