Dream Casting Disney's 2019 Live-Action Lion King!!!

So first off, I would like to thank everyone for the incredible support to the last post I put up! I have honestly been doing this for coming up to 3 years, and still enjoy doing it, but haven't received much in way of feedback across that time. To have some of you guys respond, and tell me that you enjoyed it, was truly an amazing feeling and it's great to know that you are actually enjoying this, especially on a post I considered a little more risky than my usual content. Anyway, thank you so much for your continued support!

I don't think I've said it enough, but Disney are on a roll on all fronts right now. Their animated features are receiving critical acclaim across the board, with both Moana and Zootropolis last year garnering high praise, while their live-action efforts are also going down a treat with audiences. With that said, is it any surprise that a live-action Lion King is being fast-tracked, announced this week for a July 19th, 2019 release date! It's a great time to be a Disney fan for sure. We already have 2 cast members confirmed: Donald Glover for the adult Simba (which is phenomenal casting), and a returning James Earl Jones as Mufasa, which was music to the ears of all fans of the original version. So, I thought I'd take another risky post and take a stab at casting the main players of the new version of the movie. Since James Earl Jones is coming back, there may be a few familiar faces on the list as well. You might say that's cheating, but this is a wish list, and it would be incredible to see the few inclusions return for this version. With introductions out of the way, let's jump in!

Young Simba - Caleb McLaughlin

Now, here's a name that only really became known to the world last year after starring as one of the main kids, Lucas, in Netflix's excellent 80s-throwback show "Stranger Things". In that show, Caleb McLaughlin showcased himself as an extremely talented young actor, not coming across as annoying at any point across the eight episodes of season one of that show, and demonstrated his dramatic, comedic, and emotional capabilities all at once. If this isn't a perfect fit for the young Simba, then I don't know what is. Not only does his voice perfectly fit what you might imagine a young Donald Glover to sound like, but he also comes across as the sort of mischievous character who would have some playful banter with the King's aide and possibly sneak off to visit an Elephant Graveyard. With the comedic talents for this and the emotion for the events towards the end of the childhood section of the movie, if Disney are looking for a name to play young Simba, I would say this is a good place to start.

Young Nala - Auli'i Cravalho

Another young name from last year who had an impressive first impact on the film world, Auli'i Carvalho entered the spotlight after starring as the titular character in "Moana", one of Disney's hits from last year. Those credentials alone make her perfect to be the young Nala. Although she is a little bit older than Caleb McLaughlin, she is still a young actress and it wouldn't be hard to imagine that the two were close in age at least, particularly when we are only hearing their voices, not seeing their faces. One of the big advantages of this casting is Carvalho's beautiful and impressive singing voice. Although young Nala does not really show off throughout the movie, Disney will of course have to expand on the material and not giving her a chance to show off again (particularly after Moana) would be a massive missed opportunity. Not only that, but she has the comedic and dramatic timing to bounce perfectly off of a young Simba, and enough emotional resonance in her voice to allow the audience to establish a connection to the character when her best friend leaves without a goodbye, and Scar takes over the pride. Basically, Disney, this would be perfect casting.

Adult Nala - Lupita Nyong'o

Admittedly, this is a very popular piece of casting on many wish lists concerning this movie, although it is certainly for good reason! Beyoncé is one name who has been surrounding this part recently, and that probably would not end up being as painful a performance as some might predict (she genuinely wasn't terrible in Steve Martin "Pink Panther" movie), and she of course has the singing voice to carry the part. However, it still has an element of stunt casting about it, and Lupita Nyong'o is simply a far more impressive and exciting name to associate with Nala. Ever since her Oscar-winning turn in "12 Years A Slave", Nyong'o has went on to take on a number of memorable roles in a few big movies, from Maz Kanata in a little movie called "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and mother wolf Raksha in last year's excellent "The Jungle Book". Her voice certainly matches the part of Nala, and has an appropriate mix of hope, honour, and strength to carry the character in her adult years. She has also ready proven her ability to work with and break through CGI in "The Jungle Book", and the emotion that will hopefully match her first meeting with Simba in adulthood once again. The only question mark here that isn't with Beyoncé is her singing voice, but actors have been trained to be singers before, so why shouldn't that be the case here?

