Top 10 Steven Spielberg Movies

Greetings, reader!

Schindler's List, the winner of seven Oscars that is widely considered Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, turns thirty years old today. To mark this anniversary, I'm sharing my ranking of Spielberg's greatest films. From gripping wartime dramas to feel-good fantasy, from horror to adventure to biopic to comedy, these are the finest works from the legendary filmmaker.

Here are my honorable mentions: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), West Side Story (2021).

10. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

"Gentlemen, as of this moment, I am the second mouse"

Tom Hanks and Leo DiCaprio both provide captivating performances in this thrilling cat-and-mouse tale, filled to the brim with clever ruses and slick getaways. While it's not up there among the most emotionally powerful or cinematically grandiose Spielberg flicks, it's a decent reminder that even a more 'basic' Spielberg flick is guaranteed to be a well-produced end result, built by a perfectionist artist. A fun and witty flick, this one.

9. Jaws (1975)

"You're gonna need a bigger boat"

People often think of Spielberg as a 'duality of man' director, known best for A) his whimsical fun-for-the-whole-family works, and B) his gripping works on topics of war and the holocaust. However, he has exited this binary to further his range multiple times, most clearly by making this iconic suspense flick.

Jaws is horror cinema royalty. John Williams' stellar soundtrack stays with you, and the overall suspense will make you think twice about entering an open body of water for a while after seeing the film. I also love the use of the 'don't show the audience what they want to see' trope; especially as the era and budget of the film didn't allow for the shark to look particularly scary, it's an act of genius on Spielberg's part that we only see it in the final act. This stone-cold classic is bound to keep one on the edge of their seat.

8. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

"I'll...be...right...here"

While the magic of cinema still manages to put me in awe today whenever the right film comes along, there's nothing that quite compares to how magical certain films felt when viewed as a child. And very few films out there were as magical as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

The creepy vibe of the mystery alien is as spine-tingling as the eventual bond between Elliott (Henry Thomas) and E.T. (Pat Welsh) is heart-melting. The final act mixes sci-fi and fantasy, intense thrills and feel-good magic, with a touch of childhood amazement that could only be accomplished by a filmmaker who truly understood the heart of a child even at an adult age. This is Spielberg's most wholesome film, and one that has left a mark on many hearts.

7. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989)

"I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne. Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky..."

While the third Indiana Jones flick isn't quite as groundbreaking as the first, it's certainly a step up from the second - the film is, quite simply, a blast. The plot is pretty much non-stop entertaining, from the flashback opening sequence through the castle escapes and motorcycle chases and plane chases et cetera all the way to the riveting and one-of-a-kind final act.

Sean Connery has fun with his brilliant role as Indiana's father Henry Jones Sr., and the chemistry between the actors is as poignant as it is hilarious. Spielberg's solid directing sees the film through its exhilarating action sequences, memorable dialogues and moments of general adventure mayhem. One of the classic and quintessential Hollywood sequels, this one.

6. The Terminal (2004)

"Ever feel like you're living in an airport?"

It's crazy that the same man who moved us all to serious tears with Schindler's List is also behind this fun and heartfelt rom-com. The Terminal follows one of the most hijinks-heavy premises I've seen: while immigrant Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) is on a flight to the United States, a coup takes place in his homeland, leading to the predicament that he can't enter the U.S. because he is stateless, but he can't return home as they have no government - so he takes up residence at the airport.

The Terminal may not be as dramatic and powerful as many Spielberg films, but it's exceptional within the category of feel-good comedies, and by God, we need movies like that. The atmosphere is chill, Hanks is amiable as usual, and the central love story is sweet - all in all, a shenanigan-filled package with tons of heart.

5. The Fabelmans (2022)

"Our secret"

"Definitely...unless I make a movie about it. Which I'm never, ever going to do!"

For years, the people who knew Steven Spielberg urged him to make a movie about his own life. Finally, he listened, and the world of cinema is better off for it. This 7-time Oscar nominee from last year is a love letter to cinema, telling the pseudo-autobiographical story of a young boy who came from rough conditions but found his voice through the art of filmmaking.

The acting is sublime, from Michelle Williams' layered performance to Judd Hirsch showing up for one sequence and walking away with an Academy Award nomination. The balance between humorous dialogue, magical fun and gripping realities makes the end result feel like Spielberg at his purest, and fans of the filmmaker will love how deeply personal it all is. Oh, and that ending - an absolute chef's kiss.

4. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

"Earn this...earn it"

War movies tend to win a bunch of awards for many reasons - the genre is hard to write, as the complex thematics aren't easy to deal with in a manner that feels meaningful and not black-and-white, and the combat sequences are hellishly hard to direct. Saving Private Ryan is a film that does the first in an impressive manner, and the second in an arguably all-time-great manner.

The fictional story, set in the midst of a very non-fictional Second World War, has a gripping premise that makes for moral dilemmas and serious ponderings about the very nature of war. But the film's most remarkable asset has to be Spielberg's directing - the Normandy Landing opening sequence in particular is one for the ages, as such a spectacular combination of moving elements is brought together in a fashion as intense as it is realistic (or so I hear - I wasn't there).

3. Schindler's List (1993)

"It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says: Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire"

The film of the hour, celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of its release today, doesn't quite make it to first place in my subjective ranking, although I completely understand the reasoning for many considering it his best. It is, quite objectively, a cinematic masterpiece - the set design, cinematography and other production values are masterfully crafted, the use of colors is genius, and Rahlp Fiennes, Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley deliver some of the finest acting in 90's Hollywood. All its acclaim is beyond deserved.

