u/Dependent_Reading933

Series 2 is an interesting beast. It provides some of the highest heights in the show but there is also some utter rubbish. I enjoyed it more this time round. 10 and Rose are okay but the relationship they have isn’t one of my favourites. Doomsday left a much bigger impression on me this time and it’s much better than I remember. The Satan 2 parter is my favourite tennant story though and I can’t see that changing this time round, it’s brilliant! Overall, this series is good but inconsistent in its episode quality.

The Christmas Invasion (i didn’t know which series to include this in) - 7/10 (Good)

New Earth - 6/10 (Above Average)

Tooth and Claw - 6/10 (Above Average)

School Reunion - 7/10 (Good)

The Girl in the Fireplace - 8/10 (Great)

Rise of the Cybermen (1/2) - 7/10 (Good)

The Age of Steel (2/2) - 7/10 (Good)

The Idiot’s Lantern - 5/10 (Average)

The Impossible Planet (1/2) - 10/10 (Outstanding)

The Satan Pit (2/2) - 10/10 (Outstanding)

Love and Monsters - 4/10 (Below Average)

Fear Her - 3/10 (Weak)

Army of Ghosts (1/2) - 8/10 (Great)

Doomsday (2/2) - 9/10 (Amazing)

Series Ranked:

Series 1 - 8.1/10

Series 2 - 6.9/10

I’ve just started a rewatch of NuWho and am updating my ratings and rankings as I watch.

Best Tier - 9/10, 10/10

Great Tier - 8/10

Good Tier - 7/10

Okay Tier - 6/10

Not For Me Tier - 1/10, 2/10, 3/10, 4/10, 5/10

Series 1 has always been one of my very favourite series of the show, it’s remarkably consistent and has some of the best pacing in the show. The 9th Doctor is “fantastic” and his dynamic with Rose is impeccable. I liked it even more this time round. Here are my thoughts:

Rose (7/10) - This remained a 7/10 for good reason. It’s a very solid introduction for the doctor and Rose. The story itself lacks a bit but it doesn’t matter as the characters are written brilliantly and I was hooked from the beginning.

The End of the World (8/10) - This remained 8/10. I love this episode more than most I think. I’ve always loved Cassandra as a villain. I think the premise of watching the earth explode as a first adventure for Rose is extreme and I love it.

The Unquiet Dead (7/10) - This used to be 6/10 in my rankings. I enjoyed this episode much more this time round. The victorian setting looks wonderful and the gelth are a hugely underrated villain. Dickens is portrayed wonderfully and I love how this episode sets up the rift.

Aliens of London (6/10) / World War Three (7/10) - Both parts used to rate 7/10. I still enjoy this campy fun story with the slitheen but found the second part was where most of the good stuff is. I don’t even care about the fart jokes, it just doesn’t take away from the completely obvious political commentary. It’s good fun, can’t diss it for that!

Dalek (10/10) - This has stayed 10/10. One of my all time favourites, the best dalek story of the modern era. Ecclestons performance is out of this world and the dalek is still really scary at this point in the show. Only downside is the introduction of Adam.

The Long Game (6/10) - This used to be 7/10. Adam just grated me more this time round. I love the setting and the premise of the jagrafess but the story falls a bit flat for me, not bad by any means though.

Father’s Day (9/10) - This used to be an 8/10. I loved this so much more on rewatch. If Life on Mars wasn’t inspired by this episode then I’d be surprised. It’s the best character drama in the show and you genuinely feel for Pete. It’s such a grounded and real feeling story but is actually bonkers when you think about it. Time travel and its consequences needs more use in this era of the show!

The Empty Child (10/10) / The Doctor Dances (10/10) - Both remained the same score. Flawless two parter that is contender for my favourite story of the whole show. Moffat’s dialogue stands out compared to most other writers. These episodes are directed beautifully. They are scary, heartwarming and genuinely have a very compelling story. Harkness is also at his best here!

Boom Town (6/10) - This has stayed at 6/10. I nearly rated this higher until the very sudden resolution. This episode is what the series needed between two heavy double episode stories. It’s entertaining and helps brings some threads together for the finale. That’s all it needed to be and it succeeded.

Bad Wolf (9/10) / The Parting of the Ways (10/10) - The latter used to rate 9/10. This is truly the way to end a series. Bad Wolf is mostly setup but bloody good setup at that. The campiness is welcome in my eyes and Game Station is such a good setting. The dalek reveal is what takes this to the next level. Parting of the ways is much much better than I remember. The Harkness action with the daleks is seriously cool, Rose being sent back home is heartbreaking, and the doctor staying serious this whole episode is a great performance. The bad wolf thread is wrapped up perfectly and Ecclestons regeneration scene was one of the best. It’s a huge stakes story and it never loses that massive feel.

Ranking:

1. The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances (10/10)

2. Dalek (10/10)

3. Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways (9.5/10)

4. Father’s Day

5. The End of the World (8/10)

6. Rose (7/10)

7. The Unquiet Dead (7/10)

8. Aliens of London / World War Three (6.5/10)

9. The Long Game (6/10)

10. Boom Town (6/10)