[Dr Kain]

We finally started the Matt Smith era of Doctor Who from that big anniversary box set I got in 2023. Turns out, they're the exact same discs as the original sets, just with a new label on the disc itself. :lol

Anyway:

The Eleventh Hour - This might actually be the best premier of any of the Doctors for NuWho. It's well told, well paced as it never feels rushed, and has a good mystery to it. Plus, the Doctor is a total badass at the end and I love the music in it. Amy is cool and there is some really cool camerawork going on.

The Beast Below - A bit slow and underwhelming, but it's got an interesting plot even if it feels a bit convenient with how it all ends. It also reminds me a bit of Rose's second episode from the first Chris season.

Dalek Sentai Exterminager... I mean Victory of the Daleks - For the most part, this is a really solid episode that gives us something unique with the Daleks even though you knew where the plot was going to go for the most part. The new Delaks are pretty awesome and I like that the episode ends with them getting away instead of being defeated for the millionth time. The guy they got to play Churchhill was great too. I love the Doctor using a cookie as a self destruct device.

The Time of the Angels - The return of the Weeping Angels AND River! Awesome, just awesome. Another solid episode that has a very great start and continues the suspense as it progresses. The banter between the Doctor and River is fantastic too. The scenes in the save towards the end is creepy as fuck too, the way Doctor Who should be.

Flesh and Stone - A solid conclusion to this great two parter that keeps up with the suspense. I really feel like this is the peak of the Weeping Angels when it comes to fear factor. Everything afterwards had no idea what to do with them.

Vampires in Venice - An interesting premise that has some really strong creepy moments. I love the conversatins between the Doctor and the mother and the scene of Rori fighting the song is pretty damn hilarious.

Amy's Choice - Toby Jones is such an underrated actor as he always gives his best performance in everything and this episode was no different. It's got some good twists and turns going on even though the evil village plot line is nothing original. I really got some Resident Evil 4 vibes from it, and that works for me.

The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood - This one frustrates me because the first episode is actually not all that bad while the second part is quite the let down. I am not a fan of the new design of the Silurians because they made them look TOO human compared to how they were in the original series. The whole plot also plays out too safe as everything just ends in one convenience after another. If nothing else, the mother really should have had some consequences for her actions, instead, there are none, which makes it just flop out in the end.

Vincent and the Doctor - This is hands down one of the best episodes of NuWho ever, and may be Smith's best. The invisible monster is far more effective than you would expect for a budget saving tactic and Curran just slays every scene he is in. It's suspenseful, it's tragic, it's heartfelt, everything works.

The Lodger - A stupid, sometimes cringey, but fun episode, which was needed after the heaviness of the previous one.