Skip to Doctor One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight. Check 'Reading the Guide' first!
Last updated January 12th, 2020.
Every season of Classic Doctor Who contains a number of “serials” which are made up of multiple episodes. Below is every Doctor Who serial categorized and ranked. I got my list of episodes from the fantastic Wikipedia entry, “List of Doctor Who serials.” I also consulted Nerdist’s “Doctor Who for Newbies” series ( First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh ), Geeks of Doom’s “10 Classic ‘Doctor Who’ Adventures Worth Checking Out” article, and Doctor Who Magazine's “Big 200” Reader Poll to make sure I didn’t under represent any episodes. Leave any suggestions for changes in the comments below. If you want to start on a later episode, Ritch and Space has a video that covers good starting points and watching habits.
Another great option for getting started is The Doctors Revisited, a BBC series profiling each Doctor and then showed one of their classic stories. It's a great combination of backstory, commentary, and curated stories:
Reading the Guide
Episodes are color coordinated:
- Episode ### - Recommended serial (#)
- Episode ### - Good serial
- Episode ### - Normal Serial
- Episode ### - Boring or Bad Serial
- Episode ### - Serial with Missing Parts ( audio, with still images )
- Episode ### - Also Recommended By Nerdist Also Recommended by Nerdist
- Episode ### - Also Recommended By Geeks of Doom
- Episode ### - Rank on Doctor Who Magazine's “Big 200” Reader Poll 0
Recommended episode ranked: The (#) on recommended serials is their rank among the other recommended episodes from that Doctor. If you only have time for two serials-per-doctor, then just watch the (1) and (2) recommended serials for each Doctor, and so on.
Spoilers hidden in grey boxes: Possible spoilers, such as the monster for that serial, are hidden in grey-on-grey text like this: Spoilers! so that they can be highlighted and read, or even searched, only if you want to see them.
First Doctor, William Hartnell
- Episode 001 - An Unearthly Child (1) 1 061
- Episode 002 - The Daleks (2) 1 037
- Episode 003 - The Edge of Destruction 1 158
- Episode 004 - Marco Polo 065
- Episode 005 - The Keys of Marinus 160
- Episode 006 - The Aztecs 057 Only 4 episodes.
- Episode 007 - The Sensorites 183
- Episode 008 - The Reign of Terror 144
- Episode 009 - Planet of Giants 163
- Episode 010 - The Dalek Invasion of Earth (3) 1 044 Companion leaves: Susan.
- Episode 011 - The Rescue 127 Only 2 episodes long. New companion: Vicky.
- Episode 012 - The Romans 097
- Episode 013 - The Web Planet 178
- Episode 014 - The Crusade 100
- Episode 015 - The Space Museum 190
- Episode 016 - The Chase 157 Monster: Daleks. New companion: Steven. Companion leaves: Barbara and Ian.
- Episode 017 - The Time Meddler (6) 1 075 First non-doctor Time Lord.
- Episode 018 - Galaxy 4 172
- Episode 019 - Mission to the Unknown 133
- Episode 020 - The Myth Makers 126
- Episode 021 - The Daleks' Master Plan (7) 042 New companion: Katarina.
- Episode 022 - The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve 086 New companion: Dodo Chaplet.
- Episode 023 - The Ark 154
- Episode 024 - The Celestial Toymaker 151
- Episode 025 - The Gunfighters 175
- Episode 026 - The Savages 162 Companion leaves: Stephen.
- Episode 027 - The War Machines (5) 108 New companion: Ben & Polly. Companion leaves: Dodo Chaplet.
- Episode 028 - The Smugglers 159
- Episode 029 - The Tenth Planet (4) 055 4th episode animated reconstruction. Monster: First Cybermen.
Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton
- Episode 030 - The Power of the Daleks (6) 021
- Episode 031 - The Highlanders 145 New companion: Jamie.
- Episode 032 - The Underwater Menace 194
- Episode 033 - The Moonbase (7) 112 Monster: Cybermen.
- Episode 034 - The Macra Terror 137
- Episode 035 - The Faceless Ones 122 Companion leaves: Ben and Polly.
- Episode 036 - The Evil of the Daleks (8) 018 New companion: Victoria.
- Episode 037 - The Tomb of the Cybermen (2) 2 025
- Episode 038 - The Abominable Snowmen 059 Prequel to 041. Monster: The Great Intelligence, featured in modern episodes.
- Episode 039 - The Ice Warriors (4) 078 Animated reconstructions of missing episodes.
- Episode 040 - The Enemy of the World 139
- Episode 041 - The Web of Fear (5) 023 Sequel to 038. First Brigadier.
- Episode 042 - Fury from the Deep 041 Companion leaves: Victoria. First Sonic Screwdriver.
- Episode 043 - The Wheel in Space 156 Monster: Cybermen. New companion: Zoe.
