7 Overrated Doctor Who Episodes Revisited

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Since its successful revival in 2005, Doctor Who has consistently adapted to change, overcoming challenges like budget fluctuations, technical upgrades from standard to high definition, and even changes in the television network it aired on. The show became a defining force in fan culture during the 2000s and early 2010s, always refreshing itself with new actors, styles, and creative goals.

Calling any Doctor Who episode “overrated” feels almost wrong, considering the show is all about constantly changing and trying new things. Each version of Doctor Who has passionate fans, and what one person considers a great episode, another might completely disagree with.

This isn’t about criticizing classic Doctor Who episodes – it’s a chance to look at them again and enjoy them. These stories are still among my favorites, but over the years, fans have maybe built them up a little too much. Think of this as a fresh look at some of the best episodes, seeing if they still hold up and really capture what makes Doctor Who special, with a bit of friendly questioning.

The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit

Season 2, Episodes 8 and 9

Two-episode stories can be difficult for Doctor Who, often starting with a compelling premise but losing momentum by the end. “The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit” follows this pattern. The story begins brilliantly, with a creepy space station orbiting a black hole and the introduction of the Ood – one of the show’s most memorable alien creations.

The first part of the story really showcases what makes Doctor Who great – its ability to create mystery, suspense, and a sense of wonder when facing the unfamiliar. However, once “The Satan Pit” begins, the excitement fades. The story becomes bogged down in lengthy explanations and ultimately leads to a rather predictable and underwhelming ending.

Even for the special effects standards of early live-action Disney films, the Beast’s appearance comes across as silly rather than frightening. Plus, the climax of the episode feels rushed, leaving the most compelling themes unexplored.

Father’s Day

Season 1, Episode 8

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The Doctor Who episode “Father’s Day” is remembered as a deeply emotional story about the heartbreaking realities of time travel. Rose’s innocent desire to meet her father leads to a disastrous situation, teaching her that some events are unchangeable, no matter how strongly we want to alter them.

As Doctor Who continued, the show started to challenge its own rule about not changing fixed points in time. A clear example is the episode “The Fires of Pompeii,” where the Doctor directly intervened in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, deciding who would live or die. What had always seemed like an unbreakable law turned out to be flexible, changing to serve the story’s emotional impact.

Although ‘Father’s Day’ is a powerful story on its own, it sadly highlights a pattern in Christopher Eccleston’s time as the Doctor: the show seemed to forget the rules it had previously established.

School Reunion

Season 2, Episode 3

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“School Reunion” was an early episode of the revived Doctor Who series that cleverly revisited the show’s past. It brought back fan favorites like Sarah Jane Smith and K-9, introducing them to a new audience. Seeing these characters return was particularly touching, and the episode thoughtfully connected the Doctor’s history with his current friends, adding a heartfelt layer to the story.

Despite its warm, nostalgic feel, the story isn’t particularly strong. The villains don’t feel like a real danger, and the episode tries to cover too much – friendship, getting older, and leaving a lasting impact – all within a short timeframe. Looking back, it feels more like an introduction to The Sarah Jane Adventures than a complete story on its own.

Despite its flaws, “School Reunion” is important because it was one of the first stories to focus on emotional connections to the past – something many franchises try to do now. Before Hollywood became fixated on reboots and sequels that revisit older stories, Doctor Who was already exploring how to effectively look back, though this particular episode’s plot wasn’t as strong as its heartfelt themes.

The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone

Season 5, Episodes 4 and 5

As a big Doctor Who fan, I always get excited for two-part stories, but “The Time of Angels” and “Flesh and Stone” just didn’t quite deliver for me. It felt like they started strong, promising a great return for one of the show’s classic villains, but then got bogged down in too much backstory and complicated plot details. It’s a shame, because the potential was definitely there!

