Some episodes inDoctor Who’sClassic Era are more essential for people wanting to understand and appreciate the beloved sci-fi show. Since its debut in 1963, Doctor Who has become one of thelongest-running shows on TV. The sci-fi series was released on the BBC from 1963 to 1989 before it was wrongfully canceled. Luckily, writer Russell T. Davies revived the series in 2005. Because the alien main character regenerates and time travels, Doctor Who could pick up where it left off instead of starting over entirely. Consequently, the original episodes were labeled the Classic era of Doctor Who or “Classic Who.”
With 696 episodes ofClassic Doctor Who, the first era of the show can feel daunting and inaccessible. It’s virtually impossible to narrow a list down to just ten selections that represent the entire era, introduce the most characters, and have the best-written stories. However, some choices stand out as must-watches that will allow new viewers to understand and appreciate the era and the show as a whole.
In this article, the different eras of Doctor Who will be called Classic Who (1963 to 1989), Revival Who (2005 to 2024; previously called New Who), and Modern Who (60th-anniversary special to present).
10An Unearthly Child
Starring William Hartnell As The First Doctor
For anyone who wants to get into Doctor Who, the best episodes to start with are the first of each era – “An Unearthly Child,” “Rose,” and “The Church on Ruby Road.” They spend time laying the foundation for the characters and setting expectations for new viewers.“An Unearthly Child” is the very first episode of Doctor Who, so it’s a must-watch of the Classic Who era. In addition to meeting the Doctor for the first time, viewers will get to know Susan, his granddaughter.
The episode also subtly introduces the TV show’s ongoing progressive stances on social issues. Despite what some people say, Doctor Who has always been ahead of its time. The pilot shows Susan objecting to the rewriting of history in a textbook book, which sets the expectation. (Though, there’s certainly still some latent sexism and racism that the show changes over time.) Overall, “An Unearthly Child” does a great job of laying the foundation for Classic Who, Revival Who, and Modern Who.
9The Five Doctors
Doctor Who’s 20th Anniversary Special
While “The Three Doctors” is the best Classic Who episode that combines multiple Doctors, “The Five Doctors” is the more essential episode if a viewer is just going to watch one. The special includes numerous Doctors, which allows audiences to figure out which regeneration a person might like to watch.
Some of the most iconic companions – including Sarah Jane, Susan, and Tegan – appear in “The Five Doctors.” The villains include the Daleks, Cybermen, Raston Warrior Robot, Yeti, and The Master.It’s a little overcrowded but also a grand celebration of all things Doctor Who.Additionally, the story incorporates the Time Lords' society on Gallifrey, which is integral to Doctor Who, without feeling too overwhelming.
8Vengeance On Varos
Starring Colin Baker As The Sixth Doctor
The episode “Vengeance On Varos”, starring Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor, isa must-watch for anyone who wants to appreciate for the Sixth Doctor.Rather than continuing to depict the Doctor as lighthearted, The Sixth Doctor’s era is known for showing more of the harsh and dark side of the titular main character, who frequently uses gallows humor. It also includes more violence (although that’s always been present in the show). “Vengeance On Varos” is a fantastic example of how this can work without feeling inappropriate or out of place in a family-friendly show.
Additionally, this episode of Doctor Who makes interesting commentary on political and social issues going on when the episode came out. At the time “Vengeance On Varos” came out, concerns were growing about the prevalence of exploitation films and snuff films. The satire is intelligent and makes its point. Strangely, the message also resonates nowadays as commentary about reality TV, so it doesn’t feel dated either.
7City of Death
Starring Tom Baker As The Fourth Doctor
One of Doctor Who’s best traits is the fact that it can take on many different tones and styles without feeling out of place. “City of Death” is a good contrast to “Vengeance on Varos” because it shows the funnier, more zany side of the franchise.There’s nothing more silly and perfectly Doctor Who than a pair of aliens trying to steal the Mona Lisa.
The episode could also be seen as a turning point of sorts for the franchise in one significant way. “City of Death” is one of the earlier examples of a Doctor Who story where time travel is integral to the narrative. It becomes more common after “City of Death” and then becomes a regular part of Revival Who. As such, “City of Death” will be a good introduction for fans of the more recent seasons to appreciate Classic Who.
6The Power Of The Daleks
Starring Patrick Troughton As The Second Doctor
“The Power of the Daleks” is one of the most essential episodes of Classic Who, and unfortunately, the original serial is missing. The Second Doctor’s debut in this episode is the introduction of regeneration for both the companions and the audience. After the regeneration, Two, Ben, and Polly go to the planet Vulcan, where they come across Daleks.
