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The Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 1

Every episode of Doctor Who Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 1!

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.

Genres:DramaAction & AdventureSci-Fi & Fantasy

Season 1 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Doctor Who" season 1 is "An Unearthly Child", rated 8.1/10 from 2278 user votes. It was directed by Waris Hussein and written by Anthony Coburn. "An Unearthly Child" aired on 11/23/1963 and is rated 1.7 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Cave of Skulls".

  • An Unearthly Child
    8.1/10 2,278 votes

    #1 - An Unearthly Child

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 11/23/1963

    After discussing a strange pupil, Susan Foreman, teachers Ian and Barbara follow her to a junkyard. They meet her grandfather, the Doctor, and force their way inside a police box with frightening results.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: Anthony Coburn

  • The Cave of Skulls
    6.4/10 1,624 votes

    #2 - The Cave of Skulls

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 11/30/1963

    The enigmatic Doctor, afraid that schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright will reveal his secrets to the people of 20th century Earth, has taken them and his granddaughter Susan back to the dawn of human history. There, the four travellers are dragged into the savage politics of a tribe of cavemen who have lost the secret of making fire…

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: Anthony Coburn

  • The Forest of Fear
    6.3/10 1,496 votes

    #3 - The Forest of Fear

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 12/7/1963

    Prisoners of the earliest humans, the TARDIS crew are caught in a deadly power play for leadership of the tribe.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: Anthony Coburn

  • The Firemaker
    6.5/10 1,455 votes

    #4 - The Firemaker

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 12/14/1963

    The TARDIS crew must make fire for the early humans to stay alive. But once they do, they may not be allowed to leave!

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: Anthony Coburn

  • The Dead Planet
    7.6/10 1,538 votes

    #5 - The Dead Planet

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 12/21/1963

    Time Unknown, Planet Unknown. The TARDIS lands in an eerie petrified forest overlooking a magnificent steel city. The Doctor wants to explore the city – but what is waiting there?

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Survivors
    7.7/10 1,351 votes

    #6 - The Survivors

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 12/28/1963

    The dead planet is not uninhabited after all. The Doctor is about to meet what will become his greatest enemies. And he and his crew are dying of radiation sickness.

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Escape
    7.6/10 1,312 votes

    #7 - The Escape

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 1/4/1964

    Imprisoned on Skaro by the scheming Daleks, the Doctor and his companions work to escape their clutches.

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Ambush
    7.6/10 1,278 votes

    #8 - The Ambush

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 1/11/1964

    The time travellers work desperately to both escape the Dalek city and prevent a bloody massacre.

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Expedition
    7.2/10 1,241 votes

    #9 - The Expedition

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 1/18/1964

    The time travellers have escaped from the Daleks, but left a vital piece of the TARDIS behind. Getting it back will mean pushing the Thals to mount a dangerous operation.

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Ordeal
    7.0/10 1,206 votes

    #10 - The Ordeal

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/25/1964

    Ian, Barbara and the Thals struggle through the caves to reach the Dalek city. Will they get there in time? Is there even a way through the treacherous caves? And what are the Daleks planning?

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Rescue
    7.5/10 1,220 votes

    #11 - The Rescue

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 2/1/1964

    Time is running out as the Doctor and his companions try to defeat the Daleks before they wipe out all life on Skaro.

    Director: Christopher Barry

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Edge of Destruction
    6.8/10 1,222 votes

    #12 - The Edge of Destruction

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/8/1964

    A mysterious explosion has knocked the TARDIS into void. And in their confusion, the crew are turning on one another.

    Director: Joe Ahearne, Richard Martin

    Writer: David Whitaker

  • The Brink of Disaster
    6.9/10 1,109 votes

    #13 - The Brink of Disaster

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/15/1964

    The TARDIS is adrift, the crew turning on each other. Only by working together can they find their way out before they are destroyed.