- Episode 044 - The Dominators 191
- Episode 045 - The Mind Robber 2 060
- Episode 046 - The Invasion (3) t 031 Two great animated episodes. First UNIT. Monster: Cybermen.
- Episode 047 - The Krotons 166
- Episode 048 - The Seeds of Death 2 111 Monster: Ice Warriors.
- Episode 049 - The Space Pirates 195
- Episode 050 - The War Games (1) 2 029 Companion leaves: Jaime and Zoe. First “Time Lord” and view of Gallifrey.
Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee
- Episode 051 - Spearhead from Space (1) 3 036 Monster: First Nestene ( Plastic ). New companion: Liz Shaw.
- Episode 052 - Doctor Who and the Silurians 3 045 Monster: Featured in modern episodes: The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood.
- Episode 053 - The Ambassadors of Death 090 Parts in B/W.
- Episode 054 - Inferno (4) 3 032 Companion leaves: Liz Shaw. First alternate universe.
- Episode 055 - Terror of the Autons (3) 3 051 Monster: First Master! and Nestene. New companion: Jo.
- Episode 056 - The Mind of Evil 092 Monster: Master.
- Episode 057 - The Claws of Axos 129 Monster: Master, Axons.
- Episode 058 - Colony in Space 171 Monster: Master, Miners.
- Episode 059 - The Dæmons 3 034 Monster: Master, Dæmons.
- Episode 060 - Day of the Daleks 071 Monster: Time Traveling Daleks.
- Episode 061 - The Curse of Peladon 082 Monster: Ice Warriors.
- Episode 062 - The Sea Devils (7) 3 050 Monster: Silurians.
- Episode 063 - The Mutants 182 Monster: Solonians, Humans.
- Episode 064 - The Time Monster 187 Monster: The Master, Kronos.
- Episode 065 - The Three Doctors (2) 3 058 Monster: First Omega.
- Episode 066 - Carnival of Monsters 062
- Episode 067 - Frontier in Space 113 Monster: The Master, Humans.
- Episode 068 - Planet of the Daleks 118 Continues from previous serial. Monster: Daleks.
- Episode 069 - The Green Death (8) 3 039 Companion leaves: Jo Grant.
- Episode 070 - The Time Warrior (5) 3 047 Monster: First Sontarans! New companion: Sarah Jane Smith.
- Episode 071 - Invasion of the Dinosaurs 131
- Episode 072 - Death to the Daleks 128 Monster: Daleks.
- Episode 073 - The Monster of Peladon 179 Back on Peladon from Episode 061!
- Episode 074 - Planet of the Spiders (6) 089 Metebelis Crystal from Episode 069.
Fourth Doctor, Tom Baker
- Episode 075 - Robot (6) 106 First Baker! New companion: Harry Sullivan.
- Episode 076 - The Ark in Space (11) 4 028 New head writers, Hinchcliffe and Holmes, for next 3 seasons.
- Episode 077 - The Sontaran Experiment 103 Only 2 episodes! Continues from last serial. Monster: Sontarans.
- Episode 078 - Genesis of the Daleks (1) 4 003 Continues from last serial.
- Episode 079 - Revenge of the Cybermen 130 Continues from last serial.
- Episode 080 - Terror of the Zygons 017 Monster: Zygons & Loch Ness Monster. Companion leaves: Harry Sullivan.
- Episode 081 - Planet of Evil 084
- Episode 082 - Pyramids of Mars 4 007 Monster: Sutekh.
- Episode 083 - The Android Invasion 123 Monster: The Kraal.
- Episode 084 - The Brain of Morbius (7) 4 040
- Episode 085 - The Seeds of Doom 016
- Episode 086 - The Masque of Mandragora 085
- Episode 087 - The Hand of Fear 096 Companion leaves: Sarah Jane Smith.
- Episode 088 - The Deadly Assassin (3) 4 020 Monster: The Master. Galliphrey!
- Episode 089 - The Face of Evil (5) 116 New companion: Leela.
- Episode 090 - The Robots of Death 009
- Episode 091 - The Talons of Weng-Chiang (8) 4 004
- Episode 092 - Horror of Fang Rock (9) 4 026
- Episode 093 - The Invisible Enemy 164 New companion: K-9.
- Episode 094 - Image of the Fendahl 073
- Episode 095 - The Sun Makers 147
- Episode 096 - Underworld 197
- Episode 097 - The Invasion of Time (2) 4 155 Companion leaves: Leela.
- The Key to Time 4 Season of unrelated stories with an overarching plot. Monster: The Black Guardian.
- Episode 098 - The Ribos Operation 105 New companion: Romana.