Ideal Scar - Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons returning as Scar is number 1 on my wish list for this movie as a whole. Irons brought such phenomenal menace but at the same time a charming humour to the villainous Scar the first time around, and still stands as one of Disney's best villains to date. Irons is still an incredible actor today, and continues to turn in show-stopping performances in a great deal of his movies. There is no doubt that he would be able to bring Scar to life again even 25 years after the original release of the animated movie. Also, come on, it would be spine-tingling to here him perform "Be Prepared" all these years later. With that said, although this is the ideal outcome for me, I do not think it is very likely. Although James Earl Jones is coming back as Mufasa, he ultimately is not in the film for very long and it could be that he is being cast for nostalgic purposes. Scar is a much larger part, and so Disney might want to separate themselves from the original as far as possible by casting new actors, which is why you can see my second pick for a new Scar here as well.

New Scar - Benedict Cumberbatch

This is hands down what I would consider the most predictable entry on this list. When people think of Scar, they think menacing, a strong dramatic voice, and British. Put those 3 together and look for a modern actor, and Benedict Cumberbatch is going to come out at the top of any list. And for good reason! Cumberbatch in my mind absolutely has the acting chops to match Irons' performance and reinvigorate the character of Scar. Although it would undoubtedly be compared to an unfair extent to the original version and be practically identical in a number of areas, that might not necessarily be a bad thing. Cumberbatch is a reliable performer, and has yet to turn in a truly terrible turn in any movie or TV show, so his casting as Scar would be an excellent (if perhaps overly safe) piece of casting on the part of Disney.

Zazu - Rowan Atkinson

There are certain roles that you just cannot replace. Although Jeremy Irons is perfect as Scar, there are other actors that can take up the mantle. Zazu is one role that cannot be replaced, and Rowan Atkinson absolutely must be brought back to reprise the part. I say this because, although I thought long and hard about it, I could not think of someone who could step into this part's shoes and fill the character with the same sass, attitude, humour and loyalty Atkinson brought to the part in the original version. So I cheated and just included him here. Sorry. Let's face it though, Rowan Atkinson's voice has not really aged much over the years, and he absolutely still has the acting ability to inject a live-action version of Zazu with the same energy and fun to the part in 2019, 25 years after he originally played the part.

Timone - Simon Pegg

Timone the meerkat is a difficult character to bring to life but, if I had to pick a modern comedic actor, then who better than Simon Pegg? Pegg is a recognisable household name these days, and has the witty, sarcastic tendencies that may make him perfect to tackle Timone. His humour and fun personality are of course the main selling points of this casting, not to mention that it would simply be really interesting to hear Simon Pegg's rendition of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" In all honesty, however, I do believe that he could pull off the song. As I've already noted, actors can be taught to sing, so why not Simon Pegg? Of course, the classic danger of this casting is that he will bring partner in crime Nick Frost along for the ride to take up the role of Puumba, which would be an instant negative. If Disney can avoid that scary possibility, then this casting would be much more attractive. (Just as a quick side note, I am predicting that this and Puumba below will be the most controversial castings here, but it's not like Disney are going to use my list for reference for their castings, so I don't think there's anything to worry about).

Puumba - Kevin James

Hang on, hang on, put your torches and pitchforks down and just hear me out for one second! Where do we mostly know Kevin James from? That's right, bad Adam Sandler movies, and that is the perception we all have of him when we hear the name! Outside of those movies, however, he's actually a great comic, and has put in some good, heartfelt performances in other movies. James certainly has the voice to bring Puumba to life and the...let's say, physical presence to pull off a motion capture performance for this particular character, should Disney be looking for a motion capture performance, which is likely after the success of Jungle Book. Puumba is one of the original's more underrated heartfelt heroes, and, if you move past the initial fat joke wall Adam Sandler has unfortunately built in front of him over the years, he might be perfect for brining the role into the modern era. Probably the least likely casting on this list, but a fun proposition all the same.

