Steven Moffat has written more episodes of modern Doctor Who than any other writer, and some of his stories are among the most popular of all time. Here’s a quick guide to all of Steven Moffat’s adventures in time and space…
The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances (2005)
Travel back to 2005 for a two-part adventure that will leave the question “are you my mummy?” ringing in your ears for all time. This creepy World War Two story guest starred Richard Wilson and introduced John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness.
The Girl in the Fireplace (2006)
This was the first of Steven Moffat’s ‘timey wimey’ adventures, which turned out to be as much a love story as it was science fiction. ‘The Girl in the Fireplace’ also introduced the clockwork androids, who wouldn’t be seen again until ‘Deep Breath’ in seven years’ time.
Blink (2007)
Steven Moffat agreed to write ‘Blink’ partly because of the challenge it presented. He had to pen a Doctor-lite adventure without making it boring, and it’s fair to say that he surpassed all expectations. ‘Blink’ went on to be one of the most popular and ground-breaking Doctor Who episodes of all time, and saw the debut of the infamous Weeping Angels.
Silence in the Library / The Forest of the Dead (2008)
Spoilers, sweetie. We won’t say too much about his fascinating adventure, although you may be wondering who turned out the lights and who on earth the mysterious River Song is. Watch this in a double bill with 2015’s ‘The Husbands of River Song,’ which was also penned by Steven Moffat.
The Eleventh Hour (2010)
This was the Eleventh Doctor’s debut story and, potentially, one of the most important Doctor Who adventures of all time. It was certainly one of the most scrutinised, and was partly responsible for Doctor Who‘s success in the United States.
The Beast Below (2010)
All aboard Starship UK! ‘The Beast Below’ might not be considered one of Steven Moffat’s greatest stories, but there is much to enjoy, with a host of creepy ‘monsters’ and an intriguing twist at the end.
The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone (2010)
Finally – the return of the Weeping Angels, and River Song to boot. This adventure does what it says on the tin, and not in a boring way. It gained infamy among Doctor Who fans for the ‘Norton-gate‘ incident which ruined the cliffhanger to ‘The Time of Angels.’ Thankfully, it was omitted from the DVD release!
The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang (2010)
You will need to concentrate for this one! River Song returns, and fezzes are cool. And watch out for stone Daleks. This two-part adventure from Steven Moffat wrapped up Series Five, and the writer’s first season as showrunner.
A Christmas Carol (2010)
You may be wondering why Steven Moffat purloined the title from a popular Charles Dickens novel, and it will make sense when you watch it. This was Steven Moffat’s very first Doctor Who Christmas special and contained all of the festive ingredients one might expect, as well as flying fish and sleigh-pulling sharks…
The Impossible Astronaut / The Day of the Moon (2011)
Space, 1969. This two-part story launched Doctor Who Series Six, but in truth it felt more like a season finale, with a shocking opening and a series of head-scratching, timey wimey developments which deepened the mystery surrounding the enigmatic River Song. It also featured some stunning location filming State-side in Monument Valley.
A Good Man Goes to War (2011)
For Series Six, Steven Moffat decided to split the season in half, so ‘A Good Man Goes to War’ represented a sort of mid-series finale which finally revealed the true identity of River Song, and gave an intriguing insight into what happens if you spend your wedding night on board the TARDIS…
Let’s Kill Hitler (2011)
‘Let’s Kill Hitler’ launched the second half of Series Six and, if you’d never seen the show before, it may have been a somewhat confusing introduction. As the title suggests, the episode did indeed feature the Nazi leader, although this adventure focussed mainly on River Song and her relationship with the Doctor and his companions.
The Wedding of River Song (2011)
‘The Wedding of River Song’ was the final part of Doctor Who Series Six and was sensory thrill-ride which was told in Steven Moffat’s characteristically timey wimey style. It was notable for including a nod to the passing of the great Nicholas Courtney, who played Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart in the classic series.
