Best of 2014 Awards: The Winners (Part 4)

Connor Johnston presents the fourth set of results from DWTV’s annual awards.

It’s time to conclude revealing the results of DWTV’s annual awards celebrating the best of Doctor Who in the last twelve months as voted for by you. Today the winners of Best Pre-Title Sequence, TV Story, Moffat Series and Outstanding Debut.

• Catch-up on Part 1 of the results here
• Catch-up on Part 2 of the results here
• Catch-up on Part 3 of the results here

Best Pre-Title Sequence – Listen

Doctor Who’s pre-title sequences are always (quite rightfully) some of the most important moments of an episode, for the basic fact that they set the tone for the rest of the episode. To paraphrase a very fitting saying, “It only takes a dull opening sequence to lose a viewer’s attention, but it takes the entire following episode to earn it back”. It really is half the battle, being the initial (and for more casual viewers often the only) chance for a writer to hook the audience in and have them begging for the opening titles to be over as soon as possible!

One of the brilliant things about Series 8’s selection of sequences is that among all 13 there is not one that disappoints or fails to stimulate excitement for the succeeding episode – and luckily seem to avoid tacky clichés (Looking at you Fires of Pompeii ). Despite tough competition from especially memorable choices like “The Caretaker”, “Death in Heaven” and “Dark Water” – it comes as no surprise that today’s winner is the eerie, crisp and distinct opening sequence of “Listen” winning with 23.49% of the vote.

Listen! It’s a curious rarity, catching glimpses of the Doctor and how he behaves when completely alone. There’s no façade, no codes of conduct or restraint he feels socially pressured to take into consideration (not that he does most of the time anyway) and we are free to see his mind play out in front of us. The curiosity, the paranoia, the intellect and the madness of the Doctor is captured impeccably.

The scene introduces us to the ingenious premise of the episode through a perfect marriage of Moffat’s intriguing dialogue, Capaldi’s exemplary performance, Mackinnon’s perfectly paced direction and of course Murray Gold’s chilling score leading to an eye-opening crescendo. From the first moments the Doctor utters the instruction, it’s very clear all we are doing is listening to every word and every breath… and with that we fall victim to the episode, showing that there is no more deserving candidate today.

Best TV Story – Listen

After encountering 13 unique and excellent adventures throughout the course of 2014, it seems almost impossible that one episode could be isolated and chosen as the definitive story of the year… yet if 2014 has taught us anything it’s that nothing is truly too impossible or to cruel for DWTV to poll us on.

Starting off in Victorian London and taking on the mysterious Half-Face Man, the series saw the Doctor venture into a Dalek, rob an intergalactic bank, fight alongside legends, defeat creatures of two dimensions, destroy robot assassins, solve the case of the Foretold, discover the truth about the moon, face a bizarre invasion of forests before finally unveiling the mysterious Missy in a climactic 2 part series finale. However, it seems none of said adventures held the ability to overtake the Doctor battling against his own paranoia in Steven Moffat’s “Listen” which wins with 28.87% of the vote.

There is always a change in the atmosphere every time a standalone Steven Moffat episode makes its way into a series line-up. There’s always a certain expectation, a certain buzz, an electricity in the air – something that separates a Moffat script from other unique yet occasionally generic adventures.

The decision to, in essence, divide the plot into two main parts of ‘The Date’ and ‘The Hiders’ is admittedly initially confusing, but in a true Moffat fashion that channels parallels with his ‘Sherlock’ way of storytelling, he connects every aspect of the narrative with great class thanks to the common theme of “Fear” and the constant links to Danny’s character. The resolution to the “Perfect Hiders” plot is classic Moffat drama in the way it encourages viewers to rethink everything they think they’ve retained throughout the episode. Could these ‘monsters’ simply be a manifestation of man’s paranoia?

The threat serves its initial purpose of delivering a creepy, at times frightening layer to the episode; before transition into a clever, bold and unique idea due to the lack of a definitive explanation. This doesn’t cheapen the initial fear factor, but instead ensures for an enormous amount of discussion and interaction following the episode.

“Listen” has its unsettling, borderline terrifying moments, but unlike most episodes that send kids running behind the sofa, the beautifully written ending scene teaches them that it’s okay to be afraid, that it’s okay to be frightened – because fear makes us stronger. The bravest people are the ones that overcome their fears. What a stunning message to teach through both the Doctor’s speech to Rupert and Clara’s speech to the young Doctor in a scene that is simply a privilege to watch.

Its message, plot and atmosphere encompasses everything that the Doctor, the show and the story stands for. “A soldier who’s so brave he doesn’t need a gun … can keep the whole world safe. What shall we call him?” Delivered with incredible class, “Listen” leaves the audience both petrified with fear and suspended in awe. The definition of ‘edge of your seat’ drama and the very epitome of ‘event’ television: this humble Moffat standalone is Doctor Who storytelling at its best.

Best Moffat Series – Series 8

It goes without saying that Steven Moffat’s era as showrunner has, very much like RTD and many Classic producers beforehand, acted to strengthen both the reputation and quality of the show with each successive year. Up until this year, every time DWTV visitors have had the question regarding either the best series or more specifically the best ‘Moffat Series,’ 2010’s Series 5 has constantly prevailed… However for the first time in 5 years, it seems such results are no longer the case.

The common expression of voters who felt they could very easily pick any choice and be content with it just shows what a stunning position Moffat has maintained the show in for over 5 years. For me I’m quite assured in labelling him one of, if not the greatest writers and creative minds in not only the show’s history, but in the history of television.

Regardless of how equally deserving each series is for different reasons, the victory today is very suitably attributed to Series 8. 2014 saw Doctor Who renew itself under Moffat with such a contagious and fresh passion and clarity that there was never any doubt of its position in this vote, winning with 41.57% of the vote.

Peter Capaldi’s debut series was undoubtedly one of the best received in the show’s history – and for extremely good reason. Bringing with him a fresh charisma to the role as well as a stunning chemistry with companion Clara Oswald (played superbly by the equally charming Jenna Coleman), the new Doctor exploded onto our screens with 12 stunning and exhilarating new adventures including two 60-minute+ episodes. It’s a series that will be remembered for more than just Capaldi’s debut, but for instilling a striking new direction and rekindling a live fire at the heart of the show we’ve all loved for almost 51 years now – and for that reason it won’t be a series easily forgotten.

Outstanding Debut – Capaldi’s Doctor

The Master and the Doctor are 2 characters that are not only integral to the Doctor Who’s narrative, but also both hold such a remarkable and iconic presence in the show’s long history. The history of the pair is one riddled with trouble and life-endangering disagreements (Like any functioning couple’s) and of course is a history that lends itself to be divided into the legacies of many different actor’s privileged enough to score the roles.

2014 saw the outstanding debuts of both a new Doctor and a new Master, and with both Peter Capaldi’s and Michelle Gomez’s respected portrayals receiving the amount of praise in this series of polls as it is, it’s no secret how difficult the vote would have been.

Regardless of the predicted tension, it seems the results tell the tale of a very overwhelming swing of victory towards the unstoppable, irreplaceable Twelfth Doctor. Peter Capaldi wins victory with 83.68% of votes and Gomez’s Master ‘Missy-ing’ out.

And with that, so ends another year of review and voting by the DWTV community. Join us tomorrow in revealing the complete list of runners up and statistics.