The Highest-Rated Matt Smith Episode Of Doctor Who According To IMDb

"Doctor Who" is an incredibly popular science fiction series with a long and complex history dating all the way back to its premiere in 1963. The show tells the story of the Doctor, an alien being who travels through space and time constantly saving the day with his (usually) human traveling companions. Lead actors portraying the Doctor have come and gone over the years, but this format has more or less been a constant from the very beginning, with only minimal adjustments in structure to account for changes in television standards and expectations.

As many fans know, the Doctor has appeared in many forms over the years, with a variety of actors, including everyone from Peter Capaldi to Jodie Whittaker, bringing their own particular flavors to the role. This has resulted in some truly memorable episodes of "Doctor Who," including a number that are especially highly regarded by the fanbase. The Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, debuted on the show in 2010 and stuck around for three seasons. Like the others who have stepped into the shoes of the character, Smith had quite a few highly regarded episodes. However, only one episode has the distinct honor of being considered the best, at least by IMDb standards.

Strangely enough, when talking about the Matt Smith era of "Doctor Who," the highest-rated episode on IMDb isn't a mythology-expanding episode or "save the universe" story. Instead, the highest-rated episode from Smith's era is "Vincent and the Doctor," according to IMDb. This particular episode sees the Doctor and Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) travel through time to meet none other than world-famous painter Vincent van Gogh (Tony Curran). Of course, in typical "Doctor Who" fashion, the Doctor is also forced to fight against a monster known as the Krafayis. More importantly, however, the episode focuses on mental illness and Van Gogh's struggle with depression. In fact, there's even a particularly touching moment towards the end of the episode in which the Doctor briefly brings Van Gogh to the future so that he can understand how truly beloved he is (via YouTube).

However, there's a slight asterisk when declaring "Vincent and the Doctor" the highest-rated Smith episode. Technically speaking, "The Day of the Doctor" has the same rating as "Vincent and the Doctor." However, the former episode was not solely an episode of Smith's "Doctor Who." In fact, the BBC branded the episode as the 50th anniversary of the entire series. It saw previous "Doctor Who" actor David Tennant reprise his former role and referenced many aspects of the show's entire history. Still, if one wants to ignore such a distinction, then technically, "The Day of the Doctor" and "Vincent and the Doctor" are tied for this particular honor.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950- NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.