Doctor Who: How Heaven Sent Explores Grief (The Best 12th Doctor Episode)

After wrestling with this video with the beeb, I finally decided to bite the bullet and recut it. So heres the new version! Enjoy!
Original Description:
Steven Moffat's Heaven Sent explores grief in a poignant and beautiful way. It's also one of the greatest episodes of Doctor Who and... a bit of a masterpiece. Here's why.
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All footage used in this video is for educational purposes only.
#heavensent #doctorwho #5YearsOfHeavenSent

[@FullFatVideos]

We've just passed 5 years of Heaven Sent! You might remember this video back in April; you might also remember I had some trouble with the beeb and copyright! After wrestling with this video with the beeb, I finally decided to bite the bullet and recut it. So heres the new version! Enjoy! Hopefully they'll stop going after people trying to say nice things about one of their shows...

[@SomeUsernameSomeoneElseTookIt]

nice

[@M0no]

My favorite episode. This is when twelve became one of my alltime favorites

[@percykane1843]

Reminds me of my comment on the Original video. You’d think they would want some positive who content with all the .... not so great reactions to the whole timeless child thing

[@FullFatVideos]

@@percykane1843 you would hope but alas!

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Ah, I thought it was oddly familiar!

[@juliall255]

“The day you lose someone isn't the worst, at least you've got something to do, it's all the days they stay dead''. Nobody did it like Moffat. Nobody.

[@forestcritter8785]

So heart-wrenchingly true

[@aldizzle]

I am not embarrassed to say that this episode had me in tears after I thought that wasn't possible after all the tears I shed after "Face The Raven". I loved Tom Baker as the Doctor but now..in my mind Peter Capaldi is the best Doctor ever!. What an actor. He was given so much to work with!!

[@ViewTube_Emperor_of_Mankind]

The idea for this episode was as genius as the idea for "Stargate Universe". People who can invent such a story are just.. gifted.

[@stefanlangshur2493]

This was by far the best Capaldi episode. I get chills watching it.

[@jeffersoncosgrove1910]

More than "pretty good." I love it and even enjoy talking about it enough to walk YOU talk about it. Amazing.

[@acecal9858]

Honesty this episode is one of the reason why Capaldi is my favorite Doctor

[@rebeccaimmel4160]

Thank you for this. Capaldi is my favorite doctor, and this is my favorite episode (both of which statements spawn controversy in my household!). You put my feelings into words very eloquently.

[@LordSummerIsle73]

This episode terrified me when I first watched it

[@marktaylor6553]

Interesting point - the doctor basically turns everyone into Schrödinger's cat.

[@AkrimaSablosang]

I love how EVERYONE misinterprets the 'is me" line at the end of this episode. The doctor here isn't saying he's the hybrid. he's saying "Me" (Ashildr) is. because at this point, he believes so. and in a way it's true. Clara, the doctor, and Me are all the hybrid, as they all contributed to fulfilling the hybrid prophecy. Ashildr being created by the doctor, getting clara killed, which makes the doctor try to save her until the three of them are at the very end of time itself, standing in the ruins of Gallifrey. this makes this line take a lot more sense.

[@ThePhenakistoscope]

I've always thought that the comparison between Tennant's fight against time/death and Capaldi's are such polarised opposites and display such a unique character progression and arc that we see grow throughout both the 11th and 12th Doctor's stories. His final acceptance and use of time to aid him in his victory, instead of trying to bend it to his will. This episode truly felt like The Doctors character arc, not just an era of a specific actor.

[@chriswagg1354]

I loved Heaven Sent...but Moffat's masterpiece? Isn't that forgetting the genius that was Blink, The Doctor Dances, The Davros double story, the underhenge end of season 7...and so many more amazing moments he gave us. Heaven Sent is excellent but I am not sure it is any more excellent than much of his tenure on the show

[@PandanaJim]

Heaven Sent is one of those episodes that you only get once or not at all in a show.

[@aquadrumsthebeat7222]

Unbelievably great episode! Unbelievably great acting!!

[@pendragonxt3674]

Steven Moffat and Russell T. Davies are both the greatest writers of Doctor Who. The only thing wrong with the new Doctor Who series is Chibnall’s writing.

[@kingp260]

I'm so glad that RTD is returning. I have faith in him to fix the whole Timeless Child rubbish, or at least make it easier to swallow.

[@kingharry3385]

Am I the only one who loved Moffatts writing like almost fully. Imean he made confusing plots but that’s the best but

[@darkousdragon1166]

Agreed

[@jhv9886]

16:46 the voice lines up so perfectly 👌

[@Équinoxe_1]

Definitely the best episode of all time

[@chiffmonkey]

My favorite episode of television, full stop. Its only flaw is that it sets up the forgettable Hell Bent that makes the utterly stupid decision to revive Clara.

[@GeneralBulldog54]

I never thought of the decision as stupid, I actually thought of her being revived and literally undead as a curse for her hubris. She thought she was impossible, lived dangerously, wanted to be the Doctor and she did all it cost her was her dearest friend and humanity. I am curious however wondering what happens to Me in those journeys. You have two immortals, one lived until the end of a universe and the other eventually meets her end but they also have a time machine, what happened to that TARDIS? A part of me bets that while Clara eventually goes back to Trap Street facing the Ravenwood, Me has the misfortune of crossing the threshold of universes meets her end but a new life comes along that effectively grants immortality.