Furthermore, I do see it as some sort of fucked-up badge of honor that Schindler's List is deservedly known as the hard-to-watch movie in all of cinema. There are many upsetting, downright depressing films out there, but this is the one that takes the cake as the example people always use. The horrors of the holocaust are dealt with in such a sobering manner, that Schindler's List truly is a film that everyone should watch once but most people (including myself) won't want to watch for a second time.

2. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

"Be ready for me, I'm going after that truck"

"How?"

"I don't know, I'm making this up as I go"

It's just a damn good adventure flick with a kick-ass John Williams score, the charming grit (or gritty charm?) of a young Harrison Ford, and a truly immaculate vibe. There's nothing quite like Indiana Jones, and in the first film, the atmosphere is the purest. Nothing more to say, really - it's just a damn fine adventure flick.

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs"

"Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth"

First of all, let me say that my expectations for this film were different. I was about 10 years old when I saw it for the first time, and I'm not sure what had happened - I either confused it with some other movie or I had just been mislead by people about what sort of movie it is. I was expecting downright horror, Jaws but with dinosaurs instead of a shark if you will, a film made to spook people with thrilling dinosaur jump scares. So I was more than a bit confused by just how beautiful and majestic the movie actually was.

Sure, there are moments of thrilling tension, and Spielberg does those with an amazing touch - the T-rex scene is edge-of-your-seat perfection. But for the most part, it's an aesthetic feel-good treat, with lovable characters going on an exciting adventure to the backdrop of beautiful nature, awe-inspiring creatures, and some of the best movie music ever composed (courtesy of John Williams, naturally).

I'm positive that I've never seen a movie where the visual effects are as good in relation to the time of the film's release as the original Jurassic Park - they still hold up today, and you quite simply won't believe that you're watching a film from 30 years ago. That's right, exactly 30 years; Jurassic Park and Schindler's List came out in the same year. How Spielberg was able to make two cinematic masterpieces of such different genres in the same year is beyond me, and a true testament to why he's rightfully considered one of the greatest filmmakers in history.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I answer my friend Tuukka's challenge and prove my listmaking skills by ranking 10 random things from different categories that he asked me to rank.

Top 10 Modern Doctor Who Episodes

Allons-y!

Iconic science fiction series Doctor Who turns 60 years old today. Having amped up the celebrations in the last few weeks with Doctor Who -themed posts, this is where it culminates - a ranking of the best episodes from the show's modern, post-2005 version. From the Eccleston and Tennant eras, through the Matt Smith golden years all the way to the times of Capaldi and Whittaker, these are the very best hours from BBC's Doctor Who (2005-).

Here are my honorable mentions: Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways (Season 1 Episodes 12-13), A Good Man Goes to War (Season 6 Episode 7), The Angels Take Manhattan (Season 7 Episode 5), The Name of the Doctor (Season 7 Episode 14), Face the Raven (Season 9 Episode 10).

And a spoiler alert is in order!

10. Army of Ghosts / Doomsday (Season 2 Episodes 12-13)

Season 2 of the new series ends with one hell of a two-parter. Everything, from the villains (both Daleks and Cybermen - a real dream come true for longtime Whovians) to the heroes (David Tennant and Billie Piper do some of their best work as the Doctor and Rose), not to mention Murray Gold's dramatic soundtrack, just rocks.

The first part, Army of Ghosts, opens with a cold, no-nonsense flash-forward, bound to leave you shivering and expecting something serious. The rest of the two-episode story doesn't disappoint, as Army of Ghosts ends with a delicious cliffhanger, and Doomsday brings the emotional thunder with the bitter parting of the Doctor and Rose. Their final conversation on the beach gets me every time.

9. World Enough and Time / The Doctor Falls (Season 10 Episodes 11-12)

While this two-parter isn't Peter Capaldi's final episode as the Doctor (the touching Twice Upon a Time barely missed out on the list), it is the season finale of his last full season in the role. And what a banger it is - the first part takes us to an eerie and mysterious world, only to hit us with a massive plot twist at the end to set up the second part (the Master - both the John Simm and Michelle Gomez versions). The second part is quite the spectacle, setting up the Twelfth Doctor's upcoming regeneration - only to throw a major curveball into the narrative.

In the very last moments of season 10, the Doctor refuses to regenerate just yet, as he exits the TARDIS into a blistering snowstorm. A figure emerges, and in one of the most jaw-dropping reveals in the show's 60-year run, it's revealed to be the very first incarnation of the Doctor - William Hartnell was long dead by the time this episode aired, but David Bradley plays the role so convincingly that any true fan will instantly recognize the figure. With one Christmas Special of Capaldi's tenure left to go, this ending sets some sky-high stakes for his swan song.

8. Human Nature / The Family of Blood (Season 3 Episodes 8-9)

This two-parter isn't quite the best overall episode from David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor, but it is the finest showcase of my all-time favorite Doctor's acting chops in the role. The Doctor temporarily rids himself of his Time Lord traits and turns into a normal human being in order to hide from the nefarious Family of Blood, and this leads to an emotional journey.

The two-part format allows a delightfully slow pace for a typically exhilarating series, as the plot deals with love, loss, mortality and war in an authentically deep manner. It's a sentimental and borderline profound episode, with Tennant's sledgehammer acting leaving viewers like myself speechless.

7. Utopia / The Sound of Drums / Last of the Time Lords (Season 3 Episodes 11-13)

The only three-parter in a series otherwise consisting of two-parters and individual episodes, this arch at the end of season 3 is an emotional journey if I ever saw one. The first part, Utopia, prides itself in one of the most specific vibes the show has created - the TARDIS whisks the Doctor and Martha (Freema Agyeman) to the distant and atmospheric world of Malcassairo, further in the future than they've ever been. The inhabitants are working their way towards a fabled world they call 'Utopia', and something cryptic is clearly happening beneath the surface. Overseeing it all is a mysterious old man, played by iconic Shakespeare master Derek Jacobi.

