best episodes of Doctor Who poster

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

26 Seasons
694 Episodes
Ended
Drama Action & Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy
episode image City of Death (4)
8.9/10 (792 votes)

#1 City of Death (4)

S17:E8

Scaroth is determined to go back 400 million years in time to prevent a mistake. But the Doctor must stop him – because the consequences would be disastrous.

episode image City of Death (2)
8.8/10 (776 votes)

#2 City of Death (2)

S17:E6

Captured by the Count, the Doctor and Romana uncover an elaborate plan to steal the Mona Lisa. But there is more to Scarlioni's plans than a simple theft.

episode image The Caves of Androzani (1)
8.8/10 (771 votes)

#3 The Caves of Androzani (1)

S21:E17

The planet Androzani Minor, the distant future. In the planet's caves war rages between government troops and the android warriors of the mysterious Sharaz Jek. But what makes spectrox, the substance they battle to control, so valuable? And how far will the Doctor go to protect his companion?

episode image City of Death (1)
8.7/10 (897 votes)

#4 City of Death (1)

S17:E5

Paris, 1979. The Doctor and Romana are here on holiday, but something is disturbing the flow of time. Could the time travel experiments of Count Scarlioni be to blame?

episode image City of Death (3)
8.7/10 (754 votes)

#5 City of Death (3)

S17:E7

The Doctor and Romana unwrap an intricate plot involving aliens, time travel and the Mona Lisa. How is Count Scarlioni living in two times at once? And what does he want?

episode image The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1)
8.6/10 (882 votes)

#6 The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1)

S14:E21

London, the 1890s. As magician Li H'Sen Chang captivates audiences, a spate of disappearances amongst young women goes largely unnoticed. But almost upon their arrival, the Doctor and Leela find themselves confronting the feared Tong of the Black Scorpion, and a menace from another time. And there's something fishy in the sewers, too...

episode image The Seeds of Doom (1)
8.5/10 (723 votes)

#7 The Seeds of Doom (1)

S13:E21

The Antarctic, the near future. A strange seed-pod is unearthed from 20-thousand-year-old ice. The Doctor and Sarah go to investigate, but are too late to prevent the pod infecting a scientist and unleashing a threat to all animal life on Earth...

episode image The Caves of Androzani (4)
8.5/10 (689 votes)

#8 The Caves of Androzani (4)

S21:E20

Events on Androzani reach a bloody climax. Will the Doctor and Peri survive the carnage? And at what cost?

episode image Destruction of Time
8.4/10 (470 votes)

#9 Destruction of Time

S3:E21

With the Daleks poised to invade the solar system, the Doctor decides his only option is to activate the Time Destructor prematurely, threatening the entire planet.

episode image Inferno (3)
8.4/10 (725 votes)

#10 Inferno (3)

S7:E21

The Doctor has vanished from the Inferno project… or has he? He finds himself in the same place, but everyone has changed… and the drilling is closer to its deadly conclusion.

episode image Inferno (6)
8.4/10 (725 votes)

#11 Inferno (6)

S7:E24

The Doctor is trapped in a parallel world that is going up in flames. Can he escape in time to save Earth in his own universe?

episode image Pyramids of Mars (4)
8.4/10 (848 votes)

#12 Pyramids of Mars (4)

S13:E12

Sutekh forces the Doctor to transport Scarman and a mummy to Mars, where the Doctor and Sarah try to stop them destroying the Eye of Horus.

episode image The Seeds of Doom (2)
8.4/10 (609 votes)

#13 The Seeds of Doom (2)

S13:E22

Two employees of the millionaire Harrison Chase arrive at the Antarctic base, and they will stop at nothing to get hold of the second seed-pod.

episode image The Seeds of Doom (3)
8.4/10 (606 votes)

#14 The Seeds of Doom (3)

S13:E23

The Doctor and Sarah Jane return to England after their Antarctic ordeal and Chase tries to eliminate them, but they escape and track him down at his estate, where he is preparing to open the Krynoid pod.