[@TheDragonaf1]

"There's a his emperor, and he asks the shepherd’s boy how many seconds in eternity. And the shepherd’s boy says, ‘There’s this mountain of pure diamond. It takes an hour to climb it and an hour to go around it, and every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on the diamond mountain. And when the entire mountain is chiseled away, the first second of eternity will have passed.’ You may think that’s a hell of a long time. Personally, I think that’s a hell of a bird.”

[@jazzling]

'The Shepard's Boy' by the Grimm Brothers.

[@NorokVokun]

@@jazzling Wait I didnt realise this was a grimms poem.. nice

[@BaronVladHarkonnen]

Read it in capaldi’s voice lmao

[@gallofilm]

ok

[@deeznuts23yearsago]

@@NorokVokun it’s not

[@matthewparker9276]

Moffat had his flaws, but he weaponised time better than any other doctor who writer.

[@marcus9434]

Yes.....YEEEESSS!

[@kennethchayee2196]

@The Professor very much agreed

[@caleb7551]

@The Professor my top three are (in order) 12, 5, and 11

[@elimgarak1617]

In some cases, perhaps (although it is debatable), but this episode is not one such example. The "torture" in this episode is nonsensical because the Doctor does not remember any of his past attempts. As a result, from his perspective, he has been chased by some shade for an hour or two, and that's it.

[@matthewparker9276]

@@elimgarak1617 in this case, and in many others, time has been weaponised against the viewer, not necessarily the doctor.

[@danielmorgan4134]

When I met Peter capaldi. I brought this episode up and said how brilliant it was for an actor to act completely by himself for 45 minutes with that much exposition and dialogue. Of course I said he was brilliant and how I believe this is one of the best episodes ever made. And he said that it was definitely one of his favorites in his run.

[@dolorecostante8652]

Great. Hope to have the same fortune to meet him One day and thanks him to make me Remember struggle everyday

[@pearadiss]

was he carrying a guitar? just curious

[@bobbychilds3080]

The Capaldi years were so amazing...I know it was hard for people to let Smith go, but Capaldi was just so damn good

[@caleb7551]

It was for me. Back in 2013, I was such a Smith fanboy. I hated Capaldi for like 2 years and now he's my favorite

[@DerAykac]

@@caleb7551 I allways thought of Dr. Who as a playground for writers, actors and cheap/cheesy special effects. There are old episodes written by Monthy Python and Douglas Adams. Newer episodes directed by some of my favourite directors working at the moment (like Ben Wheatley). The ever changing cast is one of it´s greatest strengths.

[@caleb7551]

@@DerAykac I agree

[@hoojamaflicks]

totally agree

[@PlayupskybIues]

Capaldi is the best and I never gave him a chance until lockdown. Its unreal we ignored this man. He deserved tennants figures on doctor who maybe more

[@belinda35_77]

Heaven Sent is a perfect example of being trapped inside your grief with the spector of death stalking you everywhere you go. That's exactly what grief feels like. And the lengths one is prepared to go, if it meant having your loved one back. I lost my son last yr, I would gladly punch a wall for 4 1/2 billion yrs if I knew I could get him back on the other side. That is what grief feels like, punching a wall everyday, day in, day out, just trying to break free of it. Such a perfect and beautiful essay you've done here on an amazing episode! Thank you!!

[@snapsicle4855]

I can remember when this aired when I watched this and got a pillow cause it was a scary what an episode

[@mrc2662]

I’m so sorry to hear your loss Belinda. Your post is incredibly affecting and made me really stop and think. I hope you find solace, somehow. You’re right about the episode - it is simply astonishing.

[@cathdodd5072]

Belinda, I am so sorry for your loss. From one mum to another, I just want to hug you. Hope you are OK

[@belinda35_77]

@@cathdodd5072 That's so very kind of you. It was 3 yrs ago on April 29th. I try my best everyday to appreciate how precious life is and carry on with joy in my heart because I know my son would want that for me. I try to honor him by spreading love and laughter everyday. Thank you 💜

[@belinda35_77]

@@mrc2662 Thank you so much for your kind words 💜

[@ryanpollard1166]

'Heaven Sent' is legit peak Capaldi. It goes without saying that this is a true masterpiece and a beautifully portrayed battling of grief, loss and fear with a triumphant resolution. Everything about this episode is pitch-perfect; Steven Moffat delivering his best story yet, Rachel Talalay's direction is flawless, Murray Gold's music is superb, the pacing and structuring works perfectly, plus the Veil was truly bloody terrifying! However, this was Peter Capaldi’s finest hour and he earned it big time, nailing every single beat; his anguish, his fear, as well as his unbridled rage and determination, demonstrating why he is the best Doctor since Tom Baker. Plus, it delivers one of the best cliff-hangers in the show's history. For me, this was, not just the standout story of Series 9 (my personal favourite series of Modern Who), but it was Moffat's best story, Capaldi's best story, the best story of Modern Who, and quite possibly, the best Doctor Who story of all time. ​

[@CreativeWM_Personal]

I personally think The Doctor Falls is the best and could have been used as an excuse to end that run of Doctor Who so we could have entire universe worth of lore that coludn't be fucked up Chibnal but alas it was never meant to be and we got Twice Upon A Time which continued into what is the now known as the Dark Era of New Who.

