Popular Posts

Thursday 31 December 2015

Doctor Who Series 9 Episodes Ranked Worst To First [1]

Series 9 of Doctor Who recently finished with the Christmas special, The Husbands of River Song. Very similar to my first post, I will be ranking the episodes of Series 9 worst to first, however this time I will be including the Christmas special. So, without any further ado, here goes:

13. The Husbands of River Song

The Husbands of River Song is a very strange episode of Doctor Who. Following the Doctor and River running from a headless robot through space, the episode was very strange and very original. Completely different in tone to the previous Christmas special, Last Christmas, this episode was full of jokes and fun. Many people hated it, thinking that it was too light-hearted and story was appalling, but I thought that, as it is the first jokey episode of Doctor Who since The Girl Who Died, this made for an excellent piece of comedy.

The ending of the episode was the part of it that reached the most success. With the Doctor taking River Song to the Singing Towers of Garillium for their last dinner together, the Doctor ended up crying because he knew what was in store for River Song next: her death. (I will probably be doing a post about River Song's complete timeline now that her story is complete).

This episode was overall a very well-done masterpiece, with a lot of humour and jokes. And, with the ending being so heartbreaking, this episode will go down as one of the best Christmas specials of Doctor Who yet.

Score: 8.5/10

12. Sleep No More
 
Sleep No More was the 10th and worst episode of Series 9. This is because the story was a bit dull in places and had quite an unsatisfying ending. However, except for these few flaws, this episode was brilliant.

Full of outrageous action, brilliant effects and creepy monsters that are grounded into realism, this episode is the only episode of New Who so far which has been entirely told as a Found-Footage. The way the cameras are used are brilliant, and when an explanation for the camera's existence is given, it is both extremely smart and very confusing.

The final scene with the scientist telling the story turning out to be one of the nefarious Sandmen is by far the best scene in the whole episode. Giving us a very creepy view of what life would be like if the Sandmen ruled the earth, also seemingly setting up the return of the Sandmen.

The episode was a very creepy and very good one, but was the worst of the series, mainly because it didn't seem to fit into the series as a whole. However, except for that, this episode was very, very good.

Score: 9/10

11. Before the Flood

Before the Flood, the 4th episode of the series is also one of the worst. However, it is not bad. It is a brilliantly-told story, let down only by the effects and the main villain having next-to-nothing to do for the whole episode.

The last episode left off with the Doctor's ghost revealing itself to Clara and her friends. The Doctor and his friends had gone back in time to solve the mystery of why the ghosts existed and who was creating them in the first place. The episode used the idea of having one time zone affect another brilliantly, having the ghosts of people who died in the past appearing in the future. The episode also focused a lot more on the Doctor, as he tried to come to terms with the fact that he had to die to save his friends in the past.

The way the episode was done was also brilliant, especially the scene where one of the ghosts is dragging an axe along the floor behind his to-be victim who is deaf. The effects are widely varying, as the ghosts completely authentic and creepy, while the Fisher King being pushed away by the flood does not.

Overall, this episode is let down by the SFX and its villain the Fisher King. However, except for that, this episode is really a massive achievement by the BBC.

Score: 9/10

10. The Woman Who Lived

A very strange episode of Doctor Who, The Woman Who Lived is an episode of Doctor Who with very little action and a lot of talking. Written by Torchwood writer Catherine Tregenna, this episode was accepted by many as brilliant and by others as absolute rubbish. I am one of the former. I believe that this episode puts across very well the torment that Ashildr, or Lady Me as she calls herself in this episode, feels. This episode puts a lot of pain and realism into immortal life.

The story of the Lion King Leandro is not a good one, and is one of the worst monster stories of all time for Doctor Who. However, that can be put aside for the brilliance the rest of the episode shows, e.g. the interaction between the Doctor and Lady Me.

I highly recommend the book The Legends of Ashildr, a short story collection about Ashildr's long life. It really shows the pain of Ashildr's life, and makes this episode feel a lot more real and personal.

