I enjoyed 42 not sure id rank it so low , season 3 is grossly underrated Martha doesn't get talked about enough and wouldnt of minded a second full season (but the original RTD run was apparentlyalways set up as a 4 season arc), I do get the similarities with the impossible planet, I personally prefer this one out of 2,

The visual of Martha in the pod was effectively done but realistically she wasn't in any actual danger (would be an interesting twist to make a big deal of a "new" companion to actually shockingly dispose off a few episodes, like we dont see it coming [not to return like Rory] )

I'm gonna be messy and bump 42 up to #142, not for a numerical reason but on reflection I like it more than the episode I'm swapping it with!

Next episode is #143, then we're going to #141 x

143 Space Babies

Season 1 Episode 1

Doctor: 15th

Companion: Ruby Sunday

Also featuring: Carla Sunday, Cherry Sunday

First aired: 11th May 2024

Writer: Russell T Davies

My last minute switcharoo bumped this down a place, below 42, but I enjoy Space Babies more than much of the fanbase going by the cesspit that is Twitter. Kicking off Ncuti Gatwa's first full series as the Doctor, it set a fun, camp tone much like RTD's premiere episodes did first time around. The Doctor takes Ruby into the future, landing on a spaceship to find talking babies, but also the source of their nightmares: the Bogeyman. The chemistry between 15 and Ruby was strong from the start, their energy was contagious and they're so watchable together. I really like Golda Rosheuvel as guest character Jocelyn (aka NAN-E) too, though I do find the voices of the babies to be a little poorly delivered which takes me out of an already silly illusion. I was quite invested in the plot and I like that the Doctor does what he can to save the Bogeyman after learning about its creation, it was a suitably compassionate move. I can see why this episode feels a little frustrating given the shorter episode order of season 1, meaning this relatively light episode could have replaced by something meatier, but I like a bit of silly escapism and that's all this episode is. The editing does bother me though - cutting the use of Push the Button from the jukebox leaves a gaping hole in the dialogue that comes later!

[note to self: #141 is next x]

The Girl Who Died - Similar thoughts to it's successor earlier, unmemorable two parter that just seemed like an excuse to show they have Maisie Williams.

The Eaters of Light - You'd think with Romans and whatnot I'd remember this, but it's not coming to mind, I recall the threat/conclusion being underwhelming as is often the case with these filler episodes.

Survivors of the Flux - Oh boy, Flux was a mess (impressive for the pandemic though I do agree), but I did think it had great parts to it, this though is a lesson on how to completely kill tension built in the last episode. The companions are still such blank slates and the adventures were so unengaging and convoluted and it was sadly where the story started to fall apart with how quickly we were on a path to the finale.

The Curse of the Black Spot - Fun idea having the Doctor on Pirate ships and all, but a bit throwaway in execution.

Empress of Mars - I'm sorry, I'm sounding like a broken record but this is just yet more filler I don't remember, I don't think the Ice Warriors have been well utilised in the new series.

Can You Hear Me? - This was one of Chibnall's better episodes, and I really appreciated the, um, attempt at character development, it didn't fully work as none of these characters come back and some plotlines were unresolved but it was better than we had so far. There were some nice art styles in this episode, but it suffered from an unmemorable villain and poor conclusion. I do agree that the Doctor's line to Graham was really badly done and tone deaf, this iteration was clearly more peppy than the one before and while it's not out of character to be awkward, there's a way to do it more subtly than...that lol

42 - I did enjoy the timed concept, but a lot of liberties were taken! I've got some good nostalgia for it as I have all of Eleven's era, but it's definitely a filler episode.

Space Babies - Tbh I'm not sure how to judge the RTD2/Fifteen era right now, I'm still a bit angry as to the uncertainty and how they left off, but we'll get to that as we go...I hated this on first watch as, well, it's babies in space with a monster made of snot. Looking back, it's harmless and just not really what I look for in the show, but compared to other more silly episodes to open eras like Partners in Crime and Smith and Jones, it's just really lacking that drama to balance out the silliness.

Space Babies,, im probably in the minority camp that doesn't actually mind it, is it a poor choice of a series opener probably (although personaly TCORR felt more of the series opener to me even if there was months between them 🤣) , if it was released later in the series could it have been better received who knows

The doctor and Ruby's chemistry was there from the off and the series were criminally short (next time spend less on the special effects so we can have more episodes 🤣🤣) the revelation that the bogeyman wasn't a true monster but more that we are programmed to be scared if something was an interesting revelation too

Yeah, looking back, I think Space Babies was their first real muck up. I imagine that would've put a lot of people off instantly and especially with only eight episodes. There was so many other ways they could've given new viewers a flavour of Doctor Who that was more fun/monster of the week, hell a Dalek episode would’ve been perfect given they were going for a soft reboot.