The ending of Utopia is an earth-shattering plot twist, a crazy cliffhanger and a delicious treat for fans of the classic series at the same time: the mysterious character turns out to be none other than The Master, an iconic villain who hadn't yet appeared in the show's modern version, and the reveal is immediately followed by a sequence of events as he steals the TARDIS and travels to the past, leaving the Doctor and Martha stranded in the future.

While the first episode of the trifecta is the most epic and memorable instalment, the two that follow are quite brilliant as well. I especially respect how Murray Gold's masterful composition This Is Gallifrey; Our Childhood, Our Home is used in various key scenes: the track is so dramatic in such an interpretational manner, that it fits into an intense chase sequence in The Sound of Drums as well as it does into the Master's bittersweet 'death' in Last of the Time Lords.

6. Turn Left (Season 4 Episode 11)

The whole premise of this episode is creepy, melancholic and thought-provoking - while visiting a strange planet, Donna (Catherine Tate) is shown a vision of how the past years would've met if she had never met the Doctor. This alternate timeline is a sad reality, and the sci-fi implications of Donna seeing such a world are important build-up for the upcoming season finale.

Speaking of which, the main reason for Turn Left being this high on my list is that it ends in one of my all-time favorite television cliffhangers.

Seriously, even in a series as full of brilliant cliffhangers as Doctor Who, this one stands out. Knowing that this was the last episode before the two-part finale, everything in the final minutes of this episode is built with perfection. The Doctor finding out (in an epic manner) that Rose is back, realizing the horrific implications of this, and rushing back to the TARDIS only for its inside to be lit with an anxiety-inducing red alarm is some serious escalation - only to be topped by Donna's question ("What is it? What's Bad Wolf?") being answered by the Doctor in the episode's chills-down-your-spine final line: "It's the end of the universe".

5. Listen (Season 8 Episode 4)

Peter Capaldi's acting and Steven Moffat's writing at their best. The story of Listen plays out like a cryptic puzzle box, as we jump through time (and space) while uncovering the mysteries at hand via Capaldi's rambling, unhinged monologues. Listen is a bewildering viewing experience, as its narrative structure is something quite unlike anything else I've seen. I can't really describe it with words - you have to see it in order to believe it.

Also, the ending is a massive emotional payoff, in terms of this specific episode's themes, the larger themes of the Capaldi era, and the lore of the whole series.

4. Heaven Sent (Season 9 Episode 11)

Okay, Capaldi had an even better episode in him - his Doctor Who era was its best in episodes where he got to ramble freely in his chaotic, humorous yet philosophical manner, and in terms of such ruminations, Heaven Sent is Listen x10.

You see, Heaven Sent is a 55-minute one-man play, with Capaldi's Doctor being the only character to appear.

Well, technically, there are a few short cameos, but Capaldi is the only one with lines. An episode with this premise is a massive risk, and one that wouldn't work with most actors - but this man, in this role, was the one guy who could pull it off. The episode is even more entertaining and thrilling than most ensemble episodes, because Capaldi's performance is so damn captivating that the viewer keeps wanting more. Also, as was the case with Listen, this episode also has a massive banger of an ending, making sure that it's not just a crazy one-off episode but also an important part of the larger ("larger" as in "storylines built across multiple decades") story.

3. The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang (Season 5 Episodes 12-13)

I've said it before and I'll say it again - season 5 of modern Doctor Who is the show's best season, and one of the best individual TV seasons I've seen. Having said goodbye to the Tennant era, the show reinvented itself with a fresh new feel - Moffat's work as showrunner, Matt Smith's amazing take on the lead role, Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) as companions, and Murray Gold's masterpiece I Am the Doctor rocking the soundtrack at every turn. Season 5 feels exciting, magical, epic, and like the best possible version of the series. And it culminates in one hell of a finale.

In the first part, The Pandorica Opens, all of the season's well-built narratives start to unfold in a climactic manner, filled to the brim with various cliffhangers and payoffs (my personal favorite moment is the Doctor's energetic speech given to the alien enemies coveting the Pandorica). The second part, The Big Bang, is appropriately titled - the very emotional core of season 5 explodes, in a series of events featuring romance, sacrifice and pure, adrenaline-fueled heart. All of it is made infinitely better by Smith's passionate acting performance, Moffat's well-paced writing and Gold's majestic score.

2. Day of the Doctor (50th Anniversary Special)

In storytelling, a good climax is always difficult to come by. In television, it is by default harder to write a good payoff for a storyline built across multiple seasons, than for a storyline built across a few episodes. So, writing a satisfying climax to a storyline built across fifty years is quite the gargantuan challenge - but Steven Moffat was up for the task.

The Doctor's complex relationship to the Time Lords, the lore around the planet Gallifrey and the conclusion of the Time War are all resolved in an explosive manner here, in a magnificent crossover episode between different versions of the Doctor. The center stage is taken by Matt Smith, David Tennant and War Doctor John Hurt, and atop their amusing interactions, there are many other delicious cameos in the mix.

The atmosphere is epic from the start - the special opening credits, with Murray Gold's Majestic Tale of a Madman in a Box blasting in an epic arrangement while the Doctor hangs from the TARDIS above Trafalgar Square, are quite simply top tier hype. It only gets better from there, culminating in the scene where all thirteen versions of the Doctor (including Peter Capaldi, who hadn't even made his debut yet) come together to save Gallifrey. And, as a tear-jerking cherry on top of this spectacular cake, the cameo of 79-year-old Tom Baker was just the right, touching note to end the episode on.

