alee_grrl | (Reply)

From:

I'm going to quote liberally from my friend

moragmacpherson who originally got me hooked on New Who:

ARGHLBARGL... okie dokie, I'm going to restrict myself to since the 2005 revival on the basis of most of the online fandom is based on that anyway and that at least eliminates **26 seasons** from the running, leaving me with only 73 episodes to choose from, and this still feels like cutting a baby in half. And I'm not bothering with Torchwood, because even if I did, the best TW couldn't crack the top fifteen.

1. Blink (3.10) - an episode with only about three minutes of the actual Doctor (Ten) in it, but perhaps among the most perfect 45 minutes of television ever produced in any country or decade. Also important because it shows how the Doctor can change your life without you ever meeting him.
2&3. Human Nature/The Family of Blood (3.8 & 3.9) - Two-parter - The Doctor (Ten) and his love-hate relationship with himself and humanity.
4&5. The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (1.9 & 1.10) - Two-parter - The Doctor (Nine) and Rose meet Jack Harkness; on some days: everyone lives.

I really wanted to put up one with Eleven in it, but seeing as of the five I recommended, three are penned by current show-runner Stephen Moffat, I can't say that I've slighted him. If you do want to check out Eleven, either "The Lodger" or "Vampires of Venice" would stand alone okay.

The email I'm quoting from was written two years ago, but I think the advice is still exceedingly sound.