Since its 2005 revival, Doctor Who has become an acclaimed staple of modern television, bringing compelling characters and captivating sci-fi, horror, and fantasy stories. With the departure of Jodie Whittaker from the show's title roll, the series is poised to enter a new era; one seeped in the past while looking towards the future. With fan-favorite actor, David Tennant, returning to play a new incarnation of the Doctor for three special episodes before handing the role to Ncuti Gatwa, and It's a Sin creator, Russell T. Davies, once again taking up the reigns as showrunner after vacating the position in early 2010, anticipation is high for new episodes of the show.
There have been 13 seasons of Doctor Who since it returned to the screen, all of them featuring iconic episodes and moments that live rent-free in the minds of every Whovian, but not all equally praised. Prepare to take a trip though almost 20 years of wibbly wobbly timey whimey adventures lowest-rated to highest.
13 Series 11
IMDb Score: 6.1/10
The innagural season of the first female Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, series 11 could have been an exciting new direction for the series, but flat companion characters and a general lack of story progression held it back for many fans.
Outside a few decently-received historical episodes, the season was panned for being lacking in stakes and missing many of the hallmarks of Doctor Who's modern era, from recurring villains and monsters to narrative nuance.
12 Series 12
IMDb Score: 6.2/10
While it starts off at a much higher quality than its predecessor, series 12 wound up falling flat. Strong episodes like "Fugitive of the Judoon" got fans hopes up by building an intriguing season-long mystery for the Doctor and her companions to solve, but the highly controversial finale, "The Timeless Children", disappointed longtime fans of the series, leading many to abandon ship.
While showrunner Chris Chibnall was able to address many of the complaints from the previous series, the changes he made to the show's continuity during series 12 created a number of new problems.
11 Series 13
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IMDb Score: 6.5/10
While Chris Chibnall's work on Doctor Who was divisive at best, he had previously excelled at telling serialized stories in shows like the acclaimed murder mystery series, Broadchurch. That was why, when it was announced that series 13 would tell one continuous story for 6 episodes, fans saw it as a glimmer of hope. And while it was slightly better-received than the two series that preceded it, series 13 and the three special episodes that followed still didn't reach the heights that fans hoped for.
Rushed storytelling dominated the series as fans struggled to find a reason to care about newcoming and recurring characters alike. Special episode, "The Power of the Doctor" sent off Jodie Whittaker on a high note, but by that point, the damage had been done.
10 Series 8
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
After three young and energetic Doctors in a row, series 8 introduced an older and more cynical take on the character played by Peter Capaldi. And while he eventually found himself embraced by the fandom, early reactions were somewhat tepid.
While series 8 was a solid season of Doctor Who, it lacked any real standout moments. That and fans initial resistance to the concept of a darker Doctor lead this series to be quickly forgotten by fans.
9 Series 10
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IMDb Score: 7.7
Peter Capaldi may have proven himself as a captivating Doctor by the time series 10 came around, but apart from a stellar conclusion, this season largely returned to the good but not great quality of his first season in the role.
Fans responded warmly to the character arcs of the Doctor and the Master over the course of the season, but found too many of the episodes to be forgettable for it to truly reach the heights of Doctor Who. Fortunately though, showrunner Steven Moffat was able to provide some of his classic magic with the season's two-part finale and following Christmas special.
8 Series 7
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
Matt Smith's final season as the Doctor was, in many ways, the exact opposite of Peter Capaldi's first season in the role. Where series 8 was solid but without high points, series 7 was all over the place in terms of quality, delivering stunning episodes like "The Angels Take Manhattan" alongside dull ones like "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship".
Despite its rocky moments, series 7 ultimately provided a strong ending for Matt Smith's Doctor in beloved special episodes, "The Day of the Doctor" and "The Time of the Doctor". This season was also the show's biggest yet in terms of production, featuring better production design and visual effects than had previously been seen on the series.
7 Series 1
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
The only season to feature Christopher Eccleston in the role of the Doctor, series 1 was seen as a strong start to the new era of Doctor Who, even though now it frequently finds itself overshadowed by the seasons that followed.
While early episodes were received with general positivity, the series truly started to take off with its 9th episode, "The Empty Child". The first half of a delightfully creepy two-parter, the episode proved to viewers that this version of Doctor Who was more than just a nostalgic cash grab. By the time Eccleston regenerated in "The Parting of the Ways," fans were hooked on the show.
6 Series 6
IMDb Score: 7.9/10
Following up an excellent debut season for Matt Smith as the Doctor, series 6 promised to be bigger in every way, from frightening scares to massive story arcs. While it lacked the consistency of its predecessor, series 6 provided some of the best episodes of the Matt Smith era.
Fans praised the darker and creepier tone of the series and its deeper focus on the Doctor's companions, but many felt that the overarching plot was too convoluted and unwraveled a bit at the end.
5 Series 3
IMDb Score: 8.0/10
Initially, the third series of Doctor Who's revival seemed like a step-down in quality from previous seasons, with early episodes not completely connecting with fans. However, the second half of the season featured some of the best moments in David Tennant's tenure as the Doctor, bringing its overall rating up tremendously.
Series 3's 10th episode, "Blink", remains the show's highest rated, introducing one of the most memorable monsters in Doctor Who history.
4 Series 9
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
One of the most consistently thrilling seasons of Doctor Who, series 9 saw Peter Capaldi come into his own as the Doctor. It was filled with impactful character development and the emphasis on multipart stories felt like a breath of fresh air for the show.
As complex as the plots this season were, the emphasis remained on the Doctor and his emotional journey, making this season a surprisingly poignant affair and giving Capaldi room to shine, both as the Doctor and as an actor in general.
3 Series 5
IMDb Score: 8.1/10
Some people doubted that Doctor Who would still be able to succeed after losing both its showrunner, Russell T. Davies, and its most beloved lead actor, David Tennant, but Steven Moffat and Matt Smith rose to the challenge and delivered one of Doctor Who's best seasons (a considerable feat since Moffat wrote this season at the same time as his other hit series, Sherlock). Smith's energetic Doctor won fans' hearts from his introduction in this season's brilliant first episode, "The Eleventh Hour".
Featuring tight storytelling and a perfect balance between the overarching plot and standalone episodes, series 5 was a riveting piece of television that proved that, even under new management, Doctor Who was a show that could continue to enthrall audiences.
2 Series 4
IMDb Score: 8.3/10
David Tennant's final outing as the Doctor and the conclusion to many of the storylines that persisted throughout Russell T. Davies' tenure as showrunner, Series 4 and the specials that followed are rightly seen as some of the best material Doctor Who has to offer.
Featuring iconic highlights like "Silence in the Library" and "Journey's End", series 4 was never less than a joy to watch. Even though it served as an ending for the tenth incarnation of the Doctor, it remained forward-looking, introducing plotlines and characters that would impact the show for years to come.
1 Series 2
IMDb Score: 8.4/10
Some actors seem to be born to play a particular character, and that was the case with David Tennant, who perfectly embodied the wayward Time Lord from his first episode in the role. Series 2 also features showrunner, Russell T. Davies, in top form, paying homage to the show's history while charting a course for new and exciting narrative destinations. Much of the groundwork for what Doctor Who would become was laid out in series 2.
Fans praised the season for succeeding at a wide variety of different stories, from thrilling historical episodes to unnerving cosmic horror to character-centric romance, and for providing some of the shows most memorable and emotionally resonant moments.
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