Doctor Who series 6 was, in my opinion, the show’s best year since it returned in 2005. Sure, there were weak points, including some shaky episodes (“The Almost People,” “Night Terrors,” I’m looking at you). But, as a whole, the season was much more cohesive than previous outings, and felt more like appointment television than ever before.
Let’s look back at some of the moments that made these episodes great. Check back in the not-so-distant future for my review of series 6 as a whole as well. In the meantime, though, here we go:
1. The Doctor’s Death (“The Impossible Astronaut”)
Series 6 started off with a bang in the season premiere, which saw the Doctor dying pretty early on in the episode. He was offed in the most surreal way — an Apollo astronaut ascended from Lake Silencio in Utah and proceeded to shoot the Doctor dead — even killing him before he could regenerate. It was a sobering, dark moment to begin the series on, though thankfully it would gain some lightheartedness with the airing of the series 6 finale.
2. Silence in the Ceiling (“Day of the Moon”)
In series 6, the Silence were undoubtedly the creepiest villains. Not only did they look like really decrepit Roswell aliens, but they also had the neat little conceit that you forgot them whenever you saw them. Oh, and they nested in groups on the ceiling like bats. While I’d personally like to know how they get up there (big creepy wings, I hope), the shock of seeing them dangling from the ceiling in “Day of the Moon” was one of the season’s great scares.
3. The TARDIS Says Hello (“The Doctor’s Wife”)
Neil Gaiman’s episode, “The Doctor’s Wife,” was the best of the season. The episode had a great villain, the House (Michael Sheen), who had killed hundreds of Time Lords. In order to do that, he transplanted the soul of the TARDIS into the body of a human, Idris. As the Doctor and Idris learned more about each other through this quick communication, it was almost certain that they would have to say goodbye to each other. Instead, though, as she prepared to return to her rightful home in the TARDIS, she told the Doctor “Hello,” something she hadn’t had the opportunity to say to him before.
4. The Two Doctors (“The Almost People”)
The Doctor has a bit of an ego, which is of course one of the major plot points of this series. But seeing those two egos meet and work in tandem was one of the most fun things that this season was able to offer. Amidst the less-than-great episode “The Almost People,” really great moments of interaction between the two Doctors were thrown in. After all, what’s better than one Doctor? Two Doctors!
It’s also nice to note just how much of a red herring this episode turned out to be. Sure, it turned out that Amy was a flesh as well, but many speculated the same thing would be thought about the Doctor’s death at Lake Silencio. Thankfully, the show wasn’t that predictable.
5. Would You Like Me to Repeat the Question? (“A Good Man Goes to War”)
People disagree with me when I tell them Rory Williams is a badass. When they do that, I point them to this moment (and to #6). Rory, dressed in Roman Centurion attire because that makes him cooler, confronts the Cybermen while searching for the whereabouts of his wife, Amy. When they do not immediately answer his questions, he just decides to blow up their entire fleet before asking him if they’d like for him to repeat the question.
6. Putting Hitler in the Cupboard (“Let’s Kill Hitler”)
After spending so many episodes being killed, Rory’s ascension to badassery only continued with “Let’s Kill Hitler,” in which he decided to punch the Fuhrer right in the jaw. Oh, and then he followed the Doctor’s orders and put Hitler in the cupboard. Rory does so, noting how strange his day has become as he closes the door on the fuhrious Hitler.
And some people think Rory Williams isn’t a badass.
7. Old Amy Gets Left Behind (“The Girl Who Waited”)
While the Doctor’s death was a sad moment of the season, the saddest moment actually occurred at the end of “The Girl Who Waited.” While the episode did have some problems with pacing (it should have been the season’s two-parter instead of “The Rebel Flesh”/”The Almost People”), it managed to emotionally hit home with the Doctor’s heartbreaking decision to leave the aged incarnation of Amy behind in favor of keeping the younger one alive in the TARDIS. As older Amy stood outside the TARDIS door and accepted her fate, she made one final action: she cued up a hologram of the earth so she could see it for one, final time before the Handbots killed her. And the episode’s final shot of a sad-looking Doctor was probably my second-favorite ending to an episode this season. What was my favorite ending? Keep reading on.
8. The Minotaur Dies (“The God Complex”)
Less heartbreaking (but still sad) was the Minotaur’s death at the end of “The God Complex.” I don’t think I’ve ever been so sad to see an episode’s villain bite the dust. His final monologue, which pointed out that the Doctor was old and reaching the end of his life, was a brilliant little touch that connected “The God Complex” to the rest of the season without losing any sense of subtlety.
9. Stormageddon and Not Mum (“Closing Time”)
Moving from the tearjerking to the laughmongering, one of the funniest moments of the season came in the very next episode, “Closing Time,” which featured the Doctor returning to visit Craig (James Corden), whom he had previously lived with in “The Lodger.” When he returned, Craig and Sophie were together with a child, a little baby named Alfie. Only he didn’t like being called Alfie. He preferred the moniker “Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All.”
The funniest scene of the episode involved Alfie — erm, Stormageddon — revealing how he views other people. Craig is “Not Mum,” the Doctor is “Also Not Mum,” and everyone else are “peasants.” There’s something funny about a condescending baby, and this episode pulled it off so well that I really want Stormy to be the Doctor’s next companion, now that Rory and Amy have left the TARDIS. A grown-up version of Stormy would be just great. Make it happen, Moffat.
10. Look Into My Eye (“The Wedding of River Song”)
These final two entries are actually both from the same scene, but they’re so distinct that it’s difficult not to split them up. Both are from the final scene, in which the Doctor returns Dorium’s head to its resting place. As Dorium realizes with shock that the Doctor is actually still alive, he asks how. The Doctor tells him; it was the Teselecta that saved him. We then see events play out again — and, in typical Moffat style, what was once sad becomes lighthearted. The Doctor sadly leaves the Teselecta’s offer for help unanswered before popping his head back in the door, grinning wildly and saying, “Now that you mention it…”
Instead of telling River Song his name (which we know he’ll do later), he whispers for her to look into his eye, where she sees the Doctor, still wearing Craig’s Stetson, waving to her and gesturing to the TARDIS behind him. It’s a joyful reimagining of a sad scene, and that’s what made it so brilliant. Also, maybe it was the Doctor’s wording: “A Doctor in a Doctor suit,” he says.
11. Doc-tor Who? (“The Wedding of River Song”)
But not all is joyful. As the Doctor leaves, Dorium reminds him that he faces even more tribulations in the future, including “The Fall of the Eleventh,” which likely refers to the Eleventh Doctor’s regeneration. While I hope that we won’t be seeing that for a few more years, it’s the final question that kind of actually got me excited for that occurrence.
“Doctor Who?” Dorium calls out after him, enunciating every syllable. “Doc-tor Who?”
It’s great that the show is finally returning to the major question of its title, though it’s unsure whether it can ever be answered. After all, wouldn’t answering the show’s title necessitate the need for a name change? But who knows? With the fiftieth anniversary special coming up in 2013, anything can happen. And after this great final scene, you can bet I’m onboard.