This episode is a brilliant one and really gives a sense of adventure and excitement, while also making for a sad and personal episode.

Score: 9/10


That's all from me now, but Part 2 will be up tomorrow and part 3 on 2nd January 2016. Thank you for reading and have a happy new year.

Wednesday 9 December 2015

Everything We Know About Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is already one of the most successful films of all time and it hasn’t even been released yet. It is probably the most hyped and anticipated film of all time, with over 16,500 people voting for it as Most Anticipated Film of 2015 on Movie Insider. So on this article, I will be detailing everything we know about Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
There have been many trailers for it, which tell us a lot. Firstly, we know that there will be a new villain called Kylo Ren. He will be the leader of the First Order, a small group that have come together after the fall of the Empire. These Stormtroopers look very different, their helmets are a much more prominent style, with features standing out a lot. Their commander, Captain Phasma, is another newly designed Stormtrooper, who looks very cool. His almost completely black suit looks like he will be a very important Stormtrooper, within the ranks of General Rex or Commander Cody.

At the end of the second trailer we see the reintroduction of Han Solo and Chewbacca, which made quite a few Star Wars fans weep. These two characters can be seen in later trailers to be very important characters in the film, unlike the likes of Princess Leia or Luke Skywalker.

Now, it seems that they have been absent from the Rebel Alliance (but now they’re not really Rebels, so I don’t know what they are called), so does this mean there was some terrible ordeal that they had to go through and were believed dead or maybe they were sent on a very important mission on some sort of barren planet that they had got stuck on for decades.

BB-8 is a new droid who seems to be taking the place of R2-D2 in this film. A very strange little droid, it seems to be some kind of Astromech droid with a very peculiar way of travelling. Along with BB-8, we also have the introduction of the three new, main, heroes: Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Rey is a girl from a desert planet called Jakku, who lives in a ship graveyard. Then we have Finn, who seems to be a rogue Stormtrooper, trying to find his way in life. According to the trailers, Finn is the Jedi of this film, wielding a blue lightsaber. Finally is Poe Dameron. From almost every single shot we have seen him in, Poe is next to an X-Wing wearing the costume of an X-Wing Pilot. This implies that Poe will be playing this film’s version of Wedge Antilles.
  

So, overall this film is ultimately going to be a massive success, but the question we’re asking is…will it deserve it. Hopefully the answer is yes. 

Thursday 26 November 2015

Captain America: Civil War Trailer Breakdown

I know I said that my next post would be a Flash: Gorilla Warfare review, but, because of the release of the Captain America: Civil War trailer, I am deciding to to do a breakdown of that trailer. But, if you wanted to read my Flash review, don't worry because I will still publish it, just a bit later in the week (Friday-Saturday).

Before I start, the a link to the trailer is right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43NWzay3W4s

Captain America: Civil War

The trailer started with Captain America and Falcon confronting Bucky Barnes, who, in the previous Captain America film, played brainwashed villain the Winter Soldier. Bucky seems to remember who Captain America is now, and seems to know everything about him. Captain America then warns Bucky that people are coming to capture him...and are not intending to bring him alive.

This then ensues into a battle with the local SWAT team, where Cap and Falcon attack the soldiers while Bucky escapes.

This action sequence starts the trailer off brilliantly, and confirms that the action we will get will be awesome. And then, as usual, we have slow music to continue the trailer.



The next scene we see a helicopter flying over the ocean with a SHIELD logo on its side. This helicopter probably contains General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, one of the main antagonists of the Incredible Hulk.

We then see him in the next shot in some kind of militaristic facility, perhaps the Avengers tower, which then leads into him giving some sort of pep talk to Captain America, with Black Widow also present in the room.

Thunderbolt was talking to Cap about the difference between a hero and a vigilante, and how some people are starting to see him as the latter.



Another thing we see a quick glimpse of is a book called the Sovokia Accords. Sovokia is the fictional country in which the final battle happened between the Avengers and Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron. It is also the birthplace of Scarlet Witch, who I will be talking about later.