1. Blink (Season 3 Episode 10)

I'm not quite saying that Blink is the greatest television episode of all time - although it probably makes the top five. I will say, however, that it is the most ingeniously written piece of fiction I have ever encountered. I can't think of any movie, book or play where the storytelling is quite as genius as in this individual Doctor Who episode - the cleverness of the plot is simply off the charts.

Blink also gets massive points for the suspenseful horror atmosphere, the episode's one-off nature, and the brilliant concept of the Weeping Angels (my all-time favorite Doctor Who antagonist, first introduced here). And it goes without saying that Mr. Tennant is as great as always. But the biggest star of the show is Steven Moffat's writing, and the way the time travel concept is utilized for such a mind-blowing, creative story.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I celebrate the 30th anniversary of Schindler's List (1993) by ranking Steven Spielberg's top 10 movies.

Doctor Who: Top 10 Episodes from the Classic Series (1963-1989)

Allons-y!

Sci-fi giant Doctor Who is turning 60 years old one week from now. In the weeks leading up to this, I've been posting various Doctor Who -themed rankings in order to celebrate. My list of the best episodes is divided into two parts, as the multi-episode stories of the 'classic series' (1963-1989) are very hard to compare to the 45-minute individual episodes of the show's modern installation (2005-). So, this week, I'm taking a trip down memory lane and ranking my favorite stories from Classic Doctor Who, and next week's post will focus on my favorite episodes from the new series.

Disclaimer: I have not seen nearly all of the classic series. I just liked the modern version so much that I took a pseudo-fan's dive into the old-school version, finding out what are the episodes that people consider to be the best / most important. First appearances of important characters and storylines, et cetera. So, these are the 10 best stories from the limited amount that I've seen!

Here are my honorable mentions: The Daleks (Season 1 Episodes 5-11), The Dalek Invasion of Earth (Season 2 Episodes 4-9), The Time Warrior (Season 11 Episodes 1-4), Robot (Season 12 Episodes 1-4), The Keeper of Traken (Season 18 Episodes 21-24).

10. An Unearthly Child (Season 1 Episodes 1-4)

The first-ever set of episodes is a wild ride, at least for its time. No matter how tame and basic the story might seem when compared to everything the series would go on to become, one can't empathize enough how groundbreaking An Unearthly Child was when compared to all television that came before it. Authentically creative and engaging sci-fi television may have been jump-started in the United States with The Twilight Zone (1959-1964), but it took a massive leap forward with the UK's own Doctor Who, and that journey begins with a girl introducing her curious teachers to her time-traveling alien grandfather.

The first four-episode arch takes the original Doctor (William Hartnell) and his three companions into the past, where they end up clashing with a tribe of cavemen concerning the discovery of fire. Ideas like Time Lords and the TARDIS were fresh and game-changing for BBC, television and the sci-fi genre in general, so this 1963 pilot is to thank for 60 years of brilliance.

9. Spearhead from Space (Season 7 Episodes 1-4)

From an actual pilot episode to a spiritual 're-pilot' - Spearhead from Space kicked off a new era, reinventing the series in more ways in one. It's the first episode to feature the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) in the lead role, it's the first episode broadcast in the 1970's, and it's the first episode broadcast in color. The black-and-white era of Hartnell and Troughton in the 60's can be easily seen as the first era, or 'phase one', of Doctor Who. And a second, improved and more exciting era started here.

Spearhead from Space is full of new vibes and new story elements, from the Doctor's compact co-operation with U.N.I.T. to the Nestene Consciousness as a recurring antagonist. All of this is personified in Pertwee's performance and his version of the Doctor, who immediately feels cool and different with his 007-ish take on the character.

8. The Five Doctors (20th Anniversary Special)

Visiting the Doctor Who museum in London was one of the happiest moments in my inner nerd's life. After careful consideration on what to bring back as a souvenir, I decided to go with a DVD of the 20th anniversary episode The Five Doctors. This was the right call, as I hadn't previously found this episode online and it was a payoff-filled joy to watch.

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison shines in the lead, while the full-on returns of Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, as well as the use of archive footage and stunt doubles to sort-of bring back the First and Fourth Doctors, bring the thunder for this multi-Doctor spectacle. While this may be less revolutionary than the original crossover for the show's 10th anniversary (more on that later), and not as epic as what was done for the 50th (more on that next week), it's still a celebration-worthy special episode that sticks with you.

7. Terror of the Autons (Season 8 Episodes 1-4)

The Master is one of the most iconic Doctor Who villains, and his first-ever appearance does not disappoint. Roger Delgado shines in the role and could be argued to be the best iteration of the character in Who history, and his adversarial relationship to the Doctor is a joy to follow. Mind games, narrow escapes, fake-outs and reveals ensue in this symbolic game of chess between the two Time Lords.

6. Genesis of the Daleks (Season 12 Episodes 11-16)

Speaking of iconic villains, nothing quite beats the Daleks (okay, my personal favorite has to be the Weeping Angels who were introduced in the modern series, but the Daleks are objectively the most iconic and notorious bad guys from Doctor Who). There are many legendary Dalek episodes in the classic series, including their debut The Daleks that barely missed out on the top 10. But rarely have the extermination-happy alien nemeses of the Doctor been quite as intriguing as they are in Genesis of the Daleks.