Can You Hear Me - I feel like the villians in that ep was shortchanged...they had interesting powers but idk they didn't have much to do iirc.

42 is one I will say better than most even if it is a rehash The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit.

Space Babies Hmm I like but some of it feels lost like the recurring joke or feels not a opener episode.

I think Space Babies being the opener to season 2 may have been less of an issue, it's just that Ncuti's first season opening with such a light, silly episode probably wasn't setting the right tone for the rest of the run.

141 Closing Time

Series 6 Episode 12

Doctor: 11th

Companion: Craig Owens

Also featuring: Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song

First aired: 24th September 2011

Writer: Gareth Roberts

Back when series 6 aired, I remember finding the aesthetic of the series really dark. Almost every episode had a grey or black colour palette, it appeared, so an episode like Closing Time stood out to me with its brighter colours and camp tone. Having dropped Amy and Rory home, the Doctor stops off to see old friend Craig Owens en route to his death, and ends up being roped into electrical disturbances in the area and gets a job at a department store, which has been infiltrated by Cybermen. I actually quite enjoy Craig as a character despite him being James Corden, it was cool to see him play more of an active companion role this time round, and there's some good comedy between him and the Doctor, also involving Alfie (or Stormageddon x), it's just what series 6 was in need of! That said, I think the Cybermen were absolutely wasted in this episode. It was cool to see a Cybermat again but the Cybermen themselves were pretty much useless and it could've been any villain in their place really. The "love saves the day" resolution was pretty corny too, and I'll be honest, I've never been a fan of the idea of Cybermen just encasing your body in a suit of armour like they were doing to Craig - I think it takes away the sheer horror of the procedures involved in an upgrade (but obviously they weren't going to do that to Craig...!). It's ultimately quite throwaway, but I do find it pretty fun to watch and it's an episode I'd happily rewatch if I want to watch something light.

On 25/08/2025 at 16:48, JosephBoone said:

142 42

Series 3 Episode 7

Doctor: 13th

Companion: Martha Jones

Also featuring: Francine Jones

First aired: 19th May 2007

Writer: Chris Chibnall

The first episode Chris Chibnall contributed to the Whoniverse is a pretty run-of-the-mill episode. 42 was Martha's first trip in the TARDIS after being invited aboard long-term, at last, by the Doctor. It sees the duo fighting to save a failing ship on the cusp of falling into a star, but when captain Kath McDonnell's husband Korwin roams the ship on a rampagne, incinerating people with his eyes, the Doctor is horrified to discover that star they've been harvesting for fuel is actually alive. It's a pretty standard "base under siege" style story, with a great claustrophobic feel despite the vastness of the ship. Martha and Riley being trapped in the escape pod makes for a touching character moment and some great breathing space to explore Martha's relationship with her mum, and the twist about the star being alive is pretty interesting. Otherwise it's quite a standard episode, some of the guest cast are dispatched in very quick succession, leaving only McDonnell, Riley and Scannell to get any real development. It feels a little too similar to The Impossible Planet in some regards, particularly as it only arrived a year later, but I find this episode decent enough in its own capacity.

[edit: moved up a position, #143 is revealed next]

I like 42 a lot; yes it shares many similarities with The Impossible Planet/The Satin Pit but I think it fully stands up on its own. I dare say the stakes feel higher on 42, helped a lot by the intensity brought by being one episode instead of two and the claustrophobic, sweaty feel. What it does lack is the time to get to know all the characters so you don’t particularly care when they get killed off, which is something TIP/TSP really excels in.

Martha and Riley in the pod and and Martha’s phone call to her mum do make for some great character moments and finding out someone was monitoring the call is very intriguing. The pub quiz questions to open each door are very entertaining as well as adding to the stakes as you’re willing them to get them right.

Also plus points for Michelle Collins in this episode who I’m a big fan of. Nice to catch up on the ongoings of Cindy whilst she was playing dead!