[@jacobnothnagle9978]

Amen sir! I completely agree. I think this was one of the finest episodes of television I’ve ever watched. Just hits perfectly on all cylinders. My absolute favorite episode of New Who.

[@elimgarak1617]

Except that the plot is utter nonsense. From the Doctor's perspective, he has been chased by some guy in a cloak for a couple of hours, and that's it. It is an incompetent plot by a dumb master villain that leads to nothing.

[@nmitchxll305]

@@elimgarak1617 not AT ALL. The whole point of his strategy is that every 'respawn' he has forgotten his past attempts, but then figures it out, has the gigantic and traumatic revelations that he's been there for billions of years over and over and worse and worse each time. Also, every attempt he literally spends over a DAY crawling back to the room in immense agony

[@elimgarak1617]

@@nmitchxll305 How is it worse except in a completely abstract sense? Also, a big reason why it took so long is his own fault - he could get a shovel, a chair, wrap his hands in his jacket, etc.

[@Arkegox]

Moffat was always way better at the smaller, self-contained episodes, but you could tell he much preferred to write the interconnected universe expanding ones

[@juliall255]

He's a brilliant writer regardless. He admits himself that he doesn't like doing story arcs but even at his worst, Moffat surpasses most people. He has a talent for screenwriting that most people can only dream of and MY GOD the way this man can write a scene

[@alexlyster3459]

He was the same with Sherlock. The better episodes were the ones where he was just doing classic Sherlock Stories, but the more "big ones" he wrote, the more self-aggrandising it became, and ultimately suffered for it.

[@kevinkelly5780]

I miss this level of writing, directing and acting. Been missing for the last few years

[@FullFatVideos]

Preach!

[@APWDUNCAN]

The best doctor The best outfit The best music The best challenge The best shots The best episode of who.

[@Vibes-ym2zf]

i ThInK tHaT jOdIe WiTtAkErS sErIeS wAs ThE bEsT wRiTtEn (i like jodie it’s just incredibly weak compared to other series

[@Apollostowel]

@@Vibes-ym2zf Then find something better to do with your time.

[@Apollostowel]

Yeah, I mean I haven't yet finished the video, but the music is very "If Beethoven's 7th 2nd Movement was a waltz" And I'm here for that. Murray's not even close to my favorite composer, but he knocked this out the park.

[@samanthaculham6774]

I agree with all of those points except David Tennant is my favourite doctor.

[@Stuffed_Trigger]

Damn bro you described McCoy perfectly

[@youvebeengreeked]

I'll just be honest: "Heaven Sent" is absolutely the best thing that's ever been released on television. I MEAN that.

[@juliall255]

It's not until you go through grief yourself that you realise what this episode is doing. It truly transcends itself. Best. Era. Ever

[@yussepig6629]

Load of bull

[@youvebeengreeked]

@@yussepig6629 oh ok.

[@CashelOConnolly]

@@juliall255 you know you’ve just explained this episode perfectly. I lost me Ma when I was 8 (she was 39) and when I watched this episode it felt so real,so suffocating in fear,confusion and loneliness. The very things I went through 💚 Peace and happiness from Dublin Eire 💚☘️🇮🇪

[@CashelOConnolly]

@@yussepig6629 I guess you’ve never had a loved one die unexpectedly ,either that or you’re a sociopath

[@survivordave]

"And the shepherd boy says" are five words that still give me chills to this day with how emotionally charged Capaldi in that final room over and over again was. SO GOOD. Heaven Sent is perfection.

[@JE-western-rider]

The Shepard boy is also a terrible and cursed phrase that is used several times in another book the The Matarese Circle. If you like old style spy vs spy and conspiracy in the background, then this boo is worth reading.

[@nos595]

I've literally just finished this episode in my lockdown from-the-start marathon! Hands down my favourite Twelve episode. Minimal effects, hardly anyone else in it, just a whole episode of Capaldi being bloody fantastic!

[@nmitchxll305]

from the start of new who?

[@paddystrongjaw9995]

@@nmitchxll305 surely not, it wouldn’t take you about 7 months to watch all of nuwho, it must be Classic who

[@peterchu5609]

@@paddystrongjaw9995 If they did an episode a day definitely would take you that long.

[@plantpowered269]

I watched all the new Who for about 3 weeks. Sometimes I did 8 episodes per day.

[@tallman1974]

@@plantpowered269 that's dedication!

[@victormcdade8706]

One of the greatest episodes of Doctor Who.

[@iwillheadlockyournan731]

Amen

[@vincentalbanese9443]

This is the best one, period. Nothing else comes close.

[@terohyvonen]

@@vincentalbanese9443 It only took a blink of an eye to come up with something that definitely comes close. But yeah, one of the best episodes ever.

[@yussepig6629]

It was boring rubbish

[@leroyrs]

@@yussepig6629 Most people here disagree with you.

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

I was still fresh from grieving Clara's death when I watched this. I felt as if I could understand how upset the Doctor was. I still can't bear to rewatch Face the Revan. That's how much I love Clara.

[@berniethekiwidragon4382]

@@sad_tbh Get lost.