episode image The Seeds of Doom (4)
8.4/10 (599 votes)

#15 The Seeds of Doom (4)

S13:E24

The Doctor is captured by Chase, who plans to breed the stolen Krynoid pod. He is placed in an automated compost hopper and only Sarah Jane can save him... but will she make it before the Krynoid grows to fruition ?

episode image The Seeds of Doom (5)
8.4/10 (605 votes)

#16 The Seeds of Doom (5)

S13:E25

The Krynoid grows to a monstrous size and traps the Doctor and the others in a cottage. The creature demands they turn over the Doctor, while Chase seeks to make an alliance with the alien vegetation.

episode image The Robots of Death (2)
8.4/10 (705 votes)

#17 The Robots of Death (2)

S14:E18

The Doctor and Leela are suspected of murder. But the real foe is using robots to cut down the crew – and even sabotage the sand miner itself!

episode image The Robots of Death (3)
8.4/10 (691 votes)

#18 The Robots of Death (3)

S14:E19

One of the crew is the insane Taren Capel, who is using robots to carry out the murders. The Doctor discovers that there are also others who aren't what they appear to be either.

episode image The Robots of Death (4)
8.4/10 (703 votes)

#19 The Robots of Death (4)

S14:E20

The Doctor and the surviving humans fight for their lives against Taren Capel and his growing army of deadly robots.

episode image The Talons of Weng-Chiang (2)
8.4/10 (701 votes)

#20 The Talons of Weng-Chiang (2)

S14:E22

The Doctor and Leela investigate the strange events in Victorian London. But a mysterious masked figure lurks in the shadows.

episode image The Talons of Weng-Chiang (3)
8.4/10 (696 votes)

#21 The Talons of Weng-Chiang (3)

S14:E23

As Li H'Sen Chang works to secure the time cabinet, Leela pursues and investigates his master – the mysterious and murderous Weng-Chiang.

episode image The Talons of Weng-Chiang (4)
8.4/10 (689 votes)

#22 The Talons of Weng-Chiang (4)

S14:E24

The Doctor and Leela attend Li H'Sen Chang's performance, hoping to confront the magician. But his master Weng-Chiang has other plans…

episode image The Talons of Weng-Chiang (5)
8.4/10 (685 votes)

#23 The Talons of Weng-Chiang (5)

S14:E25

The Doctor and his allies try to track down Weng-Chiang before he can activate the time cabinet and possibly destroy London.

episode image Flashpoint
8.3/10 (890 votes)

#24 Flashpoint

S2:E9

The Daleks' plan to transform Earth into a giant spaceship and wipe out its inhabitants is nearing completion and the Doctor and his friends face a race against time to prevent them from destroying the planet's core.

episode image Inferno (7)
8.3/10 (721 votes)

#25 Inferno (7)

S7:E25

The Doctor has escaped the catastrophic destruction of a parallel world. But can he stop Stahlman before he destroys this one?

episode image Pyramids of Mars (2)
8.3/10 (833 votes)

#26 Pyramids of Mars (2)

S13:E10

The Doctor, Sarah and Laurence try to find a way to sever Sutekh's link to the mummies while poacher Ernie Clements finds the priory surrounded by a forcefield.

episode image The Deadly Assassin (1)
8.3/10 (767 votes)

#27 The Deadly Assassin (1)

S14:E9

Gallifrey, planet of the Time Lords. Summoned home by a premonition of murder, the Doctor discovers a dark conspiracy at the highest levels of Time Lord society... and his oldest enemy, who poses a threat to the existence of Gallifrey itself...

episode image The Deadly Assassin (2)
8.3/10 (661 votes)

#28 The Deadly Assassin (2)

S14:E10

The President of the High Council has been killed and the Doctor is the prime suspect. The Time Lords are eager to dispense quick justice and the Doctor must race agains the clock to discover the truth... and an old enemy.

episode image The Deadly Assassin (4)
8.3/10 (672 votes)

#29 The Deadly Assassin (4)

