Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction show in history. It has been around for almost 60 years. With so many different actors, episodes, and story-lines, it can be tough to navigate where to begin watching if you are a new fan. We have generated a list of episodes to watch for people who have never watched Doctor Who.
Doctor Who is a science-fiction television show that began in 1963 on the BBC. It started out as a children’s historical-fiction show and has turned into a world-wide science-fiction classic with fans of all ages. It ran from 1963 until 1996 with seven different actors portraying the main character, The Doctor. The Doctor is an alien from the planet Gallifrey who, although not immortal, has the ability to cheat death by regenerating into a new form. The Doctor travels throughout time and space in a spaceship called the TARDIS. In 1996 there was even a Doctor Who movie that starred the eighth Doctor played by Paul McGann. Then, there was a hiatus. (The show was canceled). The BBC brought it back in 2005 with the return of the ninth incarnation played by Christopher Eccleston and it has been running since.
Here are the actors who have played the Doctor since the show began:
Being a self-proclaimed superfan, I understand that Doctor Who can be overwhelming and that finding a starting point can be difficult. I find that it is best to introduce new fans or prospective fans (whether they are willing or not, let’s be honest) to episodes that don’t require a whole lot of backstory. If you start anywhere, it can get a little timey-wimey…
I have generated a list of episodes that, in my opinion, would be a good starting point. Each episode is one from every “new-Who” (2005-present) Doctor Who actor. The ninth Doctor, tenth Doctor (played by David Tennant), eleventh Doctor (played by Matt Smith), the twelfth Doctor (played by Peter Capaldi), and the thirteenth Doctor (currently being played by Jodie Whittaker).
Also, I put my feelers out into the Twitter world and got an overwhelming amount of responses.
Starting from the ninth Doctor (Eccleston) series, I recommend “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances.” (Season 1, Episodes 9 and 10) Yes, that is actually a two-part episode. It showcases the time travel since the Doctor and his companion, Rose (played by Billie Piper) travel to World War II London in 1941. Also, it has the touch of alien/something weird is going on. “The Empty Child” shows the army protecting an out-of-place cylinder, while homeless children are being terrorized by what they call “an unearthly child.” A little boy with a WWII gas mask on is wandering the streets calling out, “Are you my mummy?” When he touches anyone, they too end up with a gas mask coming out of their heads and crying out for their “mummy.” I don’t want to give away too much in case someone who has never seen it is reading, so I will stop right there. I will say this: the end of the second part, “The Doctor Dances,” is a happy one!
“Partners in Crime” (Season 4, Episode 1) is a tenth Doctor (David Tennant) episode that aired in 2008. This is my personal favorite episode of the Tenth Doctor’s episodes. It’s funny, exciting, and it shows the heart of the Doctor in a whimsical way. The villain in the episode is basically a nanny from outer space who wants to take care of her “children,” which happen to be adorable blobs of fat. Yes. Fat. There is not a whole lot of need for context in this episode which helps guide people into watching. This is probably one of the most lighthearted episodes of the run with the tenth Doctor.
Moving into the eleventh Doctor’s series, “The Eleventh Hour” (Season 5, Episode 1) is by far a fan favorite to use to introduce the show. Most people on Twitter agreed here. This is the very first episode of the newly regenerated Doctor (Matt Smith). It has the right amount of humor, and it introduces the new incarnation as well as giving background on the new companions, Amy Pond (played by Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (played by Arthur Darvill). It showcases time travel, aliens, and who the Doctor truly is (even though he has changed). Honestly, it feels like the overture for the entire season to come. It beautifully sets the stage for everything that comes next.
Next, “Into the Dalek” (Season 8, Episode 2) is a wonderful twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) episode. The Doctor confronts his scary, long-time nemesis: the Daleks. It brings in elements of fear and anger and shows the struggle between good and evil. The Dalek questions who and what it is, which is a great way to look back at the history of the villain. After all, the Daleks have been around since the 1960’s when the show first started. This is a great stand-alone episode that gives a brief history of his battle with this evil race.
Finally, a great episode to show new fans or prospective fans would be “Rosa” (Season 11, Episode 3) from the thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) season. One of my favorite things about the New Who era is when writers go back to the show’s roots: history. “Rosa” is a beautifully done, historical episode with an alien twist. You get to feel the heart of the Doctor as she makes sure history still happens, even with an alien villain trying to ruin things. It is still tragic, like history, but the acting and story-line are incredible by everyone in the episode.
Like I said at the beginning of this article, I got so many responses on Twitter about this topic. The best part was that a lot of people said pretty much the same episodes, so I was able to make a list without leaving too many out. Here are 15 episodes/stories that Whovians (Doctor Who fans) agreed were the best for new show watchers to start with.
What are your go-to episodes/stories to show new fans? Were any of them on these lists? Let us know!
If you are a new fan or even a long-time fan and want to see clips of episodes or behind the scenes, then go to the official Doctor Who YouTube!
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