[@1Gidget]

@@berniethekiwidragon4382 Clara is absolutely amazing, especially series 8 and 9

[@Adutyofcare]

So many people say that clara’s bad and just a badly developed character, but she is just amazing- just as confusing of a companion as the doctor needs

[@mudawott]

@@Adutyofcare Quite frankly I think she's a little overdeveloped. Little bits of her that didnt need to be there help make her run kinda frustrating

[@deadpooldan9862]

Glad I’m not the only one who likes Clara, even if the Ponds are my favorite

[@lordhuntington5704]

As you mentioned Donna. I would love an essay about Donna's journey and her final fate as she was my favorite companion

[@fractalbroccoli469]

Everyone is of course entitled to their own favourite Dr, but Peter Capaldi demonstrates in this episode he is simply the best actor ever to play the Dr.

[@housemouseshorts]

Unless you say anything positive about Jodi fosters doctor becosue then you are canceled by Q-anons and weird incels

[@Squantle]

It’s funny: the day the show you love gets ripped to pieces isn’t the worst - at least you’ve got something to do - it’s all the days it stays destroyed...

[@personpersonson4795]

Yes

[@gwinnellheald8592]

Ouch

[@zachh6868]

I really hope the next showrunner retcons seasons 11 - 13. I know they can't, but they have to

[@alfiethomas5632]

@@zachh6868 If they did, they would be no better than Chibnall. I would sooner see Chibnall's era put to use in another showrunner's larger story, then it can be remembered as one of Who's downtimes instead of the *bad* period of the show

[@zachh6868]

@@alfiethomas5632 yeah, but they have to at least retcon the majorly bad stuff. Most importantly that she has infinite regenerations. That kind of hurts a lot of the show's previous moments and scenes

[@Ender13123]

Years after watching Doctor Who and I cannot get this episode out of my mind...there's just something about this one in particular that stands out

[@SuperMano-me5vl]

THE best episode of Doctor Who. After suffering loss, the Doctor fails. And fails. And fails again and again. Without end. For billions of years. But with every failure, he gets just a bit closer to achieving the impossible...with a little help from his memory of the Impossible Girl. And in the end, rather than succumb to despair, the Doctor emerges from an inescapable hell, ultimately triumphant because He. Never. Gave. Up. Personally, I think that's a hell of a lesson.

[@elimgarak1617]

From his perspective, he "falls" for a couple of hours while running away from some guy in a cloak. And that's it. His predecessors did all the work, and the final iteration/copy of the Doctor reaps the rewards with minimal effort.

[@EmperorJ123]

I believe he is aware from the first restoration or two that he is trapped but whomever watching must not know he is aware of it

[@elimgarak1617]

@@EmperorJ123 He may be aware, but he only becomes aware of each loop towards the very end. And being aware doesn't mean that he actually remembers anything from the previous loops, rather than intellectually realizing it. Furthermore, I doubt that anybody was actively observing him anyway, since first of all that would require billions of years of observation, and second, it would immediately show the idiocy and futility of the entire exercise - at least the way it was structured.

[@philippebernard4577]

@@elimgarak1617 He was his predecessors... Maybe you should rewatch it ?!...

[@philippebernard4577]

@@elimgarak1617 "Toward the very end"... You mean, when he begins to hit the wall of diamond ?... Easiest part, I admit...

[@regd6060]

11 will always be my favorite but this is one of the greatest episodes ever

[@thatMisks]

This episode really cemented the fact that capaldi is one of the best doctors

[@CrankyGrandma]

I found some of his writing weak (though this was fantastic) but I think he was the best doctor

[@adorkability]

Even though Clara began to annoy me near the end of her run, and the follow-up episode completely undoes the weight of her sacrifice, this is an absolutely brilliant episode. Capaldi is superb in it.

[@AugAug989]

I think hell bent builds on the grief as the doctor still doesn’t wanna give her up. I think when she makes him let her go that’s when the grief stops. I think hell bent is good.

[@Derleks]

@@AugAug989 Maybe in themeing, but still could have been done better

[@dylanburton4955]

She does return to the moment of her death eventually so her death does still technically hold up and she still suffers the consequences of been so reckless

[@jspaingreene6350]

I wanted more seasons of Capaldi's Doctor. Is it wrong to say I wanted Craig Ferguson to visit him?

[@danabennett8986]

j spain Greene Yeah. Craig would have been a wonderful guest star. Many might think he would have been great in a comedic episode but I think he would have been extraordinary as a dramatic character. It would have been lovely to have seen him and his pal Peter Capaldi acting with each other.

[@jspaingreene6350]

@@danabennett8986 I would have loved that! Agree that Craig could play a dramatic role - but I would have taken seeing them together any which way!!!

[@jeckjeck3119]

I didn't know BBC stood for Bitchy Bitchy Copyright:/ How could they take down such a brilliant video?

[@seandeegan1702]

I knew it was a reupload

[@FullFatVideos]

@@seandeegan1702 did the pinned comment give it away 😉

[@tomnorton4277]

Moffat's the best Doctor Who writer and show runner of the revived series. Yeah, I said it. Davies' popularity is largely because he has nostalgia on his side. He was much more cautious and safe than Moffat, unwilling to take big risks out of fear of alienating the audience. This is one of the reasons I doubt he's going to repair the damage that Chibnall caused to Doctor Who. He simply isn't brave enough. Moffat was braver with his storytelling and for every risk that didn't work in his reign, like giving River Song the ability to regenerate, there were several that did, including John Hurt coming in at the last moment during the 50th Anniversary, Clara's story arc of falling to her lowest point in Season 8 and rising again to be her own Doctor in Season 9, and the redemption of the Missy who also proved that changing a Time Lords gender CAN work if there's competent people telling the story. Moffat is the George Lucas of Doctor Who, with the only major differences being his atheism and the fact that he didn't build the series from scratch.