- Episode 099 - The Pirate Planet 109
- Episode 100 - The Stones of Blood 067
- Episode 101 - The Androids of Tara 095
- Episode 102 - The Power of Kroll 174
- Episode 103 - The Armageddon Factor 168
- Episode 104 - Destiny of the Daleks 121
- Episode 105 - City of Death (4) 4 008 4th episode is the most watched episode of Doctor Who ever, reaching 16.1 million people.
- Episode 106 - The Creature from the Pit 184
- Episode 107 - Nightmare of Eden 167
- Episode 108 - The Horns of Nimon 189
- Episode 000 - Shada Never completed due to BBC strike. Released later as blend of original footage with color animations and voiceovers by Baker and Romana.
- Episode 109 - The Leisure Hive 149
- Episode 110 - Meglos 188
- Episode 111 - Full Circle 101 New companion: Adric.
- Episode 112 - State of Decay 087
- Episode 113 - Warriors' Gate 081 Companion leaves: Romana.
- Episode 114 - The Keeper of Traken 070 Monster: The Master! New companion: Nyssa.
- Episode 115 - Logopolis (10) 4 053 Monster: The Master. New companion: Tegan.
Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison
- Episode 116 - Castrovalva (6) 5 088
- Episode 117 - Four to Doomsday 173
- Episode 118 - Kinda 069 Trippy episode, but not in a good way. Referenced in 124. Monster: Mara.
- Episode 119 - The Visitation 077 The Highwayman character makes this whole episode not bad. Sonic Screwdriver destroyed.
- Episode 120 - Black Orchid (4) 117
- Episode 121 - Earthshock (5) 5 019 Monster: Cybermen. Companion leaves: Adric.
- Episode 122 - Time-Flight 196 Monster: The Master.
- Episode 123 - Arc of Infinity 177 Monster: Omega. New companion: Tegan returns!
- Episode 124 - Snakedance 120 References 118. Monster: Mara.
- Episode 125 - Mawdryn Undead (3) 5 102 Monster: The Black Guardian. New companion: Turlough. THE BRIGADIER!
- Episode 126 - Terminus 5 168 Continues from previous. Monster: The Black Guardian. Companion leaves: Nyssa.
- Episode 127 - Enlightenment 5 072 Continues from previous. Monster: The Black Guardian.
- Episode 128 - The King's Demons 181 Monster: The Master.
- Episode 129 - The Five Doctors (1) 5 38 “A man is the sum of his memories you know, a Time Lord even more so.”
- Episode 130 - Warriors of the Deep 185
- Episode 131 - The Awakening 110
- Episode 132 - Frontios 104
- Episode 133 - Resurrection of the Daleks (7) 5 093 Companion leaves: Tegan.
- Episode 134 - Planet of Fire 134 New companion: Peri.
- Episode 135 - The Caves of Androzani (2) 5 001
Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker
- Episode 136 - The Twin Dilemma (4) 6 200 Worst serial ever? Only serial that is so bad it's legendary.
- Episode 137 - Attack of the Cybermen 161
- Episode 138 - Vengeance on Varos (3) 6 124
- Episode 139 - The Mark of the Rani 148 Monster: Rani & The Master.
- Episode 140 - The Two Doctors 6 125 Not a great story, but last multi-doctor serial.
- Episode 141 - Timelash 199 References unseen 3rd Doctor adventure. Loch Ness Monster & H. G. Wells.
- Episode 142 - Revelation of the Daleks (2) 6 046
- The Trial of a Time-Lord (1) 6 142 Season is one large story. Monster: The Valeyard.
- Episode 143 - The Mysterious Planet
- Episode 143 - Mindwarp Companion leaves: Peri.
- Episode 143 - Terror of the Vervoids New companion: Mel.
- Episode 143 - The Ultimate Foe
- Episode 144 - Time and the Rani 7 198
- Episode 145 - Paradise Towers (5) 193 Just plain delightful. A personal favorite.
- Episode 146 - Delta and the Bannermen 7 180
- Episode 147 - Dragonfire (3) 7 186 References 143. New companion: Ace. Companion leaves: Mel.
Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy
- Episode 148 - Remembrance of the Daleks (1) 7 014
- Episode 149 - The Happiness Patrol 170 Upgraded due to commenter's feedback! :)
- Episode 150 - Silver Nemesis 176 Monster: Cybermen. “Professor? Doctor? Who are you?”
- Episode 151 - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 119
- Episode 152 - Battlefield (2) 7 146 Delightful story. Brigadier!
- Episode 153 - Ghost Light 076 Upgraded due to commenter's feedback! :) Ace is great as always.
- Episode 154 - The Curse of Fenric (4) 7 030
- Episode 155 - Survival 7 080 The 1989 series finale of the 26-year original series.
Eighth Doctor, Paul McGann
- Episode 156 - Doctor Who (1) 8 135 The 1996 American Fox TV movie, which failed to reboot the series.
Ninth Doctor, and future
- Episode 001 - Rose The beginning of the 2005 BBC reboot :)