Doctor Who: The Caretaker

Doctor: 'How can you think that I'm her dad when we both look exactly the same age?'

This was an episode in which introductions took precedent over monsters. Danny meeting the Doctor has been on the cards for a while now, but I never thought it would be so much fun. After last week's plot-heavy caper, I enjoyed tonight's more character-centric focus. Plus, the funny dialogue was back—and sing Hosanna!—did it make a difference to the quality.

Doctor Who: Time Heist

Doctor: 'I was hoping for minimalism, but I think I came up with magician!'

The best part of tonight's episode was the beginning. I loved the heist setup: from the mysterious phone call, to everyone losing their memory, to the bank at Karabraxos. After that, it was a fairly standard runabout-by-numbers, with predictable reveals, a liberal dash of synapse-scrambling timey-wimeyness, and the occasionally wonky secondary character.

Doctor Who: Listen

Clara: 'Fear makes companions of us all.'

Beautiful! Without a doubt my favourite episode of the season, and one of my favourite episodes of all time. Virtually everything about it worked: from the domestic drama between Clara and Danny, to the timey-wimey shenanigans, to the ambiguity of the monster story. Was there ever anything there? Will we ever find out?

Doctor Who: Robot of Sherwood

Hood: 'And remember, Doctor. I'm just as real as you are.'

This is an episode I've been dreading since I first saw it advertised. The title sounded awful, the premise laughable, Robin Hood himself looked ridiculous, and the less said about the teaser the better. So why did I spend half of the episode cackling like a loon? One word: banter. The Doctor may not like it... but I do.

Doctor Who: Into the Dalek

Doctor: 'No, you don't understand. You can't put me in there.'

Since Doctor Who's return in 2005, the second-episode slot has become something of a poisoned chalice for writers. For every 'The Fires of Pompeii' there's been a plethora of lesser monstrosities, ready to stink the place up and put an end to our new-season enthusiasm. How did 'Into the Dalek' fare? Was it another 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship' or did it hit the heady heights of 'Day of the Moon'?