Took a little digging but I think this count is right:
Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
After a break I've started watching Series 5 and straight out the gate, separate from the impression of the changes it brought at the time, it's much better than I remember.
-The Eleventh Hour-
Complete with it's title that undermines the later chronology nonsense Moffatt would pull, out intro to Matt Smith see's him hit the ground running in the role. There remains something solid about the direction of this episode despite the simplistic storyline, it's solid stuff though, pacing its introductions well and leaving a positive impression for both the new Doctor and Amy.
-The Beast Below-
This is again a solid episode, it toys with a proper moral quandary but never goes with it in the same way that Fires of Pompeii did. Broadly it's quite a standard run of the mill episode but it keeps events moving briskly and remains and easy view.
-Victory of the Daleks-
By this point the sense of event surrounding the Daleks had lessened and coming off the back of their big scale storyline in the previous season this one feels a bit like going through the motions. The WWII setting is nice and it's also good that the Doctor is as on it as the viewer is in knowing how things will mostly pan out. You get the big reveal of the updated Daleks that went down like a lead balloon and they remain weak and cheap looking, unsurprising in how the show was quick to sideline them, but this episode continued something else that was more note worthy. For the third time in a row, Amy is instrumental in saving the day in a way that is clever and key but not in a way that the Doctor would be expected to do himself. It really pays off the idea of him opening himself to a companion again and in balancing out the two new roles.
-The Time of Angels-
The first of a two parter see's River Song return for her second outing with a lot of future plot teasing. Hunting down a Weeping Angel on a planet crash site, the episode maintains a solid pace but immediately to once again get the sense that this isn't really the best setting for the Angels and repeated use waters down their appeal.
-Flesh and Stone-
The second parter ramps up the threat for Amy and gives Matt a good run of situations to demonstrate how his version of the Doctor see's and manages events. That one slightly vague talking scene between the Doctor and Amy works better on revisit as well knowing how it actually fits into the series arc. There are moments where this could take the first claim of a Strong Episode award but it never quite elevates itself to that level and is utterly gut punched in the final three minutes when they get home and Amy suddenly turns to trying to sexually assault the Doctor taking a carefully managed tone and killing it and her character stone cold dead in the sake of a cheap set up for the next episodes opening joke.
Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far
Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
After a break I've started watching Series 5 and straight out the gate, separate from the impression of the changes it brought at the time, it's much better than I remember.
-The Eleventh Hour-
Complete with it's title that undermines the later chronology nonsense Moffatt would pull, out intro to Matt Smith see's him hit the ground running in the role. There remains something solid about the direction of this episode despite the simplistic storyline, it's solid stuff though, pacing its introductions well and leaving a positive impression for both the new Doctor and Amy.
-The Beast Below-
This is again a solid episode, it toys with a proper moral quandary but never goes with it in the same way that Fires of Pompeii did. Broadly it's quite a standard run of the mill episode but it keeps events moving briskly and remains and easy view.
-Victory of the Daleks-
By this point the sense of event surrounding the Daleks had lessened and coming off the back of their big scale storyline in the previous season this one feels a bit like going through the motions. The WWII setting is nice and it's also good that the Doctor is as on it as the viewer is in knowing how things will mostly pan out. You get the big reveal of the updated Daleks that went down like a lead balloon and they remain weak and cheap looking, unsurprising in how the show was quick to sideline them, but this episode continued something else that was more note worthy. For the third time in a row, Amy is instrumental in saving the day in a way that is clever and key but not in a way that the Doctor would be expected to do himself. It really pays off the idea of him opening himself to a companion again and in balancing out the two new roles.
-The Time of Angels-
The first of a two parter see's River Song return for her second outing with a lot of future plot teasing. Hunting down a Weeping Angel on a planet crash site, the episode maintains a solid pace but immediately to once again get the sense that this isn't really the best setting for the Angels and repeated use waters down their appeal.
-Flesh and Stone-
The second parter ramps up the threat for Amy and gives Matt a good run of situations to demonstrate how his version of the Doctor see's and manages events. That one slightly vague talking scene between the Doctor and Amy works better on revisit as well knowing how it actually fits into the series arc. There are moments where this could take the first claim of a Strong Episode award but it never quite elevates itself to that level and is utterly gut punched in the final three minutes when they get home and Amy suddenly turns to trying to sexually assault the Doctor taking a carefully managed tone and killing it and her character stone cold dead in the sake of a cheap set up for the next episodes opening joke.
Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far
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