Doctor Who: 20 Stories You Should See

Since 1963 Doctor Who has thrilled audiences across the globe, and made brand new generations of fans as those growing up with Doctor Who could now possibly be great grandparents. Over the 46 years since Doctor Who burst onto our screens there have been dozens of amazing episodes, however in my mind this is a list of the 20 (technically 21) episodes that stand out and shaped the show that we love today.

An Unearthly Child

A day after the assassination of John F. Kennedy a British TV audience settled down to watch what it believed was a new medical drama. Doctor Who was not however a Doctor of medicine, but of science, this aging man (played by William Hartnell) travelled through time and space with his granddaughter Susan. But after years they were no longer alone, as the television audience tuned in they were invited to embark on a journey of a lifetime, with Ian and Barbara (a pair of teachers) travelling with the Doctor and Susan whether you were a man or a woman you could relate to the journey. In this the first story the quartet travelled back through time to the early cavemen, where they fought for their lives and helped primitive man to make extraordinary advances.

The Dalek Invasion Of Earth

Having already shocked us, the Daleks returned, these pepperpot style villains mortified audience, having terrified viewers by showing their evil side on a foreign world the Daleks travelled to Earth where they enslaved the Earths population. The story was so popular it was remade as a big budget movie. On a sad side, at the end of the episode the Doctor made a decision to leave his Granddaughter behind to be with a man she had fallen for.

The Tenth Planet

Having been our hero for three years actor William Hartnell found the work too much, although relatively young (in his 50’s) Hartnell had been dogged by ill health, and he decided to retire from acting. With what was undoubtedly one of the most popular shows on television in peril the shows producers came up with a radical concept. It had always been known that the Doctor was not of this Earth, now it was time to prove it. As viewers settled down to watch this very special story (there were no spoilers back in 1966, nobody knew what was happening) after a fight with the Cybermen the Doctor collapsed on the floor of the Tardis (his spaceship) and transformed into a younger man played by Patrick Troughton. The process later referred to as regeneration allowed the concept of Doctor Who to continue, and for fans to fall in love with the character again.

The Tomb Of The Cybermen

The return of the Cybermen was legendary for a number of reasons, firstly of course it bought about the return of villains that the fans enjoyed, but it also for the first time created real criticism of the show. On a distant planet archeologists awoke the Cybermen imprisoned in their tomb. How they broke from there tomb was incredibly controversial, fighting there way through a material that looked like cling film, it was feared that children night repeat the move and the result be fatal. Things got more interesting when in the early 1970’s the story disappeared, and it was feared destroyed when the BBC went on a purge of destroying black and white shows as the world moved to colour. In the early 1990’s the story was unearthed, and a new generation was allowed to watch a show that had for years seemed lost.

The Three Doctors

To celebrate the shows tenth anniversary the producers took a unique concept, the Doctor who by this time had regenerated again and was now played by Jon Pertwee would battle against a renegade timelord known as Omega (who later returned in the 1980’s) for help he would need to call upon his previous two incarnations, both William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton returned to help him fight off this terrible villain.

Destiny Of The Daleks

The forth Doctor (Tom Baker) saw the return of the Daleks and their creator Davros in this story. A lot of people regard Genesis Of The Daleks (an episode three years earlier) as superior but to me Destiny Of The Daleks was far better. The story pitched three warring factions against each other. But more interesting the Doctors travelling companion Romana (played by Mary Tamm) at the beginning of the episode regenerated into Lalla Ward, for she like the Doctor was a Timelord.

The Keeper Of Traken

This story was like an intergalactic whodunit, based on a doomed planet. The most interesting aspect of the story was the return of a character known as The Master (he had appeared for lots of the stories during Jon Pertwees reign as the Doctor). Played here by Anthony Ainley who replaced Roger Delgado (who tragically died), the Master who was always a popular villain cemented himself as the most featured villain in Doctor Who history.

Logopolis

Following straight on from The Keeper Of Traken, the Doctor and his three companions Adric, Nyssa and Tegan fought against the Master as he planned to destroy the galaxy. Although the galaxy was saved the Doctor lost the fight, and Tom Baker the shows longest serving Doctor regenerated into Peter Davison after a nasty fall.

Earthshock

Earthshock was a real shock for a few reasons, firstly it saw the return of the Cyberman (completely unexpected), then it featured some of the most unpleasant deaths in the shows history. More horrific was the casting of Britains favourite Granny Beryl Reid as the tough talking commander of a space vessel. But the shocks were not over yet for new Doctor Peter Davison. Although it had happened back in the 60’s a horrific event awaited at the end of the episode for companion Adric who having travelled with the Doctor for near on two years gave up his life to save the Earth from destruction. For the first and to date the only time in the shows history the theme tune did not play through the shows closing credits, and thousands of viewers across the UK cried. Although Adric was not a popular character the death showed that the shows characters were not immortal.

