Top Ten Doctor Who Episodes

The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is finally here.

To celebrate, I(Grimlock) will present my top ten episodes.

10. The Faceless Ones.

I know this may seem like an odd choice. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen this story on any top ten list. I really enjoy this story though. Most of the episodes are missing however. Even as a diehard fan of the series, I sometimes find the reconstructions a bit tedious to sit through. The plot involves aliens kidnapping people from an airport so they can hijack their image. Think Invasion of the Body Snatchers only set in an airport. This story is also notable because it is the last adventure for Ben and Polly.

9. The Face of Evil.

After Sarah Jane left viewers were introduced to Lela. The complete opposite from Sarah Jane in almost every way. A savage prone to killing with the deadly Janis thorn. And...scantily clad. This episode has one of my favorite moments when the Doctor threatens several savages with a 'deadly' jelly baby. Also, the reveal of just who the face of evil belongs to is quite interesting as well. No spoilers from me.

8. Inferno.

The first (and also one of the few stories) to deal with parallel reality. The Doctor, in an attempt to fix the Tardis, slides into an alternate world where everyone is...EVIL. The Brigadier has an eye patch and Elizabeth Shaw...evil too.

7. The Hand of Fear.

"Eldrad MUST live!" Immortal words to fans. One of the best, in my opinion, of the 4th Doctor era. It begins with the Doctor and Sarah Jane landing on Earth in a rock quarry. Which, if you know anything about the series, you know that rock quarries often stood in for alien planets. After an explosion Sarah Jane is found with a severed silicon hand. She begins to act very strange and the Doctor must stop Sarah Jane and Eldrad.

6. Attack of the Cybermen

I’ll be blunt...I’m not a fan of the 6th Doctor. Or I should say, I don’t care for the majority of his television stories. Audio books...now that’s another story. Anyway, Attack of the Cybermen is not only one of my favorite Cybermen stories but its also my favorite 6th Doctor story. This story has several nods to previous Cybermen tales. A majority of the action takes place on Talos, taking us back to the setting of Tomb of The Cybermen. We also see the Doctor fix the chameleon circuit with hilarious results.

5. The Doctor’s Wife.

It's no secret that I’m a huge Neil Gaiman fan. When I found out he was writing an episode, I was excited to say the least. I was not disappointed. This episode is extremely fun, well written and hilarious. You watch it once and you want to immediately re-watch it.

4. The Talons of Weng-Chiang.

Doctor Who; Sherlock Holmes style. This reminds me of some of the Holmes pastiche stories that incorporate steam punk or famous characters. It has the feel of a pulp story from the 30's as well, with all the fantastical elements thrown in.

3. Genesis of the Daleks.

One of the most infamous episodes. Mostly due to the moral quandary it places the Doctor in. Sent back in time by the Time Lords the Doctor has the task of preventing the creation of the Daleks. All he has to do is connect two wires and boom, no more Daleks. But, as he puts it…’Do I have the right?’

2. Blink.

When asked to recommend episodes to those curious about Doctor Who this is my top choice. And the Doctor doesn’t even show up that much. Also the first appearance of the Weeping Angels, who would become more prominent during the 11th Doctor’s run.

1. The Caves of Androzani.

The swansong for the 5th Doctor. The Doctor and Peri are caught in the middle of a war and infected with a virus. A virus for which there is no cure. The question is, how far will the Doctor go to save his companion? This was especially important to the 5th Doctor as he had lost companion Adric early in his tenure. The 5th also recently lost the android Kamelion. All of whom taunt the Doctor at the end of the story...along with The Master who commands the Doctor to Die.