Doctor Who - 1st Doctor Ranked
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- DirectorRichard MartinStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillIan and Barbara believe the TARDIS has finally returned to their contemporary London, but soon discover signs of plague and warfare. Their old enemies, the Daleks, have invaded the Earth of the 22nd century. Separated and fighting for their lives, the travelers must try to aid the remaining humans and overthrow the Daleks' cruel tyranny. (Originally broadcast in six parts.)This story is the quintessential First Doctor Story. It's well paced, tense and filled with good character moments. Hartnell's speech at the end is terrific and the dialogue is all round great. The direction is fantastic, the production value is good and the acting is great.
- DirectorMichael FergusonStarsWilliam HartnellGerald TaylorJohn Boyd-BrentThe first War Machine is defeated but the Doctor only has a matter of hours to destroy WOTAN before the rest of its army is activated.All of the themes present are still relevant today and a lot of the effects and dialogue holds up really well today. The acting, directing and production design are all good. The characters are well developed and the pacing is great.
- DirectorRichard MartinStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe Doctor has obtained a Time and Space Visualizer, which has a TV screen that can show scenes in the past to order. Lincoln, Shakespeare and the Beatles are selected. They land on a barren planet with two suns, and become separated. A sandstorm causes the Doctor and Barbara to lose the TARDIS, Ian and Vicky meet an octopus-like monster, and the Daleks arrive, still hunting for them.This story is really good. Sure some of the pacing feels deliberately drawn out, but the plot is still fast paced and covers a lot of interesting ground. The character moments are really good, the writing is great and the direction is great. It's an engaging adventure what pushed it's characters.
- DirectorRichard MartinStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillIn this completely TARDIS-based story, the crew find themselves and their ship acting very strangely indeed. Blame runs high for the Ship's unusual behavior, until the Doctor realizes the TARDIS itself may be trying to warn them... (Originally broadcast in two parts; also known in fan circles as "Inside the Spaceship.")I love how this story tests the relationships of it's companions and their trust of one another. There is constant tension and intrigue. The acting is great, the writing is good and the directing is solid. The only weak point is how they explain the ending of the episode, which is a weird explanation.
- DirectorMervyn PinfieldStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS arrives on a planet that has been turned into a space museum but the Doctor and his friends are puzzled when they find themselves out of phase with their surroundings.This has a really unique and experimental plot. It's well directed and well written, however some of the characters are given little to do. The production design is great and the pacing is very suspenseful. Solid all round.
- DirectorDerek MartinusStarsWilliam HartnellAnneke WillsMichael CrazeThe Cybermen take over the base again, apparently to stop the humans using the Z-Bomb, but then the Doctor realises they intend to use it themselves to destroy Earth.(Animation) The cybermen are a really intimidating and unique villain. The acting is great and all the side characters are good. It's well paced and the themes are great. The regeneration scene is very important and the dialogue is excellent.
- DirectorPaddy RussellStarsWilliam HartnellPeter PurvesDavid WestonThe TARDIS lands in sixteenth century Paris and Steven becomes involved with a group of Huguenots.(Telesnaps) I love how this episode deals with the effects of actions on history and the motivation for each character makes complete sense and leads to a really interesting conflict between Steven and The Doctor. The dialogue and acting are great. The pacing works well and production design is very good.
- DirectorDouglas CamfieldStarsWilliam HartnellAdrienne HillPeter PurvesThe Doctor runs afoul of the Daleks and Special Security Agent Bret Vyon on the planet Kembel.(Telesnaps) Parts 1-6 are really good, because they introduce really engaging characters and tie up many other characters in interesting ways. For the first half there's a constant fast pace, then Christmas happens, so they wasted the next 2 parts on irrelevant set pieces and poorly aged dialogue. Thankfully, it improves in the remaining 4 parts, as a real sense of stakes is reinstated and the plot becomes really interesting again. The acting and production design are really good. If you cut out Part 7 and bits of Part 8, this would be incredible.
- DirectorRex TuckerStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam HurndellMaurice GoodThe TARDIS arrives in Tombstone, Arizona in 1881. Where the Doctor is looking for a dentist when he has a toothache, where The Doctor finds the local dentist is the famous Doc Holliday who is in a feud with The Clanton Brothers and their hired gunfighter Johnny Ringo, whilst local sheriff Wyatt Earp is trying to keep the peace. The Doctor, Steven and Dodo find themselves joining forces with The Clanton Brothers and Sheriff Wyatt Earp.This story is a load of fun. The acting is good, the directing is great and a lot of effort is put into pulling off an authentic setting. The music and production design are great. The pacing is good and the plot, whilst not too unique is still very fun and tense.