Weeping Angels were originally frightening because of their simple premise – they moved when you didn’t look at them. However, recent portrayals have complicated things. They now have too many abilities, like possessing people and appearing in pictures, and are even shown moving in plain sight. This overcomplication ruins the psychological horror that made them so effective in the episode “Blink.”

The end of the “Flesh and Stone” episode features a strange scene where Amy Pond unexpectedly kisses the Doctor. As a teenager, and even now, this felt out of character and confusing. Given Amy’s strong and central love story with Rory, the kiss feels jarring and pointless, as it’s never mentioned or explained again by the show. While a small moment, it highlights a bigger issue with the episode: its inconsistent tone and how it handles its characters.

The Power of the Doctor

Season 13, Special 3

The period of Doctor Who led by Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker was quite controversial and saw a slowdown in the show’s popularity. However, even during this mixed run, some episodes, such as “Rosa” and “Demons of the Punjab,” really stood out. Despite some weaknesses in the writing, Jodie Whittaker brought a unique sense of warmth and hope to the character of the Doctor.

The ending of “The Power of the Doctor” is both moving and disappointing. While it’s a touching goodbye to Jodie Whittaker and her Doctor, the final surprise twist actually diminishes everything she accomplished. Turning into David Tennant felt forced, as if it was done to attract viewers with nostalgia rather than serve the story.

Reviving the look of classic Doctor Who suggested the show lacked confidence in its own future. Rather than giving the Thirteenth Doctor a satisfying conclusion, “The Power of the Doctor” presented her departure as a way to start over, implying that this recent period of the show didn’t quite reach its full potential.

The Doctor’s Wife

Season 6 Episode 4

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“The Doctor’s Wife” is a truly exceptional episode of Doctor Who, and a standout example of a ‘bottle episode’ – one that makes the most of a limited setting and cast. It’s a beautifully written story that gives the TARDIS a personality and voice through the character of Idris, wonderfully portrayed by Suranne Jones. The connection between Idris and Matt Smith’s Doctor feels incredibly authentic, as if they have a long history together.

However, “The Doctor’s Wife” sometimes feels overly concerned with being clever. It focuses so much on its own self-awareness that the TARDIS becomes more of an idea than a functional part of the story. And within the larger, ongoing storyline of Series 6, this episode interrupts the building excitement surrounding the mystery of the Doctor’s impending death.

This episode takes a surprising turn in tone, and while the writing is excellent, it doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the series. It’s a definite improvement over ‘The Curse of the Black Spot,’ but I don’t often find myself wanting to rewatch it. Originally planned for season 5, ‘The Doctor’s Wife’ faced budget cuts and went through many revisions by Neil Gaiman, leaving me to imagine what the initial version might have been like.

Blink

Season 3, Episode 10

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Honestly, it feels wrong even considering putting “Blink” on any list of overrated episodes. It’s not just a good Doctor Who story – it’s genuinely one of the very best! Steven Moffat wrote a perfect script, and the Weeping Angels are instantly iconic. Plus, Carey Mulligan is incredible as Sally Sparrow. For me, it’s the best episode where the Doctor isn’t really in the episode, and a lot of fans, like me, think it proves what Doctor Who can do even without a huge budget. It really is peak Who.

Over time, fans have come to see the “Blink” episode as the perfect starting point for anyone new to Doctor Who, and that’s what I disagree with. While it’s a fantastic episode, it doesn’t really capture what Doctor Who is all about. The Doctor and their companion aren’t featured much, and it feels more like an episode of The Twilight Zone than a typical, fast-paced adventure with the Doctor and their friend.

As a huge Doctor Who fan, I always thought “Blink” was brilliant, a really clever piece of writing from Steven Moffat. But looking back, I don’t think it quite captures what Doctor Who is all about. When someone’s just getting into the show, episodes like David Tennant’s first, Matt Smith’s, or Peter Capaldi’s really nail the show’s energy and heart. “Blink” is fantastic on its own, sure, but I think people sometimes overstate how essential it is to the whole Doctor Who experience.

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2025-11-10 07:01