It seems Bucky also seems to have returned to America, as he rides a motorcycle down a busy road. While this is happening, Black Widow is talking to the Captain, trying to convince him not to continue protecting Bucky. The Captain takes this as a threat, which is probably the start of him going rogue.



We subsequently see many trained soldiers pointing their weapons at Captain America and then the first appearance of Iron Man in this trailer. He is definitely wearing a new suit (Mk. 50? 60?) and, when taking the helmet off, seems to have a black eye. Does this imply that he and the Cap have already had a fight, or maybe he has fought Bucky?

Then we see a shot of Captain America's suit being taken away, along with the Falcon's. This is probably the main reason that the two heroes aren't in costume when confronting Bucky at the beginning of the trailer.

We then see Bucky getting a gun, in what looks like a new version of the Winter Soldier suit, and Captain America standing next to him, both of them looking ready for war. The shot also seems to foreshadow what I think will happen, which is that Bucky will be the new Captain America following this film.


Then we get to the action. First is Falcon jumping off a building and engaging his wings. Then Captain America is being shot at by a helicopter. Black Widow now talks about how they both know that there is going to be a war.

There is a team shot featuring Iron Man and War Machine (Iron Man's surprisingly small team) and then another team shot of Captain America's team, consisting of Captain America, Bucky, Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch.

Then Bucky seems to be desperately running away from Iron Man, who seems to be shooting at him. A clear shot is then seen of Black Panther, who looks absolutely astounding. His sleek black suit and silver, metal spikes make it seem very olde-worlde and very, very cool. 

This is our first, proper look at the hero, and he looks epic. Then another shot of the Cap's team running into action. Now we see something that I was very surprised at...Black Panther fighting Bucky. I very much expected Black Panther to be on Cap's side, as he is in the comics.

Then we see Black Widow fighting soldiers (S.H.I.E.L.D) which is another surprising shot...is Black Widow against the agency that employed her?

Then we have a chase between Captain America, Black Panther and Bucky.



Then we have a montage of the fallen. War Machine is seen unconscious on the ground. He may even be dead. Then Bucky looking like he's regretting everything and finally, a fight scene between Iron Man, Captain America and Bucky.

From this trailer, the film looks excellent and the next trailer will hopefully be even better. If you would like me do a post on a) a theory post on what will happen or b) Who is Black Panther? then leave it in the comments below.

Thank you for reading and I will see you next time for my Gorilla Warfare review.

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Doctor Who Heaven Sent Trailer #2 Breakdown

On the same day that Face the Raven, we got two new trailers for the next episode: Heaven Sent. I am going to be looking at the second trailer, because it has more detail and has more things to look at.

If you would like to see this trailer before I start, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qph1iXXocPQ

1. The Monster

The monster in this episode looks extremely creepy, like something straight from a 15-rated horror movie. 
This creature is probably going to be called the Veil, a creature we know will be in an episode. As the Doctor describes it, the monster seems to be following him, hunting him. It is slow, but it never stops. In the trailer, the Doctor seems to be almost afraid of it...and the Doctor's not supposed to be afraid of anything. This creature must be powerful, and also very creepy, if the Doctor is going to be scared of it himself.

In the next time trailer, the Doctor seems to think he knows this creature, that its someone he's met before, Now, we haven't met any creature like this before in Doctor Who, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be someone the Doctor knows but we don't. 

The Doctor also seems to think this monster played some part in the death of Clara, which he will be coming back to constantly in the next two episodes.

2. The Location

This location seems to be some sort of remote prison island in the middle of a vast sea. It seems to be an ever-moving structure which is trying to scare the Doctor to death...maybe even literally. On one of the shots you can see the structure is moving like a rubik's cube, and in another there is a painting of Clara. It's as if the island itself is trying to torture the Doctor mentally. And in one shot we also see the Doctor bruised and wounded, as if he's dying. This could mean it's also torturing him mentally.