The six-episode arch takes the Doctor to the fabled planet Skaro, at the dawn of the Daleks' creation, with orders by the Time Lords to prevent their existence. This leads to fascinating lore and gripping moral dilemmas, and the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) does a fantastic job with the heavy implications of his mission.

5. The Tomb of the Cybermen (Season 5 Episodes 1-4)

If the best tier of Doctor Who villains is reserved for the Weeping Angels, the Daleks and the Master, the very next tier would undoubtedly feature the Cybermen. While not quite as conceptually interesting as some antagonists (not to mention their semi-cheesy name), they make for a crazy number of killer episodes in both versions of the series. One of the classics is The Tomb of the Cybermen, which is not a regeneration episode or the first appearance of anything etc. like most of the stories on this list - I watched it simply because it's considered one of the big classics, and it sure deserves that legacy.

Patrick Troughton's Second Doctor is at his best, and the overall atmosphere and aesthetic of the black-and-white 1960's Doctor Who hits hard in adventures like this. The Tomb of the Cybermen is suspenseful at times, elegant at others, and downright thrilling towards the end. Four 20-minute episodes of pure sci-fi/adventure class.

4. The War Games (Season 6 Episodes 35-44)

Speaking of Patrick Troughton, his tenure as the Doctor ended in an ambitious, 10-part mega-story. What starts as a mere trip to the trenches of World War One escalates slowly into a universe-bending spectacle, with some powerful hi-fi aliens have divided military events from history into different time zones, and the trippiness reaches a point where the story is hard to follow yet you beg for more.

The tenth and final part is a major moment in Doctor Who lore, as both The Doctor and the antagonist known as the War Lord (Philip Madoc) are placed on trial on their mythical home planet Gallifrey. This is one of the more dramatic and high-stakes moments in the show's old-school version, and the very ending is a cliffhanger that sows the seeds for the color-TV, 1970's Jon Pertwee -era that would follow.

3. The Tenth Planet (Season 4 Episodes 5-8)

The original regeneration episode, where we said goodbye to to William Hartnell's First Doctor, is quite the creative blast (especially for a mid-60's BBC series). It's not just the concept of regeneration that makes this episode legendary - it's all of it, from the midst-of-the-cold-war setting and the alternate earth named Mondas to the first appearance of the Cybermen and their collective traits.

But what The Tenth Planet is best remembered for is the first-ever regeneration, and rightfully so. If a typical American series of the time would've been faced with the problem of the lead actor leaving, they would've ended the series (or, at the very best, cast a new actor as a new lead character once the original is killed off). But the Doctor Who writers were a creative bunch who wanted to keep the show going as ideas were flowing, so they found a way. Thus was the idea of regeneration born, and Hartnell's final episode ends with a bittersweet goodbye to him and a flash of what the next version of the character would look like.

2. The Three Doctors (Season 10 Episodes 1-4)

As I previously mentioned, the way Doctor Who celebrated its 10th anniversary was quite something. In a move that has been duplicated afterwards but had certainly not been done before, various version of the same character come together in a crossover event between the show's different eras.

Original Doctor William Hartnell's health was so bad that he wasn't up for filming a starring role in a full four-part story, so for the most part, it's Third Doctor Jon Pertwee, who was the incumbent at the time, teaming up with his predecessor, Patrick Troughton. Their interactions are amusing, the way the plot brings them together is exciting, and Hartnell's cameo is a powerful addition. Definitely one of the coolest things the Classic Series ever did, and the foundation for a grand tradition of spectacular anniversary episodes.

1. Planet of the Spiders (Season 11 Episodes 21-26)

Jon Pertwee's tenure as the Doctor culminates in a six-episode arch that may be silly at times, but it utilizes the 'many 20-minute episodes telling a sci-fi/adventure story' premise to the maximum. Each part ends in a delicious cliffhanger, and the creative worldbuilding is off the charts.

Pertwee's regeneration is also my favorite from the Classic Series - the way he seemingly dies, and stays dead for quite a while before eventually regenerating, has a Sherlock Holmes -style combination of emotional and clever payoff to it. A fantastic ending for Pertwee's Doctor, and one that sets up the Tom Baker years with anticipation.

Greetings, reader! Tune in next week, as my personal Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations culminate in my ranking of the top 10 episodes of the show's new (and, let's face it, better) version.

Ranking Every Doctor from Doctor Who

Allons-y!

The 60th anniversary of beloved sci-fi series Doctor Who is approaching at the end of this month, and I will celebrate with three straight weeks of Doctor Who posts. Next week will focus on the greatest episodes of the classic series (1963-1989), while the actual 60th anniversary week will feature a spectacular ranking of the greatest episodes from the new (and, let's face it, better) series (2005-Present). Today, however, I'm kicking things off by ranking every version of the Doctor, the mythical protagonist who has been played by fourteen actors across the show's 60-year run.

An honorable mention to Ncuti Gatwa, who hasn't started his reign in the TARDIS yet, but who I'm certain will do an excellent job filling the character's boots with his energetic charm!

14. Colin Baker (1984-1986)

Granted, I have seen very little of Colin Baker's era - I never had it in me to watch the entire classic series from start to finish, so I've sort of 'skimmed through the best parts', watching the stories deemed the best and most important. But, from what I've seen, Baker (not to be confused with Tom Baker, one of the most beloved iterations of the Doctor) is the George Lazenby of this particular role - the only actor who never really made the role their own in a way that sticks out.

His take on the character was on the grumpy side, but not in the ultimately endearing Hartnell/Capaldi way, but rather in a way that just made him feel unlikable. And if there's one thing the Doctor should be (and that all of the 13 others succeeded in), it's being likable.

