When David Tennant left Doctor Who in 2009, the world was introduced to a younger, madder Doctor in the form of Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. Headed by new showrunner Steven Moffat, Smith’s run was known for its mysteries and fairy tale motifs.
Matt Smith remained on the TARDIS from 2010 until Christmas 2013 when the Eleventh Doctor regenerated. As with every Doctors' era, Smith had plenty of fantastically written episodes, but others left something to be desired. Today, we’re having a look back at five of the best and worst episodes of the Eleventh Doctor’s run.
Best: Vincent And The Doctor
After Rory dies and is erased from time, the Doctor decides to treat Amy to some of the best locations in the galaxy — including an art museum to see the Vincent Van Gogh collection. However, the peaceful outing quickly ends when the Doctor spies a monster in the widow of the church in Van Gogh’s “The Church at Auvers.” Intrigued, the Doctor and Amy take a trip back to meet Van Gogh and get to the bottom of the mystery.
“Vincent and the Doctor” is a quietly moving piece written by Richard Curtis. It ranks high on our list due to its respectful handling of Vincent Van Gogh’s depression and is a masterful exploration of what it's like to see the world as an artist. No one could forget the heartwarming final moments of the episode where the Doctor and Amy decide to take Vincent to the future to see that his art matters to so many people today.
Worst: The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood
Written by current showrunner Chris Chibnall, “The Hungry Earth” and “Cold Blood” is the second two-parter story of the fifth season. It follows the Doctor, Amy, and Rory as they land in Wales, 2020 and investigate mysterious holes that have popped up in the earth — holes that have even emptied graves.
There's a lot of potential in this two-parter that features the return of the Siluarians. It's wonderfully scaled back, and the idea of a war between humans and Siluarians is an interesting one — it's just a shame that the supporting cast is so unlikeable that it distracts from the plot. The best thing about the two-parter is the further revelations it gives on the crack in time, and Rory's emotional death.
Best: A Good Man Goes To War
“A Good Man Goes to War” features the Doctor and Rory doing all they can to rescue Amy and her daughter Melody from Demons Run. There's so much to love about this episode: the scope of it feels so incredibly large when in actuality it is almost entirely set on one asteroid.
Written by Steven Moffat, the episode was the midseason finale for the show’s sixth season, and featured the mind-blowing revelation of River Song's identity: she’s Amy and Rory's daughter.
Worst: The Rebel Flesh/Almost People
After a solar storm forces the TARDIS to land on a monastery used for acid pumping, the Doctor and the Ponds find themselves in the middle of a rebellion between humans and the Flesh (or as they're more commonly referred to, the Gangers.)
The episode's use of the Gangers by creating one of the Doctor is an interesting choice, and we really get to see Matt Smith's acting chops as he goes back and forth between portraying the Doctor and his Ganger, including an incredibly dark moment when the Doctor shoves Amy against a wall when she reveals they saw him die on Lake Silencio. Ultimately, the most memorable moment of the arc is the final moments of “The Almost People” when the Doctor has to reveal to Amy she's been captured and is about to give birth to a child.
Best: Cold War
Written by Mark Gatiss, “Cold War” sees the Doctor and Clara trapped on a Soviet submarine in 1983 when the TARDIS relocates itself to the South Pole. It's soon revealed that there's an Ice Warrior aboard the sub, and he’s determined to contact the rest of his race for help — or use the nukes aboard the submarine for revenge for being harmed by the soldiers aboard.
The base under siege stories is always fun, and the “Cold War” takes it to another level by using a submarine for a setting. Featuring a cast of intriguing and likable supporting characters, the episode's small scale works in its favor. The rapport between Clara and Professor Grisenko is sweet and fun, adding a necessary levity to an otherwise dark story. Furthermore, the episode features plenty of gorgeous cinematography with its use of color and silhouettes.
Worst: The Lodger
The Doctor winds up trapped in modern-day earth and has to investigate a building where its occupants keep disappearing. With Amy trapped in the TARDIS, the Doctor must go undercover by posing as a regular human and becomes roommates with Craig Owens (portrayed by James Corden).
Written by Gareth Roberts, this episode makes our worst-list because of how easily it hands out second-hand embarrassment. The Doctor trying to pose as a normal human being might be something that works for a few minutes, but entire episodes dedicated to the concept often just try for a comedy element that often falls apart and makes the entire story cringy.
Best: Day of the Doctor
How could the show's fiftieth-anniversary special not make our list? The Doctor is pulled into a new mystery by UNIT which leads him to confront his own past, the Time War, and a regeneration he’s fought hard to forget.
Written by Steven Moffat, “Day of the Doctor” is a love letter to the series and despite the monumental event the episode celebrates, it never falls into unnecessary nostalgia: every easter egg feels earned, and the script is one of the best he's written. Furthermore, it brought back Gallifrey (for a short period) and resolved the Doctor of the guilt he's suffered with for centuries over its destruction.
Worst: Journey to the Center of the TARDIS
When the TARDIS is damaged by a salvage crew's ship, the Doctor and Clara are separated. Manipulating the salvage crew to help him find Clara, they're all hunted down by strange molten creatures that stalk the TARDIS corridors.
There's nothing truly wrong with this episode, in fact, it's a genuinely good tale. But we can't help but feel like the addition of the salvage crew (and the strange side plot that their Android is actually their brother) muddies up the concept of the episode: Clara having to explore the TARDIS and confront the Doctor’s darker side which, at that point, she hadn't seen yet.
Best: The Snowmen
Not only is this one of the best episodes of Matt Smith’s run as the Doctor, we feel that it's the best Christmas special he did. Featuring Clara's first “official” appearance, the episode followed a depressed Doctor refinding his curiosity through Clara, as they attempt to uncover the truth behind Dr. Simeon's (Richard E. Grant) actions.
The episode absolutely feels like a winter wonderland and is one of the most magical stories told in the Moffat era, and easily one of the most emotional as we watch the Doctor rediscover the joy in mysteries, and reclaims his faith in the universe. Furthermore, who could forget the gorgeous shot of Clara climbing the spiral staircase leading up to the TARDIS, which sits on a cloud over Victorian London?
Worst: The Crimson Horror
The episode follows Madame Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax investigating “The Crimson Horror,” the cause behind several mysterious deaths. Their investigation leads them to Sweetville, an apparently perfect village run by the chemist and engineer Mrs. Gillyflower (Diana Rigg). They eventually discover that the Doctor and Clara have been captured by Mrs. Gillyflower (with her daughter, Ada, caring for the Doctor).
The episode has a lot of potential with its focus on mystery and the gorgeous gothic aesthetic, but the ultimate revelation of the villain (Mr. Sweet) takes away from the overall story with its late delivery. The episode does win points with the beautiful and touching relationship that developed between the Doctor and Ada, and for the Classic Who callbacks to Fifth Doctor companion, Tegan Jovanka.