"The Name of the Doctor"

There is sometimes a great danger in teasing the audience too much. The revelations promised usually turn out to be disappointing. However, as this episode shows early on, the words in a question can have more than one meaning, which means that the actual answer could be something completely unexpected. No episode of Doctor Who has left me slack-jawed more often than "The Name of the Doctor", an episode that arguably does more to intelligently redefine our view of the Doctor than any other story produced in colour.

In a very bold move for the 50th anniversary year, the main action takes place on Trenzalore, a world revealed to be the last resting place of the Doctor. Death is a major theme in this episode - of the regulars and semi-regulars, it is only Madam Vastra who has not died and been resurrected. Indeed, the River Song we see is the Data Ghost from the library. Moffat is confident enough to allude to the Doctor’s travels finally coming to an end and, as usual, his inventiveness suffuses the entire script, from the conference call on the astral plane, to the true nature of what is within a Time Lord’s grave. Instead of the body, we have a swirling vortex of light that is a gateway to every moment of the Doctor's life. There have been intimations of the Doctor erasing himself from history and, it turns out, this is for a good reason – if one has the information, one can find the path the Doctor takes from birth to death and, as we find out, the Great Intelligence is information. Richard E Grant is back in fine fettle as an enemy thwarted, but determined to utterly destroy his enemy in death, for the Doctor will now die at every point in his existence – unless someone can save him. The true nature of the Impossible Girl has finally been unveiled and, as many suspected, Clara has been Scarothed throughout the Doctor’s existence. Although I still believe that the season could have been improved considerably by fleshing out Clara’s character a bit more, Jenna-Louise Coleman has been a delight throughout and it is testament to her skill that her sacrifice is as poignant as it is – however it would have worked far better had the audience been as emotionally invested in her as they had with Rose or Amy.

Saul Metzstein again puts in great work behind the camera and there is inspired work from the production team, from the Great Intelligence tearing off Dr Simeon's face to the sepulchral vistas of Trenzalore. Perhaps the Whisper Men could have been a bit more different to the Trickster from The Sarah Jane Adventures, but this is a small nitpick. Metzstein makes sure that the story is full of scenes and images that will stick in our minds and this is key to the success of the story.

The title of the story suggests that we are going to get to know something huge about the Doctor's past and, indeed, the story begins with the first ever scene in Doctor Who set before "An Unearthly Child", followed by re-jigged footage of the first seven Doctors interacting with Clara. As for the current incarnation, our leading man has never been better – in tears as he girds his loins to go to Trenzalore, being hoodwinked into playing blind-man's buff by Angie and Artie whilst they sneak off to the cinema and showing the deep love he has for River, a love which is perhaps not best expressed when the other party is a mental projection that only he can see. The title of the story is one that makes the audience think they want a sound or a collection of letters or symbols. However, this would ultimately be as inconsequential as the words Giovanni Battista Fidanza or Phillip Pirrip – we would still call them Nostromo and Pip and that is what they would always be. The Doctor may not be the name he was born with, but it is who he is and it is what he does – except once. There have been eleven Doctors, but the body which the Eleventh Doctor inhabits is his twelfth. Once, the Doctor did something so horrific that his subsequent avatars denied that incarnation the right to call himself 'Doctor' - and this is what the Doctor and Clara find at the centre of the path of the Doctor's life. Even before he turns around, one of the most recognisable voices in the world indicates that one of the finest actors in the world will play a character that redefines what we know about our hero. We will find out more in November, but what we are left with is an almost unbearably heady, yet utterly intoxicating brew that will be talked about for years.

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"The Bells of Saint John"

"The Bells of Saint John" is a strangely old-fashioned story – an odd thing to say about something which is just as energetic as we have come to expect from 21st Century Doctor Who. However, it feels more like a RTD era story than any other since Moffat took the reins. Nevertheless, it still has the unmistakeable mark of Moffat to it, especially in the way it keeps its various narrative plates spinning and things like the random diversion to the Cumbrian monastery in 1207 (not the best time for monks or legendary outlaws). The foe in the WiFi is, fittingly, something that seems both very Moffat and very RTD, but the concepts are still sound (Moffat is inspired again by his superlative short story "Corner of the Eye") but, despite the seriousness of the threat, one thing that becomes obvious is how much the Doctor is in control at all times, never being outmanoeuvred for long – no sooner is a petard deployed than the Doctor ensures that the foe is hoisted by it. However, Moffat is far too good a writer to become repetitive and just when it becomes a bit too obvious that the story was written by a man in his fifties (not even 'not knowing about the internet' would preclude any 24 year-old making a joke about Twitter) such things as Clara’s use of the webcam and the Doctor’s use of his Spoonhead feel joyous, rather than stale

