Ranking Mark Gatiss’ Stories

Guest contributor Will Atkinson counts down his list, then cast your vote.

Hello again! After eight weeks of Daleks, ghosts, robots, Zygons, and…er…a lion bloke, last weekend’s Who again provided us with a story that was another terrifier (if that is indeed a word), so who better to pen such a tale than Mark Gatiss, a writer with previous form in the scares department. And not just scares – laughs, thrills and big ideas have all been found of in Mr Gatiss’ previous televised entries to the canon. But, in this busy world we live in, there just might not be enough time to rewatch them all. So how can we possibly choose the best, I hear you cry. Don’t worry friends, I hear your lamentations, and I have the perfect, and by now predictable, response – a list! And once I’ve told you mine, don’t forget to mention yours in the comments and rate in the poll!

9. Night Terrors

Now, don’t get me wrong, I know this story has its fans and there are certainly parts I enjoy. Some of the direction is great, and the usage of colour and shadow gifts the story with some excellent visuals. There are also some great gags (a common occurrence with Gatiss) and the regulars all give good performances. However, there are also a few big downsides. It never quite seems to gel, it’s not really as scary as it thinks it is and some of the guest performances are truly the naffest we’ve seen since the show came back. A shame really, because there is the framework of something good here.

8. Sleep No More

Last Saturday’s story is a pretty mixed one for me. There are parts of it I love. The whole idea of Morpheus and the Sandmen is really thrilling, and the world-building is certainly intriguing. I admire the audacity of trying to do it as a found footage film too, but I think this one of the story’s big problems. The found footage style leaves the story feeling quite disjointed, and leads to scenes seeming jerky and confusing. I never felt much invested in the story either, as it seemed to never really focus in on any part of the plot-or indeed camera angle- before it had jumped to something else. Disappointing really, though there are certainly positives and I’m glad that Mr Gatiss has finally done a space-based story. Lets hope that if he does do a sequel, it will be more successful.

7. Victory of the Daleks

Victory of the Daleks has five big problems, and all five of them are the Paradigm Daleks. I’m not as big a loather of them as some others, but still – they are pretty rubbish. Well, maybe not rubbish but really, really misjudged. It makes me cringe slightly to remember the Doctor Who Confidential from when they first appeared, with Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss waxing lyrically about the design, unaware of the backlash they’d soon receive. It was just such a bizarre decision to mess with such a classic design, and the fact that the multi-coloured monstrosities now seem to have disappeared speaks volumes [Moffat even recently admitted they were a “mistake”]. But, if you look past Skaro’s Technicolor Dream-Pots, there is a lot to like here. Ian McNeice is brilliant as Winston Churchill, capturing Britain’s greatest son perfectly, and Matt Smith turns in a good performance as the Doctor in what was only his third full episode. Victory of the Daleks is really a lot more than just the Daleks – it’s just sad that they’re the first thing I remember.

6. The Idiot’s Lantern

Confession time – I rather like The Idiot’s Lantern. There’s just something about it that always cheers me up, and I always enjoy rewatching it. But I must bow to fan opinion, and though I really like it I do have to admit it’s not a classic by any means. It is just solid Doctor Who, with a great villain and a few thrilling moments. It never tries to be anything more than that, so while it might be in sixth place, it can keep its head held high.

5. Robot of Sherwood

Ah, Robot of Sherwood. So much fun, and so very funny, that it finally sold me on the Twelfth Doctor. It finally convinced me the dour Scot could be as joyful as his predecessors, as he romps through this story having a whale of a time. Like The Idiot’s Lantern, Robot of Sherwood is not a story that’s trying to top polls or win awards. It’s an example of fun, simple and enjoyable Doctor Who, and it’s a great example at that. However, like with the aforementioned story, there is nothing here to really take it to the next level. Because of this, however much I like it, I can’t place it any higher. But that doesn’t matter, as this is 45 minutes of Doctor Who that’s filled with jokes, cool monsters and a host of brilliant performances. You can’t say fairer than that.

4. Cold War

I really liked Cold War when it first came out and I’m still a fan now. Bringing the Ice Warriors bang up to date, it’s a smashing tale, with history and scares aplenty. There are also some good regular and guest appearances as well, with David Warner being a particular highlight. On the downside the CGI is a bit shaky and the resolution is a bit too fast. Apart from that? Another solid entry to the canon, and that makes me realise something important about Gatiss’ episodes: they are generally good but not spectacular, by which I mean that they tend to not be particularly standout. This is a shame because he’s certainly a good writer, but it is also a positive it many ways because it shows he is a safe pair of hands. As he’s often touted as a future show runner, time will tell whether he can keep this up.

3. The Crimson Horror

Gatiss is on record on saying that this story is probably the one that reflects him and his writing the most, and I can see what he means. From those familiar with his work outside of Who, this certainly plays to a lot of his strength, with horror (obviously!), twisted characters and Victoriana all playing a significant role. As a story itself it is great fun, giving the Paternoster Gang a chance to shine while also doing very interesting things with the regulars. Diana Rigg’s guest appearance is also a hoot – she’s absolutely crackers! Therefore, you can’t really go wrong with The Crimson Horror – it’s fantastically bizarre and as there’s no other Who story quite like it, it’s always a joy to watch.

2. The Unquiet Dead

Ah, The Unquiet Dead. Only the third Doctor Who story after the revival and the first trip into past for the program after its return, this is a glorious demonstration of the program’s dips back in time, featuring both properly scary monsters (seriously though, why haven’t the Gelth been back on TV?) and even Charles Dickens. It showed classic Who fans that weren’t sold on the show’s new look that it could still be scary while also introducing the idea of backwards time travel to a whole new generation. If there is one normal Who story of Gatiss’ you want to watch this week, I implore you to make it this. You won’t be disappointed.

However, keen followers of the mathematical arts will have noticed that there is still one more entry on my list. I might get a little bit of stick for this, but here goes…

1. An Adventure in Space and Time

A lot has been written and said about the early years of Doctor Who, but in the space of An Adventure in Space and Time’s 90-minutes Mark Gatiss has crafted the definitive account. Packed with great performances, alongside direction and production values that leave you in awe of what the BBC can do when it puts its kind to something, Gatiss’ witty and inspiring script entertains and informs the viewer perfectly. This is so much more than just a TV film – it is an experience, a representation of everything that Doctor Who was, is and can be. It might not be a proper episode, but it’s still topping my list as it just has to be watched.

After all, that’s how it all started.

Have your say

You’ve heard Will’s thoughts but what do you think? Vote in the poll below:

Note: This poll requires you to rank the stories, from your favourite at the top, to least favourite at the bottom. Drag each of them to create your desired order of preference. Mobile and tablet users can directly number them (or try this link).