The 10 best 'Doctor Who' episodes, according to fans
Ayomikun Adekaiyero
- "Doctor Who" is celebrating its 60th anniversary with three special episodes.
- The revival of the hit British sci-fi series has been airing since 2005.
David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to "Doctor Who" on Saturday for the first of three special episodes to celebrate the show's 60th anniversary.
The hit series follows the adventures of an alien Time Lord, The Doctor, on his adventures through time and space, and his battles with villains including Daleks, Cybermen, and The Master.
"Doctor Who" first began airing in 1963 and has been running for 60 years on the BBC, though it took a hiatus in 1989.
In 2005, the series was relaunched with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor.
When Eccleston's Doctor regenerated — a physical transformation that essentially allows for the lead role to be recast — at the end of season one, he morphed into David Tennant, who was the Tenth Doctor and will return to the role to mark the 60th anniversary.
Here are the 10 best episodes of "Doctor Who" since 2005, according to fan ratings on IMDb.
10. "Journey's End" (Season 4, Episode 13)
Average fan rating: 9.2/10
What happens: Before Marvel's "Avengers," "Doctor Who" had its own superstar crossover episode.
"Journey's End" brought together the Tenth Doctor (Tennant), every companion from the relaunch to date, and characters from the spinoff series "Torchwood" and "The Sarah Jane Adventures," to face the villain Davros.
In the episode, Davros and an army of Daleks threaten to wipe out the entire universe, forcing the Doctor and his allies to try to save the day, and Earth. (This was the second installment in a two-part episode.)
The episode was Donna Noble's (Tate) last as the Doctor's main companion, though Tate has made a few appearances since.
9. "The Family of Blood" (Season 3, Episode 9)
Average fan rating: 9.2/10
What happens: To avoid a group of aliens that want to feed on his Time Lord essence, the Doctor (Tennant) turns himself human and hides in 1913 England. However, the aliens track him down, and his companion Martha (Freema Agyeman) tries to get the Doctor to restore his memories. (This was the second installment in a two-part episode.)
8. "Doomsday" (Season 2, Episode 13)
Average fan rating: 9.2/10
What happens: The Doctor faces off against two of his greatest rivals, the Daleks and the Cybermen. The Doctor (Tennant) and his allies have to defeat both enemies to save Earth. (This was the second installment in a two-part episode.)
This was a sad episode for many fans since it was Rose Tyler's (Billie Piper) last as the Doctor's main companion. Piper has made a few appearances since.
7. "The Girl in the Fireplace" (Season 2, Episode 4)
Average fan rating: 9.2/10
What happens: The Doctor (Tennant) and his companions, Mickey (Noel Clarke) and Rose (Piper), stumble upon an abandoned spaceship that can transport people to 18th-century France, and discover an alien plot involving Madame de Pompadour (Sophia Myles), a famous mistress of King Louis XV. The trio tries to save her from a group of clockwork androids.
6. "Silence in the Library" (Season 4, Episode 8)
Average fan rating: 9.3/10
What happens: The Doctor (Tennant) and Donna (Tate) visit a seemingly empty planet-sized library in the 51st century. A team of researchers including River Song (Alex Kingston), a mysterious time traveler from the Doctor's future, soon arrive. The Doctor and team discover a swarm of vicious aliens that can imitate shadows. (This was the first installment in a two-part episode.)
5. "Vincent and the Doctor" (Season 5, Episode 10)
Average fan rating: 9.3/10
What happens: The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) visit Paris in 1890 in order to save the famous painter Vincent van Gogh (Tony Curran) from a mysterious creature. They befriend van Gogh and attempt to help him with his mental illness. Fans and critics alike praised the episode's depiction of mental illness.
4. "The Day of the Doctor" (50th anniversary special)
Average fan rating: 9.3/10
What happens: To mark the 50th anniversary of "Doctor Who" in 2013, the BBC aired a special episode featuring multiple Doctors.
Jumping back in time to the fall of Gallifrey, the Doctor's home planet, the War Doctor (John Hurt) prepares to destroy his home in order to save the universe. and end the Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords.
In the present, the Tenth (Tennant) and Eleventh (Smith) Doctors work together to stop a secret organization from destroying Earth.
The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) also make appearances, while archive footage is used to show the other Doctors.
3. "Forest of the Dead" (Season 4, Episode 9)
Average fan rating: 9.4/10
What happens: In the followup to "Silence in the Library," the Doctor (Tennant), Donna (Tate), River Song (Kingston), and a group of researchers try to survive being hunted by a swarm of deadly aliens called the Vashta Nerada. (This was the second installment in a two-part episode.)
2. "Heaven Sent" (Season 9, Episode 11)
Average fan rating: 9.6/10
What happens: The Twelfth Doctor (Capaldi) is teleported to a desolate castle next to the sea and is stalked by a veiled figure (Jami Reid-Quarrell). In order to escape, he must discover the secrets of the castle without the help of his companions.
1. "Blink" (Season 3, Episode 10)
Average fan rating: 9.8/10
What happens: Sally Sparrow (Carey Mulligan) discovers that she is being haunted by statues. In order to save the Doctor (Tennant), the universe, and herself, she has to learn how to defeat a group of dangerous aliens called the Weeping Angels.
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