A probable reason for Moffat giving the Doctor such an apparent easy ride is the fact that, despite this being her third appearance, we still know less about Clara than we did about Rose, Martha, Donna and Amy after their first episodes. This is obviously deliberate and, with all the plates that Moffat has to spin, there has to be a sedate core for the character to even start to settle in the viewer’s mind. This is, of course, assisted by Jenna-Louise Colman’s performance and Matt Smith’s wonderful chemistry with her and Clara certainly feels like a character, rather than a plot device with a pretty face, which is the important thing. Colm McCarthy helms a very confident production, equally adept at the comedy, the menace of the Spoonheads and the awesome sight of the Doctor racing vertically up the Shard. and a fine supporting cast. Celia Imrie never fails to be excellent in whatever role she is in and the brash confidence of Miss Kizlet is well played, which makes the performance of the final moments of the character all the more jarringly effective. The main villain is revealed to be the Great Intelligence which, apart from meaning the very welcome return of Richard E Grant, hopefully bodes well for the return of its more corporeal and fuzzy embodiment.

I have to say that this is probably my least favourite season opener of the Matt Smith era – the fact that we still don’t know much about Clara at the end (deliberately) makes this story a bit harder to love than the others. However, I have absolutely adored the others, so that is no real insult. In any case, "The Bells of Saint John" is still a hugely enjoyable 45 minutes of a programme that is entering its 50th year with panache.

NEXT: "The Rings of Akhaten"

"The Snowmen"

Those expecting a Steven Moffat take on It's a Wonderful Life or The Box of Delights were to be disappointed, as Doctor Who’s 2012 Christmas special is not a reinterpretation of a well-known Christmas story but, instead, weaves a tale set in that most Christmassy of Yuletides, the Victorian Christmas. This is probably because, for the first time, Moffat has more to do than to tell a tale of seasonal peril. He has to introduce the replacement for the longest running companion since the programme returned.

If there is a theme to the story, it is that of elective loneliness. The Doctor is in shock after losing Amy and Rory, so he has retired to his castle on a cloud. Captain Latimer loves his children, but cannot connect with them. And, of course, the entire crisis begins with a small boy who refuses to make friends. When the title of the episode was announced, as well as possibly paying homage to Channel 4's most beloved Christmas tradition, long-time fans of the programme spotted a similarity with a previous story which, as it turned out is no coincidence- amongst its other aims, this story could also be called "Genesis of the Great Intelligence". The development of the menace itself is, perhaps, the weakest aspect of the script Although the progression of the crisis does make sense, it is somewhat workmanlike (in that respect, very much like the Yeti stories!) and, it has to be said, that Dr Simeon is not given as much richness in the script as he should do and it is testament to the considerable skills of the would-be/sort-of-was Ninth Doctor, Richard E Grant that he makes as much of an impression as he does.

However, as with The Abominable Snowmen and The Web of Fear, there is so much more to enjoy in the story. The dialogue is as tart as ever- the ‘answers of one word’ sequence has one expecting a standard writing exercise and becomes so much more and, of course, the comedy sequence are as funny as ever We also have the welcome return of Madame Vastra and Jenny, with the much-appreciated resurrection of Strax the Sontaran. Tom Ward gives a very convincing performance as Captain Latimer, and we have none other than Sir Ian McKellen lending his inimitable baritone as the voice of the Great Intelligence. However, the heart of the story is the Doctor meeting his new companion for, as it turns out, the second time. Jenna-Louise Colman continues to captivate and has no problem in filling Karen Gillan’s shoes. The Doctor’s reluctance to help and to reach out, with his joy in finding a new friend is effortlessly conveyed by Matt Smith.

Saul Metzstein directs a sumptuous production, which, whilst it doesn't match the extravagant visuals of the past two Christmases, is seasonally cinematic, nonetheless, with such breathtaking images such as the stairway to the clouds ('taller on the inside'). The Snowmen are genuinely memorable creations which will no doubt influence winter playtimes for years to come. A minor flaw in the production is that the masks for Madame Vastra and Strax could do with refurbishment and a fresh light test, but it hardly matters.

"The Snowmen" ends with the mystery of who Clara Oswin Oswald really is- did she go the way of Scaroth in the Time Vortex? Perhaps the fact that the Great Intelligence only ‘rings a bell’ with the Doctor is relevant- is it just one thousand years of memories, or have memories been stolen? Again, Easter can’t come too quickly...

