We've made it to the top 20! As always, this post CONTAINS SPOILERS.
20. Let’s Kill Hitler
Series 6, episode 8. (2011)
11th Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, Melody Pond
Writer: Steven Moffat
Director: Richard Senior
Photo ©BBC
What happened to Melody Pond? After learning who Melody is in A Good Man Goes to War, Amy, Rory, and the Doctor find her again. I thought this episode was a lot of fun while also revealing a whole lot more of Melody/River’s story. Rory putting Hitler in a cupboard is a highlight for me. Overall, I just love the advancement of River’s story; seeing her regenerate into the River that we know, and her learning about herself and who she is. This story does a great job of complementing A Good Man Goes to War and completing River’s origin story.
19. The Zygon Invasion / The Zygon Inversion
Series 9, episodes 7-8. (2015)
12th Doctor, Clara Oswald, Petronella Osgood, Kate Stewart
Writers: Peter Harness, Steven Moffat
Director: Daniel Nettheim
Photo ©BBC
An exceptional anti-war story. The best stories not only entertain us but make us feel. I wouldn’t be who I am today without Doctor Who. This episode continues the story started in the 50th-anniversary episode, The Day of the Doctor, examining the difficulties of keeping peace once it has been decided on. I love Osgood and Kate Stewart, it’s always great to see them again. In my opinion, The Zygon Inversion contains the single best speech in Doctor Who. I’m including it below. Once again, Peter Capaldi is outstanding.
18. The End of Time
Two-part special. (2009-2010)
10th Doctor, Wilfred Mott
Writer: Russell T Davies
Other writers: Steven Moffat
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
The 10th Doctor’s final story. Bernard Cribbins was phenomenal and he and David Tennant’s performances are a big part of why I like this episode so much. John Simm gave an amazing performance as well and I love the Master’s story arc here. I’ve always liked the Ood and enjoy their part in this story too. I loved Gallifrey and the Time Lords being part of the story as, up to this point, they had not been seen on New Who. Overall, a moving way for not only David Tennant to end his time on the show, but the entire crew, as well. If you haven’t seen this video they all made while filming this special, you're welcome.
17. Thin Ice
Series 10, episode 3. (2017)
12th Doctor, Bill Potts
Writer: Sarah Dollard
Director: Bill Anderson
Photo ©BBC
Some of the best Doctor Who stories are not about aliens but about how horrible humanity can be. This story takes place in London in 1814. Bill is fantastic, I absolutely love her relationship with the Doctor. I adored seeing the Doctor befriending kids living on their own, as he has done before. The highlight of the episode, for me, was The Doctor telling Bill they need to be diplomatic and charming, then almost immediately after punching a racist rich white man who told Bill to “stand in the presence of her betters.” The only appropriate response, really. And, of course, Bill and the Doctor free an innocent creature who was being tortured by horrible humans. All around, a really beautiful story.
16. The Girl in the Fireplace
Series 2, episode 4. (2006)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson
Writer: Steven Moffat
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
This episode is so great. Sophia Myles is amazing and her performance as Madame de Pompadour in this episode is perfect. I love the concept of more time passing on one side than the other when the Doctor moves through the doorways between time periods. The clockwork droids are an interesting enemy, and the mystery of why they are stalking Madame de Pompadour is engaging to watch unfold. In fact, I really liked that the Doctor never found out why they wanted her, yet the viewer did see the reason.
15. Rise of the Cybermen / The Age of Steel
Series 2, episodes 5-6. (2006)
10th Doctor, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Jackie Tyler, Pete Tyler, Jake Simmonds, Ricky Smith
Writer: Tom MacRae
Director: Graeme Harper
Photo ©BBC
Series two is fantastic. I love the idea of an alternate universe. It allows for some fascinating plot twists, like a version of Pete Tyler who is still alive. This is the first New Who Cybermen story and it made me immediately love them as an enemy. It’s worth noting that this story aired 10 years before AirPods or anything like them existed. I remember having a good laugh when they first came out joking that the Cybermen were taking over.
14. The Rebel Flesh / The Almost People
Series 6, episodes 5-6. (2011)
11th Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory Williams
Writer: Matthew Graham
Director: Julian Simpson
Photo ©BBC
This story raises so many great questions about morality and human rights. What does it even mean to be human? It’s a really great narrative of the Doctor, once again, trying to prevent violence. As TARDIS Wiki points out, it marks yet another time the Doctor has tried to make peaceful negotiations with humans and another species but failed due to one side taking a life. This story also does a great job of setting up the next episode, A Good Man Goes to War, and answering what has been wrong with Amy up to this point in series 6.
13. Human Nature / The Family of Blood
Series 3, episodes 8-9. (2007)
10th Doctor, Martha Jones, John Smith, Joan Redfern, Tim Latimer
Writer: Paul Cornell
Director: Charles Palmer
Photo ©BBC
Once again, Martha Jones saves the world. She really is a powerful character. In order to escape an enemy chasing them through time the Doctor becomes human, completely forgetting who he is and becoming John Smith. It becomes Martha’s responsibility to keep track of him as a human until he can change back to himself. As a black woman in 1913, society doesn’t make it easy for her. Great story, great villains, great cast.
12. Demons of the Punjab
Series 11, episode 6. (2018)
13th Doctor, Yasmin Khan, Graham O’Brien, Ryan Sinclair
Writer: Vinay Patel
Director: Jamie Childs
Photo ©BBC
Definitely another tear-jerker. As I said not far back, some of the best stories are not about alien enemies, but about humans showing their worst side. This episode takes place in 1947 and shows the Partition of India. It’s an extremely powerful episode and one of the best featuring the 13th Doctor.
11. Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead
Series 4, episodes 8-9. (2008)
10th Doctor, Donna Noble, River Song
Writer: Steven Moffat
Director: Euros Lyn
Photo ©BBC
OMG, these episodes. They were powerful the first time I saw them, and now, after seeing all of River Song’s story, this episode made me bawl like a baby. Alex Kingston is incredible and her performance despite, at this point, knowing nothing about River Song is absolutely perfect and what made me instantly love River. The Vashta Nerada are a creepy enemy and I just generally love the story overall. Like I said, especially now on my rewatch, it was really beautiful and heartbreaking having gotten to know River so much better in future episodes. Her overall story is a masterful piece of storytelling in my opinion.
Thanks for reading! Top 10 up next!
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