[@MagickP00dle]

This is easily my favorite episode of Doctor Who ever. Glad to see it get this lovely tribute.

[@KorriTimigan]

Agreed. Capaldi had a bit of a rough run, and this episode is proof that he could have been the best Doctor, up there with Baker and Tennant.

[@MagickP00dle]

@@KorriTimigan i think what Capaldi was able to with the The Doctor despite how clunky some of his episodes were reinforces his status as one of the best Doctors.

[@philippebernard4577]

@@KorriTimigan Yes, he could, but he's up in front !

[@dekai7992]

Can we also talk about how this amazing story gets such an earth-shattering payoff in "Hell Bent" in the "Four and a Half Billion Years" scene? It's the best acted scene in all of Who, IMHO, and I'm crying my eyes out every. Single. Time. And I'm not ashamed to confess that.

[@alexclark6777]

"I had a duty of care." Gets me every time. That and his realization in Heaven Sent that no matter what he does, Clara will still be gone. The writing, the acting, the directing, the sets, the lighting, the musical score (holy cow the musical score...) were all flawless and (in the truest sense of an over-used word) epic.

[@xaiyab6892]

@@alexclark6777 IMHO the Doctor saying "I had a duty of care" to explain why he went so far to save Clara is just a shit-cowardly way to avoid saying what he really meant/felt. He LOVES her, deeply. "You betrayed my trust, you betrayed our friendship, you betrayed everything I ever stood for. You let me down! Do you think I care for you so little that betraying me would make a difference?” another sign that the Doctor is in love with Clara. I believe that her relationship with Danny Pink was just a mask/cover/misplacement of her true love for the Doctor.

[@alexclark6777]

@@xaiyab6892 Not sure about it being cowardly as such (isn't he supposed to be 'never cowardly'? ;-) but I 100% agree that it was a very thin excuse for doing what he did. That's part of why I loved the expression on his face, like he's trying to plead insanity when we all know the truth. I think if he was afraid of anything it was admitting that their relationship had become a bit toxic - he was willing to go to unimaginable, selfish lengths to keep her alive and she had become borderline suicidal in her risk-taking since Danny's death (hanging upside down out of the TARDIS near the beginning of FTR while Local Knowledge looks at her like she's insane), which the Doctor continued to enable. Perhaps he feared he'd lose her if he tried to talk her down from that sort of behavior? At the end they both knew it couldn't go on like that forever, and for both their sake's they had to part ways. Such a fantastic trilogy of episodes.

[@tomnorton4277]

@@xaiyab6892 The Doctor definitely loved Clara but he wasn't IN love with her. Matt Smith's Doctor clearly fancied her but Peter Capaldi's Doctor didn't love her in that way. She was more like a combination of a sister and a daughter to him. As for Clara, she chose Danny over the Doctor in Dark Water. She was willing to die to be with him, which bled into her suicidal recklessness in Season 9, even though she only mentioned Danny once throughout that entire season. Clara fancied Matt Smith's Doctor but not Peter Capaldi's Doctor. He was her best friend, a father and a brother rolled into one, but the crush she had on Smith's Doctor was long gone. Honestly, it's refreshing that Capaldi wasn't a ladies man like Smith, Tennant and even Ecclestone were. The only time we see him being somewhat romantic is in The Husbands of River Song.

[@juliall255]

@@tomnorton4277 **Plays scene where Twelve riffs ''Pretty Woman'' on his guitar for Clara because BOY-**

[@theheadpriest]

I always loved that episode, its idea was so amazing, its still has to be my fav doctor who episode ever

[@FullFatVideos]

One of the very best!

[@everyoneash]

Heaven sent was when I realized that, for me, capaldi is surpassed only by Tennant as the best doctor...wish he was still The Doctor

[@Ryusuta]

Heaven Sent isn't just my favorite Doctor Who story. It is - without question - the most moving and emotionally gripping thing I've ever seen on television. Bar none.

[@ETR_Unicorn]

I cannot imagine anyone ever composing such a love letter to any of Chibnall's contributions to the legacy of The Doctor. Moffatt understood the character and his abilities like no other. Thank the Face of Bo that Russell T Davies is coming back to save The Doctor.

[@jmace2424]

Wow, remember when we had actually good Doctor Who writing and a great Doctor?

[@juliall255]

And everyone kept slandering Moffat to make themselves feel better about how they could never come close to writing scripts like he can nor would they have come up with ideas like the weeping angels or the veshda nerada. How can I forget? A genius like Moffat intimidated people like mad and now he's gone and those same people want him back. Shoulda woulda coulda

[@bellabyers2929]

@@juliall255 literally he’s actually a fucking genius!! More people need to talk about him these days

[@batcoolstudios4236]

He also wrote Sherlock.