- DirectorChristopher BarryStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe travelers decide to take a holiday near ancient Rome, but after a month the Doctor gets restless. He and Vicki determine to visit Rome, and while they are gone Ian and Barbara are abducted by slave traders. All roads lead to Rome, however, and the travelers find themselves at the mercy of the country's petulant emperor, Nero... (Originally broadcast in four parts.)The characters are all given interesting things to do and the dialogue is great. The way the plot explores the past is really interesting and a lot of the production design holds up today. The acting is great and the direction is really good. It just suffers from a lack of depth at certain points.
- DirectorChristopher BarryStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS lands in a petrified forest on an alien planet. Determined to explore, the Doctor leads his companions into the metal city, where they discover the danger of what will become his deadliest enemies, the mutant Daleks. (Originally broadcast in seven parts.)The first part is excellent and the next 3 are really good. My main problem comes from how the plot suddenly changes in order to extend the story by 3 episodes, which are badly paced. The themes are interesting and the acting is really good.
- DirectorJohn GorrieStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe Doctor and his friends must locate the real murderers and the fourth key before heading off for a final confrontation with the Voord.Each part has something different to offer. The pacing is good and the characters are well developed. The production value is good and I like this story style. Although some parts are rushed and unnecessary.
- DirectorChristopher BarryStarsWilliam HartnellJackie LanePeter PurvesThe Doctor urges the Savages to finally bring an end to the Elders' oppression and enlists the help of an unlikely ally.(Telesnaps) This story is pretty good. The themes and conflict present are all interesting and the characters are given a lot to do. The pacing and production design are good, however certain character choices are weak.
- DirectorWaris HusseinDouglas CamfieldStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillTwo schoolteachers investigate the personal life of one of their brilliant students and her mysterious grandfather.A really good start to the show. The acting is really good and the direction is brilliant. Unfortunately, the cave men parts are very slow and uninteresting and The Doctor does some out of character things. The production design is good and part one is truly brilliant, but most of all the characters that inhabit the TARDIS are the best feature of this story.
- DirectorAndrew IrelandStarsMarco SimioniDan GilliganJacob MarissonOn the planet Kembel, Marc Cory, a Space Security Service agent, discovers that the Daleks are attending a secret meeting with their allies.(Recreation) This is a pretty good recreation. It interested me the whole way through and the direction is really solid. The production value is great and I think that this episode has a really interesting concept. Its main drawback is that it's a one parter though, so wasn't too invested.
- DirectorWaris HusseinStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS arrives on Earth in the 13th century, where it is claimed by famed explorer Marco Polo as a gift for his employer, Kublai Khan. Polo hopes to finally buy his way out of the Khan's service - but if he succeeds, the Doctor and his friends will never be able to get back to their Ship ever again... (Originally broadcast in seven parts.)(Telesnaps) A pretty good globe-trotter. The editing is good and some of the characters are well developed, however others have little to do. This story is stretched out a lot unfortunately, with many unnecessary scenes and the plot isn't particularly good, however the character drama holds it together.
- DirectorJulia SmithStarsWilliam HartnellAnneke WillsMichael CrazeThe Doctor and his friends are at the mercy of Cherub, who is now seeking Avery's treasure for himself, while Pike prepares to attack the village.(Telesnaps) The dialogue is good and the acting is all solid. The production design seems quite good and the story is well paced, however there's nothing that special. The characters aren't interesting and the plot is a bit shoddy. I enjoyed it, however nothing stands out.
- DirectorDouglas CamfieldStarsWilliam HartnellMaureen O'BrienPeter PurvesThe Doctor, Vicki, and Steven Taylor, go to 1066 England, but something doesn't seem right including modern inventions like a Gramaphone and electricity. Could there be another time traveller?The humor is pretty good and the dialogue is fun, but the overall plot is pretty dumb. Most of the characters are rather 2D, however at least Stephen, The Doctor and The Monk are given good moments. The directing is a bit shoddy, but the Production Value is good.
- DirectorHenric HirschStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must take on the disguise of a public official to try and save their lives. (Originally broadcast in six parts.)(Animation) Everything is just fine. There's some good dialogue and the choice to separate companions is a good choice. This episode suffers from bad pacing and a lack of personal investment. The technical aspects are all mediocre and the production value isn't special.
- DirectorMichael Leeston-SmithStarsWilliam HartnellPeter PurvesMaureen O'BrienThe TARDIS lands in the middle of the Trojan War, where the Doctor is mistaken for the god Zeus.(Telesnaps) This story has some good moments. The direction and production design are all solid and there are some great sequences. Unfortunately, the script is very uninteresting and some of the acting is quite poor. The addition of Katarina didn't work and I'm mixed on Vicki's departure.
