It’s time to bid farewell to the Classic and Wilderness eras. Now begins the Doctor Who that I grew up with! Brace yourselves, because I’m about to unleash an entire childhood of nostalgia upon you all like the Silurians releasing a plague!
Modern Who has some of the best stories in all the show’s history. Between the five Doctors we got here (technically six, maybe more if you wanna argue that), we got some truly incredible episodes! Cheesy adventures, thrilling mysteries, tragic farewells, it’s got it all! No wonder this show got so big for a few years there! At it’s height, this was peak television!
And we’re doing it all at once. From Nine all the way to Thirteen. Yes. Even her.
Buckle up. We’re gonna be here for a bit.
Dalek
Starting off strong with the best Dalek story in all the modern era!
The Ninth Doctor and Rose follow a distress beacon to an alien collection buried beneath Utah. Negotiating their way past the collection’s owner, the Doctor comes face-to-face with the creature he came here to save: the last of the Daleks. When the ever kind Rose accidentally heals the wounded monster, this would-be rescue mission turns into a desperate race for survival.
This episode brings back the series’ most iconic villain with amazing effect. The Dalek is a terrifying menace; completely indestructible, unstoppable, and utterly merciless, it truly feels like the universal conqueror the Daleks were always meant to be. It even has a character arc!
Speaking of arcs: this episode does great work with the Ninth Doctor. The lingering rage left behind by the Time War boils to the surface, and our normally peaceful and kind Time Lord is a soldier once more. Christopher Eccleston gives one of his best performances in the role. Every single meeting between the Doctor and the Dalek is downright gripping!
Also Rose is here. And Luke. Remember Luke? The guy who got one trip in the Tardis, put a door in his face, then got dumped in his mother’s house? Remind me again why all that happened?
Oh, right, because Rose is the worst romantic partner in the history of the human race. I forgot.
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
Amazing how four simple words could make an entire fanbase piss their pants.
The Ninth Doctor and Rose pursue a crashing object through time and space, landing in London at the height of World War II. But something besides a bomb has fallen upon Britain. A lone child wanders the streets, crying out for his mother, spreading a strange but devastating plague that mutates everyone to become like him. Now it’s up to the Doctor, Rose, and time-traveling con artist Captain Jack Harkness to solve the mystery behind the Empty Child and save the day.
Horror is all about dread and atmosphere, and oh does this episode deliver on both! It’s seriously terrifying to watch! I could barely sit through it as a kid, I was so scared! All from a little boy in a gas mask looking for his mother!
This episode also introduces a fan favorite Doctor Who character: Captain Jack. Dude is charming, hilarious, and badass. His chemistry with Nine and Rose is a delight; this trio was short lived, but they were so good!
Also, I love the ending to this one. It’s not just a really satisfying happy ending, it’s also a monumental step forward in the Ninth Doctor’s arc. Seeing the titular Time Lord literally dance with joy after all we know he’s been through is just so satisfying and wholesome!
10/10 story. Go to your room and watch it if you haven’t already. I mean it! Go! To! Your! Room!
The Doctor was right, those are terrible last words.
Salvation Nine
I really should expand the title into ‘Must-Watch/Listen’, shouldn’t I?
In this audio drama, the Ninth Doctor finds himself on the planet Salvation Nine. It’s inhabitants: Sontarans turned from warriors to peaceful farmers. But the enemies of the Sontaran empire don’t see a difference and plan to have the friendly potatoes put to the slaughter! Now it’s up to the Doctor to save them. But the question is: should he?
This story tackles one of my favorite flaws of the Doctor: his bias. Upon seeing a colony of peaceful Sontarans, he is in such disbelief that he immediately suspects a trap. When he finds evidence supporting his biases, he prepares to abandon them to their fate. It’s only when he’s faced with irrefutable proof that they’re good and peaceful, so much so that they’re basically another species, that he decides to stick his neck out and defend them.
Turning the normally militaristic and hostile Sontarans into a colony of friendly idiots isn’t just hilarious. It’s endearing. You immediately fall in love with these goofy morons. It’s impossible not to! Never in my life did I think I’d become so invested in the survival of one of the show’s longest lasting villains, but here we are!