3. The Doctor

This episode will obviously focus solely on the Doctor, as he (and the Veil) is the only character in this episode. It seems he will have to go through both mental and physical hell, and will have to solve countless puzzles to be able to escape from this monstrous structure.
The Doctor is also going to be very angry and regretful about Clara's death and the events of the previous episode, and he will probably channel this anger into his plans of escape. 

As I mentioned earlier, the Doctor seems to be scared of this creature, which means it must be either very powerful or very, very frightening.

4. The Action

The first trailer, the next time trailer, makes the episode seem quite calm and quietly creepy, instead of full of action. However, the second trailer makes the episode look very action-packed and will thrust the Doctor into action.

It seems that the Doctor will be pulling off a large number of stunts, such as jumping off a building and punching a large, crystallized wall. The Doctor also seems to be digging some kind of grave or hole, maybe to trap the monster in (but probably not).





So that's the trailer breakdown for Heaven Sent. My next post, which will be on Thursday, is going to be a review on the tonight's episode of Flash: Gorilla Warfare.


Monday 23 November 2015

Top 5 Doctor Who Episodes

Hi guys. Today I'm going to be revealing my top 5 episodes of Doctor Who. These only include episodes of New Who (2005-) and will also only include full-length episodes. I know I promised to post blogs more often, and this will be the first of many. So, without further ado, here are my top 10 Doctor Who episodes.


#5-The Pandorica Opens

The Pandorica Opens is amazing for one reason...it has everything in it. Romans, Stonehenge, River Song, Cybermen heads with killer tentacles, Daleks, creepy houses, a prison for the doctor...it just has everything.

The episode's pre-credits sequence is brilliant, when a Van Gogh painting of the TARDIS exploding is sent from Van Gogh to Churchill, then to Liz 10, then to River Song and finally to the Doctor himself, in Roman England. The story is just a rollercoaster from there, featuring the Doctor finding the legendary Pandorica under Stonehenge, the Romans turning out to be Autons, Amy killed by her plastic boyfriend and much more.

This episode is filled with suspense, but also witha couple of jokes, and the occasional tear-jerking. The four different cliffhangers all clash brilliantly. A brilliant finale, the only thing that could've made this episode better is for more of the Alliance to be seen, and for them to be seen more extensively.

Score-9.5/10

#4-The Stolen Earth  

The Stolen Earth is the penultimate episode of Series 4 and, just like the Pandorica Opens, features everything. But this time, it's returning heroes...not villains.

Chronicling the Daleks' attack on Earth, the episode saw the return of many of the Doctor's trusted companions, including Rose (Billie Piper), Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman), Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke), Jackie Tyler (Camille Coduri), Wilfred Mott (Bernard Cribbins) and many others. It also saw the return of Classic Who villain Davros, and the iconic Davros.

This episode is one of the best Doctor Who episodes because it focuses a lot more on the companions than the Doctor fighting the monsters. An episode filled with suspense, it ends with a brilliant and chilling cliffhanger...the Doctor regenerating.

Score-9.5/10

#3-The Waters of Mars

The Waters of Mars is the 3rd of the five specials of Series 4. This episode is one of the scariest episodes of New Who, and makes the viewer temporarily scared of water itself.

The episode also sees the Doctor go completely omnipotent and breaks the rules of time, changing a fixed point. The Flood are one of the creepiest monsters ever to exist in Doctor Who and make this episode even more of a rollercoaster.

Overall, this episode (written by Phil Ford (Into the Dalek) and Russell T Davies (The Stolen Earth) is a brilliant addition to the Doctor Who mythos, and is truly the beginning of the end for David Tennant.

Score-9.5/10

#2-Last Christmas

Last Christmas is the 2014 Christmas Special, and sees the Doctor and Clara face Dream Crabs, creatures that eat your face while you are in a  perpetual dream. The episode introduces another one of the creepiest Doctor Who monsters (Dream Crabs) and also introduces Doctor Who's version of Santa, played by Nick Frost.

