As another Wednesday dawns we have a new set of stories to sink our teeth into? Last week being the first week with two votes had the following top three[1] Magician’s/Witch’s first with 39%, Smith and Jones 37%, and Hand of Fear at 30%
Just a reminder last week[2] and all previous polls[3] are still open, feel free to change your votes, vote if you hadn’t, or join the discussion.
Anyway we move onto this next set of stories and only 2 votes
This might be one of the hardest ones so far. All but two[1] I rated 4 or higher.
not because of bad stories but I predict that some may join long game in having no votes because almost all of these I would consider bangers EDIT and I was wrong yet again Long Game is still voteless
At the moment I’m doing doctors wife story and the engine. But could probably change that second to almost any of the others and might end up doing so
The Fisher King two-parter was an insta-pick. Rarely have I been engaged by a Base under Siege story. The side characters are charming, the Doctor and Clara are on form, the Fisher King and his ghosts provide some threatening moments, and the Beethoven’s Fifth cold open is both clever way to teach us about the bootstrap paradox, and one of the coolest things the show has done. Peter Capaldi playing guitar to the theme!
Not many options I love here. I adore The Crusade. The Deadly Assassin is really fun, I just love it slightly less than seemingly everybody else. I like Before the Flood/Under the Lake, but I wouldn’t call it a favorite. The same can be said for The Shakespeare Code. I almost voted for Nikola Tesla because it was the first time I liked Thirteenth.
Under the Lake/Before the Flood remains my favourite ever TV story, so that’s an easy pick
It’s very close between The Doctor’s Wife and The Story and the Engine, but I’ve given it to The Doctor’s Wife today for how much it did for the Doctor/TARDIS relationship
Ok, it really is a weird day. Delta chose the Capaldi and I didn’t (it came in at third). Quite a good line-up of stories here, it averages around 138 in my rankings.
Shakespeare < Wife < Monster < Wheel < Tesla < Five < Crusade < Lake/Flood < Story < Assassin
I know people don’t get it but just because I don’t like Capaldi, doesn’t mean I don’t like a lot of his stories. There seems to be this assumption in fandom that disliking a particular Doctor means you have to write off that entire era (this is something which hugely affects Thirteen’s time on the show). Another of my least favourite Doctors is Pertwee and yet Inferno is one of my bonafide 10/10, top ten classics.
But then you’ve got the godawful Time Monster ranked above The Doctor’s Wife and The Shakespeare Code so obviously someone needs some sort of psychological assessment…
(I mean it’s just a REALLY bad story for so, so, so many reasons).
Tbh if I dislike a Doctor I find it very difficult to enjoy their era, they are the lead character! Also if I love a Doctor I can enjoy most of their stories even the ones that aren’t great, because I like spending time with that Doctor/TARDIS Team.
or higher.
