Doctor Who best episodes

The best ever episodes of Doctor Who, according to their rating on IMDb

For once, the general public kinda got it right


Doctor Who has been on since 2005 now, and in those years it has truly gone from episodes that are so good they’ve changed the trajectory of my life and altered my brain chemistry forever to, erm, shite. Every kind of rating has been awarded to the episodes of Doctor Who throughout the years, but which are the best? Everyone’s got a favourite – but here is the official top 10 best episodes of Doctor Who according to their user rating on IMDb. Did the general public get it right? Let’s see.

10. The Family of Blood – 9.2

The second part of season three’s two parter which saw the Doctor disguise himself as an ordinary human called John Smith to avoid the titular Family of Blood hunting him down. Not sure if this would quite be in my top 10 ever over literally any episode from the Ninth Doctor’s era but here we are. Some great performances here.

9. Journey’s End – 9.2

I mean, how can you not love it? The whole gang! Rose was underused, but still! THE WHOLE GANG. Jackie pigging Tyler!? Wowing. And the whole Doctor Donna stuff is heartbreaking and historically important forever. My girlies.

8. Doomsday – 9.2

Crying literally just looking at this picture. A showstopper, it must be said. The Daleks and Cybermen having a bitchy one liner off is still so funny.

7. The Girl in the Fireplace – 9.2

One of the first real Steven Moffat hurrahs, and one that I’d have in the top three if this was my own personal ranking. The Doctor, Rose and Mickey on the SS Madame de Pompadour as they intertwine with various stages of the real French aristocrat’s life – just spectacular. A lot of timey wimey chaos but it’s all pulled off with such vigour.

6. The Day of the Doctor – 9.3

The late, very great John Hurt debuts the War Doctor for this 50th celebration of the show that saw three iterations of the Doctor working together. EVENT TELEVISION.

5. Vincent and the Doctor – 9.3

best doctor who episodes

You wait all episode for that amazing Bill Nighy moment and it hits so hard every damn time.

4. Silence in the Library – 9.3

best episodes doctor who

I love when Doctor Who goes all out and scares us like this. What an amazing two parter – the Doctor and Donna on elite form and the introduction of River Song who changed such a trajectory of the show going forward.

3. The Forest of the Dead – 9.4

The conclusion to the fourth place on best episodes of Doctor Who according to IMDb comes in 0.1 score higher and we have to bow. God, I felt so alive watching these episodes as a kid.

2. Heaven Sent – 9.6

best doctor who episodes

Truly Peter Capaldi’s finest moment. What an actor, what an episode, what a performance. A real late game Steven Moffat hurrah that proves why he got the job in the first place.

1. Blink – 9.8

best episodes doctor who

Baby, this is cinema. Carey Mulligan as Sally Sparrow and the introduction of the Weeping Angels – surely the greatest and scariest alien monster ever added to the show in the modern era? A Doctor-lite episode that thrills, chills and deserves ever crumb of the acclaim it’s always had. We’re not worthy.

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