Why These 5 Hated Doctor Who Episodes Aren't As Bad As You Think
These episodes get a bad wrap, but beneath the surface there's some quality to be found....
Due to the episodic, self-contained nature of Doctor Who, and the multitude of writers, it is somewhat of an inevitability that the reception of each story might differ a little.
Episodes are criticized due to their lazy plots, laughable villains, dodgy dialogue and on occasion, some downright rubbish acting (more often than not from the child actors, in fact, most of the time).
Even the most die-hard of fans must admit that the show does drop the occasional steamer from time to time. However, even at the lower end of the Who spectrum, there's always some gold tucked away, whether it be a guest star, the concept itself, or even just a single scene that shines.
In this article, we attempt to find these nuggets of quality in five otherwise poorly received episodes. Let's polish some turds.
5. Let's Kill Hitler
WHY IT'S HATED: Let's Kill Hitler is generally considered as the moment that Moffat reached his peak of convoluted storytelling. Many fans felt as though the character of Mel was shoehorned in at the last minute, and that the episode butchered River's arc by ruining her intrigue with a disappointing origin story.
WHY IT'S NOT SO BAD: Love or hate the plot, Matt Smith and Alex Kingston's chemistry is on point in this story, from the flirting and mental sparring at the start of the episode, to River's sacrifice in the closing moments. Both actors sell the complicated relationship between the two characters effortlessly and you can tell that Kingston is having a ton of fun playing a slightly more deranged version of River. This is also one of the funnier episodes of Who, with some genuinely great comedy moments sprinkled throughout, especially as River escapes and Amy and Rory are forced to give chase.
Setting an episode in Nazi Germany was about due, and the setting is beautifully realised instead of being shied away from. The Teselecta is an interesting concept that could have carried an episode on its own, but in this case it is relegated to a secondary villain, making its return at the culmination of the series feel a little more of a stretch, which is a shame. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Rory punches Hitler in the face and puts him in a cupboard. 10/10.