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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!

Binge this in 10h 6m•Peaking at 8.1/10

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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 1 - An Unearthly Child
    8.1/10(2489 votes)

    #1 - An Unearthly Child

    S1:E1

    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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  2. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 2 - The Cave of Skulls
    6.4/10(1776 votes)

    #2 - The Cave of Skulls

    S1:E2

    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

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  3. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 3 - The Forest of Fear
    6.3/10(1638 votes)

    #3 - The Forest of Fear

    S1:E3

    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

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  4. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 4 - The Firemaker
    6.5/10(1601 votes)

    #4 - The Firemaker

    S1:E4

    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

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  5. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 5 - The Dead Planet
    7.6/10(1726 votes)

    #5 - The Dead Planet

    S1:E5

    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

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  6. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 6 - The Survivors
    7.6/10(1519 votes)

    #6 - The Survivors

    S1:E6

    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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  7. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 7 - The Escape
    7.6/10(1465 votes)

    #7 - The Escape

    S1:E7

    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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  8. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 8 - The Ambush
    7.5/10(1424 votes)

    #8 - The Ambush

    S1:E8

    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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  9. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 9 - The Expedition
    7.2/10(1384 votes)

    #9 - The Expedition

    S1:E9

    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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  10. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 10 - The Ordeal
    7.0/10(1347 votes)

    #10 - The Ordeal

    S1:E10

    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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  11. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 11 - The Rescue
    7.5/10(1358 votes)

    #11 - The Rescue

    S1:E11

    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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  12. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 12 - The Edge of Destruction
    6.8/10(1357 votes)

    #12 - The Edge of Destruction

    S1:E12

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

    Director:Richard Martin
    Writer:David Whitaker

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  13. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 13 - The Brink of Disaster
    6.9/10(1236 votes)

    #13 - The Brink of Disaster

    S1:E13

    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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  14. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 14 - The Roof of the World
    7.2/10(689 votes)

    #14 - The Roof of the World

    S1:E14

    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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  15. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 15 - The Singing Sands
    7.0/10(633 votes)

    #15 - The Singing Sands

    S1:E15

    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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  16. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 16 - Five Hundred Eyes
    6.9/10(624 votes)

    #16 - Five Hundred Eyes

    S1:E16

    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

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  17. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 17 - The Wall of Lies
    6.9/10(613 votes)

    #17 - The Wall of Lies

    S1:E17

    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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  18. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 18 - Rider from Shang Tu
    6.8/10(606 votes)

    #18 - Rider from Shang Tu

    S1:E18

    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

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  19. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 19 - Mighty Kublai Khan
    6.9/10(601 votes)

    #19 - Mighty Kublai Khan

    S1:E19

    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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  20. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 20 - Assassin at Peking
    7.1/10(610 votes)

    #20 - Assassin at Peking

    S1:E20

    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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  21. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 21 - The Sea of Death
    7.1/10(1017 votes)

    #21 - The Sea of Death

    S1:E21

    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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  22. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 22 - The Velvet Web
    7.2/10(967 votes)

    #22 - The Velvet Web

    S1:E22

    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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  23. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 23 - The Screaming Jungle
    6.9/10(950 votes)

    #23 - The Screaming Jungle

    S1:E23

    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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  24. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 24 - The Snows of Terror
    6.7/10(937 votes)

    #24 - The Snows of Terror

    S1:E24

    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

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  25. Doctor Who Season 1 Episode 25 - Sentence of Death
    7.1/10(921 votes)

    #25 - Sentence of Death

    S1:E25

    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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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"An Unearthly Child" is the best rated episode of "Doctor Who" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 2489 votes. Directed by Waris Hussein and written by Anthony Coburn, it aired on 11/23/1963. This episode is rated 1.7 points higher than the second-best, "The Cave of Skulls".