Rafiki - Idris Elba

This is the casting I struggled the most with, but I've ultimately settled on a rising star in terms of British actors right now. Idris Elba is beginning to be recognised worldwide, particularly for his roles in blockbusters like "The Jungle Book" and "Star Trek Beyond". He can give very soft, emotional and dramatic performances in addition to his villainous turns in those two movies, however, and I think that he will be able to channel that to reinvent Rafiki for this live-action take on The Lion King. Rafiki has always been portrayed as the eccentric mystic and wise man of the animals who use Pride Rock as their home, although he has usually been shown to be an older animal as well. Not only could Idris Elba's voice fit the character perfectly in the usual incarnation, but who's to say that director Jon Favreau wouldn't be willing to change the character slightly to make his voice even more fitting? Either way, with his soft delivery and emotional capacity, Elba would be a great, fun addition to the cast ranks.

Rafiki (Second Choice) - Forest Whitaker

That said, I had two thoughts for Rafiki, and this one is far more traditional. What if Disney want a wise, mentor character who can give character a distinct voice and personality? Then Disney might as well call up Forest Whitaker and offer his the part on the spot. As he has shown over the years, Whitaker is more than capable of imbuing a part with intense levity and gravitas, and will only be able to give every line real weight to it. As for his voice and mentor qualities, I refer you to his (small) role as Saw Gerrera in last year's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story". That role alone should serve as great experience for those personality traits. All in all, I would be happy to see either actor here cast as Rafiki. It all depends on whether Disney want a traditional version of their mystic mandrill, or are looking to take the character in a different direction this time around.

The Hyenas - Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Martin, and Jim Cummings

There's honestly not much to say here. These are iconic characters to many people who grew up with the original movie and all of the actors still have the talent to reprise their roles as the characters. It would be a dream to hear their voices again in these roles, but with a live-action setting. Make it happen Disney!

Sarabi - Viola Davis

This is the final entry on my list, and is all about Simba's mother. A small supporting character in the original movie, but a character who had their role significantly expanded in the musical, so it's absolutely possible that this is going to transfer into the live-action version as well, particularly if the runtime is going to have to be expanded to fill a full 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hour time slot. In saying that, Viola Davis is perfect in my mind to take up the role of Sarabi. Davis is able to deliver emotional and dramatic performances in whatever role she has taken on, but also has a tougher edge. In the musical, Sarabi leads the lionesses of the pride, and is crucial is standing up to Scar's tyrannical rule and helping Simba in his revolt against his uncle in the finale. All in all, she comes across as the perfect actress to significantly expand on what is little more than a bit part in the original, and give it the heart and soul of the hero's mother deserves.

My Top 20 Favourite Episodes of Doctor Who!!!

On Saturday night, Doctor Who returned to our TV screens with a great, solid start to the new series. While I won't be tackling each individual episode on here, I did get talking with some friends in some group chat about the episode, and one of them asked a question: what was each of our all-time favourite episodes of the show? Honestly, I answered with a top answer and runner-ups quite rashly, and don't think the answer I gave was particularly informed. Sure, I like the episodes, but were they the best? Not by a long shot, I decided, and so I decided to write this list. Shout out then to those friends (you know who you are), you inspired me to do this (and your suggestions might have reminded me of some episodes here and there). A few little things before kicking off. First off, besides one exception at the number two slot because I literally couldn't rank the two episodes because they were equally amazing to me, each episode here is being examined on it's own individual merit. Two or three-parters are not being grouped together generally, so an episode does not get disregarded because it's set-up or follow-up with disappointments. Second, this is MY OPINION. It feels pretty important to stress that here, if you don't like these episodes, or think others are better, that's fine. You enjoy those episodes, and chances are I'll enjoy them as well, I love this show. That said, I can't make a top 100. Honestly, a top 20 is pushing it. Alright, with that out of the way, let's jump in!

20. The Unicorn and the Wasp

What a place to start, a standalone murder mystery where the Doctor teams up with Agatha Christie to stop a shape-shifting giant wasp in the midst of the 1920s. Certainly a unique prospect, and one which is executed in an incredibly fun, but also tense way. This is an episode which knows how silly the idea is and embraces it wholeheartedly, poking jabs at the clichés of murder mysteries, as well as referencing Christie's own work. The chemistry between David Tennant and Catherine Tate is also on full show here, leading to some of the episode's funniest moments. That said, the mystery is also kept as the main focus, with clues being scattered throughout to let us figure out who did it, while also having a number of tense sequences, the dinner party and the climactic lake chase being only two examples. Overall, a crazy, but decidedly fun, adventure, especially in comparison to the dark tone other series tried to adopt where it didn't really pay off.