I love this story. It’s simple, wholesome, and it’s a fun take on a classic baddie. Thank god Christopher Eccleston came back to reprise the part with Big Finish. This one is a banger!
Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel
On the subject of Classic villains…
The Tenth Doctor, Rose, and Mickey find themselves trapped in a parallel universe. Here, Cybus Industries, the largest tech company in the world, has mobilized to give the people of the world their latest upgrade… by force. A new parallel generation of Cybermen have been born. Now it’s up to the Doctor and his gang of misfits to stop them and save this world!
This episode brings the Cybermen into the modern era to incredible effect. Their design is equal parts cool and creepy; just look into their empty eyes! It takes the terrifying concept of humanity and identity being stripped away and replaced by technology and ran with it. It’s a damn near perfect Cyberman story.
Also, Mickey becomes a badass. Which would be a cool story if it weren’t basically a repeat of his arc back in World War Three a season ago. But that doesn’t detract from the narrative.
You know who does detract from it? Rose. Sorry, but at this point, her Daddy issues are more annoying than endearing.
Sorry, I don’t like Rose Tyler and I’ll bully her at every available opportunity.
Human Nature/Family of Blood
“And yet I could!”
Fun fact: this episode was based on a New Adventures novel starring the 7th Doctor, written by Paul Cornell. Which you should read. It’s pretty good.
The Tenth Doctor and Martha are chased by the Family of Blood all throughout time. Unable to shake them off, the Doctor is forced to make a desperate move: to turn himself into a human and hide. Now an ordinary man named John Smith, our hero takes up a normal human life as a teacher at a military school in the early 20th century. But the plan quickly falls apart. The Family quickly find them, the watch containing his Time Lord self is stolen, and most dangerous of all: John begins to fall in love.
Calling this story brilliant feels like an understatement. Just about everything it tries to do, it does well. John Smith is a phenomenal character, as he puts the audience in a tough position. You want the Doctor to come back and save the day. But at the same time, you come to know John. His hopes, his dreams, his love, his morality. You don’t want this man to die. But if he doesn’t, and the Doctor doesn’t return, then everyone dies.
And when the Doctor does come back, hoo boy! David Tennant delivers one of his most powerful moments in all his run as the character! The Fury of the Time Lord is one of the best scenes in the era, perfectly showing the moral dubiousness of our main character’s rage.
This story is absolutely brilliant. Read the original book by Paul Cornell and watch these episodes. They are among the best of all Doctor Who.
And right after them, we got the peak of the entire show, Classic and Modern alike.
Blink
You knew this would be here. It had to be here.
‘Blink’ is widely considered to be the greatest episode of Doctor Who in the show’s entire history. Find any list like this one you’re reading now, and it will be there. Which kind of astonishes me, seeing as the Doctor is barely even in this one!
One night, Sally Sparrow wanders into a decaying abandoned home. Inside, she finds a mysterious message written on the wall, written to… her? As she dives deeper into the mystery, more and more strange phenomena pop up, and those around her begin to mysteriously disappear. Her only real clue: the strange angel statues residing in the rotting building.
This episode introduces us to the series’ most terrifying monster: the Weeping Angels. These guys are so freaking scary that I couldn’t watch this episode as a kid! When they went on the attack in the climax, I ran out of the room I was so frightened! I still stare at angel statues as I pass by, just to be safe, that’s how traumatizing this was!
Gimme a break, I was, like, eight.
The Doctor’s role in this story is one of the best mysteries I’ve ever seen in a sci-fi show. The grand reveal at the end, with his conversation with Sally, is THE best use of time travel ever in Doctor Who! It’s such a clever, elaborate idea that could only work in Doctor Who.
Speaking of Sally, she’s fantastic! Witty, clever, grounded, she’s a delight from beginning to end. She’s such a good character that people wanted her to become a full-on series companion! Which would have been awesome!
Blink is Doctor Who at it’s absolute best. It is brilliant from beginning to end. If you love Doctor Who, mysteries, horror, or time travel at all, watch it. Trust me, you won’t regret it for even a second.
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
Dude, Moffat was untouchable back in the early seasons! If you saw his name in the writer’s credit, you knew you were in for a great time!
