This is your guide to what episodes to watch during the first 26 seasons from 1963 to 1989, featuring the first seven Doctors.
(In Progress)
For the first two seasons of Doctor Who and most of the third (1963–1966), each episode carries its own title. At story #26 “The Savages” episodes are simply listed as Part 1, Part 2…etc.
Episodes are about 25 minutes.
Due to the BBC’s 1970s junking policy, 97 episodes of Doctor Who from the 1960s are no longer known to exist. As a result, 26 serials are currently incomplete, with one or more episodes represented only by audio and, in many cases, clips or still frames. For commercial release, some episodes have been reconstructed using off-air audio recordings, paired to surviving visuals or newly commissioned animation.
FIRST DOCTOR: Crotchety curmudgeon William Hartnell
Years: 1963-1966
Number of Seasons: 3ish
Theme: A lot of visiting Earth history
Best companions: Susan, Barbara and Ian
What to watch:
Story #1 “An Unearthly Child.” Four episodes
Story #2 “The Daleks.” Seven episodes. First appearance of the Daleks.:
Story #9 “Planet of Giants.” Three episodes
Story # 29 “The 10th Planet.” Four episodes. First appearance of the Cybermen. Final appearance of the first Doctor
SECOND DOCTOR: “Space hobo” Patrick Troughton
Years: 1966-1969
Number of Seasons: 3
Theme: more space, more action
Best companion: Jamie
What to watch:
Story #30 “The Power of the Daleks.” The originals are lost, there is an animated version (more like a motion comic). The Doctor regenerates for the first time. Read my review
Story #38 “The Abominable Snowmen.” Six episodes.
Story #41 “The Web of Fear” Six episodes. Introduces Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart
Story #46 “The Invasion.” Eight episodes. Introduces U.N.I.T.
THIRD DOCTOR: Aristocratic secret agent John Pertwee – IN COLOR!
Years: 1970-1974
Number of Seasons: 5
Theme: Earthbound James Bond vs Aliens
Best companion: Sarah Jane Smith
What to watch:
Story #51 “Spearhead from Space.” Get to know the new Doctor. (4 eps)
Story #55 “Terror of the Autons.” The first appearance of The Master (4 eps)
Story #65 “The Three Doctors.” The three incarnations of the Doctor (so far) reunite to thwart the revenge-seeking Omega. (4 eps)
Story #70 “The Time Warrior” Introduces Sarah Jane Smith and the Sontaran race (4 eps)
FOURTH DOCTOR: Whimsical and warm Tom Baker
Years: 1974-1981
Number of Seasons: 7
Theme: Gothic horror
Best companion: Leela, for my money
What to watch:
Story #76 “The Ark in Space.” (4 eps) – Alien before the movie Alien.
Story #78 “Genesis of the Daleks” (6 eps) – The Doctor along with his companions Sarah and Harry are sent to prevent the creation of the Daleks. Will they succeed?
Story #82 “Pyramids of Mars” (4 eps) – The Doctor and Sarah square up against the alien Osiran Sutekh (the inspiration for the Egyptian god Set) whose minions threaten to unleash his power in the year 1911
Story #88 “The Deadly Assassin” – although this isn’t a great episode, if you want to know more about the Time Lords and the Doctor’s homeworld, this is the one. Otherwise feel free to skip.
Story #89 “The Face of Evil” (4 eps) – a very Star Trekkian episode, in which a ‘split personality’ super computer is performing a terrible experiment on the locals.
Story #92 “The Horror at Fang Rock” – more gothic horror as an alien terrorizes the crew of a lighthouse at the turn of the century. Read my review here
Story #98 “The Ribos Operation” – Kicks off season 16’s multi-story season long arc “The Key to Time” and introduces a fan-favourite companion Romana, who is also a Time Lord. Watch it because of the great characters and fun script. Read my review here
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