19. Mummy on the Orient Express

God, is this episode ridiculous. I mean, even considering the standards of this show in particular, this is a silly idea on paper. An ancient mummy comes to life on a cosmic version of the Orient Express, with the Doctor and Clara trying to bring the monster down before it kills again. A concept as stupid as they come right? It's a testament to the show then that this is actually transformed into an intriguing "who dunnit?" type mystery, with the revelation of the use of the mummy as a weapon, which in turn had a surprising but equally satisfying resolution. Not to mention the colourful cast of characters and the only-in-Doctor-Who type setting of a space train sets this episode far apart from anything we've seen before. All in all, a very enjoyable episode, if only for it's absolute insanity.

18. Smith and Jones

This episode is simple, and that is the beauty of it. A hospital gets transported to the moon, where the Doctor, posing as a patient, must team up a medical student to track down an alien that feasts on blood, all while avoiding space police who look like rhinos. Ok, it's not that simple, but it is definitely a great premise for an episode. "Smith and Jones" introduced Martha Jones, one of my favourite companions to have ever travelled with the Doctor. Funny, brave, and intelligent, she proved herself to be more than a match for David Tennant's returning Doctor, as fun a presence as ever, but now a more solemn one after losing Rose. What this episode is best known for, however, is the introduction of the Judoon, the fantastic space rhinos. These characters have went on to become a memorable part of the Tennant era, and I'm still holding out for their return at some point down the line. Cool aliens, a memorable chase and setting, and extremely funny dialogue, "Smith and Jones" marks itself as one of the great companion and series introductions in my mind.

17. Voyage of the Damned

The first of two Christmas specials to break this list (not that there's that many good ones in all honesty), "Voyage of the Damned" might not be the most obvious episode to include on here. Honestly though, it's hard for me to think of anything this episode really gets wrong. The characters and acting in the episode are all on point, even Kylie Minogue's seeming stunt casting. The location of the episode is again really fun, and the Christmas setting is put to good use, not only in the form of a brief trip to Earth, but also to create a truly intimidating physical foe in the form of the Heavenly Hosts. The writing is both dramatic and extremely funny, and the visuals are also great. What's not to love? Not to mention that it includes this truly epic moment:

The Tenth Doctor is as great at giving speeches as Matt Smith; here is the proof.

16. The Power of Three

I bet you forgot this episode existed. The fourth episode in series 7, this was billed as the episode where the Doctor came to stay with Amy and Rory while becoming frustrated at the slow invasion of mysterious tiny black cubes which appeared overnight across Earth. The cubes are not why I love this episode, however, nor is the mystery, the aliens, or the return of UNIT, but rather the Doctor, and the exploration of his relationship with Amy and Rory, particularly as they consider leaving the TARDIS behind. The Doctor's confession of his fear of losing people, hence his continuous running to things before they "flare and fade forever", partnered with his talk with Rory's father about losing companions, enhances the emotional follow-up of the departure of the characters from the show, and proves how far they have come. That and this episode is genuinely very, very, funny. The Doctor going keepy-uppies in the back garden and playing tennis on the Wii? It's definitely worth a watch.

15. The Empty Child

Well, this episode is terrifying. "The Empty Child" is the only episode from the brief Christopher Ecclestone era, but it has had a lasting place on many "Top X Scariest Monsters Lists", and for good reason. Not only is the World War II setting a general nightmare scenario, particularly during the Blitz, but the Empty Child themselves is a truly terrifying force, particularly when we see how other's react to it and when we don't know a lot about it in this first part. How could things get worse? How about throwing some gas mask zombies into the mix, that's sure to add to the nightmare fuel. The episode is also known for the first appearance of Captain Jack Harkness, a fan favourite character who even eventually went into his own spin-off. However, it is the horror of the episode, and how iconic it has remained since 2005, 12 years later, that really earns it's place on this list for me.