The Tenth Doctor and Donna land in the Library, an entire planet turned into… a library. Only they’re the only ones there; the whole planet is deserted. Their only clue is a cryptic warning: “Count the shadows.” Not long after, an expedition arrives, helmed by the mysterious River Song, a figure from the Doctor’s future. Now they’re all trapped in a dark death maze, where any shadow can be their death. Is it all just a little girl’s dream become a nightmare? Or is there more to this Library than meets the eye?
This is yet another brilliant horror story. It doesn’t just give us a tense and dreadful atmosphere and a terrifying monster in the Vashta Nerada. It also gives us some intense psychological horror with the digital world. There’s some serious nightmare fuel here!
We’re also introduced to one of Modern Who’s best characters here: River Song. The idea of meeting someone from the Doctor’s future was an ingenious maneuver! She’s so cool, tough, smart, sassy, and a delight in every scene! It’s refreshing to have someone around to knock the Doctor down a peg or two (besides Donna, delightful as she is). Plus, Alex Kingston is AWESOME in the part! It’s no wonder Moffat made her a mainstay in his run!
Speaking of which:
The Eleventh Hour
Need a jumping on point? There is none better than this one!
Having just regenerated, the now Eleventh Doctor crash lands in the backyard of little girl Amelia Pond. A crack in her wall turns out to be not in her wall, but in all of time and space. Through it, a dangerous alien criminal escaped their cell and hid in her home. Just as the Doctor begins to solve the mystery, the damaged Tardis begins to collapse, and he is forced to leave Amelia behind. But things quickly – from his point of view – spiral out of control when he arrives far, far too late.
This episode is the perfect introduction not just to the show, but to the Eleventh Doctor. Matt Smith almost instantly captured the audience, and those few that weren’t would be by the end. His energy isn’t just infectious, it makes for a wild and fast-paced story. Yet it always knew when to slow down and let the narrative drama stew for maximum emotional effect. He became my favorite Doctor ever because of this episode alone!
Equally brilliant is his new companion: Amy Pond. This sassy Scotswoman is one of the toughest, coolest companions to ever step into the Tardis! Karen Gillan was incredible in the part; her chemistry with Matt was a constant treat!
Then there’s the actual plot. A high stakes game of hide-and-seek on a deadly timer. No Tardis, no Sonic, and only a tiny little village to work with. Seeing the Doctor take this big pile of nothing and find a way to save the day is super exciting! Not to mention that it sets up the series arc perfectly!
Moffat nailed the beginning of his era to a T. I could go on and on and on about how incredible it is. The music, the cinematography, it is a certified banger! This is the Eleventh Doctor at his absolute best! Even beyond Doctor Who, it’s just plain ol’ good sci-fi!
Vincent and the Doctor
Wanna see me cry like a baby? Wanna see me do it again?
While appreciating the art of Vincent Van Gogh, the Eleventh Doctor and Amy discover an oddity in one of the paintings: a strange shadowy monster. Curious, they had back in time to meet the legend himself to see what’s going on. With an invisible monster about, can the Doctor find a way to stop it before the world’s greatest artist meets an early, terrible end?
Vincent is easily the highlight of this story. His struggle with depression and his beautiful view of the world contrasts just as beautifully as any of his paintings. He, Amy, and the Doctor make for a fun, albeit short-lived, trio. The scene with him in the museum at the end is one of Doctor Who’s best tear-jerking scenes. It’s nothing short of masterful!
As for the actual alien/time travel plot, it’s kinda lackluster. They literally made the monster invisible, probably to save a bit on the special effects budget. But that part of the plot is more or less just a vehicle to get us to the actually good part of the episode, which is Vincent and the Doctor’s emotional journey together.
Speaking of emotional journeys…
The Doctor’s Wife
What’s this? A Doctor Who episode written by Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors? Did Christmas come early?!
The Doctor receives a message from… another Time Lord?! Thrilled by the possibility of not being alone, he takes Amy and Rory to the source: a small bubble dimension outside of their universe. Not long after they arrive, however, disaster strikes: the Tardis is dead. Or is she? The Doctor has stepped into a dangerous trap; one which encompasses not just the Tardis crew, but the ship herself.
