[allen_who]

well for me it's a flip up between Terror of the Zygons episode one or Planet of Evil - episode two.

New Who:- I suppose series two episode 12 was good... cybermen were expected at the end of part 1, but we got daleks emerging...

any thoughts folks??

[stuartjk]

Earthshock Part 1. Had no idea Cybermen were coming back, I and about 8 million other people fell off the sofa at the same time! (not the same sofa though) A week later Adric was dead.........

[performingmonk]

'Rose, I'm coming to get you.'

[allen_who]

it's a shame we're not getting cliff hangers this series...

Doctor Who music at the point of a cliff hanger is immense

[TEDR]

The standard response: "Not a very convincing argument actually, Stotz, because I'm going to die soon anyway, unless of course... unless of course I can find the antidote. I owe it to my young friend to try because I got her into this, so you see — I'm not going to let you stop me now!"

In terms of leaving the fans guessing, part three of Survival takes some beating.

[JCR]

A Good Man Goes to War in nu Who.

I still like the The Daemons 3 one from back in the day Who, purely because I still think it's neat they did a cliffhanger with The Master and not The Doctor in trouble.

[Dave-H]

The one at the end of The Stolen Earth is pretty good!
I agree about the end of Earthshock part one too.
I went round to a friend's house a hour or so after it aired, and when he opened the door to me we both spontaneously and simultaneously uttered one word "Cybermen"!
It was that amazing.

[sovietusername]

Has to be the cliffhanger at the end of Utopia, that scene, where you know it's the Master, and he's out there, and the Doctor's stranded, and it's all so completely unexpected... Aaah, it's just brilliant.

[Dave-H]

Originally Posted by sovietusername

Has to be the cliffhanger at the end of Utopia, that scene, where you know it's the Master, and he's out there, and the Doctor's stranded, and it's all so completely unexpected... Aaah, it's just brilliant.

Another great one indeed, and the build up to it was gobsmackingly good too!

[krikkiter68]

I love the end of Utopia, fantastic episode IMO! The cliffhanger at the end of Turn Left too, for its sheer epic quality, and the end of The Impossible Planet, as well. Army of Ghosts for its sheer unexpectedness, and Bad Wolf for the Doctor's defiance against the Daleks. The end of Episode One of City of Death has always stayed with me, too - I still find it creepy when I watch it now.

Difficult for me to decide on just one, as you can see...

[CoalHillJanitor]

Well, there's Androzani where they've apparently been shot, and Terror of the Vervoids where Mel is screaming and someone's getting electrocuted. Forget which episodes they were, probably part 1 for both of them.

For New Who, Utopia and The Stolen Earth are both quite good and so is The Pandorica Opens. Also agree about Turn Left.

[Mulett]

Earthshock episode 1 - OMG the Cybermen! I think surprises can often work better as a cliffhanger than (for instance) the Doctor and co being threatened with death. You know it isn't going to happen. And typically the resolve is someone rushing in and saying 'Stop, don't kill them'.

Stolen Earth - wonderful surprise regeneration plus all the other mini-cliff hangers too (Sarah Jane and Torchwood about to be exterminated).

WEIRDEST cliff hanger remains Dragonfire episode 1 - the 7th Doctor climbs down from a walkway to dangle over an icy abyss for no reason what so ever!

[adams66]

I always loved the end of part 4 of the Talons Of Weng Chiang. You rarely knew in advance how long stories were and for some reason I was convinced that this story was only going to be 4 episodes; so to see the episode with Greel and Mr Sin cackling away in their horse drawn carriage, after having regained the Time Cabinet, was a real shock. I genuinely wondered how they could end a story like this!

Other favourites -
Genesis Of The Daleks part 4; Harry and Sarah about to suffers all the torments ever known if the Doctor doesn't tell Davros about all the future Dalek defeats. It's brilliant the way the electronic burbles rise in pitch along with Michael Wisher's voice, which also becomes more Dalek like the more he shouts "You Will TELL ME".

Brain Of Morbius part 2 - the reveal of the Brain itself. Superbly done, as we can see it, but Sarah, who's been blinded temporarily, can't!

Hand Of Fear part 2 - the hand coming to life in that plastic lunch box, regrowing a finger and scrabbling about. Very creepy, and very effectively done.

There are many others, some have already been mentioned - Androzani part 3 is surely the most thrillingly exciting, (although Pyramids of Mars 2 comes very close as the mummies break into the cottage), Zygons part 1 is arguably the best ever reveal of a monster, but I think my all time favourite is -

Masque Of Mandragora 3. As Hieronymous turns to look at the Count we see that he's nothing more than a blaze of Mandragora energy under that hood. It was absolutely brilliant and still thrills me to this day.

[adams66]

Originally Posted by Mulett

WEIRDEST cliff hanger remains Dragonfire episode 1 - the 7th Doctor climbs down from a walkway to dangle over an icy abyss for no reason what so ever!