The Five Doctors

To celebrate the shows 20th anniversary Peter Davison was joined by Patrick Troughton, and Jon Pertwee. Tom Baker appeared in brief scenes cut from a story never screened or completed called Shada, he felt it was too soon to return to the show. Sadly William Hartnell had died a few years prior, and was replaced by actor Richard Hurndall, and rather well. The Five Doctors had it all, companions that included Sarah Jane Smith, Jamie, and The Brigadier as well as villains The Master, The Cybermen, a Yeti, and a Dalek. When the show originally screened it was shown as an hour and a half feature rather than the usual 25 minute episodes.

Attack Of The Cybermen

The only story of any real warrant from Colin Baker’s era as the Doctor, another story he featured called The Two Doctors was good but not as dark as this. In this story the Cybermen returned, the Tardis transformed for the first time from a police box (when the Chameleon circuit was allegedly fixed), while a character known as Lytton returned and everything got very, very dark.

Remembrance Of The Daleks

In the shows 25th years there were lots of stories that looked back at the past.  7th Doctor Sylvester McCoy travelled back to 1963 with companion Ace to the very spot that his journey began with Susan, Ian, and Barbara began. But on return he discovers that the Daleks have returned with plans.

Silver Nemesis

The 25th anniversary story the silver anniversary saw the appropriate return of The Cybermen. In Windsor time travelers, a Nazi army, Cybermen and the Doctor fight for the greatest power in the galaxy. No big returns, but an impressive (if not silly at times) battle for survival.

The Enemy Within – TV Movie (1996)

In 1989 the show as we knew it came to an end in the story Survival in which the Doctor faced the Master. Moving on to 96 and there were big changes afoot. This story saw the return of the Doctor in the form of Paul McGann. Funded and shot in America the Doctor again battled the Master (Eric Roberts) at the turn of the Millenium. While the British loved it the Americans hated it, and Doctor Who vanished again until nine years later.

Rose

Far from the best story since the shows return but a legendary one. Doctor Who was back with Christopher Ecclestone as the Doctor and Billie Piper as his companion Rose. It was bolder than the show had ever been, but needed a lot to be desired, however it paved the way for what was to come and allowed a brand new generation to be wooed by the legend that is Doctor Who.

The Parting Of The Ways

It seemed that no sooner had Christopher Ecclestone taken over as the Doctor, than he was gone. In a brutal battle with the Dalek’s he regenerated into David Tennant who became the most popular Doctor in the shows history.

School Reunion

It was a moment that made old Doctor Who fans hearts stop. David Tennant’s Doctor met up with old companion Sarah Jane Smith who he had not seen for over twenty years. The show raised some interesting questions, most notably what happens to people after their journey with the Doctor was over. Sarah Jane was not the only return, the Doctor’s faithful robot dog K9 also returned for the first time since 1983. The episode was moving, and tragic.

Doomsday

In a legendary battle between the Daleks and the Cybermen, the Doctor lost his love Rose to an alternate world. It caused incredible distress to fans who saw Rose imprisoned in a world with no way back. For David Tennants Doctor, time travel would never be the same again.

Utopia

In possibly one of the best shows in the shows history we see loveable character Professor Yana (Derek Jacobi) haunted by a mystery from his past. As the Doctor, Martha and Captain Jack arrive on a strange planet whose inhabitants struggle to head to the planet Utopia; Yana gets flashbacks to the past. After a tense thirty five minutes a pocket watch reveals to Yana the truth, that he is not who he thinks he is and that he is in fact the Master!

The Stolen Earth/ Journey’s End

Few shows have ever had such an epic climax, the Daleks invade Earth having stolen it and dragged it across the galaxy. Companions from the Doctors recent past Rose, Mickey, Jackie, Captain Jack, Donna, Martha, Sarah Jane, Luke and K9 battle to keep the Daleks at bay. After 18 years the story saw the return of the Dalek creator Davros. Wonderful things happened, but there was real loss at the end of the story and in his heart the Doctor in the form of David Tennant knew his story was drawing to a close.

As I write this we are preparing for another massive change for the show. In less than a month David Tennant’s doctor will bow out for a new one played by the youngest ever actor to play the time traveler Matt Smith. Spring 2010 will see the show getting a reboot, with a new Doctor, new Tardis interior, new title sequence and logo’s, and a whole host of new and old villains to face. Headed up by new show runner Stephen Moffat the new Doctors adventures are being referred to as Series One, it’s a brand new start. And as Doctor Who moves swiftly towards its fiftieth anniversary, lets hope it has a long journey ahead of it still.