One of my favorite aspects of Doctor Who has always been the Tardis. This iconic blue box isn’t just a time machine or a space ship or bigger on the inside. She’s alive! A silent character which occasionally takes an active role in the story!
Such as in this episode, when she’s forced into the body of a human woman. This premise is absolutely brilliant; watching the Doctor and the Tardis bicker back and forth isn’t just hilarious, but it manages to flesh out the two core aspects of the show to spectacular effect! They’re as strong a duo when they can talk as they have been in every story for the last sixty years wherein they couldn’t!
Then there’s our antagonist: House. Taking control of the Tardis, House puts Amy and Rory through a haunted house of time manipulated horror.
This whole episode feels very Neil Gaiman. If you love his works as much as I do, this episode is for you! It’s a treat for his fans and Doctor Who fans alike! And for fans of both, well, you’ve probably already stopped reading and looked the episode up.
A Town Called Mercy
It wouldn’t be Doctor Who without the occasional moral quandary.
The Eleventh Doctor, Amy, and Rory land in the wild west, near a town called Mercy. But this little town hides a big secret. Jex, an alien doctor, has been hiding here to escape his past, caring for the townsfolk and elevating their technology ahead of its time. Said past a mysterious gunslinger, a cyborg hell bent on revenge. In a conflict with no heroes or villains, will the Doctor be able to find a non-violent solution? Or is today the day he crosses an important line?
This episode does a great job of pushing the Doctor’s moral compass to its limits. When his temper flares, you genuinely have no idea what he’s going to do. How can you? Even he admits he doesn’t know!
It can be difficult to even find your own stance on the matter. Both sides have genuine arguments for their point of view. Sure, Jex has been doing some good, but he’s clearly not the best person. Yet he also regrets his actions deeply; every night, he’s haunted by nightmares of the past. In many ways, he mirrors the Doctor himself. He may deserve to die, but would it be right to send him to be brutally executed?
Fitting, for a wild west story. Never thought I’d see the Doctor of all people become a marshal, but here we are.
I really feel like this one is underappreciated. It’s one of my favorite episodes, but no one ever talks about it! Sure, it can be kinda cheesy, but it’s Doctor Who! What were you expecting? Give it a chance and watch for yourself. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Mummy on the Orient Express
Start the clock.
The Twelfth Doctor and Clara land on the Orient Express. In space. But this pleasure cruise quickly takes a sinister turn. The Foretold, a dark legend invisible to everyone except its next victim, is picking off passengers one at a time. Fighting an enemy he can’t see, can the Doctor solve the mystery before it’s too late?
The Foretold makes for an awesome one-off villain! His creepy design, the way he slowly shambles forward, his intense theme, it’s awesome! And it doesn’t even have any dialogue!
We’re also treated to some of the Twelfth Doctor’s best writing. He’s at his most morally dubious here. He’s a man with a mission, and he’ll keep going no matter how many victims there are; if he can save even one person, it’s a victory. It’s like he himself puts it at the end of the episode.
I didn’t know if I could save her. I couldn’t save Quell, I couldn’t save Moorhouse, there was a good chance she’d die to. At which point, I would have just moved on to the next person. And the next. Until I beat it. Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose.
Twelfth Doctor
The only real issue with this episode is the ending. But that’s because of the larger issues with season eight as a whole, not the individual story. On its own, this is an excellent episode.
Heaven Sent
We can all agree that the Twelfth Doctor’s era had a lot of problems. Moffat was clearly running out of steam at that point. Understandable, given the stress of the showrunner position and how long he had it. Even still, he managed to crank out some bangers!
After Clara’s death, the Twelfth Doctor is transported to a mysterious castle on the sea. His only company is one of his childhood nightmares come to life, always shambling slowly towards him. The only way out: confession. Trapped in a haunted house specifically designed for him, can the Doctor break free and defeat his unseen tormenters?
This is a story all about grief. The Doctor isn’t just trying to solve an incredibly intricate puzzle, he’s trying to find the resolve to keep on living after Clara’s death. It’s a beautiful metaphor about the mourning process delivered perfectly.
