11 Of Matt Smith's Best 'Doctor Who' Episodes To Look Back On After The Regeneration Special

The Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith, standing in front of the TARDIS

Image Source: WalesOnline

In 2023, Doctor Who will be celebrating its 60th anniversary. The British science fiction franchise has seen numerous actors portray the Doctor over the decades, with the most recent being Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. While each incarnation of the Doctor is unique in their own way and played by skilled actors, Matt Smith’s portrayal is remembered due to his being the youngest actor to play the Time Lord. 

Since then, Matt Smith’s career continued to grow with roles in movies such as Morbius as well as television series like House of the Dragon as Daemon Targaryen. In this list, we list eleven of the best Eleventh Doctor episodes.

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11. “The Time Of The Doctor”

“The Time of the Doctor” marks the end of Matt Smith’s time as the Eleventh Doctor and the debut of the Twelfth Doctor portrayed by Peter Capaldi. This episode wraps up story threads from the Eleventh Doctor’s tenure and provides the much-loved Doctor a sweet melancholic end (especially with the surprise appearance of companion Amy Pond).

10. “The Girl Who Waited”

Scene from "The Girl Who Waited"

Image Source: Doctor Who World

The Girl Who Waited” features an older Amy Pond and reinforces the notion that two people from different points in time cannot be allowed to exist in the same time stream. This emotional episode reinforces Amy and Rory’s love as well as Amy’s relationship with the Doctor as the girl who waited.

9. “The Pandorica Opens”

“The Pandorica Opens” is the first part of a two-episode series finale that features River Song and a multitude of the Doctor's past foes. This episode also features one of the most memorable Doctor speeches where he reminds the orbiting aliens of exactly who he is.

8. “The Angels Take Manhattan”

The Weeping Angels reaching for Amy and Rory as the Eleventh Doctor cover one of his eyes

Image Source: IGN

In this episode, the Weeping Angels make a return to the series as Rory and then Amy are transported to New York in 1938. “The Angels Take Manhattan” is the heartbreaking farewell to the Eleventh Doctor’s two companions with its bittersweet ending.

7. “Amy's Choice”

“Amy’s Choice” features Captain America: The Winter Soldier actor Toby Jones as the enigmatic Dream Lord. As the Doctor and his companions try to discern dreams from reality, the Doctor realizes that the Dream Lord is another darker manifestation of himself. 

6. “A Good Man Goes To War”

In this episode, the Eleventh Doctor and Rory plan to rescue Amy, who has just given birth to a baby girl. “A Good Man Goes to War” is also notable for its revelation of the shocking true identity of River Song.

5. “The Day Of The Doctor”

The 50th-anniversary special features a crossover between not only the Eleventh and Tenth Doctors but also showcased John Hurt as the War Doctor. “The Day of the Doctor” also brings back Tom Baker, who previously played the Fourth Doctor, as the Curator. Peter Capaldi also cameos as the Twelfth Doctor featuring his prominent “attack eyebrows.”

4. “The Impossible Astronaut”

Scene from "The Impossible Astronaut"

Image Source: Who Back When

The Impossible Astronaut” showcases the debut of the Silence and the return of River Song. This episode is also notable for being the first Doctor Who story where principal photography was shot in the United States, mainly in Utah.

3. “The Eleventh Hour”

Matt Smith’s debut marks the second era of the Doctor Who revival after Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor and David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. A strong debut for the new Doctor, “The Eleventh Hour” establishes the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond. It also boosted the acting careers of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan.

2. “The Doctor's Wife”

Scene from "The Doctor's Wife"

Image Source: RadioTimes.com

In this episode written by Neil Gaiman, the Doctor meets the TARDIS in the form of a human woman named Idris. “The Doctor’s Wife” reinforces the Doctor’s relationship with his longest companion, so to speak, and also gives fans a better sense of how “big” the phrase “bigger on the inside” really means. 

1. Vincent and the Doctor

In this episode, the Doctor and Amy Pond visit one of history’s most famous artists after seeing a strange figure in one of Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings. “Vincent and the Doctor” features one of Doctor Who’s most touching scenes when Van Gogh is taken to an exhibit of his art and sees that he has become one of the most important artists in history.

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