14. Listen

The second Capaldi era episode to make an appearance on this list is also one of the scariest on it. Steven Moffat excels at taking primal and natural human fears, and turning them against the audience (another example is coming up later, and it's an episode you might already have guessed). The concept of there always being something behind you, something that makes the hairs on your neck stand up is simply ingenious, and stands as one of the great unknown mysteries of Doctor Who to date. What was under the bedsheets in the orphanage? What was banging on the walls of a space module in the dead of night, at the end of everything? The episode is kept fantastically ambiguous, so we'll (hopefully) never know for sure. This also stands as one of the great Clara episodes. Like a few of my friends, Clara is probably my favourite companion to have travelled with the Doctor since Chris Ec's time in the TARDIS (honestly, between her and Martha), and this is an episode where Jenna Coleman really shines. Her relationship with the Doctor feels genuine, heart-felt, and truly builds her connection to this new version of the character. A fantastic character episode, with some genuine scares, "Listen" is classic Doctor Who.

13. The Stolen Earth

The ultimate cliffhanger took place in this episode, the moment where the Doctor was killed by a Dalek and began to regenerate in the TARDIS, with absolutely no warning having been given tot he public beforehand. Had the BBC down the unthinkable, and actually cast a Doctor behind all of our backs, to make a sudden debut in the finale? Although it was soon to be undone in "Journey's End", it was an excruciating wait to see what the outcome would be. It achieved everything a cliffhanger should. Not only this, but everything else about the episode works well together. It brings together all of the Tenth Doctor's companions in a satisfying way, largely separating them from the Doctor and forcing them all together on their own. The return of Davros and the Daleks truly set the stakes for the epic finale to the series, forcing the Doctor and his "Children of Time" up against a full-fledged Dalek Empire at the height of its power. It was the perfect set-up to a finale, and is a great story for the Doctor, his companions, and the Daleks.

12. Flesh and Stone

The Weeping Angels. Has there ever been a scarier creation in the history of Doctor Who? Yes, they have become slightly less serious as they went on (I mean, come on, the Statute of Liberty? Really?), but at the beginning they were straight-up terrifying. The second story they featured in with Matt Smith's Doctor kept them as horrifying as their first appearance. "Flesh and Stone" is the second part of that story, and moves the action of the previous episode to a forest in the heart of a spaceship. This is a fantastic setting to explore the Angels, with so many blind angles and sides allowing the Angels to move virtually as they wish, forcing the Doctor, River and Amy to run from an army. The sequence of Amy moving through the forest with her eyes closed as well while being pursued by a slower band of Angels is also an extremely tense scene. We as an audience are truly kept on edge for the entirety of the episode, and it makes up for the slight lack of humour throughout the episode. All in all, a tense and extremely enjoyable episode.

11. Silence in the Library

Another terrifying concept I actually link back to a fear of the dark I had for a while as a kid. The library is a brilliantly scary setting for the episodes right off the bat. In addition to that, the slow reveal of the Vashta Nerada and the murderous shadows is brilliantly tense, as the Doctor slowly comes to a terrifying realisation of what is stalking them through the bookshelves of the library, even admitting that all they can do is run. It truly sets the stakes for the episode when the Doctor admits that all they can do is make their way to the TARDIS and run for their lives. The episode also introduced us to River Song for the first time, and addresses the really interesting question of when time travellers meet. Alex Kingston brings a great deal of emotion to this first outing as River, particularly in the moments where she realises that the Doctor has no idea who she is, a heartbreaking moment considering who she is later revealed to be to him. That said, the episode also has a strange amount of humour to it, which works considerably well, especially given the tense and horrifying nature of the rest of the episode. One of the show's scariest episodes for me and a truly memorable one-off monster, "Silence in the Library" remains one of the only episodes that still chills me watching it.

10. The Sound of Drums

John Simm as the Master is simply casting genius and this episode proves it. Rather than an over-the-top or hilarious insane performance it would have been so easy to resort to, Simm gives a restrained but equally unnerving performance throughout the entirety of the episode, all building from his early murder of the Cabinet to his takeover of Earth with the Toclafane spheres at the end, removing the Doctor's ability to regenerate in the process, killing Jack (temporarily of course), and sending Martha on the run. The Doctor and his companions have never been in a worse place in the penultimate episodes of a series, with no TARDIS, forced underground, and with the Master taking things to a personal level by arresting Martha's family during his reign as Prime Minister. Seeing the Doctor in a weak and broken position with no real power over his enemy is a tragic sight, but works as a way to cement the Master as his greatest foe for a new era. Even when the Doctor thinks he has an advantage, the Master appears 10 steps ahead. Why is this episode here and not the finale? The answer is simple: it is incredible for the entire duration and lacks the confusing logic and plot holes of that finale.

