The 8 Best ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes Of The Modern ‘New Who’ Era, Ranked
For the past six decades, Doctor Who has remained one of the foremost pillars of modern science fiction, redefining the genre’s narrative for an entirely new generation.
Introducing an enjoyably campy aesthetic into the space opera subgenre, Doctor Who continues to find new ways to dazzle and delight viewers across countless demographics – regardless of whether you grew up watching Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor or David Tennant’s Tenth.
As rumors continue to swirl about the future of Doctor Who, we decided to take a look back at the revival series’ most memorable episodes to date, ranking them each in order from worst to best.
8. “Vincent and the Doctor”
If you somehow keep a dry eye during the closing moments of “Vincent and the Doctor,” you should seriously think about consulting a physician. A decent enough episode in and of itself, “Vincent and the Doctor”’s final moments make it an unforgettable episode from Matt Smith’s tenure on the show – as well as one capable of eliciting tears from the most hard-hearted viewers in the audience.
7. “Doomsday”
As though Daleks or Cybermen weren’t enough to deal with on their own, “Doomsday” revolves around the all-out war between the two hostile alien species. Battling for control of Earth and with humanity caught in the crossfire, “Doomsday” serves as a memorable entry in modern Who canon if only for the presence of its two iconic antagonists. Of course, the episode also earns credit for featuring the last outing for the Tenth Doctor and his lovable companion Rose, ending their partnership together on a bittersweet final note.
6. “The Girl in the Fireplace”
As a general rule, any episode featuring a romantic entanglement between the Doctor and a human character tends to end poorly. Such is the case for “The Girl in the Fireplace,” which sees the Tenth Doctor developing a brief but powerful romantic attachment to a mysterious woman hunted by automatons in 18th century Paris. Incorporating an imaginative narrative structure that jumps across multiple periods in the young woman’s lifetime, “The Girl in the Fireplace” is an unforgettable Whovian tragicomedy at its best, triggering as many tears as it does buoyant laughs.
5. “The Family of Blood”
The second act in a two-part story, “The Family of Blood” manages to pull together the various plot threads of its predecessor, heightening the suspense surrounding the Doctor’s apparent transformation into the unassuming human, John Smith. With the titular Family making incredible antagonists and Tennant seamlessly transitioning back and forth between his human counterpart and a far more taciturn Tenth Doctor, “The Family of Blood” is required viewing for every fan of the Tennant years, right next to “Doomsday,” “Silence in the Library,” and “Forest of the Dead.”
4. “Forest of the Dead”
Like the aforementioned “The Family of Blood,” “Forest of the Dead” doubles down on everything that made its immediate predecessor, “Silence in the Library,” so undeniably memorable in the first place. Carrying on with the central mystery surrounding the enigmatic library, the secretive River Song, and the apparent demise of Donna Noble, “Forest of the Dead” has nary a dull moment in its remarkably fast-paced 45-minute runtime.
3. “The Day of the Doctor”
For years, fans had wondered what kind of chaos might come about from a Doctor Who episode featuring both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor. In this sense, “The Day of the Doctor” lives on as something of a dream come true for longtime fans of Doctor Who’s revival, pitting the two fan-favorite Doctors together in one oversized adventure. While it’s unfortunate we never received a cameo from Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, John Hurt’s embittered War Doctor manages to bring a darker edge to the characteristically zany atmosphere of Doctor Who, ensuring plenty of standout comedic moments between all three intergalactic adventurers.
2. “Heaven Sent”
It’s natural to approach Doctor Who with a degree of caution whenever a new actor is cast in the title role. After the critically successful years of the Eleventh Doctor, many wondered whether Peter Capaldi could properly measure up to Matt Smith and David Tennant with his far more dry-witted Twelfth Doctor. Fortunately, “Heaven Sent” finds a way to prove all the naysayers wrong, paving the way to a surprisingly minimalist thriller unlike any other in Doctor Who’s history.
1. “Blink”
It’s ironic to think the best Doctor Who episode barely features the Doctor at all. Rather, “Blink” focuses on two hilariously mismatched Britons deciphering a mystery involving the Doctor and a species of sinister aliens that freeze in place whenever you look at them. A spine-chilling episode that has as many genuinely suspenseful moments as it does comedic ones, “Blink” is quite possibly the finest sci-fi horror story to ever bear the Doctor Who name.