CT, yeah never really been a fan of James corden too much of an ego for me, the fact this is the second time in series 6 the cybermen have basically been no characters really does diminish their legacy, as you said they could of used any monster and it would of worked the same, did enjoy the doctor , Alfie dynamic of course if any carnation could speak baby it would be Matt Smith made most sense

140 The Ghost Monument

Series 11 Episode 2

Doctor: 13th

Companion: Yasmin Khan, Graham O'Brien, Ryan Sinclair

First aired: 14th October 2018

Writer: Chris Chibnall

Jodie Whittaker's second episode in the lead role set the tone somewhat for her era. Stranded on a barren planet, the Doctor and her new fam must navigate a race to the Ghost Monument which turns out to be the TARDIS. The scenery of this episode is gorgeous, and Jodie's on top form from the start. I also liked seeing the initial reactions of the companions, and there's some nice character moments between them as they navigate their first alien planet. The pacing of the episode is very slow though, and no real threat arrives until the second half of the episode, with the sniper bots proving to be nothing more than a hurdle, and the Remnants only really featuring near the end. The connection to the Stenza (Tzim-Sha's race) doesn't really come to anything so not sure why it was necessary, could've been any planet. I think I'd appreciate this episode more if it wasn't one of a few slow episodes in series 11, but this one makes for a pleasant watch regardless.

So much to catch up on, oh my

Quite pleasing (and speaks of the quality of Series 1 really) that Eccleston is the only Doctor not to have lost an episode yet (and don't start with 14 xx)!

The Woman Who Lived was certainly a choice episode to follow The Girl Who Died. Will comment on both here seeing as they've both dropped out. The first part is a fun watch I think, even if a lot of what happens feels shoehorned around Moffat desperately trying to find a way to resolve and provide commentary on why Capaldi had the same face as Caecilius. But I enjoy it and don't think I'd have it quite as low as this. The Woman Who Lived on the other hand... definitely had to come later in the series I think to give us time to digest the fact Me was now immortal. Hearing some quick references to how troublesome and long her life had been only a week later? Pass. I think there should've been much less focus on keeping the linked episodes idea for Series 9 and just having episodes link to one another no matter where they fall. The Girl Who Died episode 5, The Woman Who Lived episode 9 in place of Sleep No More? Could've gone down much better despite being a wholly uninteresting story.

Hide is very much a victim of having a very strong first half that comes crumbling down the second it takes us right out of the illusion of a proper haunting ghost story (very much a problem the show has in general... The Haunting of Villa Diodati - while a much stronger story with stronger justifications too - is the same). Could've been a really tight episode had it not gone wack with the resolution. Do not agree with The Rings of Akhaten's position here at all, but lol at Neil Cross' entire contribution to the show being out.

Praxeus (and then Can You Hear Me? coming immediately after) was quite a low point for the Chibnall era despite series 12 being much stronger overall. Being sandwiched in between Fugitive of the Judoon and The Haunting of Villa Diodati just makes them seem even worse, too. Praxeus could've been amazing had they focused on the horror of what was happening more and left it more ambiguous, but it was all hammed up to 100 and we're left with a very jarring resolution with quite an unlikeable villain too really. Can You Hear Me?... lowkey went down hill as soon as we left the pre-titles sequence. Give us a whole episode of the Doctor in Aleppo trying to save the patients and staff from the creature. Totally unmemorable villains, resolution, character development that was all too little too late (or not really wanting any or caring in Ryan's case because it's not going to add anything to his wet wipe personality).

Let's Kill Hitler being this low, i- won't stand for that. I will be a Series 6 defender until the day I die, I think. Let's Kill Hitler, while I'll acknowledge it absolutely had its issues with Mels being introduced too late for us to believe or care that she was this longstanding childhood friend of Amy and Rory and Hitler's involvement in the episode itself, was a fantastic way to give backstory to how River became River and was largely successful. Probably one of my favourite episodes from Alex Kingston and Matt Smith in terms of their chemistry together as the Doctor and River. The Teselecta was a great concept too, and one that at the time would never have crossed my mind at all (despite watching back now and very clearly seeing the hints were there) about returning in the finale to save the Doctor. But yeah other than that I don't really take issue with supposed 'shock value' episode titles because it's the content that matters at the end of the day.

Glad to see The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe and Fear Her both out. The latter is brilliant for its comedic moments and the chemistry between the Doctor and Rose, but other than that I've never been able to bring myself to enjoy much of it and Chloe Webber, just... no. One of Moffat's biggest strengths was giving us magical escapism at Christmas, but I think this was his only miss, and it was a big one. I don't think it helps that Claire Skinner really wasn't the best choice of guest star. Plenty other actresses I could imagine doing a much better job of coming across much less irritating and that you actually want to root for by the end. Mr Smith coming out of the attic for an episode though, we have to stan :wow: xx

I very recently re-watched The Eaters of Light randomly when flicking through all the series' looking for an episode to watch to kill some time, and honestly... I think if I were to do my own ranking I'd have this very close to the bottom because it's embarrassing. TV shows now have such a tendency to really ham up Scottish accents and make them seem as unnatural as possible simply to sound palatable and more understandable to other UK/ROTW audiences and here is one of the very worst examples of it. It's embarrassing to watch, and overall the episode has such a thin plot with - as is the case for most of the duds in his era - only Capaldi's cutting humour being the saving grace. Bill has some good moments, but overall this is an episode that belongs in the bin for sure.