13. Paul McGann (1996)

The Doctor Who movie came out between the classic series and new series, and while it is a semi-important part of the lore for nerds like myself, it's certainly no cinematic masterpiece. McGann does a decent job with the role, but there is nothing remarkably special about how he plays it. Every Doctor has their own peculiar twist to the role, and McGann does find a Shakespearean old-timey elegance to his Doctor, but it's not enough to put him in with the greats.

My favorite moment of his is actually not from the movie, but from the 2013 mini-episode The Night of the Doctor that was released as a prequel to the 50th anniversary episode. It was a nice treat to see McGann reprising his role, and finally seeing how he regenerated into his follower was an important addition to the overall lore.

12. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1989)

Sylvester McCoy nails the endearing silliness inherent to the character, but doesn't bring all that much more to the role. The Seventh Doctor was the final one to appear in the Classic Series before it went off the air, and he also reprised his role briefly in the 1996 movie, to show how the Seventh Doctor became the Eighth. McCoy's Doctor is an overall fine example of what kind of character the Doctor is in general, but pretty much everything he does has been done even better by some other version.

11. Peter Davison (1982-1984)

Peter Davison (NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Pete Davidson, who is a VERY different kind of actor who should NOT play the Doctor (although it would be great to see him in a villain cameo sometimes)) was the fifth actor to be cast in the title role. Davison's Doctor is arguably the closest to the modern, 2005-Present versions of the character that we ever saw in the Classic Series: he's less grumpy and old-timey-British, and more youthful and conventionally kind. Simply put, he's slightly less 'weird uncle' and slightly more 'best friend'.

The Fifth Doctor is also effortlessly charming, helped by the dashing looks of a young Peter Davison and the character's memorable wardrobe choices. He carries himself with the well-intentioned but slightly confused candor of a romantic British gentleman, truly making him the Hugh Grant of the Doctors.

10. William Hartnell (1963-1966)

The first to ever do it, Hartnell's take on the character isn't quite the lightning-in-the-bottle that Sean Connery's James Bond was, but still, you gotta respect the first. Hartnell's Doctor is a grumpy, grandfatherly character, an archetype the modern series swayed away from until Peter Capaldi brought it back. Even with his cold and pedantic vibe, the First Doctor still had plenty of soft and heartwarming moments, bringing his underlying humanity into just the right situations.

He also guided us through many legendary adventures, introducing us to the Doctor's feud with the Daleks and other staples. Many personality factors we associate with the Doctor only came along with later iterations, but Hartnell still laid a strong foundation upon which to build.

9. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)

The Second Doctor was delightfully different than the first, hammering in just how big of a deal the regeneration process was. Yet still, he feels just enough like the character viewers had grown accustomed to. The same, yet different.

With his hip-at-the-time Beatle haircut and semi-youthful energy, Troughton immediately brought the character more into the direction we recognize today. The character still wasn't quite as whimsical as he would later become, but Troughton's dry wit certainly brought a peculiar type of humor into the role, while also being warmer and more likable than his predecessor.

8. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)

I've made a few 007 parallels in this post, comparing Colin Baker to George Lazenby and differentiating William Hartnell from Sean Connery, as naturally the two iconic British roles that have been played by multiple different actors are a goldmine for metaphors. But Jon Pertwee's version of the Doctor is the one that many have called 'The James Bond of Doctor Who' - not any specific James Bond, just James Bond. Out of all the thirteen (technically fourteen) Doctors, the Third certainly has the biggest 007 energy, with his resourceful action hero antics.

Pertwee also ushered in a new era, with the series being in color for the first time, really making his first episodes feel like a new beginning for the show. Pertwee's episodes are entertaining, as he plays the role with a delightful combination of bumbling antics yet always coming out on top with his razor-sharp wit.

7. Christopher Eccleston (2005)

Ah, you never forget your first. I started to watch the show from season 1 of the 2005-Present modern series, and Christopher Eccleston plays the Doctor for the sole first season and no more. Initially, his character seemed like a smaller deal than many who came after him, yet I've noticed a nostalgic Eccleston Reneissance in Doctor Who fans, with tons of viewers calling the Ninth Doctor deeply underrated and actually one of the best (if not the best).

I hear these arguments, but don't quite subscribe to them. Eccleston is decent, but in my opinion, not quite amazing (or, ironic as it is considering how much he liked to use the word, 'fantastic'). Maybe it's just because he only had one season to flesh him out, but I never got quite the same level of investment into the Ninth Doctor than I got for many of my favorites. Eccleston certainly plays the role well, combining the dark tones of post-Time-War trauma with silly alien behavior. And that Northern accent is a treat for the ears every time.

6. John Hurt (2013)

John Hurt's Doctor is a special case - chronologically he came after the Eighth (Paul McGann) and before the Ninth (Christopher Eccleston), and is often just referred to as the War Doctor. He has only ever made three appearances, all of them as a part of the 50th anniversary celebrations in 2013 - we first see him in one of television's most epic cliffhangers in season 7 finale The Name of the Doctor, we then see how the Eighth Doctor regenerated into him in mini-episode The Night of the Doctor, and finally he gets a major role in the actual 50th anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor.

As short as his overall screentime is, Mr. Hurt is simply breathtaking in the role, really living up to the most grim part of the Doctor's past and making his version of the character truly stick out. Definitely a unique take on the Doctor, and one of the most memorable iterations.

5. Jodie Whittaker (2018-2022)

Here's how I know that the Doctor Who fandom is awesome: if pretty much any other iconic character, who has traditionally been played by a man, were re-cast as a woman, the uproar from the whole anti-woke culture war crowd would be massive. But, because of the very nature of the series, Doctor Who fans tend to be very okay with change, with evolving, and with the mythical concept of not being sexist assholes. So, when it was announced that Jodie Whittaker would become the first woman to play the Doctor, the reception was much more supportive and humane than it would be with the fans of many other franchises.

