Favourite Eleventh Doctor stories from Doctor Who

[vivdunstan]

As I'm currently working my way through rewatching Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor stories, I thought I might afterwards those post about my favourites from his era. And since before him I rewatched the Eleventh Doctor I might as well do the same now for Matt Smith's era! Hopefully Jodie Whittaker's era will follow in due course.

So, Eleventh Doctor. I really like his old man in a young body characterisation. And he's very well performed. Fortunately also paired with strong companions throughout, and generally good writing.

In chronological order, here are some thoughts on some of my favourite stories from his era:

• The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone. The first time we see River with this incarnation, and the return of iconic monsters the Weeping Angels. This is a tight puzzle box of a two parter, with much to enjoy, and also mysteries only to be uncovered later on. It's also one of Amy's best stories. And remarkably, it was the very first story Matt Smith and Karen Gillan filmed.
• Vincent and the Doctor. I've studied art history at university. But am often rather immune to its qualities. I also don't resonate much with Van Gogh's work, Starry Night excepted. But this is a beautiful story of a troubled artist, briefly enlivened by a visit from the Doctor and Amy. And the visual effects as they look up at the night sky is quite magical.
• The Girl Who Waited. An acting tour de force from Karen Gillan, playing two versions of Amy, and a beautiful tale of love, longing, and survival. It's really special.
• Asylum of the Daleks. On the one hand this is a difficult watch, with the fractured relationship of Amy and Rory viscerally depicted. But it's also a thrilling piece of scifi. And seeing the surprise first appearance of Jenna Coleman's Clara was a jaw dropping moment.
• The Angels Take Manhattan. I like historical Who, and this is a powerful mix of 1930s New York, Weeping Angels, River, and Amy and Rory, in a story that will linger long in the mind. The music is also stunning.
• The Snowmen. A call back - or forward? - to another Doctor Who tale, this is a Christmassy gem, and another introduction for Clara. The story wanders a bit in the third quarter, but overall is a strong one for me. A mix of festive fun and moving pathos.

There are other Eleventh Doctor stories that I enjoyed, but these are my absolute highlights. I tried to trim it down to just five for this list. But honestly I can't cut any of them.