[@dainatalvirk6853]

We still do lol, in a few years everyone will suddenly be praising the 13th doctor's run and hating the current run. It's a cycle I've noticed with practically every peice of media that's ever existed.

[@samuellrodd1214]

Why the BBC were so intent on taking down this beautiful love letter to their show is just baffling. You were basically telling people to watch their show. It's ridiculous. Love your work by the way.

[@tomnorton4277]

The BBC hates Doctor Who. Why else would they be actively destroying it?

[@EmperorJ123]

Rachel Talalay is an amazing director too

[@FullFatVideos]

She is!

[@Twineandribbon]

Heaven Sent is the point when Capaldi beat out Matt Smith for my 2nd favorite doctor. Brilliant video. thanks

[@Twineandribbon]

@Luvjeet SINGH David Tennant really embodies the Doctor for me.

[@charleslord2433]

Tom Baker of course!

[@alexclark6777]

This episode demonstrates just how special Doctor Who used to be. The depth and subtlety of its writing, the exploration of grief, the fact that he finds his loophole to literally force his dead friend to be returned to him in Hell Bent (and let's face it, isn't that something we've all done after losing someone? Thought about some way they could be returned to us?). Leaving aside the perfect musical score, the gorgeous lighting, sets, terrific directing - the writing was spectacularly well done and has enough depth to fully warrant videos like these to explore it. This is why people are so disappointed in Chibnall's run. It has zero to do with it being a female doctor, or a conveniently diverse cast-list of "fam-panions". It has turned into a Jerry Bruckheimer tribute show, where intelligence has been replaced by action scenes. Remember when words were the Doctor's weapons? Now we have slow-motion floor slides of Jodi killing a Dalek with a microwave oven.

[@thomasipad7719]

That was simply unbeatable. The Doctor fighting 4,5 billion years to get his chance at the Timelords while saving Clara. This epsiode is an eternal gem.

[@millennialchicken]

this episode just got voted the best episode of DW of all time by DW Magazine. And it deserves it. Completely.

[@danieljensen2626]

One of the best episodes of the whole show, no doubt. Capaldi's tenure was a bit mixed, but they did a few things really, really well. A shame Jodi hasn't gotten even close to the same quality of writing.

[@jooie444]

And if she did have this quality of writing, she would still fail acting wise because she's just an average actress with limited range.

[@charlottewallis7225]

Broadchurch begs to disagree with you there.

[@jooie444]

@@charlottewallis7225 Yes, she was OK but when it comes to complex characters , Jodie is totally out of her depth

[@jooie444]

@aids Yeah? We will see what she does in series 13 because she certainly hasn't convinced me of anything different.

[@Kaiwala]

@aids Are you regurgitating Jay Exci's video or did you genuinely notice that when watching? Cause I haven't watched the show yet so I don't know if what he says is accurate or not.

[@lucifiaofthefreecouncil1312]

I was literally dying from undiagnosed late stage b12 deficiency when I saw a video of Matt Smith's Speech as the doctor in the episode The Rings of Akhaten on youtube and I spent what I thought were my final days watching the 11th doctor Discovering the wonders of doctor who feeling so comforted and not alone, and I think it literally saved my life. I don't think I'd have made it through if I didn't discover doctor who.

[@cathdodd5072]

I hope you are better now. Doctor Who is an amazing show, meaning so much to so many people. I am glad it gave you comfort and hope. I cry every time I hear the first noyes of the Long Song.

[@rev68]

Not only is this the best 12th Doctor episode, it's one of my all time favorites (and that's coming from a kid who grew up on Tom Baker when he was just 5 years old).

[@Luke63517]

This shows how Moffat really understood the Doctor and the torment he lives in. It's also what is missing from the current show.

[@batcoolstudios4236]

Luckily, Russel T Davies is returning as showrunner.

[@AM-uo2kf]

That montage at the end of the episode as the years keep ticking on and on through thousands then millions then billions of years, it's by far to me the most gut wrenching moment of Doctor who out of any I've seen.

[@ToxinWolffe]

Personally, I think that's one hell of a bird!

[@PNW_Marxist]

I feel like one of the biggest things missing from the current incarnation of the show (which I do enjoy, mind) is Murray Gold and his amazing scores. The music during 13's run works, but it's far more ambient and far less grandiose, and I feel like the Doctor needs that grandiosity.

[@God-xd1wr]

I’ve noted enough things from the rest of NuWho that were missing from 13’s run, I give up. Everything was missing from 13’s run

[@sjn7688]

This is why I hate it when people say Moffat is a bad writer. I was like, 'most of the all time best episodes have been written by him!' I agree it wasn't all good and sometimes it missed what it was aiming for, but overall I think he was amazing in his run of doctor who and I'm very glad he picked up the job as head writer after RTD left.

[@plantpowered269]

This episode was my the very first intro to DW, and I didn't even know that it actually was an episode of this show. I was eating out, and stopped my sight on a tv screen, where a well-aged man asked "How many seconds in eternity?", followed by beautiful visual scenes and music, and his determination. I needed to leave, so I came home, searched for this phrase - the only clue I had, and in three weeks, at 2am in a hostel's bunk bed I was sobbing because the 10th Doctor was dying. A girl from France approached me and kindly asked if I was all right. I explained, she understood, she watched all the new seasons already. And I went, at 3am, to an infamous fastfood chain to download the next season and to calm myself down with some hope. And now "bird" is my username on some social media, and rucbar is my wifi password

[@JuLiane]

This episode is an absolute, outstanding masterpiece and it's a shame it never got an award. It remains to this day one of the best episodes, if not THE best episode of fiction tv I have seen from modern tv.