The episode also introduces us to Shona, a Russian girl who is very feisty and makes for a very funny character. She has been suggested to be the new companion numerously over the internet, and now with Clara gone, it is possible she may step in.

Score09.5/10

Honourable Mentions

Before I unveil my top pick, here are some honorable mentions.

  • Blink-The creepiest episode of Doctor Who ever and one of the best. (2007)
  • Human Nature/The Family of Blood-A brilliant episode which makes the Doctor much more humane. (2007)
  • The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion-A classic piece about a rogue group of Zygons attacking the Earth. (2015)
  • Dark Water/Death in Heaven-A dark and gritty two-parter introducing the female Master-Missy. (2014)
  • Under the Lake-A fantastic ghost story set underwater. A true piece of Sci-Fi Horror. (2015)


#1-Face the Raven

Face the Raven was the most recent episode of Doctor Who broadcast...and the best. Starting with your average Doctor Who plot of a mysterious tattoo on the back of Rigsy's neck...which turned out to be a countdown to his death. However, as the tale continued it featured some twists...such as Clara taking the tattoo from Rigsy and the return of Ishildr (a.k.a Lady Me). 

Up until then, the episode was still a brilliant one, but not the best. However the last scene, when Clara learnt that taking the tattoo from Rigsy was fatal, made it so good. Clara saying goodbye, and the Doctor swearing he would take his revenge on Me if she didn't do anything made it even better.

But the package was properly complete when Clara stepped outside the house she was inside and faced the Raven. And then...she was dead. The shocking end made for a brilliant episode, and by far the best ending for a companion.

Score-9.5/10

Thank you for reading. My next post will be a trailer breakdown on the second trailer for the next Doctor Who episode: Heaven Sent.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Blog Update

In this post, I will be telling you about my Blog Update.

I haven't been posting much recently, but I will start doing one every week soon. This is something that I am very excited about doing and I hope you are too. My posts will be focusing on things such as Doctor Who, Star Wars, James Bond, Minecraft and Lego Dimensions.


I'm also hoping to start my YouTube channel up soon, which will be called GeekHideout, and also a collaborative channel with two youtubers: Zeqt & Henry's Media Mix (who also has a really good blog). I'm really looking forward to doing these and I hope you will enjoy them too.

Friday 6 November 2015

Doctor Who Series 9: What is the Sisterhood of Karn?

Hello. My name is GeekHideout and this is my third blog. After the premier episode of Doctor Who Series 9, The Magician's Apprentice, was broadcast, many people were asking who are the Sisterhood of Karn? I am publishing this blog to answer that question.


The Sisterhood of Karn first appeared in 1976, in a 4th Doctor story named "The Brain of Morbius". The story, inspired my Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, saw the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith materialise on a planet called Karn, which the Doctor has been taken to by the Time Lords.We then find out that a group of mystical women called "The Sisterhood of Karn". The Doctor and Sarah are kidnapped by them, and then learn of the Elixir of Life.

Sisterhood of Karn Essential Knowledge:
1. Elixir of Life: The Elixir of Life is fuelled by the mystical sacred flame. It is vital to the Sisterhood, as it gives them an extended lifespan. It was produced from underground springs, which came from a massive cave where the rocks were full of strange minerals and jewels.


The Sisterhood of Karn did not appear again, and were thought to be completely forgotten with the cancellation of Doctor Who in 1989. However, when Doctor Who returned in 2005 there was hope for their return, and then they did: in Big Finish's Vengeance of Morbius.

An audio adventure starring Paul McGann as the Doctor and Sheridan Smith as companion Lucie Miller, it saw the return of rogue Time Lord Morbius as he tried to take over the universe. The story was also an opportunity to bring back fan-favourites the Sisterhood of Karn. There were only two members seen, or rather heard, in the storyline, but it was nonetheless successful enough to warrant their return in the 50th Anniversary short: The Night of the Doctor.