- DirectorChristopher BarryStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillOn the planet Dido, the monstrous Koquillion terrorizes Bennett and Vicki, the only survivors of a crashed spaceship. When the TARDIS lands, the Doctor, Ian, and Barbara team up with Vicki to discover what Koquillion is hiding. (Originally broadcast in two parts.)This story doesn't have too much going for it. The writing is rather generic and the way Vicki joins wasn't too convincing. The directing was fine and the production value is good, but it never was anything special.
- DirectorMervyn PinfieldStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS arrives aboard a spaceship that has been captured by the Sensorites, a hearing-sensitive alien race. The Sensorites are dying, and the Doctor finds himself forced to investigate the origin of the mysterious illness. (Originally broadcast in six parts.)The concept is original and some of the direction is really good. There are some great scenes, but the story is so over long and poorly paced. The characters have things to do, but it's over-serialized to a point where it's a slog to get through.
- DirectorMichael ImisonStarsWilliam HartnellJackie LanePeter PurvesThe Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive on a giant spaceship millions of years in the future, transporting the last humans away from the doomed Earth.Nothing special. I like the idea of of a cold being the end of humanity and I like the direction, however none of the characters are that interesting. The pacing is slow and little really happens with the plot. I forgot about it shortly after finishing part 4, because it made no impression.
- DirectorDouglas CamfieldStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS lands in the Holy Land during the Third Crusade and the crew help save Richard the Lionheart from an ambush, but Barbara is captured and brought before Saladin.(Telesnaps) This story has some good and acting and good production design, but unfortunately the rest isn't well handled. The characters and their conflict is rather boring. The pacing and slow and much of the story is poorly directed. Several parts have aged very badly, due to changes in culture as well.
- DirectorBill SellarsStarsWilliam HartnellPeter PurvesJackie LaneThe Doctor, Steven and Dodo arrive in the realms of the Celestial Toymaker, who forces them to play his deadly games.(Telesnaps) This story didn't really grab me. The lack of colour heavily hampers the production value and most of the pacing feels very so and drawn out. The acting is fine and the dialogue is fine, but forgettable. The whole plot didn't need to be this long and is rather uninteresting and predictable. Why is the Toymaker doing this again?
- DirectorJohn CrockettStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS arrives on Earth landing in 16th century Aztec society. Barbara goes off exploring - despite the Doctor's orders not to wander off - and is taken away by the high priest Autloc who believes she is the reincarnation of the goddess Yetaxa. They believe it is a sign that the rains - which are late - will now come. The high priest of sacrifice Tlotoxl recruits Ian to lead their army but he finds he has a rival in Ixta. Ian is less than comfortable with his role when he learns that they are to deliver the human sacrifice to the high priest at the rain ceremony. The Doctor emphasizes that they must not interfere with Aztec rituals, something that does not sit well with Barbara.A ridiculously contrived and predictable plot, which leads to an overlong bore. The whole story, whilst having decent links to History is just poorly paced and dull. The story is generic and overall it just lacks scale and vision.
- DirectorRichard MartinStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillThe TARDIS is drawn by a mysterious force and lands on the alien planet Vortis. There the Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Vicki find themselves caught up in a war between an evil force known as "The Animus", its ant-like Zarbi allies, and the butterfly-like Menoptra race and their allies the subterranean Optera.Wasted potential. The production value is cheap and most of the effects are laughable due to the fact they've aged poorly. I can't take this story seriously. It's filled with far fetched plot lines, bad pacing and weak direction, that although the actors and writers are trying, it falls apart.
- DirectorMervyn PinfieldStarsWilliam HartnellWilliam RussellJacqueline HillWhen the TARDIS malfunctions and the doors open in the time vortex, the travelers and their Ship shrink to the size of insects. When they arrive on Earth, they uncover a murderous plot involving a new insecticide - but how can they stop the crime in their miniaturized condition? (Originally broadcast in three parts.)This episode has a really generic plot and some really cookie cutter characters. Nothing particularly happens here and the direction feels fairly lazy. There isn't much else to say about his story other than how plain and dull it is.
- DirectorDerek MartinusStarsWilliam HartnellMaureen O'BrienPeter PurvesAfter an encounter with a hostile robot called a Chumblie, the Doctor and his companions are rescued by a group of female Drahvins.(Telesnaps) This story is so overly long, but unlike other Doctor Who stories, there isn't anything interesting going on. The dialogue is poor and doesn't fit the companions characters. The sound and production design are very repetitive and dull. The plot is so boring and nothing really comes from this story.