NEXT: "The Bells of Saint John"

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The Web of Fear

After the refreshing break of The Enemy of the World, it’s back to the monster story, with the Yeti returning after a gap of a whole two stories. There is one thing, however, that makes The Web of Fear stand out from the ‘monstrous’ fifth season of Doctor Who- it’s brilliant.

The script is packed with great dialogue and memorable characters and, very importantly, does not feel padded. Again, Haisman and Lincoln know the value of an arresting image- the TARDIS being covered in the web, the pulsating fungus, the contained explosions. The only surviving episode is wonderfully atmospheric, excellently directed by Douglas Camfield and boasting some very effective lighting, which adds a sense of claustrophobia and spookiness. There are moments of real horror- the body of the old man covered in the web is still a great shock today and there is great tension in the scenes where the Doctor is hiding from the Yeti. The body count is huge, with wholesale massacres taking place (these are not done justice by the soundtrack or telesnaps, making the loss of this story all the more tragic). The telesnaps indicate that this quality is maintained throughout. The set design is exemplary and it is not surprising that London Underground thought that the programme had secretly filmed at Covent Garden.

Jack Watling’s performance as the older Professor Travers is completely convincing. The age make-up is basic, but Watling’s performance sells it. Anne Packer is memorable as his take-no-nonsense daughter. There are also some memorable minor characters. Chorley, the journalist, is brilliantly odious, recording the dying screams of a soldier, but not having the courage when faced with the menace itself. There’s the cowardly Welsh driver Evans, who remains likeable (although he is saddled with a few too many ‘boyos’). If there’s one flaw in the story, it’s the character of Julius Silverstein, a disturbingly caricatured Jew (‘You vant to rrrob me!’) that is almost as embarrassing as Toberman in The Tomb of the Cybermen.

Troughton and Hines are brilliant, as ever -I especially enjoyed the interplay between the Doctor and Travers- and Deborah Watling puts in an extra special performance- like in The Evil of the Daleks, she is surrounded by death in a hopeless situation. There is also the appearance of a Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart. The Brigadier (as he was to become) is such an integral part of Doctor Who, that it’s easy to ignore the fact that we are led to mistrust him in this story. He appears mysteriously and he could be the traitor who is controlled by the intelligence. Nicholas Courtney brings the character to life instantly- a no-nonsense soldier who is not devoid of humour and intelligence.

The Web of Fear is, perhaps, the archetypal Doctor Who story. It is a real shame that most of it is lost.

NEXT: Fury From the Deep

The Abominable Snowmen

The Abominable Snowmen, like The Tomb of the Cybermen, takes an old legend and breathes new life into it. Unlike The Tomb of the Cybermen, it does not strangle it halfway through. This is mainly due to the fact that Haisman and Lincoln are far better writers than Pedler and Davis and realised that they were writing for people with attention spans longer than a few seconds and that they come up with some truly intriguing concepts.

This is the first time that Doctor Who presented a super-intelligent incorporeal entity that wished to be incarnated, and the fact that it was contacted when a Tibetan lama was meditating is inspired. The use of robot Yeti is the icing on the cake. This is backed up by some memorable imagery- the pyramid of spheres, the manoeuvring of Yeti figures over the map. The surviving episode shows that the monastery set is very well designed and lit and there is good location filming in Snowdonia

The main fault with the story is one common to the era- it is too long. A four-part Abominable Snowmen would have been a true Troughton classic, but the padding is very obvious. It takes a whole episode for the sphere to reach the deactivated Yeti, and the rest of the episode has nothing in it that couldn’t have been cut out or placed elsewhere. This is another story where white actors play Asian ones but, despite the taped back eyes and a ridiculous moustache on Khrisong, this is done sensitively. There are some bizarre hats on show, but it appears that the Doctor has lost his fetish for headgear.

The supporting cast is excellent, particularly Wolfe Morris as Padmasambhava. The character is at first realised through voice alone- one voice, that of Padmasambhava, is benevolent and calm. The other, that of the Great Intelligence is harsh and rasping. As the story goes on, the fact that Padmasambhava is a man aged beyond the limits of humanity and is hopelessly awaiting a death that may never come becomes very obvious. This is a very thoughtful way of treating alien possession, and is put across brilliantly. Mention must also be made of Jack Watling’s excellent portrayal of Travers, a character that could easily have slipped into the staid eccentric explorer cliché.

The regulars are also on excellent form. Troughton and Hines’s fantastic rapport makes any scenes between them sparkle and Victoria is a lively enthusiastic presence, staying just the right side of being annoying. The direction, ‘cinematography’ and design create a great atmosphere. Although this is not the great classic of repute, it is highly enjoyable.

NEXT: The Ice Warriors