It is the most literal Cliff Hanger ever. But also, quite probably, the stupidest.

[CD93]

Not the best ever, but a special mention for The Time of Angels. I'm sure it was an anticipated moment from the series trails. Plus, it was a Graham Norton special.

"Oh, big, big mistake. Really huge. Didn't anyone ever tell you? There's one thing you never put in a trap, if you're smart. If you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there's one thing you never, ever put in a trap..."

GRAHAM NORTON - OVER THE RAINBOW *animated dance*

"...me!"

[nebogipfel]

Sink plunger menaces Barbara.

[darthbibble]

Toss up between Caves Of Androzani part 3 and Army Of Ghosts for me (with special mention to Remembrance of The Daleks part 1)

[bennythedip]

the stolen earth regeneration was my favourite totally unexpected.

[John_Strange]

In the classic series a particularly disturbing cliffhanger from The Deadly Assassin, lingers in my mind, but I can't remember the specifics - it was in the matrix - the whole episode had been quite surreal and I just remember the feeling of disturbance it generated. In the modern age, the reveal of John Simms's Master because the whole story is structured around these scenes an the Doctor is apparently left in such dire straits - an of course wonderfully resolved with one (giant time) leap and they're free at the start of the next episode.

[TRT1968]

I don't know if it counts as a cliff-hanger, but the one just before the title music in "Impossible Planet".

We must feed. We must feed. We must FEED. *MUSIC BLARE*
*End titles*
You.

[daveyboy7472]

When you look at Cliffhangers, it's always impossible to choose a really favourite one unless you categorise them a bit.

If I was choosing the best surprise Cliffhanger, than the Cybermen at the end of Earthshock would definitely be the best.

If it was a WTF sort of cliffhanger, it would be Julian Glover appearing as Captain Tancredi at the end of Part 2 in City Of Death.

For pure tension the 'You will tell me.' cliffhanger in Genesis Of The Daleks is awesome.

Perilous cliffhangers, I think Sarah falling of the rocket scaffolding into a freeze frame cliffhanger in the same story was superb. Plus The Caves Of Androzani, Episodes 1 and 3, some of the best ones ever. You see The Doctor and Peri actually shot at under a hail of gunfire in one and The Doctor about to crash in a spaceship in the other. Great Stuff.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by allen_who

well for me it's a flip up between Terror of the Zygons episode one or Planet of Evil - episode two.

New Who:- I suppose series two episode 12 was good... cybermen were expected at the end of part 1, but we got daleks emerging...

any thoughts folks??

But could have been so much better - Cybermen were obvious all episode. Just think what a fantastic cliffhanger it would have been if Cybermen had suddenly turned up 3 minutes from the end and then the Daleks 2 minutes later.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by CoalHillJanitor

Well, there's Androzani where they've apparently been shot, and Terror of the Vervoids where Mel is screaming and someone's getting electrocuted. Forget which episodes they were, probably part 1 for both of them.

For New Who, Utopia and The Stolen Earth are both quite good and so is The Pandorica Opens. Also agree about Turn Left.

But both ruined by complete cop out escapes the following week.

[The Gatherer]

Originally Posted by daveyboy7472

When you look at Cliffhangers, it's always impossible to choose a really favourite one unless you categorise them a bit.

If I was choosing the best surprise Cliffhanger, than the Cybermen at the end of Earthshock would definitely be the best.

If it was a WTF sort of cliffhanger, it would be Julian Glover appearing as Captain Tancredi at the end of Part 2 in City Of Death.

For pure tension the 'You will tell me.' cliffhanger in Genesis Of The Daleks is awesome.

Perilous cliffhangers, I think Sarah falling of the rocket scaffolding into a freeze frame cliffhanger in the same story was superb. Plus The Caves Of Androzani, Episodes 1 and 3, some of the best ones ever. You see The Doctor and Peri actually shot at under a hail of gunfire in one and The Doctor about to crash in a spaceship in the other. Great Stuff.

Indeed a great cliffhanger, but again Cybermen had been hinted at all story. For me a much greater surprise was Daleks at the end of The Space Museum, but no one ever seems to mention that!

[daveyboy7472]

Originally Posted by The Gatherer

Indeed a great cliffhanger, but again Cybermen had been hinted at all story. For me a much greater surprise was Daleks at the end of The Space Museum, but no one ever seems to mention that!

I don't know about anyone else but it was before my time so when watching The Space Museum for the first time I sort of knew The Daleks were going to be in the next story and at the end of this one, so it was no surprise!

Forgot also to mention The Daleks appearing at the end of Army Of Ghosts. Though I'd read about them cropping up somewhere it had been some months before it was shown so I'd forgotten it about by this time. So it was still quite an exciting surprise to see them!