The Night of the Doctor was a 50th Anniversary short explaining the origin of the War Doctor, and also detailed the final Eighth Doctor adventure. It was a critical success, especially because of the return of the Sisterhood of Karn. They resurrected the Doctor after he died in a crash, and gave him a choice. A choice about what his next regeneration would be. He chose a warrior.


Their role in The Magician's Apprentice was short but important, as they managed to give the Doctor Davros's message without giving him up.

There are rumours of their return, but, except for that, there is no inclination that the Sisterhood of Karn will be seen again. But, as they have made a big impact in Doctor Who, they will almost definitely return again,




Sunday 13 September 2015

My Top 5 TV Shows

Hello. My name is GeekHideout and welcome to my second blog where I will be explaining by Top 5 TV Shows and why.

5. The Big Bang Theory (2007-)

The Big Bang Theory is at fifth place for its sheer existence. Running since 2007, this series is a hilarious comedy about science geeks noticing, for the first time, women. It is a brilliant series, and makes you laugh out loud on an average of once per minute. 

The series isn't just good for its comedy. It also features some great characterization, especially for Leonard, Penny and, in later series, Howard. This series also features strangely gripping cliffhangers, such as the death of Howard's mother and Leonard popping the question to Penny. Overall, this series is probably the best comedy series ever made.

4. Agent Carter (2015-)

Agent Carter, a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) original series, is a brilliant addition to Marvel's run of films and TV. A sequel of sorts to 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, the series has run for one season and 8 episodes so far. The series is brilliant, with some brilliant villains, stories and characters.

The series also expands on a time not well documented in the comics, the time after World War II, but before the 1960s. Hayley Atwell dominates all her scenes, with James D'Arcy also becoming one of the best MCU characters. Overall, this series is one of the best creations by Marvel Studios.

3. Primeval (2007-2011)/Primeval: New World (2012-2013)


Primeval is one of the best TV series ever made. A series about dinosaurs rampaging around in present day, the series features some brilliant characters, stories and arcs. Its first three series were massively successful, the third series reaching to levels of brilliance never seen before. However, its fourth and fifth series let it down, leading it to its cancellation and selling to CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). However, this move led to an even better series: Primeval: New World.

Primeval: New World is a brilliant series featuring some amazing CGI, even better characterization and an overall gripping arc. However, it was watched by such a small amount of people that the series was cancelled after one season. Overall, however, almost all the seasons of this brilliant series are absolutely stunning.

2. The Flash (2014-)

The Flash has run for one season so far, and that season was amazing. The series has been an absolute joy to watch, and has flown over the head of my (reasonably low) expectations for the series. Having a rocky start, the series then picked up with the seventh episode, and part 2 of the series saw some of the best things on TV...ever.

The season is confirmed for a Season 2, starting in just a few weeks, which will continue directly from the first season's cliffhanger. Hopefully, the next season will be just as good as its predecessor. Overall, this series is a massive success in my books, and is much better than its sister series: Arrow.

Honorable Mentions

Before I unveil my top picks, here are some honorable mentions:

  • Friends-a hilarious, laugh-out loud comedy series about the everyday lives of a group of friends. (1994-2004)
  • The Sarah Jane Adventures-a kids' show, spun-off from Doctor Who and nearly as good. (2007-2011)
  • Arrow-a series based on DC Superhero Green Arrow.(2012-)
  • Death in Paradise-A hilarious comedy about an English detective forced to work in the Caribbean. (2011-)
  • Merlin-A massively successful series about a young Merlin working out who he is. (2008-2012)
  • Young Justice-A brilliant, animated adaption of the Young Justice comics. (2010-)
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars-The series that saved the Prequel trilogy (2008-2014)
  • Sherlock-The brilliant series based on the books. (2010-)

1. Doctor Who (1963-)
Doctor Who is by far the best TV series ever made. Having run for over 50 years, this series has been consistently brilliant, and is probably the most imaginative thing ever made. Its idea of regeneration, a ship that can travel in time and space, and a hero with two hearts, this series is the one of the biggest English icons.