S14:E12

The Doctor has won his fight in the Matrix and revealed the assassin. But the Master is not defeated and sets a plan in motion that could destroy the Time Lords.

episode image The Robots of Death (1)
8.3/10 (856 votes)

#30 The Robots of Death (1)

S14:E17

An unnamed world, an unknown time. A vast mining vessel trawls a sea of mineral sand for valuable ores, the tiny human crew served by an army of humanoid robots. But as the Doctor and Leela arrive, one of the crew is found murdered... and if they didn't do it, who did?

episode image The Caves of Androzani (2)
8.3/10 (677 votes)

#31 The Caves of Androzani (2)

S21:E18

The Doctor and Peri have been rescued from the firing squad by the mysterious Sharaz Jek. But he has his own plans for them. And why are they suddenly feeling ill?

episode image The Power of the Daleks (6)
8.2/10 (621 votes)

#32 The Power of the Daleks (6)

S4:E14

With Bragen having taken over, the Daleks trick the rebels into turning them loose and only the Doctor can stop them wiping out the entire colony.

episode image Inferno (4)
8.2/10 (709 votes)

#33 Inferno (4)

S7:E22

In a parallel England, the Doctor tries desperately to convince his captors of the immense peril they are in. But they are convinced he is a spy. And penetration zero is getting close…

episode image Inferno (5)
8.2/10 (709 votes)

#34 Inferno (5)

S7:E23

The parallel Inferno has broken through the Earth's crust, unleashing terrible seismic forces and dooming the planet. The Doctor hopes to return and save his world. But the bestial primords are closing in...

episode image The Three Doctors (1)
8.2/10 (899 votes)

#35 The Three Doctors (1)

S10:E1

England, the near future. A strange anti-matter creature arrives on Earth and attacks UNIT HQ. It seems to be specifically seeking the Doctor out - but why? With the Time Lords themselves unable to help, it seems the only person who can help the Doctor is himself - or selves...

episode image The Three Doctors (4)
8.2/10 (779 votes)

#36 The Three Doctors (4)

S10:E4

Omega reveals the purpose behind bringing the Doctor to his antimatter world, but the Doctor(s) discover a startling fact about Omega that he didn't know himself and eventually strike a bargain.

episode image The Brain of Morbius (2)
8.2/10 (623 votes)

#37 The Brain of Morbius (2)

S13:E18

The Doctor is captured by the Sisterhood, and Sarah Jane is blinded freeing him. The Doctor has no choice but to go back for a cure, unaware that he is leaving Sarah Jane in the hands of a treacherous Dr. Solon and the renegade Time Lord Morbius.

episode image The Brain of Morbius (3)
8.2/10 (622 votes)

#38 The Brain of Morbius (3)

S13:E19

While the Doctor goes to confront the Sisterhood to seek a cure for Sarah Jane's blindness, Solon realizes that he must transfer Morbius' brain into a new body before it is too late.

episode image The Brain of Morbius (4)
8.2/10 (644 votes)

#39 The Brain of Morbius (4)

S13:E20

Morbius lives once more, but as a rampaging beast. The Doctor is forced to ally with Dr. Solon to bring him to heel, but the two disagree about what should happen to Morbius.

episode image The Deadly Assassin (3)
8.2/10 (665 votes)

#40 The Deadly Assassin (3)

S14:E11

The Doctor has entered the computation Matrix to prove his innocence. But his opponent is prepared for him and the two engage in a mental duel to the death.

Cast & Chracters

character image The Doctor

The Doctor

Actor: Sylvester McCoy
character image Ace

Ace

Actor: Sophie Aldred

The highest rated episode of Doctor Who is "City of Death (4)" (S17E8) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 792 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Timelash (2)" (S22E11) with a rating of 5.40.

This episode received 486 votes.

The highest rated episode is "An Unearthly Child" (S1E1) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 2,312 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Forest of Fear" (S1E3) with a rating of 6.30.

This episode received 1,521 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Flashpoint" (S2E9) with a rating of 8.30.

