Top Five Stories: The Sixth Doctor

I’ll be upfront:  Six is my least favorite Doctor.  No doubt about it.  Sure, a lot of it is down to “The Twin Dilemma” – regeneration crisis or not, you really shouldn’t try to strangle your companion unless you’ve literally been possessed – but even apart from that, I’ve never fully warmed up to him.  Throw in a short tenure on the show, and coming up with a top five gets a bit tough.  Here’s what I came up with.

 

“The Two Doctors” (Series 22, Episodes 7-9)

 

This one’s a no-brainer.  The return of Two and Jamie is everything I wanted it to be; it’s like they never left, and the first time I saw this serial, I wore a dopey grin the entire time they were onscreen.  Their presence softens the Six-Peri dynamic and, weirdly-tall Sontarans aside, the man-eating-aliens-in-Seville plot is amusing and fun.

 

“The Mark of the Rani” (Series 22, Episodes 5-6)

 

This story introduced a great villain in the Rani – compared to the Master’s outright evilness, I like her cold, sterile disregard for humans as collateral damage, and land mines that turn people into trees is just pure Who.  The Victorian setting is used to good effect, and the Rani has dinosaurs in jars on her TARDIS.  Made.  Of.  WIN!

“Attack of the Cybermen” (Series 22, Episodes 1-2)

 

Okay, so here’s where the “stretching to get to five” part comes in.  It’s a fine enough Cyberman story, nothing special, but all right.  What I really love about this one, though, is the temporary “fix” to the TARDIS’s chameleon circuit.  Watching her become increasingly-conspicuous objects is a riot.  See, that’s why you don’t mess with the police box – it’s a classic for a reason.

 

“Vengeance on Varos” (Series 22, Episodes 3-4)

 

This is a pretty great story.  Sil is an entertaining and disgusting baddie (that laugh, oh my goodness,) and the storyline is like a dry run for The Hunger Games, only with political dissidents instead of teenagers.  Creative and cool, with likeable supporting characters – yes, please!

“Revelation of the Daleks” (Series 22, Episodes 12-13)

 

Daleks are always good for a little excitement, and they’re up to some particularly nasty stuff in this serial.  Plus, bonus nefarious Davros!  (Is there any other kind?)