Doctor Who: Ranking the Series of the Revived Show

6. Series 1

Few fans would say that Christopher Eccleston was their favourite Doctor. But to anyone who grew up with NuWho, it’s still impossible not to feel nostalgic for his time in the TARDIS. In the days before Doctor Who took on vast plot arcs stretching multiple seasons, Series 1 offered a far more self-contained story that provided everything a viewer could want from the show: the laughs, the scares, the adventure – it’s all here.

It also introduced fan-favourite companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper, whose stellar role as the Doctor’s sidekick is arguably yet to be bettered. Bringing back Doctor Who to the small screen after so many years could have been a disaster. But fifteen years later it’s still here, and if not for a strong first series, it’s unlikely it would have lasted.

Best Episode: ‘The Empty Child’

Also Great: ‘Dalek’, ‘Father’s Day’, ‘The Doctor Dances’

Worst Episode: ‘Boom Town’

5. Series 10

Steven Moffat made plenty of mistakes during his stint as Doctor Who’s showrunner, but he really upped his game in the twilight years of his tenure. While Series 10 sets off to a slightly dreary start, once it gets going it offers plenty of smart sci-fi. Moffat throws in plenty of left-field narrative turns – such as the Doctor’s temporary blindness – to prevent the plot arc from going stale. 

It’s arguably the darkest series of Doctor Who to date, but that didn’t stop it from being an absolute blast. It was both Capaldi and Moffat’s final year, and they succeeded on ending their time on a high note, while Pearl Mackie also excelled as companion Bill Potts; it’s only a shame she was in the role for just a single series.

Best Episode: ‘World Enough and Time’

Also Great: ‘Oxygen’, ‘Extremis’, ‘The Pyramid at the End of the World’, ‘The Doctor Falls’

Worst Episode: ‘Smile’