    Director: Frank Cox, Joe Ahearne

    Writer: David Whitaker

  • The Roof of the World
    7.2/10 628 votes

    #14 - The Roof of the World

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/22/1964

    The TARDIS experiences a total power failure and is stranded in the Himalayas in the 13th century. The travellers are forced to join the caravan of the famous explorer, Marco Polo, in order to survive -- but Polo, fascinated by their claims that the TARDIS can fly through the air, seizes it on behalf of Kublai Khan in the hope that presenting the Khan with such a fabulous gift will convince him to let Polo return home to Venice. The travellers are forced to accompany Polo on his long trek across Asia to the Khan's court, but their many attempts to reclaim their property are foiled -- not just by Polo, but by the war lord Tegana, who is apparently on a mission of peace but has entirely different plans for dealing with Kublai Khan...

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • The Singing Sands
    7.0/10 581 votes

    #15 - The Singing Sands

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/29/1964

    Tegana sabotages the party's water bags, leaving them in dire need of fresh supplies.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • Five Hundred Eyes
    6.9/10 571 votes

    #16 - Five Hundred Eyes

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/7/1964

    The Doctor and Susan are able to supply Marco with condensation that has formed inside the TARDIS, saving the group from dying of thirst. When the group are reunited with Tegana, the travellers begin to suspect he is up to something.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • The Wall of Lies
    6.9/10 560 votes

    #17 - The Wall of Lies

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/14/1964

    The Doctor's group manage to rescue Barbara from the Mongols but once more Marco remains unaware of Tegana's involvement.

    Director: John Crockett

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • Rider from Shang Tu
    6.8/10 556 votes

    #18 - Rider from Shang Tu

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/21/1964

    The Doctor and his friends elect to warn Marco of Acomat's attack even though it means losing their chance to gain access to the TARDIS.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • Mighty Kublai Khan
    6.9/10 550 votes

    #19 - Mighty Kublai Khan

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/28/1964

    The Doctor, Ian and Barbara are forced to surrender to Tegana and Marco, leaving both of them the opportunity to gain possession of the TARDIS.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • Assassin at Peking
    7.1/10 556 votes

    #20 - Assassin at Peking

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/4/1964

    Tegana finally makes his move to assassinate the Khan, giving the Doctor and his friends an opportunity to thwart his plans and regain the TARDIS.

    Director: Waris Hussein

    Writer: John Lucarotti

  • The Sea of Death
    7.1/10 904 votes

    #21 - The Sea of Death

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/11/1964

    The alien world of Marinus. Perfect peace has reigned here for decades due to the mind-controlling influence of a machine known as the Conscience. But now a race known as the Voord have developed an immunity and Arbitan, keeper of the machine, has been forced to scatter the vital control keys around the planet. Now he needs the help of the time travellers to get them back - it will be an extraordinary journey, with perils every step of the way...

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Velvet Web
    7.2/10 863 votes

    #22 - The Velvet Web

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/18/1964

    The Doctor and his friends arrive in the apparently idyllic city of Morphoton but Barbara soon begins to realise there is more to their hosts than meets the eye.

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Screaming Jungle
    6.9/10 847 votes

    #23 - The Screaming Jungle

    Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 4/25/1964

    The search for the second key takes the travellers to a jungle where Ian and Barbara come under threat from rapidly growing plants.

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • The Snows of Terror
    6.7/10 837 votes

    #24 - The Snows of Terror

    Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 5/2/1964

    Searching for the third key, Ian and Barbara meet with the sinister trapper Vasor before following Susan and the others into a cave system guarded by the mysterious Ice Soldiers.

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: Terry Nation

  • Sentence of Death
    7.1/10 826 votes

    #25 - Sentence of Death

    Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 5/9/1964

    The group are reunited with the Doctor in the city of Millennius where Ian faces trial for murder after the fourth key is stolen.

    Director: John Gorrie

    Writer: Terry Nation