Although the original episodes of “The Power of the Daleks” are some ofDoctor Who’s missing episodes, BBC released an animated version of the serial using the audio recordings and taking inspiration from the still photos.
While it’s not the first episode with the Daleks,“The Power of the Daleks” is a story that helps define the alien race. The previous Dalek episode didn’t show just how big of a threat they were. In this episode, they massacre almost an entire planet of people with relative ease. The story also shows how clever and manipulative these villains can be – characteristics that make the Daleks enjoyable.
5Terror Of The Autons
Starring Jon Pertwee As The Third Doctor
No list of Doctor Who essentials would be complete without at least one story focused on The Master – the frenemy Time Lord, who is the Doctor’s true equal.“Terror of the Autons” is The Master’s debut episode, and Doctor Who immediately shows how dangerous the character is as a villain. They try to destroy the humans on Earth with the help of a race of aliens called the Nestenes.
Like the Doctor, every version of The Master/Missy has a slightly different personality. Roger Delgado’s version of The Master is charming, cunning, and has a flair for the dramatic. The character is a pleasure to watch in all forms, but Delgado’s version will undoubtedly convince fans of Modern Who that the renegade Time Lord needs to return in future episodes. The campiness of “Terror of the Autons” is also very representative of Classic Who, making it an excellent introduction for people wanting to get into that era.
4Pyramids Of Mars
One of the best episodes of Classic Who is “Pyramids of Mars,” starring Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor. It gives a mummy story a perfectly Whovian twist, introducing the Osiran alien named Sutekh. That name should feel familiar to anyone who has watched Modern Who because he’s the villain at theend of Doctor Who season 14.
Sutekh’s debut in “Pyramids of Mars” happens to be ina well-written, perfectly developed storyline that really exemplifies Doctor Who. It has the perfect balance of history, sci-fi, and timey-wimey silliness with a small dash of Gothic horror. Frankly, the episode could easily fall into the category of the best Doctor Who of all time, regardless of era, too. If a person is only going to watch a few Classic Who episodes, I think this is one of the best choices.
3Earthshock
Starring Peter Davison As The Fifth Doctor
Oftentimes, the expectation when it comes to a family-friendly TV show is that they wouldn’t dare kill off a fan-favorite character. Those who have watched Revival Who will know that this isn’t the case. The Doctor regenerates – which often has the same emotional impact as death for the audience – andDoctor Whohas killed off 9 companions.One of the most impactful deaths from Classic Who is the death of Adric, which happens in “Earthshock,” an essential part of the era.
Adric has a run-in with the Cybermen, an iconicrecurring Doctor Who villain, who wants to destroy humanity on Earth. Unfortunately, a foolish choice leads to his death at the last moment. Ever since “The Day of the Doctor,” the debate over whether the Doctor could’ve actually saved Adric is a topic of discussion among many Whovians. Additionally, his death has come up in Revival Who and Modern Who. As such, “Earthshock” is a necessary Classic Who episode for both understanding the stakes of decisions in Doctor Who as well as understanding the death that’s still impactful decades later.
2The Curse Of Fenric
Starring Sylvester McCoy As The Seventh Doctor
When it comes to the Seventh Doctor, one of the best episodes to watch is “The Curse of Fenric.” Although Sylvester McCoy’s Seven comes across as goofy and jovial, this persona is actually a mask that hides his manipulation and secret goals. “The Curse of Fenric” is noted as the biggest moment he shows his real mentality as a character. His treatment of Ace, one of thebest Doctor Who companions, shows just how far he’ll go.
From a storytelling standpoint, the episode is also a great middle ground between Classic Who and Revival Who too. “The Curse of Fenric” is quick-paced and has a sharp, layered script with many similarities to the revival. The story also has a Lovecraftian feel to it that is present in both Classic and Revival Who episodes. However, it still carries characteristics that are more common in Classic Who, like deeper character exploration and more suspense.
1The Deadly Assassin
The final episode that could be considered a must-watch from the Classic era of Doctor Who is “The Deadly Assassin.” This choice might seem odd because it’s a rare episode where the Doctor goes without a companion. However,the absence of a companion allows the show to focus more narrowly on Gallifrey and the Time Lords.
“The War Games” could be argued as more important to understanding the Time Lords. Unfortunately, I couldn’t justify including it as an episode since the story arc spans ten episodes. Since almost every Classic Who story spans more than one episode, I tried to cap serials at four parts, making an exception for the six-part story “The Power Of The Daleks.”
Taking “The War Games” out of the equation, “The Deadly Assassin” is the most essential introduction to the Time Lord customs and mythology. Viewers get a firsthand glimpse at the society. Plus, thisDoctor Whostory from the Classic era is really entertaining and well-told, with a few surprising twists.
