10 Best ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes, Ranked According to IMDB


The favored British sci-fi sequence, Doctor Who is about to enter a brand new period, with former showrunner Russel T Davies and fan-favorite actor Ncuti Gatwa taking the reins of the coveted BBC position. Physician Who first aired in 1963, and has had an extended life on the BBC. It reached new heights of recognition within the 2000s and early 2010s and have become identified for its thrilling sci-fi plots and robust character writing.




The present retains its followers proud of its adventure-filled sci-fi storylines, charming and pleasant characters, and a long time of lore. There are 60 years price of Physician Who episodes, however all of the highest-rated ones come from after the present’s revival in 2005. From fascinating one-off episodes to multiple-episode story arcs, the perfect Physician Who episodes have captivated followers all around the world.

Doctor Who

Launch Date
March 17, 2006

Seasons
14

Studio
BBC America

Streaming Service(s)
Disney+


10 “Journey’s Finish” (Season 4, Episode 13)

IMDb Rating: 9.2/10

David Tennant in 'Journey's End'
Picture by way of BBC


Whereas it wasn’t the final episode of David Tennant‘s run because the Tenth Physician, “Journey’s Finish” served because the climax to the storylines Davies had been constructing all through the Tenth Physician period. The episode options the Physician teaming up with all of his companions from his earlier seasons with the intention to cease the Daleks from destroying the universe, together with Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), Captain Jack Harness (John Barrowman), Mickey Smith (Noel Clarke), and extra.

Followers lauded the Collection 4 finale, appreciating the way it was in a position to convey previous characters into the fold whereas protecting the story targeted on the Physician and his present companion, Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), who’s by the way one of many characters who returned for the 60th-anniversary specials.

9 “The Household of Blood” (Season 3, Episode 9)

IMDb Rating: 9.2/10

Gerard Horan, Harry Lloyd, Rebekah Stanton, and Lor Wilson in 'Family of Blood'
Picture by way of BBC


Tailored from a 1995 Physician Who tie-in novel by Paul Cornell, “The Household of Blood” concludes a narrative that started within the earlier episode, “Human Nature,” during which the Physician alters his biology and turns into human with the intention to escape a household of gaseous hunters bent on stealing his life-force. In doing so, the Physician loses his recollections and turns into a trainer by the title of John Smith

The 2-parter was acclaimed for its distinctive twist on the Physician Who formulation and Tennant’s skillful efficiency. The episode additionally thrilled viewers because the Physician had to decide on between returning to his life as a Time Lord or staying human to defeat the alien hunters. The episode made a mark on followers of the present because it additional humanized the Physician, urging him to make a monumental alternative in a tough dilemma.

8 “Doomsday” (Season 2, Episode 13)

IMDb Rating: 9.2/10

David Tennant in 'Doomsday'
Picture by way of BBC


The finale of Collection 2, “Doomsday” is sometimes called probably the most heartbreaking episode of Physician Who. This episode is the second half of a two-part arc began in “Military of Ghosts,” which started with the “ghosts” of individuals’s family members showing throughout the Earth and led to a battle between the Daleks and the Cybermen.

The episode expertly wrapped up many plot factors from Collection 2 however is finest generally known as the ultimate episode during which the Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler appeared in a number one position. Her tragic departure from the present was extensively praised by followers as one of many strongest emotional gut-punches in Physician Who historical past. Apart from that, the episode was additionally praised by followers for its thrilling motion sequences and the battle between two of the Physician’s most memorable foes.

7 “The Woman within the Hearth” (Season 2, Episode 4)

IMDb Rating: 9.2/10

Sophia Myles in 'The Girl in the Fireplace
Picture by way of BBC


Physician Who has delved into many alternative genres, from sci-fi to fantasy to horror, however “The Woman within the Hearth” stays the present’s finest foray into the style of romance. The episode finds the Physician on a 51st-century spaceship that’s linked to 18th-century Versailles. As he uncovers the thriller behind a wierd group of clockwork robots, the Physician finds himself falling in love with notable French courtesan, Madame de Pompadour (Sophia Myles).

Many followers contemplate this episode to be the primary true basic of the Tennant period, lauding its inventive premise and tender character work. There’s additionally the palpable pressure and bond between the Physician and Madame de Pompadour, which makes his failure to avoid wasting the Madame all of the extra heartbreaking and tragic.

6 “Day of the Physician” (Particular)

IMDb Rating: 9.3/10

Matt Smith and David Tennant both play the Doctor in 'Day of the Doctor'
Picture by way of BBC


This blockbuster celebration of the present’s fiftieth anniversary was a love letter to all issues Physician Who. It united the two most popular Doctors of the trendy period, Tennant and Matt Smith, and featured a lot of different iterations of the long-lasting character, from a secret regeneration performed by John Harm to a cameo from basic period legend, Tom Baker.

