The Best Season Of Doctor Who According To Metacritic User Scores

In the years since the BBC rebooted "Doctor Who," the iconic British science-fiction show has maintained a large and passionate fandom which routinely expresses its love for the series. Whether forming extensive communities in the virtual worlds of Tumblr and Reddit or filling convention halls with cosplay of the various Doctors and their iconic enemies, "Doctor Who" fans are a force to be reckoned with.

As the latest iteration of the legendary series has now completed 13 seasons, a whole five different actors have portrayed the eponymous Doctor, each with their own particular take on the character. Jodie Whittaker's recent run as the Time Lord was marked by her whimsical commitment to the character, while the previous, Peter Capaldi, established a more cynical and world-weary take on the space explorer.

While there's no one right way to write The Doctor, and while every season of "Doctor Who" has had its highlights, there have certainly been more than a few ups and downs. Some story arcs have fallen flat, while others have soared to magnificent heights. While it's always possible to find those who disagree, some consensus among fans about which seasons made for the most engaging television has formed. Looking to the review aggregator Metacritic, fans seem to overwhelmingly agree when judging which season had the best run.

Among the now vast canon of modern "Doctor Who," Season 4 still stands out as a fan favorite, with a near-perfect Metacritic score of 9.0. During its run in 2008, fans couldn't get enough of David Tennant's take on the spacetime surfing Gallifreyan, whose physical acting and sharp comedic timing, combined with his ability to deliver a withering monologue like no other has won him a special place in the pantheon of Doctors. Meanwhile, Season 4 finds its companion in Donna Noble, a slack-off temp worker from London played by comedian Catherine Tate. The dynamic she develops with The Doctor is witty and lovingly combative, and she's often listed as one of the best companions to date (via Vulture).

Season 4 also includes highly rated episodes like "The Fires of Pompeii" (where future Doctor Peter Capaldi first made a cameo). However, the icing on the cake for this season is the spectacular finale, "Journey's End," often ranked among the best of the Davies era (via Collider). The episode brings back The Doctor's friends and former companions, including Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), and Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) to say their goodbyes. Oh, and in a shocking twist, Donna briefly becomes a Time Lord. As the last season to be helmed by Russell T. Davies before handing the reins to Steven Moffat, it's a triumphant season for the show, and Metacritic users have cemented that accomplishment in cold, hard numbers.