SuppliedWhile Doctor Who is finally returning after a year’s hiatus, fans have been saddened by the recent announcement that Peter Capaldi will be departing the iconic role following the season. Honestly, the surprising thing about Capaldi leaving the role is that he didn’t say so sooner. After all, executive producer Steven Moffat announced his departure way before he did, and three years is par for the course for past actors in the role. But before Doctor Who fans get one last season of Peter Capaldi goodness, here are the top 5 episodes from his run so far that Series 10 will have to match up to.
*Some spoilers ahead
5. “The Witch’s Familiar” (Series 9, episode 2)
In the past, Davros, the creator of the Daleks, has often been the subject of misuse by the show’s writers ever since he first appeared in 1974. But his return in this story gave us some of his best moments in the series’ history, making him more of a sympathetic character than the Nazi-esque megalomaniac he’s usually written as. The conversation he has with the Twelfth Doctor, and seeing two old enemies joke like old friends helped Series 9 start with a bang.
4. “Into the Dalek” (Series 8, episode 2)
Typically when a new Doctor comes along, it isn’t till the second story where we get a good glimpse at the character. While this story is guilty of retreading territory past Dalek stories covered better (like 2005’s “Dalek”), this episode was worth the price of admission because it was our first good glimpse at Capaldi’s own take in the role, one that was darker, colder, and more alien than his predecessor.
3. “Time Heist” (Series 8, episode 5)
Ask me what an ideal Doctor Who story should be like, and I will point to this story as a prime example. The side characters Psi and Saibra are some of the most interesting ones we’ve ever seen, so much so that you wish that they stuck around for good. The time travel plot twist is clever and well integrated. The creature of the week, the Teller, with its cool design and its ability to sense guilt and to telepathically lobotomize its victims is a cool idea for a monster that’s executed well. It’s all you can ask from a Doctor Who story.
2. “Mummy on the Orient Express”(Series 8, episode 8)
What was really cool about Series 8 was how the relationship between the Twelfth Doctor and Clara deviated from the usual Doctor-Companion relationship. Instead of the companion being unquestionably loyal to the Doctor, Clara has had enough with the Doctor’s hubris and it’s reached the point where she’s just about to leave him for good. It’s really cool to see that loyalty being tested throughout Series 8 and “Mummy” is where that loyalty is put to its penultimate test.
1. “Heaven Sent” (Series 9, episode 11)
There is no alternative, this one is the best. After seeing Clara die, The Doctor is left to morn in a mysterious castle all by himself as he is stalked by a veiled creature. The entire story is centered on Capaldi and his stellar acting, as he plays the man who just lost his best friend and he has nothing else to lose. Watching him as he tries to solve this mystery while bereaved with grief and anguish made this a gripping watch from beginning to end.
