The Worst Episodes of Doctor Who

#1 Worst Episode
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4.7/10(317 votes)
#1 - The Space Pirates (6)
S6:E344/12/1969
With Clancey and Issigri trapped aboard the LIZ, the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe try to convince Madeleine to help them before Caven destroys Ta.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
4.9/10(311 votes)
#2 - The Space Pirates (5)
S6:E334/5/1969
Madeleine is revealed to be working with Caven, who comes up with a way to kill the Doctor and his friends whilst framing them for the piracy.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
5.2/10(489 votes)
#3 - The Twin Dilemma (3)
S21:E233/29/1984
The Doctor arrives on Jaconda, once lush and green, to find it completely devastated by giant gastropods. Old legends about the planet's half-human/half-slugs weren't just myths after all. With or without help from the Doctor and his unpredictable mood swings, Lt. Lang is up for rescuing the twins, who are finally informed of the grand purpose they've been brought to Jaconda to accomplish.
Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
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Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
5.3/10(556 votes)
#4 - The Twin Dilemma (1)
S21:E213/22/1984
Earth, the future. The genius Sylvest twins, child prodigies, are kidnapped by the mysterious Professor Edgeworth and taken to the planet Jaconda. But who is Edgeworth? Why does he serve the giant slug Mestor? And what is Mestor's plan?
Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
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Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
5.0/10(313 votes)
#5 - The Space Pirates (3)
S6:E313/22/1969
The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe flee from the Space Corps with Clancey, who decides to seek refuge on Ta.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
5.0/10(312 votes)
#6 - The Space Pirates (4)
S6:E323/29/1969
The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe are held prisoner by the space pirates while Caven comes up with a plan to throw suspicion onto Clancey.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes

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5.3/10(492 votes)
#7 - The Twin Dilemma (2)
S21:E223/23/1984
The Doctor takes Peri to Titan 3, a desolate hunk of rock in space where he hopes to find some solitude for a while. Instead he finds the lone but unconscious survivor of a recent spaceship crash in sight of a mound-shaped complex where no formalised structure should exist.
Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
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Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
5.3/10(491 votes)
#8 - The Twin Dilemma (4)
S21:E243/30/1984
The Doctor and Edgeworth deduce that the real plan of Mestor, the gastropod ruler of Jaconda, will not only destroy Jaconda but lead to the devastation of other planets. Together they hope to thwart him despite his formidable ability at slipping into people's minds and controlling them.
Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
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Director:Peter Moffatt
Writer:Anthony Steven
5.1/10(333 votes)
#9 - The Space Pirates (1)
S6:E293/8/1969
Space beacons are being destroyed by pirates, who are salvaging the argonite metal. When the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe arrive on one of the beacons, they are mistaken for pirates.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
5.4/10(564 votes)
#10 - Time and the Rani (4)
S24:E49/28/1987
The Rani, at last, links the Doctor into her great brain machine, the crowning jewel in her component packet of geniuses brought together to turn Lakertya itself into one vast cerebral mass capable of redirecting time anywhere in the universe, giving her absolute power over all creation.
Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
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Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
5.4/10(555 votes)
#11 - Time and the Rani (3)
S24:E39/21/1987
The solstice nears, making it time for the Rani to bring her plans into fruition. The Doctor's sympathies for Beyus, ruler of the Lykertyans, are rather qualified. Beyus' heart is for his people yet something prompts him to collaborate fully in helping the Rani reach all her objectives. The answer, he's told, lies within the Center of Leisure.
Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
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Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
5.5/10(727 votes)
#12 - The Centre
S2:E213/20/1965
The Doctor and Vicki are taken before the Animus but the isoptope is left behind in the laboratory.The only hope of victory lies with Barbara and her Menoptera allies.
Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
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Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
5.4/10(509 votes)
#13 - Timelash (2)
S22:E113/16/1985
The Borad accepts no opposition and enables Maylin Tekker to expose the rebels and trap Peri with the Morlox. The Doctor tries to avert a war between Karfel and the Bandrils.