09. A Good Man Goes to War

This episode is so high on the list because it takes the time to explore the impact of the Doctor on the people of the universe. How would others view someone who came to their planets and has even killed some of their people in some circumstances, when they viewed what they were doing as fair and just? They would view him as a terrifying warrior, a one-man army, and that side of the Doctor is what the writers take the opportunity to show us in this episode. After taking over an entire military base in a few minutes and calling in favours from all over space and time, we are introduced to this concept of the Doctor and it is difficult to not view the character in a different light after seeing him as a military commander, despite Matt Smith's usual snarky comments and quirks. Moreover, the episode climaxes in a great action sequence for Doctor Who, pitting a number of the Doctor's comrades against the fearsome Headless Monks, and the reveal of River Song's true identity as Amy and Rory's daughter (Melody Pond, get it?). It was an episode which had big implications for the rest of the series to come, but one which also stands as a strong outing for the show in it's own right.

08. The Waters of Mars

Another episode which has went down as one of the scariest across all 9 series since the show's revival, "The Waters of Mars" takes a seemingly generic setting for the genre - a base on Mars - and makes extremely effective use of it. The whole episode has an extremely claustrophobic feel to it, both in terms of the small spaces the crew are confined to while facing off against an all but unstoppable virus, as well as time closing in on those characters and the Doctor, with the latter knowing they are doomed to die on Mars on that particular day in that moment. Exploring the Doctor and his dynamic with Captain Adelaide (played perfectly by Lindsay Duncan), Russell T. Davies delves into one of the most complex questions for a time travel show: what if something which impacted the future so much was altered? This is one of the only times the Doctor breaks one of his rules, and he pays the ultimate price for it. A deep and meaningful exploration of time, paired with a terrifying threat and great characters. "The Waters of Mars" is Doctor Who at it's finest.

07. The Girl in the Fireplace

This episode is just straight up fun. A perfect blend of sci-fi and historical drama, the episode sees the Doctor, Rose and Mickey (another fan favourite) land on a stranded spaceship in the far future on the other side of the universe, but with a number of time windows all over the ship leading to eighteenth-century France and the live of Madame de Pompadour, who is being hunted down by some fashionable clockwork droids. The droids themselves were a fantastic adversary for the show, especially when their true purpose is revealed, and the mix of the two, distinct settings, a futuristic space station and the palace of Versailles, works surprisingly well. This is another episode where the writers explore the Doctor's impact on people (you're probably beginning to notice a recurring theme with these episodes), and his relationship with Reinette is one of the most believable pairings in the show, helped in no small part by David Tennant and Sophia Myle's phenomenal chemistry. This is a very funny episode (shout out to Arthur the horse), and everything absolutely bonkers about it is precisely why I love it so much. Only in Doctor Who could you see this.

06. The Satan Pit

The episodes which I rashly said were my favourite episodes to my friends on Saturday night were "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit", and I decided that the latter part of the episode should make the list. While the first part is more about setting up the danger and establishing the characters (as is required), the second part brilliantly divides between Rose and the crew's battle with the famous Ood (remember the horrifying chase through the ventilation tunnels, with how fast the Ood could move unlike other monsters in the show), and between the Doctor's confrontation with the Beast, or Satan, or the Devil, or whatever you want to call it. The Beast remains for me one of the great one-off Doctor Who villains, with the monster having both the physical intimidation factor, and the intelligence to match the Doctor. The moment where the Beast challenges the Doctor's views on religion through the video surveillance footage in particular stands in my mind as a high point, and is one of the main reasons I chose this episode. In short, a smart, great story that deserves such as high place on the list for me.