The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (2011)
Doctor Who, Narnia style! For the 2011 Christmas special, Steven Moffat drew inspiration from C.S. Lewis’ famous book series. If you’ve ever seen ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,’ then you will see its footprints firmly planted in this Doctor Who story. Also, listen out for an unexpected ‘Caves of Androzani‘ reference…
Asylum of the Daleks (2012)
Daleks, pleading for help from the Doctor? Well, this is new. The first episode from Series Seven promised to include “every Dalek ever,” and whilst some fans may challenge that claim, it was undoubtedly a no-holds-barred thrill ride which marked Jenna Coleman’s Doctor Who debut. But not in the way you might expect.
The Angels Take Manhattan (2012)
Weeping Angels, in New York, with River Song – what more could a Doctor Who fan ask for? Again, this was story which required concentration, and also a box of tissues as it was the last to feature Amy and Rory as the Time Lord’s companions.
The Snowmen (2012)
Classic Doctor Who fans may have wondered if ‘The Snowmen’ would be in any way related to ‘The Abominable Snowmen‘ from 1967, and they were right. This 2012 Christmas special saw Richard E. Grant return to the Whoniverse as the Great Intelligence, who hadn’t featured in the series since 1968’s ‘The Web of Fear.’
The Bells of St John (2013)
This intriguingly-named story kicked off Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary year and was, undoubtedly, a Doctor Who story for the digital age. It was also the first to feature Jenna Coleman as Clara Oswald, and guest starred Celia Imrie as the villain.
The Name of the Doctor (2013)
Steven Moffat pulled out all of the stops in this story by bringing back Gallifrey, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton… to name a few. ‘The Name of the Doctor’ famously leaked ahead of its broadcast owing to advance Blu-ray copies being distributed to a select number of fans, who were gifted an early glimpse at a brand new incarnation of the Doctor in the shape of John Hurt…
The Night of the Doctor (2013)
This stunning minisode saw the return of the Eighth Doctor and plugged a huge gap in the Time Lord’s history. It also saw the return of the Sisterhood of Karn from ‘The Brain of Morbius.’
The Day of the Doctor (2013)
Steven Moffat was given the task of penning Doctor Who‘s 50th anniversary special, and it’s fair to say that he delivered. This blockbusting adventure united Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt against the Zygons and the Daleks, and even featured a cameo from Tom Baker as the mysterious Curator.
The Time of the Doctor (2013)
This adventure concluded the Eleventh Doctor’s era and tied up all of the loose ends that had been left hanging since ‘The Eleventh Hour.‘ It was perhaps one of the most Christmassy Christmas specials of all time, and saw the Time Lord facing the grim reality of reaching the end of his regeneration cycle…
Deep Breath (2014)
Steven Moffat launched the Twelfth Doctor’s era by bringing back the clockwork androids from ‘The Girl in the Fireplace,’ as well as one of the Doctor’s most famous enemies, although it would be a while until their true identity was revealed.
Listen (2014)
Is there such a creature that has perfected the art of perfect hiding? ‘Listen’ was a clever and creepy adventure which linked back to ‘The Day of the Doctor’ and, if you listen closely, ‘An Unearthly Child.’
Dark Water / Death in Heaven (2014)
Steven Moffat may have been responsible for writing the most chilling line of dialogue in the Whoniverse. The words “please don’t cremate me!” still send a shiver down the spine of many a Who fan. Watch this story for ‘Dark Water’s game-changing cliffhanger – and an army of Cybermen, of course.
Last Christmas (2014)
For the 2014 Christmas special, Steven Moffat unashamedly drew inspiration from the movies Alien and The Thing, and did so wonderfully. Undoubtedly, this was one of the scariest Doctor Who Christmas specials of all time, and it should always be watched with the lights out.
The Magician’s Apprentice / The Witch’s Familiar (2015)
This two-part adventure launched Series Nine and, whilst it didn’t feature any actual magicians or witches, did see the return of Davros, Skaro and the classic Daleks. It also included an unexpected origin story for the metal mutants’ creator.
The Girl Who Died (2015)
Doctor Who meets the Vikings! Steven Moffat co-wrote this episode with Jamie Mathieson and finally addressed the mystery as to why the Twelfth Doctor has the same face as the character Caecilius from ‘The Fires of Pompeii.’ It also introduced Maisie Williams as Ashildr – a character who would recur throughout Series Nine after being granted immortality.