[@subtlegong2817]

When I recently got caught up on Doctor Who I backtracked three episodes so I could rewatch this episode. I only paid half my attention to the newest Doctor’s season but paid full attention to this one. Great episode

[@albinobama5744]

Doctor in this episode is like my dad, no matter how many secrets I find out about him he always gets away.

[@Cecily_Smith4]

Whot

[@whatthefoxsays1657]

You okay man?

[@albinobama5744]

@@whatthefoxsays1657 probably not.

[@chrisbarber3531]

This is back when the show had great writers.

[@azapro911]

Moffat was clearly excited about this when he teased it during an interview for Capaldi's first series. In this case, he wasn't wrong, it's extraordinary.

[@locks9326]

I would love to see capaldi become the next Sherlock Holmes.

[@jspaingreene6350]

Oooooo! Yes! That would make too much sense.

[@Crazyollie123]

Nah make house M.D knock off about joseph bell.

[@prjndigo]

The word you're missing in this entire review is "devotion". The Doctor is committed to his path because it is a path that MUST be traveled by someone. Also, the main character of the show is the Tardis... she's sister to The Moment.

[@God-xd1wr]

She is?

[@RonanHTC]

As soon as the doctor is dragging his way to the teleportation machine and the music starts with a dying doctor in his mind palace, I get chills, and this lasts for the last 10 minutes of the episodes. Best episode of Doctor Who with the best doctor.

[@UnderwaterSpaghetti783]

And on top of all the excellent acting and directing and writing in this episode... we get the face he made when the wall broke as a cherry on top.

[@kabobawsome]

My favorite thematic part of Heaven Sent is how he gets to the end, he's figured it all out and done all the heroics... and then comes the longest and most difficult part. Just like with grief. You get through it all, accept death... and then you still have to live without them.

[@TheRedCloudAMV]

I fell out of love with Dr. Who after season 4 and just recently decided to start over. I can't believe I missed all the great episodes under Capaldi's belt, he really was an amazing doctor and this episode in particular just sticks with me, the emotion, the score the acting. I've just finished watching season 10 and I'm honestly not that interested now that Capaldi is gone. No fault of Jodie Whittaker, she just had a tough act to follow

[@TheBlueSuperDude]

This episode was one of the ones that truly broke my mind in the best way possible. The doctor living a hundred thousand million lives in order to punch through a "diamond" wall. An impossible thing normally but hundreds of thousands of millions of punches.....maybe. Truly one of the best in Modern who

[@discreetvortex8237]

cant wait for chibnalls masterpeice... oh wait he hasnt got one

[@henryrothert6160]

This is probably my favorite episode of television ever. An absolute masterpiece

[@daverei1211]

This is my favourite Dr Who episode and demonstrated to me the power of Peter Capaldi, as one of the best Dr Who’s ever. He is so funny delivering lines with amazing looks, “you’ll never see this coming”.

[@RevRod92]

"It's all the days they stay dead." That really hit me. My best friend's mom died during covid isolation and we never had a funeral because of it. This sometimes makes me feel like I can go to her trailer (that was torn down after her death) and see her at her computer, smoking a cigarette. But I never can. Every day from now on. And that hurts in little ways that sometimes is worse than the big grief that hit me when I heard of her passing. Edit: My dog died last week and I've been using this quote to express how I feel not having her with me everyday.

[@danielgertler5976]

I never understood people who shat all over Moffat's run as show runner. Like yeah it wasn't perfect, but there was also good episodes. It was at worst on par with RTD vastly over rated run.

[@royalblue5367]

I never understood people who call RTD's run vastly overrated. Like yeah it wasn't perfect, but there were also good episodes. It was at worst on par with Moffat's shit-smeared run.

[@watchingaccount]

honestly, RTD and Moffat both had their flaws, but at least you could tell they were competent and knew how to write a banger episode when they needed to, compared to Chibnall whose characters are flatter than a loli anime girl, not to mention the timeless child which showed a complete misunderstanding of the purpose of the Doctor.

[@galarstar052]

@@royalblue5367 if it was on par with a shit-smeared run it would also be shit-smeared. Seems in your offended state you forgot to form an actually good comment and just reworded the original commenter in a way that makes both showrunners seem bad.

[@plantpowered269]

@@royalblue5367 actually, except the pilot, the first season of the 10th Doctor was painfully cringy to watch for me. The dullest and the bleakest season. Despite I love Rose and the 10th being together, the stories in the 9th Doctor's go were so much better. *New Earth* - Doctor takes INTRAVENOUS solutions and applies them TOPICALLY, after diluting hundreds of times with water, on the people sick with the most lethal diseases in the Universe, and by the power of RTD, it somehow works. *School reunion* is just too theatrical, slapstick and cringy. I hate this episode. *The girl in the fireplace* - Doctor, perfectly aware of Rose's feelings towards him, snogs in front of her another woman, who he somehow missed to snog when he was Casanova. RTD's message to Tennant, "Remember, I wrote the whole film for you once, my love?" And Tennant's gesture when he kinda pushes the fireplace agains his pelvic region, when he says the word "snog"? Just plain vulgarity, out of the Doctor's character, but completely within Casanova's style. He returned the message. *The idiot's lantern* was so bad, it does not need any more explaining. *Love and monstres* - even worse. *Fear her* - so obvious, nothing to watch.