Sad to see Survivors of the Flux drop out as early as this. Although I agree with most of what you've said about the episode I'd say it's probably in the top 3 of the series oops (alongside War and Village). It's great to see Yaz and Dan off on their own and spending so much time together to really build that relationship, but it is just such a shame that it was all at the bitter end of their time on the show. I really wish we could have had a second series with Yaz and Dan as companions, whether with Jodie or not, to allow them to flourish because I feel this is where Yaz really came into her own and Dan added into the mix just made things even better for me. A much better companion line-up than Ryan/Graham/Yaz and obviously one less person to worry about having to write some dialogue for. Also sad to see The Ghost Monument dropping out low here too; an underrated gem in my opinion that is only really let down by (1) what you pointed out already with the planet - the Stenza having destroyed it came to absolutely nothing in the end, so why bother even mentioning it? and (2) the reactions of the companions to this brand new TARDIS interior were the biggest disappointments in the history of the show. Especially when you have that plank of wood Ryan just gazing into the distance blankly with nothing going on behind the eyes apart from a prompt to say 'wow' or 'what does this do?' every few minutes.

Quite surprised to see 42 dropping out as soon as this, even if it's not the most remarkable episode ever (and that said, 42 dropping out but no sign of The Lazarus Experiment yet, are we okay? x). The stakes feel quite high, and as has already been said in the thread I love the claustrophobic feel to the very standard base under siege story. Space Babies dropping out before The Church on Ruby Road too, argh. It definitely was not the best way to launch this brand new era of the show when it was marketed as the first episode of the series (whether some consider Church to be that or not), and while it's not too dissimilar to previous RTD series openers I don't think it was really the right time to whip something so low-stakes, low-budget and, frankly, childish out. I feel even having The Robot Revolution launch the era could've gone down a whole lot better than this!

Thanks for the catch-up there Calum

Honestly I'd have loved a "normal" 10 episode series of 13, Yaz and Dan, I think it would've been a fun dynamic and I think Flux was when Chibnall was starting to get into the swing of things! A series in 2022, with The Power of the Doctor as the finale (or Christmas/New Year special), before leading into the 60th in 2023 would've been so good.

139 The Church on Ruby Road

2023 Christmas Special

Doctor: 15th

Companion: Ruby Sunday

Also featuring: Carla Sunday, Cherry Sunday, Mrs. Flood

First aired: 25th December 2023

Writer: Russell T Davies

I had really high expectations for Ncuti Gatwa's first episode as the Doctor following how much I enjoyed the 60th anniversary specials, so my excitement was sky high for Christmas Day 2023. The Church on Ruby Road brings together the Fifteenth Doctor and his first companion, Ruby Sunday, a foundling brought up by her foster mother Carla. I think there's some fantastic character moments in this episode, a true strength of RTD's, which makes Ruby feel personable from the start. The scenes with Davina McCall were silly but fun, and there's a definite camaraderie between Ruby, Carla and the indomitable Cherry (someone get her a cup of tea damn it!), not to mention the immediate chemistry between 15 and Ruby. I find the goblins a bit ridiculous and it strays too much into fantasy for my liking, even if I like the Doctor's more methodical, scientific approach to understanding the goblin ship. The goblin song, well, it's catchy, but as soon as 15 and Ruby start singing, I can't help but cringe, I'm sorry! I'm no musical lover at the best of times! The twist of Ruby disappearing made for a great contrast, enhanced by Michelle Greenidge and Angela Wynter's fantastic acting and the darker lighting of the Sunday flat, though I don't really like the resolution - the Doctor impaling the Goblin King and then the ship just vanishing, but why? What happened? It does build the mystery of Ruby's mother well, though, and I like that the events of this episode come into play later down the line, even if the eventual outcome isn't so thrilling. As for Ncuti in his first full episode, he's fantastic as you'd expect! Hits the ground running with a charming, charismatic and emotive portrayal of the Doctor and he and Millie Gibson go a long way in elevating this episode.