Director:Pennant Roberts
Writer:Glen McCoy
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Director:Pennant Roberts
Writer:Glen McCoy
5.5/10(570 votes)
#14 - Time and the Rani (2)
S24:E29/14/1987
The Rani's impersonation of Mel backfires badly because Urak can't tell the difference, while the Doctor attempts to learn the secret of the Loyhargil.
Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
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Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
5.6/10(740 votes)
#15 - Crater of Needles
S2:E193/6/1965
Ian and Vrestin are captured by the subterranean Optera while Barbara and her Menoptera allies attempt to escape from the slave camp.
Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
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Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
5.6/10(729 votes)
#16 - Invasion
S2:E203/13/1965
Barbara and the surviving Menoptera take refuge in the Temple of Light while the Doctor and Vicki attempt to escape by taking control of a Zarbi.
Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
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Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
5.7/10(738 votes)
#17 - Escape to Danger
S2:E182/27/1965
The Doctor is forced to co-operate with the Animus but Ian uses the opportunity to make an escape attempt.
Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
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Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
5.7/10(636 votes)
#18 - Time and the Rani (1)
S24:E19/7/1987
The alien world of Lakertya. With the aid of the savage Tetraps, the Rani has conquered this planet to allow her to continue her depraved biochemical experiments. But she finds herself needing the Doctor's assistance...
Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
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Director:Andrew Morgan
Writers:Philip Baker, Jane Baker
5.7/10(554 votes)
#19 - Timelash (1)
S22:E103/9/1985
The planet Karfel, in the distant future. The tyrannical Borad rules with an iron fist, and any who oppose him are cast into the Timelash - a space-time tunnel leading to the past of an alien world called Earth...
Director:Pennant Roberts
Writer:Glen McCoy
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Director:Pennant Roberts
Writer:Glen McCoy
5.7/10(536 votes)
#20 - Delta and the Bannermen (3)
S24:E1111/16/1987
As Billy and Ray do what they can to help save Delta and the baby, the Doctor and Goronwy the beekeeper face Gavrok and his Bannermen one last time...
Director:Chris Clough
Writer:Malcolm Kohll
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Director:Chris Clough
Writer:Malcolm Kohll
5.8/10(760 votes)
#21 - The Zarbi
S2:E172/20/1965
The Doctor, Ian and Vicki are captured by the Zarbi while Barbara meets up with the butterfly-like Menoptera who are trying to reclaim the planet.
Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
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Director:Richard Martin
Writer:Bill Strutton
5.7/10(531 votes)
#22 - Delta and the Bannermen (2)
S24:E1011/9/1987
Mel's just discovered something very interesting about the life cycle of her new friend and the Doctor has been cornered by an alien bounty hunter wearing blue suede shoes.
Director:Chris Clough
Writer:Malcolm Kohll
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Director:Chris Clough
Writer:Malcolm Kohll
5.6/10(380 votes)
#23 - The Space Pirates (2)
S6:E303/15/1969
With the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe trapped on a beacon segment, Hermack becomes suspicious of the unruly prospector Milo Clancey.
Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
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Director:Michael Hart
Writer:Robert Holmes
5.8/10(506 votes)
#24 - Time-Flight (3)
S19:E253/29/1982
From within their sarcophagus, the gestalt Xeraphin are communicating through Nyssa. But their psychic energy is so powerful it may destroy her body completely.
Director:Ron Jones
Writer:Peter Grimwade
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Director:Ron Jones
Writer:Peter Grimwade
5.8/10(491 votes)
#25 - The Underwater Menace (4)
S4:E222/4/1967
With Zaroff's plan nearing completion, the Doctor and Ben realise the only way to save the world is to destroy Atlantis.
Director:Julia Smith
Writer:Geoffrey Orme
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Director:Julia Smith
Writer:Geoffrey Orme