[@mainstreetsaint36]

Midnight was one of RTD's best.

[@lordhuntington5704]

I could have sworn there was a full fat essay on this episode before

[@Cecily_Smith4]

I think it was just one abt capaldi

[@gummyjellyfrog]

Yeah I watched that yesterday. Read the video description

[@MelonDoesStuff]

This is a reupload because the old one kept getting claimed by the BBC for copyright

[@mcarp555]

Certainly the best single episode in the best series of NuWho. While some of the other episodes in that series have not aged well, _Heaven Sent_ is as sharp and powerful as the day it was first broadcast.

[@Shadoweagle7]

"How many seconds in eternity?" I'll never forget this line. Especially in the context of this one episode. This episode was amazing.

[@DestyOnline]

My favorite Doctor and my favorite episode, with my favorite music. Sheppard's Boy is awesome.

[@staplesphotovideo]

the Shepard's boy is my favorite piece of music from doctor who. I'm glad Murray gold brought it back for Capaldi's regeneration

[@Despair505]

It still blows my mind how good episode this is. Every single aspect of filmmaking is at top level here. Writing, acting, directing, cinematography, music, editing. Not gonna lie, this episode makes me cry.

[@redrobbingrobber1696]

There is a Shepherd's boy, known throughout the land for his wisdom. One day, the Emperor summons the boy, and asks him, "How many drops of water in the sea?" The Shepherd boy replies, saying, "If you dammed up every river in the world, and took each and every drop from the rivers, I would tell you." Satisfied, the Emperor asks, "How many stars in the sky?" The Shepherd's boy takes a large piece of paper and a pen, and dots down thousands upon thousands of tiny points. He asks, "Can you count these?" Not one of the Emperor's guards, nor the Emperor himself can count it without being lost. The Emperor asks one final time, "How many seconds in eternity?" The Shepherd's boy replies, saying, "There is a mountain of pure diamond, in Lower Pomerania, that is 2,000 feet across, 2,000 feet high, and 2,000 feet deep. It would take an hour to go around, an hour to go over, and every hundred years a bird comes, and sharpens its beak on the mountain. As slowly the mountain is chiseled away to the very last stone, the first second of eternity will have passed." The Emperor is astounded by the wisdom of this boy, adopting him, taking him as his own,

[@alexchan4819]

Capaldis speeches were the greatest way of giving the audience information, as opposed to Whittaker being asked a question every 2 seconds by confused companions

[@Graphicxtras1]

Certainly one of the best Dr Who episodes in years and years, perhaps the best ever. Visually amazing, perfectly written, totally amazing performance from the ever excellent Peter Capaldi. Remember watching it and by the end was totally worn out, it was an emotional ringer of an episode.

[@stephenphillips7699]

6:28 how he looks at the audience when he says "I'm nothing without an audience"

[@Oliver-ld3ei]

This episode literally made me so scared when I saw it. It introduced me to the idea of getting stuck in a timeloop and to this day that is my biggest fear.

[@Oliver-ld3ei]

@Luvjeet SINGH Thank you. are you a P5 fan?

[@Oliver-ld3ei]

@Luvjeet SINGH Very cool. I hope you don't think the Phantom Thieves are real like all of the cringy P5 "fans" on Twitter.

[@sleepingdogpro]

"There's something that really works about the Doctor breaking the fourth wall, as if he's smart enough to know that he's fiction. But there's something about him knowing that that makes him feel realer than ever." Yes exactly! I love that you articulated that, I've had the thought before but never been able to put it to words. It's like: if he's smart enough to know he's fiction, it's really just another aspect of how clever he is. It feeds right into who the Doctor is: yes he's fiction, but he knows he's fiction, because he would, wouldn't he?

[@FullFatVideos]

I think you deserve better

[@brybalaton-chrimes7550]

My dad, who embedded doctor who in me as a kid, though I remember nothing of it, died in the arms of me and my siblings as hell bent Aires in Australia. His death was early, traumatic and unexpected until we were able to give him some relief, coincidentally as the ep began to air. I watch it every December 6th at the time it would have aired to pay tribute to him. I never watch heaven sent but I’m about to go and do it now. I’ve always been too scared to confront that grief head on. Great recap.

[@thurstablelane7567]

One of the best comments which ties to this episode is from Clara "We're just Ghosts to you" and I thought that was an incredible comment which ties to this so well! Thanks for this video

[@brokenheartedmedia3865]

I watch this as a stand-alone film every year. It helps process so many emotions. I think it was sublimely made, and captures the terror of being trapped in your own mind without dealing with your demons, the power and redemption of friendship, and stalwart resolve. I can’t help but compare the Doctor to God sometimes. This one reminded me of the incarnation and how Jesus felt all the things humans felt, including the pain of separation and physical pain. Beautiful piece of art.

[@eternalmiasma5586]

After me and my mom watched this episode, we sat in silence while the credits rolled and we literally just said “wow”