Regardless of its intricate plot, the episode wasn’t convoluted and actually laid out the present’s mythology and historical past with care, making it an entertaining watch even for many who are new to the fandom. The episode, which options a number of Docs teaming as much as rewrite the tragic historical past of their residence planet, was screened in theaters worldwide and rapidly gained its standing as the perfect crossover episode within the present’s historical past.

5 “Vincent and the Physician” (Season 5, Episode 10)

IMDb Rating: 9.3/10

Tony Curran as Vincent van Gogh in Doctor Who episode Vincent and the Doctor


The preferred historic episode of the sequence and a spotlight of Smith’s run because the Eleventh Physician, “Vincent and the Physician” sees the Physician and Amy (Karen Gillan) workforce up with Vincent Van Gogh with the intention to discover a monster that’s invisible to everybody apart from the beloved artist. A spotlight of the episode is when the Physician and Amy convey Vincent into the trendy world to indicate how a lot individuals recognize his work.

“Vincent and the Physician” was praised for the simplicity of its story and its deep exploration of Van Gogh as an individual. The painter suits completely into the Physician and Amy’s dynamic in a method that few historic figures have. Tony Curran shines because the struggling artist and the heart-wrenching ending earns this episode its esteemed fame.

4 “Silence within the Library” (Season 4, Episode 8)

IMDb Rating: 9.3/10

Vashta Nerada in Doctor Who's Silence in the Library (2008)


The beginning of Physician Who’s most acclaimed two-part story, Silence within the Library just isn’t solely a great Tennant-era episode, it additionally units into movement plot strains and character dynamics that might grow to be instrumental to each Smith’s and Peter Capaldi‘s tenures because the Physician. The episode launched River Track, a mysterious foil to and eventual love curiosity of the Physician who was a significant recurring character within the present for years afterward.

The episode itself follows the Physician and Donna arriving at a planet-sized library solely to search out it deserted, with harmful creatures lurking within the shadows. The episode cultivated an intriguing thriller and a foreboding environment that instantly hooked followers and had them thrilled for the subsequent episode.

3 “Forest of the Useless” (Season 4, Episode 9)

IMDb Rating: 9.4/10

David Tennant and Alex Kingston in 'Forest of the Dead'
Picture by way of BBC


“Forest of the Useless” picks up the place “Silence within the Library left off and will increase the stress and emotion tenfold. The Physician pushes Donna right into a digital world with the intention to defend her from the Vashta Nerada, that are unknown creatures that may conceal in shadows and sap the lifetime of residing beings. The episode dives deep into its lead characters, permitting for some impactful emotional scenes because the plot unfolds.

Just like the earlier episode, the tightness of its writing and the unraveling of the thriller surrounding the library was extremely praised by audiences. It was additionally a really thrilling episode for followers because it revealed River Track’s (Alex Kingston) true id. Fifteen years after it first aired, this episode stays one of many most interesting and most vital episodes of Physician Who.

2 “Heaven Despatched” (Season 9, Episode 11)

IMDb Rating: 9.6/10

Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor discovering the wall in "Heaven Sent"
Picture by way of BBC


The only real entry from Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Physician to make this listing, “Heaven Sent” is essentially a one-man play. The Physician finds himself trapped in a wierd jail and pursued by an unrelenting monster. The thriller of the true nature of his imprisonment is unveiled because the Physician fights with all his may to flee, irrespective of how lengthy it might take.

Whereas reward for Capaldi’s period as an entire was considerably extra muted than David Tennant’s or Matt Smith’s, this episode particularly was unanimously praised as one of many present’s finest. It options every little thing followers cherished in regards to the Twelfth Physician. His darkish reflective nature and his unwavering persistence are on full show right here. Capaldi’s magnetic efficiency captivated viewers all through the episode’s 55-minute runtime.

IMDb Rating: 9.8/10

The Weeping Angels appeared to run out of steam when chasing Sally (Carey Mulligan) in "Blink"


On paper, “Blink” would not appear to be it will be a success. This Collection 3 episode was made on a good schedule with a really low price range and had barely any display screen time for the Physician and Martha (Freema Agyeman), focusing as a substitute on a never-before-seen character named Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan). It is a one-off episode that has no bearing on the arc of the present, nevertheless it rapidly turned a fan favourite due to the introduction of considered one of Physician Who‘s most horrific villains: the Weeping Angels.

The Steven Moffat-penned episode performs out like a brief horror movie, enjoying on the primal concern of one thing sneaking up on you once you flip your again. The Weeping Angels seem like abnormal statues once you’re taking a look at them, however as quickly as you look away, they transfer in to assault. The terrifying idea enthralled viewers who have been fast to name it the best Physician Who episode of all time (and it’s at present the highest-rated Physician Who episode on IMDb). The Angels returned later within the sequence, showing in beloved episodes from each Smith’s and Jodie Whittaker‘s eras. However their most horrifying incarnation remained their look in “Blink.”


NEXT: The Best Modern ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes, Ranked


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