The series has also created some of the scariest and best monsters ever, including Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, Weeping Angels, Silence and countless others. The series also has some of the best actors ever: David Tennant, Peter Capaldi, Jenna-Louise Coleman, Michelle Gomez, Alex Kingston; and some of the best writers: Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Russell T Davies, Jamie Mathieson. 


Sunday 6 September 2015

Doctor Who Season 8 Episodes Ranked Worst to Best

Hello, and welcome to my blog. This first post will detail all 12 episodes of Doctor Who Series 8 (not including Last Christmas) from worst to best.

SPOILERS AHEAD!

#12-In the Forest of the Night
In the Forest of the Night was the 10th episode of the series. It had a strange plot, as the Doctor landed on Earth only to find it was covered in a massive forest. He teams up with Clara, Danny Pink and a little girl called Maebh to stop the supposedly evil trees, but find out that the trees are actually good guys, saving the earth from a giant solar flare.

This episode is a particularly poor piece of work, as it features some of the worst villains ever: Trees and Fireflies. I really hope no episodes like this manage to squirm their way into Season 9.
In the Forest of the Night (TV story)
Rating: 4.5

#11-Robot of Sherwood

Robot of Sherwood was the 3rd episode of the series. It saw the Doctor and Clara travel to Nottingham 1190 and meet the legendary Robin Hood and his Merry Men. They are forced to face Robots and the Sheriff of Nottingham, and the overarching plot of Season 8, of Heaven and Missy, is also continued in brave fashion.

The episode is good, but would've fit better in a Matt Smith or David Tennant episode than with Peter Capaldi,
12 and Robin
Rating: 6.5

#10-Into the Dalek
Into the Dalek was the second episode of Series 8. It featured a plot based on the classic sci-fi film Fantastic Voyage where scientists shrink themselves and then go inside a human body. However this time, the Doctor, Clara and a small taskforce must go inside a Dalek to cure the dying creature, which strangely declares that it must slaughter its own kind: Daleks.

This episode was originally pitched as a video game to Steven Moffat, but he decided to use it as a story idea and gave it to writer Phil Ford (The Waters of Mars, Dreamland) to make something out of. The episode was brilliant in some places, such as the hatred speech, the sacrifice and the antibodies, but not-so-brilliant in other places such as the Dalek fight at the end and the memory scene, both of which were not done nearly as well as they could've been.
Shrunken Twelve at eye level with Rusty
Rating: 7.5

#9-Kill the Moon

Kill the Moon was the 7th episode of Series 8, and one of the worst. This episode has sparked a lot of debate among fans; some have loved it, some of hated it. For me, it is middling. Featuring a strange plot about the moon being an egg containing a space-dragon-thing, and giant alien spiders being the egg's bacteria, the episode also saw schoolgirl Courtney come along for the ride, like Angie and Artie in Nightmare in Silver.

The episode was a critical success, but for me it went far below expectations. I thought the graphics were good and the acting was superb, but apart from that everything felt a little underdone. The episode could've been a lot better and a lot more freaky.

Rating: 7.5

#8-Time Heist

Time Heist is the 5th episode of Series 8. It sees the Doctor, Clara, a cyborg called Psi and a shapeshifter called Saibra unknowingly agree to rob the most secure bank in the universe. With a telepathic creature called the Teller hunting them through the deepest vaults of Bank Karabraxos, a creature that can read your thoughts and suck your brains out through your skull.

The episode, written by Steve Thompson (Curse of the Black Spot, Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS), felt a lot more like a classic Doctor Who episode than New Who, and the story would've also been better as a two-parter. Except for these complaints, however, this episode was mainly good, and is definitely Steve Thompson's best episode of Doctor Who.
The Teller TH
Rating: 7.5

#7-Mummy on the Orient Express

Mummy on the Orient Express is the eight episode of Series 8. It sees the Doctor and Clara land on the Orient Express, a train flying in space, but find out that the passengers are being plagued by a mummy-like creature called the Foretold, which targets people and then gives them 66 seconds to live.