There is only one character in this story: the Doctor. The whole thing is basically one great big monologue. It brought out the absolute best of Peter Capaldi’s performance. Without a doubt, this is the peak of the Twelfth Doctor!
Not to mention the ending. We got left off on one of the strongest cliffhangers in Doctor Who history. The culmination of years of build up, all paid off here. At the time, it was enough to make my teenage fanboy mind explode!
Until Hell Bent ruined it. Completely. Before taking a diarrhea dump on its remains.
The Husbands of River Song
Yes, I am telling you to watch both the beginning and end of Professor River Song. Why wouldn’t I? They’re both awesome!
On a Christmas like any other, a knock comes on the Tardis door. A surgeon has been called for, and the Doctor is mistaken for the part. Turns out, he’s unwittingly stepped into one of River’s schemes. Just one problem: she doesn’t recognize him! One last comedic adventure between husband and wife ensues, culminating in the Doctor’s dreaded farewell.
This episode is so much fun! The banter between Twelve and River is a delight in every single scene! The actual plot is just okay, but these two elevate it to a whole other level! It’s a fun, comedic inversion of their first meeting.
Then there’s their farewell. Not only does it set the stage for ‘Silence in the Library’ perfectly, it also delivers one of the biggest emotional gut punches in all of Capaldi’s era. River made every story she was in better just by being there, so having to say goodbye to her once and for all was just as hard as a viewer as it was for the Doctor!
So long, Professor Song. It wasn’t a perfect ride, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
The Haunting of Villa Diodati
What’s this? A Thirteenth Doctor story? What’s this?! It’s actually kinda good?! How is this possible?!
The Doctor and the gang (I refuse to call them the Fam) make their way to 1816. There, they meet Mary Shelly and other authors of the time. All they wanted was to spend time among literary legends and discuss ghosts. But when actual supernatural events begin to occur, it’s up to the Doctor to get to the bottom of it!
Don’t get me wrong, this episode still suffers from some of Chibnall’s signature ‘quirks.’ But it manages to surpass the rest by the simple merit of having actually good, clever dialogue and well-rounded characters! The side cast has more depth than the main characters!
Not only that, this is the Thirteenth Doctor at her absolute best. Her confrontation with the episode’s villain is actually pretty sweet! She’s quick-witted, confident, and charismatic. For the first time in her era, she really felt like the Doctor fans knew and loved again!
This is a pretty good episode. Far from the best on the list, but easily the best of the Chibnall era. Give it a shot. You might be surprised.
Honorable Mentions
Those are my favorite episodes of Modern Who. It was tough narrowing it down just to these, though. Get ready for one really long honorable mentions list. There’ll be three seasons worth of stories there alone!
Now, the more astute Whovians among you might have noticed something was missing. Something pretty big. I’m sure you’re asking: “But what about the 50th anniversary special? How can you celebrate the 60th without even mentioning it?!”
Well, the answer is simple: it’s getting its own article. Ain’t no way I’m doing any less for the 50th!
Anyways, here are all the other episodes you should watch.
- Rose (9th)
- Father’s Day (9th)
- Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways (9th)
- School Reunion (10th)
- The Girl in the Fireplace (10th)
- The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit (10th)
- The Runaway Bride (10th)
- Utopia/The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords (10th)
- Partners in Crime (10th)
- The Fires of Pompeii (10th)
- Planet of the Ood (10th)
- The Sontaran Stratagem/The Poison Sky (10th)
- The Doctor’s Daughter (10th)
- Midnight (10th)
- Turn Left (10th)
- The Stolen Earth/Journey’s End (10th)
- The Waters of Mars (10th)
- The Beast Below (11th)
- The Vampires of Venice (11th)
- Amy’s Choice (11th)
- The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang (11th)
- A Christmas Carol (11th)
- The God Complex (11th)
- The Time of the Doctor (11th)
- Into the Dalek (12th)
- The Pilot (12th)
- Thin Ice (12th)
- Knock Knock (12th)
- Empress of Mars (12th)
- World Enough and Time/The Doctor Falls (12th)
- Twice Upon a Time (12th & 1st)
- The Power of the Doctor (1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th)
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