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The Best Episodes of Doctor Who

Every episode of Doctor Who ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Doctor Who!

Binge this in 12d 4h•Peaking at 9.1/10

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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Doctor Who Season 6 Episode 44 - The War Games (10)
    9.1/10(816 votes)

    #1 - The War Games (10)

    S6:E44

    The TARDIS is drawn to the planet of the Time Lords where both the Doctor and the War Lord are placed on trial.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 16 - Genesis of the Daleks (6)
    9.1/10(1177 votes)

    #2 - Genesis of the Daleks (6)

    S12:E16

    Gharman tries to convince the Kaleds to vote against the Dalek project but Davros has a trick up his sleeve, while the Doctor works to destroy the tape recording of Dalek victory and the Thals plan an intervention of their own.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  3. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 11 - Genesis of the Daleks (1)
    8.9/10(1356 votes)

    #3 - Genesis of the Daleks (1)

    S12:E11

    The planet Skaro, the distant past. The Time Lords divert the Doctor, Sarah Jane and Harry to this war-torn world, and give the Doctor a mission: the evil of the Daleks is about to be born here, and the Doctor is to try to ensure they evolve into less lethally aggressive beings - or, failing that, to avert their creation altogether. But has even the Doctor the right to commit genocide?

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  4. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 12 - Genesis of the Daleks (2)
    8.9/10(1083 votes)

    #4 - Genesis of the Daleks (2)

    S12:E12

    The Doctor and Harry are taken to the Kaled bunker where Davros is preparing to demonstrate the Daleks, while Sarah Jane is captured by the Thals and taken to their city as a slave worker.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  5. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 14 - Genesis of the Daleks (4)
    8.9/10(1048 votes)

    #5 - Genesis of the Daleks (4)

    S12:E14

    The Doctor fails to prevent the Thals from destroying the Kaled city but they don't have long to enjoy their victory before the Daleks attack.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  6. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 15 - Genesis of the Daleks (5)
    8.9/10(1063 votes)

    #6 - Genesis of the Daleks (5)

    S12:E15

    The Doctor is forced to give Davros full details of future Dalek victories but opposition to Davros' plans is growing among the Kaleds and soon there is open rebellion.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Doctor Who

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  7. Doctor Who Season 17 Episode 8 - City of Death (4)
    8.9/10(851 votes)

    #7 - 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.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writers:Douglas Adams, Graham Williams, David Fisher

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  8. Doctor Who Season 21 Episode 20 - The Caves of Androzani (4)
    8.9/10(822 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?

    Director:Graeme Harper
    Writer:Robert Holmes

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  9. Doctor Who Season 6 Episode 43 - The War Games (9)
    8.8/10(671 votes)

    #9 - The War Games (9)

    S6:E43

    To prove his loyalty to the Aliens, the Doctor is ordered to reprocess his friends while the Security Chief finally uncovers evidence of the War Chief's treachery.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Doctor Who Season 17 Episode 6 - City of Death (2)
    8.8/10(832 votes)

    #10 - 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.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writers:Douglas Adams, Graham Williams, David Fisher

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  11. Doctor Who Season 12 Episode 13 - Genesis of the Daleks (3)
    8.7/10(1050 votes)

    #11 - Genesis of the Daleks (3)

    S12:E13

    The Doctor and Harry head to the Kaled city to alert the authorities to Davros' plans while Sarah Jane and Sevrin are forced to work on the completion of the Thals' rocket.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Terry Nation

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  12. Doctor Who Season 17 Episode 5 - City of Death (1)
    8.7/10(970 votes)

    #12 - 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?

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writers:Douglas Adams, Graham Williams, David Fisher

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  13. Doctor Who Season 17 Episode 7 - City of Death (3)
    8.7/10(812 votes)

    #13 - 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?

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writers:Douglas Adams, Graham Williams, David Fisher

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  14. Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 21 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1)
    8.6/10(941 votes)

    #14 - 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...

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Robert Holmes

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  15. Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 26 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (6)
    8.6/10(744 votes)

    #15 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (6)

    S14:E26

    The Doctor and Weng-Chiang have their final confrontation in the mysterious House of the Dragon -- watched by the evil duplicitous Mr. Sin.

    Director:David Maloney
    Writer:Robert Holmes

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  16. Doctor Who Season 19 Episode 22 - Earthshock (4)
    8.6/10(733 votes)

    #16 - Earthshock (4)

    S19:E22

    The Doctor realises the freighter is now a huge bomb and sends it back through time where it can explode millions of years ago... but Adric is still aboard...

    Director:Peter Grimwade
    Writer:Eric Saward

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  17. Doctor Who Season 21 Episode 19 - The Caves of Androzani (3)
    8.6/10(736 votes)

    #17 - The Caves of Androzani (3)

    S21:E19

    The situation on Androzani Minor is building toward a violent confrontation, and the Doctor and Peri are slowly succumbing to spectrox toxemia.

    Director:Graeme Harper
    Writer:Robert Holmes

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  18. Doctor Who Season 3 Episode 21 - Destruction of Time
    8.5/10(483 votes)

    #18 - 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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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  19. Doctor Who Season 7 Episode 24 - Inferno (6)
    8.5/10(788 votes)

    #19 - 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?

    Directors:Douglas Camfield, Barry Letts
    Writer:Don Houghton

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  20. Doctor Who Season 13 Episode 12 - Pyramids of Mars (4)
    8.5/10(919 votes)

    #20 - 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.

    Director:Paddy Russell
    Writers:Robert Holmes, Lewis Greifer

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  21. Doctor Who Season 13 Episode 21 - The Seeds of Doom (1)
    8.5/10(789 votes)

    #21 - 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...

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Robert Banks Stewart

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  22. Doctor Who Season 13 Episode 22 - The Seeds of Doom (2)
    8.5/10(666 votes)

    #22 - 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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Robert Banks Stewart

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  23. Doctor Who Season 13 Episode 25 - The Seeds of Doom (5)
    8.5/10(661 votes)

    #23 - 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.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Robert Banks Stewart

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  24. Doctor Who Season 13 Episode 26 - The Seeds of Doom (6)
    8.5/10(674 votes)

    #24 - The Seeds of Doom (6)

    S13:E26

    The Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Scorby are trapped in the manor as a possessed Chase stalks them from within, while the gigantic Krynoid prepares to crush them from without. Worse, the alien plant is ready to germinate, spreading its seeds across England.

    Director:Douglas Camfield
    Writer:Robert Banks Stewart

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  25. Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 20 - The Robots of Death (4)
    8.5/10(744 votes)

    #25 - 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.

    Director:Michael E. Briant
    Writer:Chris Boucher

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Best Episodes Summary

"The War Games (10)" is the best rated episode of "Doctor Who". It scored 9.1/10 based on 816 votes. Directed by David Maloney and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/21/1969. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Genesis of the Daleks (6)".