Whittaker did a killer job with the role, too. I regretfully haven't seen nearly all of her episodes, as the latest few seasons haven't been available on any streaming services at my disposal (I intend to catch up immediately once I get the chance). But already from her first one-and-a-half seasons in the role, I grew to love her quirky yet wise take on the character. The Doctor's compassionate and heartfelt side comes across with grace, and Whittaker's humor is as sharp as her emotional range is wide.

4. Tom Baker (1974-1981)

Here we have the hands-down best Doctor from the Classic Series - yes, it's the popular opinion and thus a boring one, but I can't help it. Many of the old-school Doctors are good, from Troughton's charm to Pertwee's action hero antics, but the Fourth Doctor stands in a league of his own. His take on the role truly encapsulates the alien side of the Doctor - the first three Doctors were a bit peculiar but still a bit too human to be believable aliens, but Baker turned the weirdness up to eleven with his odd facial expressions and often chaotic humor.

Still, his take on the role was layered and managed to be very humane and emotional when needed. Baker stayed in the role for many long years, as the series just was so good with him in it, and you can see how clearly and passionately he enjoyed playing the role.

3. Peter Capaldi (2014-2017)

After gaining popularity with all sorts of demographics with the casting of increasingly young, stereotypically handsome and charmingly likable men in the lead role, Doctor Who tested the superficiality of its fans by choosing a grumpy old Scotsman as the 12th iteration of the character. And what a wonderful choice this ended up being.

It didn't take me long to become massively invested in Capaldi's version of the character - with his combination of Hartnellian edginess and post-2005 heart, he is certainly one of the best-written and most complex iterations of the character. Simultaneously cool and uncool, hilariously rude and spectacularly kind, Capaldi brought layers to his character and provided some of the funniest moments in the show's run, as well as some of the most serious and powerful. "Above all, be kind" is the sentiment that captures the essence of Capaldi's character in his touching final episode, and cements him as one of the best.

2. Matt Smith (2010-2013)

Here are just a few reasons why Matt Smith was just the perfect dude to take over after his predecessor:

#1 - The man legit looks like an alien, so that sci-fi element hits a new level of credibility.

#2 - His dynamite acting caliber provides some of the best-delivered lines and monologues in the show's run; for an example, look up the 'Rings of Akhaten speech' on YouTube.

#3 - While he's not quite my #1 favorite version of the character, his episodes and seasons were the best the series has ever done, and seasons 5-7 of the new series (with the Eleventh Doctor going on adventures with Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill)) are peak Doctor Who in my book.

#4 - His version of the character is just so damn relatable, with his balance of confidence and awkwardness (as well as his chaotic silly goose -energy and wild hand gestures) resonating with me more than any other version of the character.

But even with his alien look, Emmy-worthy acting, claim to my favorite era of the series and his relatability, Smith is still not at first place! And that is thanks to...

1. David Tennant (2005-2010)

No one does it better. David Tennant's Tenth Doctor is one of the all-time great character performances on television as far as I'm concerned. His combination of bizarre humor, fresh energy, deep storylines, magnificent delivery of lines, messy hair and zany facial expressions makes him into the most lovable version of a character that has always been lovable. I care more about this version of the character than any other, because Tennant makes the Doctor so warm, unique and humane. He feels like an old friend, a wise mentor and a distant love interest rolled into one.

Depending on the scene, the Tenth Doctor can be dark and intense, leisurely and cheerful, or anything in between while still feeling like the believably same person. Heartbreaking at times and heartwarming at others, Tennant plays the role with grace and passion. There are a million details I could list, from the character's ability to talk himself out of situations in a manner that would make Tyrion Lannister and Saul Goodman cower in envy, to the fact that "I don't want to go" from The End of Time: Part 2 might just be the best-delivered line in television history. Simply put, Tennant brings his A-game to every episode and I just can't help choosing him as my all-time favorite.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as my Doctor Who 60th anniversary celebrations continue with a ranking of the best episodes from the classic version of the series (1963-1989).

Ranking Everything We Watched In Our Halloween Marathon

Greetings, reader!

Halloween was two days ago, and my girlfriend and I celebrated with an epic horror marathon. From the 1930's to the 2020's, we watched something thematic from each decade, in a nearly 12-hour-long session. Some of them I had previously seen and she had not; some were familiar to her but not to me; some were new to the both of us; and some were such that we had both seen it previously. Most were movies, but there were a few TV episodes in the mix as well. I ranked the 10 items, not as overall pieces of cinema/television, but as parts of the marathon - so it's a combination of cinematic value, the subjective viewing experience on Tuesday, and what each item brought to the marathon.

10. The Wolf Man (1941)

This monster flick from the 40's definitely had its strengths (the soundtrack was brilliant), but overall, it was the weak link of the marathon. Cinematically it wasn't quite on the same level as many of the other old classics we watched in the opening half of the marathon, and the racist undertones (or overtones) in the plot had made the film age more poorly than any of the others we watched.

The film has its moments and it was nice to have something from the decade of B-class monster flicks in the mix, but overall, everything else in the marathon was either A) scarier, B) more fun or C) scarier and more fun than this instalment.

9. Saturday Night Live: David Pumpkins Returns (2022)

Okay, first things first - we did not give up. We merely modified our plan, but we did not give up.