This episode received 890 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Centre" (S2E21) with a rating of 5.50.

This episode received 680 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Destruction of Time" (S3E21) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 470 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Trap of Steel" (S3E2) with a rating of 6.20.

This episode received 491 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Power of the Daleks (6)" (S4E14) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 621 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Underwater Menace (4)" (S4E22) with a rating of 5.80.

This episode received 463 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Mind Robber (1)" (S6E6) with a rating of 7.90.

This episode received 769 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Dominators (3)" (S6E3) with a rating of 6.00.

This episode received 510 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Inferno (3)" (S7E21) with a rating of 8.40.

This episode received 725 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Ambassadors of Death (5)" (S7E16) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 579 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Dæmons (1)" (S8E21) with a rating of 7.80.

This episode received 719 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Colony in Space (3)" (S8E17) with a rating of 6.80.

This episode received 539 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Day of the Daleks (4)" (S9E4) with a rating of 7.80.

This episode received 603 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Mutants (5)" (S9E19) with a rating of 6.40.

This episode received 487 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Three Doctors (1)" (S10E1) with a rating of 8.20.

This episode received 899 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Planet of the Daleks (3)" (S10E17) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 538 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Time Warrior (1)" (S11E1) with a rating of 7.90.

This episode received 706 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Monster of Peladon (3)" (S11E17) with a rating of 6.40.

This episode received 453 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Robot (1)" (S12E1) with a rating of 7.60.

This episode received 915 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Robot (1)" (S12E1) with a rating of 7.60.

This episode received 915 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Seeds of Doom (1)" (S13E21) with a rating of 8.50.

This episode received 723 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Android Invasion (4)" (S13E16) with a rating of 7.10.

This episode received 541 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1)" (S14E21) with a rating of 8.60.

This episode received 882 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Masque of Mandragora (3)" (S14E3) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 545 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Horror of Fang Rock (1)" (S15E1) with a rating of 8.10.

This episode received 734 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Underworld (2)" (S15E18) with a rating of 5.80.

This episode received 451 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Pirate Planet (2)" (S16E6) with a rating of 7.80.

This episode received 551 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Power of Kroll (1)" (S16E17) with a rating of 6.50.

This episode received 524 votes.

The highest rated episode is "City of Death (4)" (S17E8) with a rating of 8.90.

This episode received 792 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Horns of Nimon (2)" (S17E18) with a rating of 6.10.

This episode received 454 votes.

The highest rated episode is "State of Decay (3)" (S18E15) with a rating of 7.50.

This episode received 492 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Leisure Hive (4)" (S18E4) with a rating of 6.40.

This episode received 518 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Visitation (1)" (S19E13) with a rating of 7.40.

This episode received 608 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Visitation (2)" (S19E14) with a rating of 7.30.

This episode received 524 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The King's Demons (1)" (S20E21) with a rating of 6.30.

This episode received 481 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The King's Demons (2)" (S20E22) with a rating of 6.20.

This episode received 440 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Caves of Androzani (1)" (S21E17) with a rating of 8.80.

This episode received 771 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Warriors of the Deep (1)" (S21E1) with a rating of 6.30.

This episode received 504 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Mark of the Rani (1)" (S22E5) with a rating of 6.80.

This episode received 548 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Timelash (2)" (S22E11) with a rating of 5.40.

This episode received 486 votes.

The highest rated episode is "The Mysterious Planet (2)" (S23E2) with a rating of 7.00.

This episode received 554 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "The Mysterious Planet (3)" (S23E3) with a rating of 6.70.

This episode received 492 votes.

The highest rated episode is "Ghost Light (1)" (S26E5) with a rating of 7.30.

This episode received 623 votes.


The lowest rated episode is "Battlefield (1)" (S26E1) with a rating of 7.20.

This episode received 637 votes.

Name Department Job
Oliver Elmes Art Main Title Designer
John Nathan-Turner Production Producer
Keff McCulloch Sound Theme Song Performance
Ron Grainer Sound Main Title Theme Composer

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