The Zygon Inversion (2015)
This was another co-written script from Steven Moffat, this time with Peter Harness, and was the second instalment in a longer Zygon adventure (part one being ‘The Zygon Invasion.’) It’s most famous for the Doctor’s anti-war speech, which is surely one of the most memorable moments from the Peter Capaldi era.
Heaven Sent (2015)
‘Heaven Sent’ was a masterpiece from Steven Moffat, and one of the most unusual Doctor Who episodes of all time, featuring virtually no other characters apart from the Doctor himself. If you haven’t seen it, you should send it straight to the top of your viewing pile.
Hell Bent (2015)
‘Hell Bent’ followed on from ‘Heaven Sent,’ but it was a separate story in its own right. Again, there were strong links to ‘The Night of the Doctor’ and ‘The Day of the Doctor,’ and it was the last to feature Jenna Coleman as the Doctor’s companion Clara.
The Husbands of River Song (2015)
In this Christmas special, Steven Moffat finally completed a plot arc that he began in 2008’s ‘Silence in the Library’ and, as the title suggests, it featured the return of the Doctor’s friend, companion and occasional wife River.
The Return of Doctor Mysterio (2016)
Unusually, ‘The Return of Doctor Mysterio’ was the only Doctor Who episode to air in 2016. It was a bit like a cross between a Doctor Who story and a Superman film, and it definitely had an epic ‘movie’ feel to it.
The Pilot (2017)
‘The Pilot’ marked the beginning of a brand new era, and also the beginning of the end for Steven Moffat’s time on Doctor Who. Once titled ‘A Star in Her Eye,’ this adventure introduced Pearl Mackie as the new companion Bill Potts, and also saw the brief return of the Daleks’ old enemies the Movellans.
Extremis (2017)
This creepy adventure featured a blind Doctor and marked the beginning of Series Ten’s Monk trilogy.
The Pyramid at the End of the World (2017)
Intriguingly, in the second episode of the Monk trilogy, the Doctor is still blind and goes through the majority of this story unable to see. Steven Moffat co-wrote this episode with Peter Harness and it saw the return of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and UNIT.
World Enough and Time / The Doctor Falls (2017)
There is more to say about these two Steven Moffat episodes than could possibly be condensed into a couple of sentences: Missy, the Master, the Mondasian Cybermen, an unexpected death, an unexpected regeneration… It was an epic conclusion to Series Ten, and marked the beginning of the end of the Twelfth Doctor’s era.
Twice Upon a Time (2017)
Next, the return of the First Doctor, and an unexpected crossover with ‘The Tenth Planet.’ This 2017 Christmas special was Steven Moffat’s last episode as showrunner, and it was also the last to feature Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor. And, for the first time, viewers witnessed the Time Lord transform into a woman in the form of Jodie Whittaker…
Boom
Finally, the Series 1 / 14 / Fnarg episode ‘Boom’ brings us right up to date. Steven Mpffat had been away from the show for some seven years but returned to deliver a beautifully simple idea: what if the Doctor was stuck on a landmine for a whole episode? ‘Boom’ wasn’t as timey-wimey as his other adventures, but it was certainly clever and, in characteristic Moffat style, had plenty to say about faith and religion.
In addition, in writing for Ncuti Gatwa, Steven Moffat broke the record of having written for more Doctors than any other writer: the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fifteenth – six in total. This number could be bumped up to eight if you include the War Doctor and the Curator. And then of course there is ‘The Curse of Fatal Death…’
The Curse of Fatal Death (1999)
Say hello to the Steven Moffat Episode of Reasonable Comfort. This quirky, non-canon(?) adventure starred Rowan Atkinson as the Ninth Doctor, Richard E Grant as the Tenth, Jim Broadbent as the Eleventh, Hugh Grant as the Twelfth and Joanna Lumley as the Thirteenth, plus the Daleks of course, and Jonathan Pryce as the Master. You should definitely watch this episode if you haven’t seen it yet, or need to brush up on your Tersuron…
So there we are – a complete rundown of every Steven Moffat Doctor Who episode to date, with possibly more on the way. What do you enjoy most about his writing? Let us know in the comments below.
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