Doctor Who is one of my all-time favorite TV shows. I hadn't watched it in a couple of years, so in preparation for the 60th-anniversary specials coming out soon, I watched all of (the new) Doctor Who, rewatching the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Doctors and watching the 13th Doctor episodes I hadn't seen yet. Having just seen every episode, I really wanted to share my favorite episodes up to this point. I made a list of, in my opinion, the 50 best Doctor Who episodes. I'll be counting down in a series of posts, 10 episodes at a time.
*CONTAINS SPOILERS*
50. Orphan 55
Series 12, episode 3. (2020)
13th Doctor, Yasmin Khan, Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair
Writer: Ed Hime
Director: Lee Haven Jones
Photo ©BBC
Graham wins a free holiday at a high-end alien resort for himself, the Doctor, Yaz, and Ryan. After finding monsters in the corridors, the Doctor and fam investigate and find the planet they are on is inhospitable to humans. Later they learn that the planet, Orphan 55, is future Earth and the monsters are what humans left on the planet evolved to become.
49. Robot of Sherwood
Series 8, episode 3. (2014)
12th Doctor, Clara Oswald
Writer: Mark Gatiss
Director: Paul Murphy
Photo ©BBC
The Doctor and Clara meet Robin Hood. And robot knights. Has the distinction of being the only episode from series 8, my least favorite, to make the list.
48. The Runaway Bride
Christmas special. (2006)
10th Doctor, Donna Noble
Writer: Russell T Davies
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
The first meeting of the Doctor and Donna. The episode showcases the comedic relationship the Doctor and Donna will develop while also meaningfully exploring the grief the Doctor is feeling in the immediate aftermath of losing Rose. Plus, killer Santas!
47. The Shakespeare Code
Series 3, episode 2. (2007)
10th Doctor, Martha Jones
Writer: Gareth Roberts
Director: Charles Palmer
Photo ©BBC
The second episode with Martha and her first trip in the TARDIS. Shakespeare, witches, Harry Potter references, and the Doctor learns he is an enemy of Queen Elizabeth I.
46. The Christmas Invasion
Christmas special. (2005)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Jackie Tyler, Harriet Jones
Writer: Russell T Davies
Director: James Hawes
Photo ©BBC
The 10th Doctor’s first episode. An alien invasion of Earth on Christmas, more killer Santas, and the Doctor sword fighting for the fate of the Earth while wearing pajamas.
45. Tooth and Claw
Series 2, episode 2. (2006)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler
Writer: Russell T Davies
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
The Doctor and Rose meet Queen Victoria and help save her from a werewolf. We also learn the origins of the Torchwood Institute.
44. New Earth
Series 2, episode 1. (2006)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler
Writer: Russell T Davies
Director: James Hawes
Photo ©BBC
Rose travels in the TARDIS with the Doctor for the first time since his regeneration. They arrive in the distant future on the planet New Earth where they find a cat-like species of nuns able to cure all existing illnesses with questionable means. Lady Cassandra (moisturize me!) returns with an emotional end to her story and hilarious performances from David Tennant and Billie Piper.
43. The Idiot’s Lantern
Series 2, episode 7. (2006)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler
Writer: Mark Gatiss
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
The Doctor and Rose arrive in 1953 just ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and something is taking people. (Hungry…) I’m a big fan of series two and the Doctor and Rose’s character and relationship growth. This episode fully addresses putting one’s reputation before helping others, my favorite thing about it.
42. The Fires of Pompeii
Series 4, episode 2. (2008)
10th Doctor, Donna Noble
Writer: James Moran
Director: Colin Teague
Photo ©BBC
The Doctor and Donna arrive in Pompeii right before the volcano eruption. Donna consistently reminds the Doctor why it is so important for him to travel with someone. In this episode, she pleads with him to always save someone, even if he can’t save everyone. Also the first appearance of Peter Capaldi before he played the Doctor. Donna’s words to always save someone stuck with him and he (subconsciously) regenerates in the future with the face of one of the people he saved from Pompeii (Peter Capaldi) to remind him of this.
41. The Husbands of River Song
Christmas special. (2015)
12th Doctor, River Song
Writer: Steven Moffat
Director: Douglas Mackinnon
Photo ©BBC
The last episode to feature River Song. Aside from the Doctor, River is my favorite character on the show. At the start of this episode, River has no idea who the Doctor is because she doesn’t know about this regeneration, she thinks there are only 12 versions of him. I really liked when River was talking about how the Doctor wouldn’t possibly be there to save her because, "you don't expect a sunset to admire you back. When you love the Doctor, it's like loving the stars themselves," then realizing that he’s been there all along when he looks at her and says, “hello Sweetie.” Their relationship is complicated because of meeting one another in reverse order and it’s nice to see that at this point, the Doctor really is in love with River. Toward the end of the episode, they crash on Darillium. In the first story to feature River, we learn that they spend their final night together on Darillium. After she leaves Darillium, River will go to the Library and meet the Doctor for the final time in Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead, where she will meet the 10th Doctor, who has not met her yet. Happily, a night on Darrillium is the length of 24 Earth years. So, for 24 years, the Doctor stops traveling to spend the last remaining time he has with River. It’s a really lovely end to River’s story, in my opinion.
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