4. Mister Saxon
Series 3’s Utopia seemed like a normal episode at first, but it became clear pretty soon there was something different about the way it was structured and how the plot progressed. I’m sure there were lots of fans that predicted the return of The Master that series, given the many clues hinting at a “Mr. Saxon” up until that point. Despite the fact that it was a massive revelation, it wasn’t The Master’s return that was the shocking part, it was in its execution.
It was a slow build to the reveal, starting with Professor Yana finally noticing his fob watch, and then slowly learning who he is when opening it. Then there was the realization on the Doctor’s face, seeing that The Face of Boe’s final words had indeed come true (“You are not alone!”). As the credits began to roll, The Master was regenerated into a younger body, had taken control of the TARDIS, and left the rest of the crew stranded in the future. It took an entire week to process all of that, but it was also delightful to see The Master return. All this before the actual two-part finale.
3. The Tenth Doctor Regenerates
As Series 4 was beginning to wind down, fans knew that David Tennant and Russell T. Davies were leaving, and that a new Doctor and Steven Moffat would take their place. They also knew that 2009 would feature multiple specials before Moffat’s era began. Knowing all this, it wasn’t unreasonable for the fans to think that just maybe Doctor Who pulled off a huge, big twist, when at the end of The Stolen Earth, the Tenth Doctor began to regenerate with no warning.
For a good, long week, excitement for Doctor Who reached to such a level that even the news stations were covering it, wondering whether we’d get a new Doctor earlier than expected. This is also considering the fact that David Tennant was a very beloved Doctor, and the possibility of him leaving unexpectedly meant a whole nation would be on its toes for one entire week. It was a fantastic surprise at the time, and makes you wonder whether it’s possible to do such a thing for real, in this day and age of spoilers and leaks everywhere.
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