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Doctor Who: Listen (2014)
An Instant Classic
Looking back on Listen a few months later, I can't help but fall in love with it again. It really is one of those episodes that entirely deserves to stand the test of time and become a classic. It just worked on so many levels of metaphor and text.
Note: I'll try to keep this review as vague as possible, but some mild mid-episode spoilers may come up so be warned...
I suppose that the key factor to making this episode into the masterpiece it is is the terrific new insights into the Doctor's character. In essence this story is a paradox. Clara essentially causes the events of this episode as a result of the older Doctor's sudden spur of insanity, which itself was a result of Clara's initial (or final) interference. An endless loop. Once you get your head around it you realise of course that the paradox is one of the many points Moffat is trying to make. I could go into it, but the plot really shouldn't be spoilt any further.
This story is also a wonderful showcase for all three leads. Jenna Coleman gets the easiest role here, playing the straight woman to Capaldi's increasingly insane Doctor and Samuel Anderson's multi-role as Danny/Orson. Anderson got a lot of credit in this episode, since fans seemed to take Capaldi for granted and Anderson was playing two roles, but I really think that this episode is Capaldi's strongest performance (other than Last Christmas maybe).
Overall this is the strongest episode of Capaldi's run so far. I've barely touched on Mackinnon's fantastic directing or the actual plot details (not that I'd dare spoil it), but essentially this episode is a thinker, and hopefully one that will survive as a classic episode for years to come. Really, it's up there with Dalek, Blink and Midnight (these one word episodes have a great track record!), and I imagine most fans feel the same way. A solid 10.