Season 7: The Day of the Doctor
Probably the most important event in the show’s history, The Day of the Doctor was the feature length film created for the 50th Anniversary. If there’s any moment that needs to be rewatched until its ripped away, it's this one. The story follows the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) as he meets with his past selves, David Tennant, and the newly revealed John Hurt, the apparent Doctor who fought in the Time War. It was a momentous occasion for the sake of the series because it suggested a massive paradigm shift in the lore, which the series has been known to do, just not on this scale. The whole adventure looked and felt like it should have been a major summer blockbuster, but alas, it was a limited theater release occupied mostly by hardcore fans. With an elevated budget and a masterfully written plot, The Day of the Doctor was a fitting celebration dedicated to the longest running, highest rated television series in history.
Season 8: Listen
From the beginning, Peter Capaldi’s run as the Twelfth Doctor has been thrilling, albeit somewhat controversial. Several new elements were added or changed to the overall format of the series, but it has all been worth it so far. Out of the entire season eight run, one episode stands out above the rest. Listen was one of the most hauntingly beautiful interpretations of a Doctor Who adventure ever written. The Doctor is determined to find a link between a nightmare that has plagued humanity since its beginning and the potential existence of creatures perfectly evolved to never be seen by any living thing. The episode was a psychological, mind-bending experience. It postulated the concept that we may never truly be alone; that we could be in the midst of creatures constantly behind us, as well as the possibility that fear drives us in directions we never thought we needed to go. Listen was not only the best episode of season eight, but was by far among one of the best episodes ever written; a cinematic work of art that definitely deserves a binge before it goes.
Season 3: The Utopia Trilogy (Utopia, The Sound of Drums, Last of the Timelords)
The epic and, so far, only Doctor Who three-parter, the Utopia Trilogy marked the return of fan favorite characters, the immortal Captain Jack Harkness and The Doctor’s long lost arch nemesis, The Master. When Team TARDIS find themselves at the end of the universe, they discover the last of the entire human race huddled around a rocket destined to take them to “utopia”, only to reveal The Master hiding in plain sight. The Utopia story was intended to engender hope for The Doctor; having thought all the Timelords dead, he finds The Master, while still his oldest enemy, is also the only other Timelord in existence. It was an incredibly well-told adventure that pit the entire human race against The Master’s maniacal plot and showed us The Doctor’s greatest power above all is forgiveness. BONUS: For the truly complete experience, watch the season one finale of Torchwood, End of Days before the trilogy!
Season 4: The End of Time Parts 1 & 2
The End of Time was the inevitable departure of unanimous fan favorite, David Tennant. The final journey of the Tenth Doctor involved the return of The Master once again trying to take over the planet and end the human race. Caught in between his twisted plot and the return of the war ravaged Timelords, The Doctor saves the whole of reality, but tragically sacrifices himself for the life of a single friend. The end of Tennant’s run was exciting, tragic, and completely heartbreaking with his last words as The Doctor still echoing in the souls of Whovians to this day, “I don’t want to go.”
Whovian Netflix subscribers might have noticed by now the February 1st expiration date posted on Doctor Who’s menu screen. While supposed end dates have been listed for the BBC show in the past, it’s usually met with some relief once it’s revealed the date is only temporary and the network just needs to renew their contract through the streaming service once again. Much to the dismay of U.S. fans, the expiration date this time…is real.
The BBC recently announced they would be pulling the beloved adventures of the time-traveling Doctor come February 1st from all U.S. Netflix AND Hulu services. The news comes as a shock considering Doctor Who is one of the highest-rated, most watched programs on both streamers but, despite the outcry of fans, the overseas network assures us it won’t be the end for the show altogether. The decision is in favor of a new BBC exclusive paid streaming service, still to be announced, but planned to be available in all regions by next year. The show will, however, still be available on Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, and iTunes.
With the last days of torrent-less Doctor Who adventures drawing to a close, it’s important to enjoy one last Timey-Whimey binge as a final farewell to the titular Timelord. These are the five most important storylines to take in before they’re gone (in chronological order):
Season 1: Dalek
Yielding a more subtle, dignified run, the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston), was the flagship Timelord for the “regeneration” of the series in 2005. Eccleston’s interpretation of The Doctor was darker, secretive, and far more mysterious than previous versions. It was revealed this Doctor had fought in the biggest war the universe had ever seen, The Last Great Time War, between his people and the most deadly race in existence, the Daleks. Left with no choice, he obliterated his entire planet, killing both the Daleks… and the Timelords. Despite his best efforts coupled with the torment and pain he holds every day, one lonesome Dalek remains. This episode gave us some much needed insight into the state of mind the Doctor was in. He had the blood of two mighty races on his hands and at the very least, the knowledge that he would never have to stare down the metallic eye-stalk of another Dalek again kept him sane, until now.