You see, the original vision was to end the marathon with Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), as a thematic continuation to the original Hocus Pocus representing the 90's earlier in the marathon. However, several hours of screentime into the marathon and late into the night, we were so tired that a full-length feature film just felt like a bit too much - one has to know their own limits. So, we decided to choose something shorter to represent the 2020's and thus the marathon's ending.

We went with the SNL skit David Pumpkins Returns from last year's Halloween week, and honestly, it was quite the perfect climax for how the quality/seriousness of what we were watching had deteriorated throughout the marathon. Our ordeal ended in a brilliant fit of laughter, and in that tired state of mind, it was just what we needed.

8. Halloween II (1981)

As the obvious choice for the 1970's was the original Halloween, it was convenient to follow up on that with the sequel as the marathon's token 80's flick. While Halloween II is no masterpiece, it's a solid sequel nonetheless - John Carpenter was no longer directing, but he was still involved as a writer, producer and composer, so his mastering of the horror genre does paint a very authentic atmosphere. As the film takes place on the same night as the original, the two work well as a double feature.

Being a sequel to the film we had just watched, Halloween II was one of the less stand-out items in the marathon. Still, it worked as a nice follow-up to the original, and was a very solid if not mind-blowing moment in the bigger picture.

7. Modern Family: Open House of Horrors (2012)

After six horror films, one horror-ish film and one 45-minute horror TV episode, it felt like a delicious breath of fresh air to watch a 22-minute sitcom episode. Tuning in to the Halloween shenanigans of Modern Family's fourth season was a delight, and it made the whole marathon more many-sided.

6. Hocus Pocus (1993)

I hadn't seen Hocus Pocus before, and it was an excellent new find. After six more serious horror films, it was a nice change of pace to watch something this comedic, thus laying the groundwork for the generally lighter second half of the marathon.

The film was also very Halloween-y, both on a concrete plot level and on an atmospheric level. The very 90's-specific combination of magical family-friendly wholesomeness and semi-creepy horror-inspired material makes for quite a Jumanji (1995) -style vibe.

5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This George Romero classic was a joy to watch for many reasons, one of them being the marvel of how ahead of its time the film was. It was groundbreaking in many ways, from its influence in the zombie genre (and larger horror genre as well) to the casting being diverse and non-stereotypical for its time (the uncomfortability of The Wolf Man was still stinging a bit at this point, so this felt like a fresh change).

Not much more to say - a great, intense and timeless horror flick, and one that fit our marathon like a glove.

4. Frankenstein (1931)

"IT'S ALIVE!"

When planning a set list for a rock concert or a stand-up show, having a strong opening act is important - and planning a movie marathon is no different. You want to start off with a bang - and we certainly succeeded in that, with James Whale's Frankenstein kicking things off in just the right tone.

I had somehow never seen this ultimate classic, even though I had meant to watch it last year after finally reading Mary Shelley's original book. Frankenstein had eluded me for a long time, and getting to finally see it as the opening of our decade-by-decade marathon was a delicious Halloween treat. Awesome cinema, awesome context, awesome viewing experience.

3. Doctor Who: Blink (2007)

"Don't blink. Blink and you're dead. They're fast, faster than you could believe. Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink. Good luck"

I knew from the early stages of planning the marathon that we couldn't pick a feature-length film for every decade, as 10 of those in a row would be overkill (almost as crazy as watching all Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films in one day, or watching an entire season of 24 in real time, one might say). My first judgement call on the TV episodes front was that for the 2000's, our item would be the fabled Doctor Who episode Blink.

I had been meaning to watch Blink with Martta for quite some time - I'm a huge Doctor Who fan and she's never seen the series, and as my all-time favorite episode happens to be a one-off adventure that works with no prior knowledge of the series, it made sense. Furthermore, the episode is seriously creepy and spooky, so adding it to our Halloween marathon was a stroke of genius (he said, modestly).

I'm proud to say that apparently this 45-minute episode of a family-friendly, generally non-horror series scared my girlfriend more than any of the iconic horror movies we watched on the same day. She was terrified, and honestly, so was I - I've seen Blink several times, but even when knowing exactly how it all plays out, it still keeps you on the edge of your seat because it's just so damn good.

2. Dracula (1958)

I love how watching Halloween- and/or horror-related items from consecutive decades worked as a portal into cinematic history in general. Especially for the first several films that stayed in the 'horror classics' lane before our later items escalated into different directions, it was illuminating to follow how production values and filming techniques had improved with each decade. By the 1950's, things were in color, the horror was spookier than ever before, and a young Christopher Lee was proving himself as Hollywood's all-time great villain actor decades before Saruman and Count Dooku.

Dracula was everything a movie nerd doing a Halloween marathon could want from an old-timey flick: elegant, aesthetically charming, full of intrigue and lore, and just enthralling in how it plays out. This stone-cold classic was in many ways the coolest film we watched all night, despite the heavy competition.

1. Halloween (1978)

An obvious #1 choice, even a cliché one, but I can't help it. Not only is Halloween one of the greatest horror films of all time, it is also synonymous with the holiday on so many levels. The creepy atmosphere of October weather, falling leaves and jack-o-lanterns and the embracement of horror is what I love about Halloween, and this cinematic masterpiece nails that in an unparalleled fashion.

Ever since I watched this film for the first time, with my Dad on Halloween night (2016 or 2017, I think), it has been one of my favorites, and having it as a part of our Halloween marathon was truly special to the point that everything else seemed to build around it. This was the main event, and it did not disappoint.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I begin celebrating the approaching 60th anniversary of Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005-Present) with a ranking of all 14 actors who have played The Doctor (this will be followed by two more Doctor Who -themed posts in the following weeks, leading up to the 60th anniversary).