The Best Episodes of Doctor Who Season 1

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.1/10(2533 votes)

   #1 - An Unearthly Child

   S1:E111/23/1963

   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

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   Director:Waris Hussein

   Writer:Anthony Coburn
2. 

   7.6/10(1755 votes)

   #2 - The Dead Planet

   S1:E512/21/1963

   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's waiting there?

   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation

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   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation
3. 

   7.6/10(1546 votes)

   #3 - The Survivors

   S1:E612/28/1963

   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

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   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation
4. 

   7.6/10(1489 votes)

   #4 - The Escape

   S1:E71/4/1964

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

   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation

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   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation
5. 

   7.5/10(1444 votes)

   #5 - The Ambush

   S1:E81/11/1964

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

   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation

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   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation
6. 

   7.5/10(1372 votes)

   #6 - The Rescue

   S1:E112/1/1964

   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

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   Director:Christopher Barry

   Writer:Terry Nation
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7. 

   7.5/10(1023 votes)

   #7 - The Day of Darkness

   S1:E306/13/1964

   Tlotoxl's machinations result in both Susan and Ian being arrested. With the TARDIS once again trapped inside the tomb, the travellers' only hope for escape lies with Autloc and Cameca.

   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti

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   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti
8. 

   7.4/10(1033 votes)

   #8 - The Bride of Sacrifice

   S1:E296/6/1964

   While the Doctor tries to find a way back to the TARDIS, Tlotoxl continues to plot Barbara's downfall and sees an opening when Susan questions Aztec custom.

   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti

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   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti
9. 

   7.3/10(1173 votes)

   #9 - The Temple of Evil

   S1:E275/23/1964

   The TARDIS arrives on Earth landing in 16th century Aztec society. Barbara goes off exploring - despite the Doctor's orders not to wander off - and is taken away by the high priest Autloc who believes she is the reincarnation of the goddess Yetaxa. They believe it is a sign that the rains - which are late - will now come. The high priest of sacrifice Tlotoxl recruits Ian to lead their army but he finds he has a rival in Ixta. Ian is less than comfortable with his role when he learns that they are to deliver the human sacrifice to the high priest at the rain ceremony. The Doctor emphasizes that they must not interfere with Aztec rituals, something that does not sit well with Barbara.

   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti

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   Director:John Crockett

   Writer:John Lucarotti
10. 

    7.3/10(1048 votes)

    #10 - The Warriors of Death

    S1:E285/30/1964

    Barbara tries to change the course of history - and Ian fights for his life.

    Director:John Crockett

    Writer:John Lucarotti

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    Director:John Crockett

    Writer:John Lucarotti
11. 

    7.2/10(1401 votes)

    #11 - The Expedition

    S1:E91/18/1964

    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

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    Director:Christopher Barry

    Writer:Terry Nation
12. 

    7.2/10(674 votes)

    #12 - The Roof of the World

    S1:E142/22/1964

    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

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    Director:Waris Hussein

    Writer:John Lucarotti
13. 

    7.2/10(966 votes)

    #13 - The Velvet Web

    S1:E224/18/1964

    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

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    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation
14. 

    7.1/10(589 votes)

    #14 - Assassin at Peking

    S1:E204/4/1964

    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

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    Director:Waris Hussein

    Writer:John Lucarotti
15. 

    7.1/10(1017 votes)

    #15 - The Sea of Death

    S1:E214/11/1964

    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

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    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation
16. 

    7.1/10(919 votes)

    #16 - Sentence of Death

    S1:E255/9/1964

    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

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    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation
17. 

    7.1/10(955 votes)

    #17 - The Keys of Marinus

    S1:E265/16/1964

    The Doctor and his friends must locate the real murderers and the fourth key before heading off for a final confrontation with the Voord

    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation

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    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation
18. 

    7.0/10(1361 votes)

    #18 - The Ordeal

    S1:E101/25/1964

    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

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    Director:Christopher Barry

    Writer:Terry Nation
19. 

    7.0/10(616 votes)

    #19 - The Singing Sands

    S1:E152/29/1964

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

    Director:Waris Hussein

    Writer:John Lucarotti

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    Director:Waris Hussein

    Writer:John Lucarotti
20. 

    6.9/10(1245 votes)

    #20 - The Brink of Disaster

    S1:E132/15/1964

    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

    Writer:David Whitaker

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    Director:Frank Cox

    Writer:David Whitaker
21. 

    6.9/10(594 votes)

    #21 - The Wall of Lies

    S1:E173/14/1964

    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

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    Director:John Crockett

    Writer:John Lucarotti
22. 

    6.9/10(582 votes)

    #22 - Mighty Kublai Khan

    S1:E193/28/1964

    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

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    Director:Waris Hussein

    Writer:John Lucarotti
23. 

    6.9/10(950 votes)

    #23 - The Screaming Jungle

    S1:E234/25/1964

    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

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    Director:John Gorrie

    Writer:Terry Nation
24. 

    6.9/10(886 votes)

    #24 - Strangers in Space

    S1:E316/20/1964

    The 28th century. The TARDIS materialises on a spaceship orbiting a planet known as the Sense-Sphere, whose natives, the Sensorites, have trapped the ship's human crew in a state of paralysis.

    Director:Mervyn Pinfield

    Writer:Peter R. Newman

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    Director:Mervyn Pinfield

    Writer:Peter R. Newman
25. 

    6.9/10(729 votes)

    #25 - A Land of Fear

    S1:E378/8/1964

    The TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must take on the disguise of a public official to try and save their lives.

    Director:Henric Hirsch

    Writer:Dennis Spooner

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    Director:Henric Hirsch

    Writer:Dennis Spooner