05. The Day of the Doctor

Honestly, I don't think that they could have pulled off a 50th anniversary special for Doctor Who any better than they did with this episode. Bringing Matt Smith and David Tennant together, alongside John Hurt's brand new version of the Doctor from during the Time Lord, as well as Jenna Coleman's Clara and Billie Piper looking like Rose but actually a Time Lord weapon called the Moment, the special stands as a fitting tribute to the show. The Doctors all have fantastic chemistry together, coming into conflicting but equally have a great number of fun moments together. Who could forget the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors walking into a room together, working and moving in complete unison? The episode is jam packed on action, humour, and emotion, bringing together 50 years of the show's history. Finishing off with a moment bringing all of the Doctors together, including first glimpse at Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, as well as an incredible Tom Baker cameo, "The Day of the Doctor" embodies everything great about this show for me.

04. The Eleventh Hour

Like everyone going into this episode, I had my doubts about Matt Smith as the Doctor. All I knew him from was one of those anti-bullying videos they had shown us in school. Not really Doctor potential. However, he had firmly shown me his capabilities by the end of the episode. This was clearly a very different Doctor to who we had seen before, and worked as an accessible, fun version of the character to introduce a whole new legion of fans to the show. Not only that, but we were introduced to Karen Gillan's Amy Pond, who we are ingeniously introduced to as a child before flashing forward with the Doctor to her as an adult. In doing this, we know this new companion on a very personal level immediately, having seen how the Doctor impacted her life from a young age. Amy was a great addition to the show, and this stands for me as the best companion introduction for the show (although Clara is still my favourite overall). Throw in the intimidating Prisoner Zero as a villain, the incredible rooftop "I'm The Doctor" moment, and you get my favourite episode across all of Matt Smith's time as the Doctor.

03. Heaven Sent

I never thought I would rank a Peter Capaldi episode higher than any episode of the Matt Smith era. However, with that said, and all things considered, no episode Matt Smith was in compares to the penultimate episode of the ninth series of the show. Practically a one-man episode for Peter Capaldi, the actor gives a powerhouse performance as the Doctor, spending the majority of the episode on his own. It is an emotional, and equally angry, performance that is truly a reference point for people who abandoned the show after watching one episode of Capaldi's early days. However, the point that cements this episode into greatness is the final 10 minutes, which sees the Doctor repeating the same painful sequence of events, for what we later learn is over 2 billion years, to escape this prison. Paired with Murray Gold's incredible score, the finale sequence of the episode is one of the best moments Steven Moffat has ever written for Doctor Who. When I first watched this scene, I dare say I didn't want to blink. 

02. The End of Time

Have you guessed yet that David Tennant is my favourite incarnation of the Doctor? Although an unpopular opinion in a few groups chats I'm a part of, I still hold that Tennant brought a humour, quirkiness, and hero type element to the role that has been unmatched by his predecessors. However, the true defining factor of the Tenth Doctor's era is what truly separates him from other Doctors, especially Matt Smith: tragedy. This Doctor revealed the true nature of the Time War to us, lost nearly all of his companions, and these episodes were a truly fitting send-off. Following an incredible confrontation with John Simm's iconic Master and the Time Lords, the Tennant era closed off with the Doctor visiting his friends, once described to him by Sarah-Jane as "the biggest family on Earth". After seeing everyone he has helped and impacted, the Doctor stumbles through the snow and regenerates in the TARDIS...alone. His loneliness is the true symbol of the tragedy of the Time Lord. No matter how many people he has travelled with and became friends with, in the end, he outlives and loses them all. Paired with David Tennant's tear-inducing performance, this episode is one of my favourite Doctor Who memories, and undoubtedly one of the most powerful in the show's history.

01. Blink

I thought long and hard about this. Went through every series episode listing, where each and every episode might rank. I thought about a few episodes which could take number 1. But at the end of the day, what else was going to be here? "Blink", a Doctor Who episode with far less Doctor than a normal episode. That fact contributes so much to enhancing the fear for the first appearance of the Weeping Angels, undoubtedly the scariest monster created in the history of the show since it's revival. This monster preys on a primal fear in us all, that things move behind us, move when we aren't looking, and then strike. It is a magnificent episode, spectacularly led and acted by human characters, and it stands hands down as not only my favourite, but rightly also as one of the most universally adored episodes in the history of this show.