The episode is a brilliant one, and features some really creepy ideas. It also connects to another Doctor Who episode, The Big Bang, as the Doctor answers the call for help he got then. The episode could've been better, with Clara playing a bigger part, and us learning more of the Foretold. But except for these minor errors, this episode was a success.
The Doctor Foretold
Rating: 8

#6-The Caretaker

The Caretaker is the sixth episode of Series 8, following the events of Time Heist. It sees the Doctor go undercover as a caretaker at Coal Hill School, where Clara works. It also documents the first meeting between the Doctor and Danny Pink, and an old school robot creature called the Skovox Blitzer trying to destroy the world to get back to its own.

The Caretaker is a brilliant episode of Doctor, as it is moving, hilarious and has one of the best monsters of the season. Also, the chemistry between the Doctor and Danny Pink is comedy gold, and, finally it features schoolgirl Courtney in a big role, who would return for an outer-space adventure in Kill the Moon.
TwelvePinkOswaldTARDIS
Rating-8

#5-Flatline

Flatline is the ninth episode of Series 8, following Mummy in the Orient Express. The episode saw the Doctor get stuck in a shrunken-down TARDIS. Clara then teams up with a graffiti artist called Rigsy and a crew of construction workers to face 2D creatures known only as "The Boneless".

One of the scariest episodes of the season, it is also one of the best. This is probably due to Jamie Mathieson writing it, also the writer of previous episode Mummy on the Orient Express. Hopefully, Mathieson's Season 9 episode, The Girl Who Died, will be equally as good, if not even better.
Clara holds the TARDIS
Rating: 8.5

#4-Deep Breath

Deep Breath is the first episode of Series 8, and one of the best. It features Peter Capaldi in his first, full-length episode of Doctor Who (having first appeared in 2013's Day of the Doctor) and also features the return of the Patternoster Gang (Madame Vastra, Jenny, Strax).

The episode was a critical success, and is far the best debut episode for a Doctor. Written by head writer Steven Moffat (The Eleventh Hour, The Impossible Astronaut, The Day of the Doctor), this episode began the best series of Doctor Who so far in spectacular fashion.
Deep Breath story image
Rating: 8.5

#3-Listen

Listen is the fourth episode of Series 8. Written by Steven Moffat (Blink, Silence in the Library, A Good Man Goes to War), this episode is about the Doctor answering the question "Are we ever alone?"

The episode is brilliant, as it features young Rupert Pink, who would later, in his adult life, become Danny, and also sees Clara forced to hide under the bed of a young boy...who turns out to be the Doctor. The episode if full of inspirational storytelling, and can be defined as one of the best Doctor Who episodes of the era.
ClaraHoldsLeg
Rating: 9

#2-Dark Water

Dark Water is the penultimate episode of the series, and the penultimate episode on this list. The episode saw Danny Pink die, the Doctor and Clara travel to a place called Heaven, the Cybermen return, and Missy reveals herself as the Mistress: "Well, I couldn't keep calling myself the Master, now, could I?"

This episode was a critical success, and is almost definitely in my top 10 Doctor Who episodes. The big reveal and cliffhanger scene were amazing, and the character of Seb was just hilarious. I really hope to see some episodes as good as this in Season 9, as that would make the series an instant success.
Dark Water story image
Rating: 9

#1-Death in Heaven

And taking top spot is the finale of the series, Death in Heaven. A 60-minute long episode, this episode is the best episode of the series. Carrying on from the gripping cliffhanger of the previous episode, the episode saw the dead rise from their graves as Cybermen, the Doctor become world leader and the return of Kate Stewart, Osgood and the entirety of UNIT. The episode was touching, moving, scary, dark and, most of all, action-packed.

The episode was a brilliant addition to the series, and a fitting end for both the series and Danny Pink.
Death in Heaven story












Rating-9