A Doctor's first story is a very important one. It can act as a great showcase and demonstration of what a new Doctor can offer. These have taken many forms, some aim for a completely fresh start and others keep familiar elements in place to ease an audience into a new Doctor's era. I thought with the recent airing of the Church on Ruby Road, it would be a good chance to rank all the Doctor introduction stories from worst to best. I will only be including TV stories and excluding the Star Beast, as with an actor who has previously played the Doctor, it does not have the same purpose as the rest of the stories on this list. Let’s get started!!!
14.) The Twin Dilemma (1984) written by Anthony Steven
The Twin Dilemma is an atrociously written story, and its decisions bafflingly terrible. The key problem with the Twin Dilemma is the unlikeable way in which the Sixth Doctor is characterised. Colin Baker plays the role as scripted, but his erratic, aggressive, pig-headed, boastful and arrogant personality leaves little to be desired. The character is meant to be suffering from regeneration instability but there is little room for Colin Baker to showcase the personality and take of his Doctor. It is not clear where the trauma ends and the actual character begins, which means you are left with a character with little likeable characteristics and who you detest. Seeing the Doctor try to kill Peri is such a breach of trust that it tarnishes a first impression regardless of the context it exists in. Even if you leave all of that aside, you have a very poorly written story. You have wooden performances from the twins, poor dialogue and also a dreadful villain. A silly design and muffled voice with no menace hinders any chance of threat. I think the line: “I am the Doctor whether you like it or not” is what ruins the chances of the story.
13.) The TV Movie (1996) written by Matthew Jacobs
The TV Movie in my opinion is a simply awful piece of Doctor Who that didn’t work. It has all the imagery of Doctor Who but none of the scare factor or adventure of what makes the series so appealing. It feels like a cynical corporate product consisting of 100 different ideas. It feels more aimed at trying to appeal to its market and to an American audience rather than trying to tell a good story, which is its ultimate failing. Seeing the Doctor be reborn does not mean anything because the audience has no connection with the Doctor so there is no tragedy to the regeneration itself. Paul McGann is perfect casting as the Doctor which is the saving grace of the film, he has a wonderful sense of adventure and age and is effortlessly the Doctor. What holds him back is the fact that he spends so much of the story recovering from regeneration trauma and regaining his memories. It means you have far less time to get to know his Doctor. Grace in the companion role feels like a pretentious and unrelatable character and Eric Roberts as the Master is a combination of tiresome villain cliches and an embarrassment to watch. You have a storyline of technobabble and contrivances and the whole thing fails to be Doctor Who.
12.) The Woman Who Fell to Earth (2018) written by Chris Chibnall
The Woman Who Fell to Earth isn’t a terrible story, it’s just a very bland and mediocre one. I think the story encapsulates the difficulties of trying to introduce a new Doctor and companion at the same time. It can be done well, but it is a challenge, as is shown through the scattered priorities of this story, which is made worse by an overloaded Tardis Team with four new companions. I really think a few familiar elements might have made the transition a bit smoother and the change could have worked better as a result and not felt quite so forced. I do like the character of Grace played by Sharon D Clarke who is an inspirational figure of optimism, and the tragedy of her death holds a lot of weight as does the eulogy from Graham at the end and it brings a fitting dark sense of consequences to the story. The hard-hitting realism and humanity of that is a double-edged sword because I like what that has to offer but it feels like it’s setting up expectations for an era which didn’t deliver on that. Jodie Whittaker sells herself in her performance as the Doctor, but I don’t think you have an especially good introduction for her because of all the long exposition and an exhausted post-regeneration format that makes for a weak entry point for her.
11.) Time and the Rani (1987) written by Pip and Jane Baker
Time and the Rani I think is one of the most over-hated Doctor Who stories out there. It’s certainly not a great story, but I don’t think it’s as atrociously bad as it’s made out to be. In fact, I would call it a very middle-of-the-road story. Sylvester McCoy, as the Seventh Doctor in this story, does find a strong merge between a childish oddity and morality and has a professor quality that defines him across his run. That being said, I think the regeneration aftermath of the first two episodes holds him back. It’s preposterous that the Doctor wouldn’t be able to see past the Rani’s disguise as Mel, I know he is undergoing regeneration trauma, but it makes him look like a total idiot and that stupidity isn’t a good first impression for a Doctor. When Sylvester McCoy is settled, he is better able to lead things as the character. What elevates Time and the Rani for me, above the status fans have given it, is the design, feel, culture and fashion of the Lakertyans. You have a well-developed society of its own customs and the performances are well individualised. The Tetraps are a memorable addition to the story, but the Rani is a badly generic and campy villain, and the plot and ideas deserved more nuance and development.
10.) An Unearthly Child (1963) written by Anthony Coburn
The first story of Doctor Who is a strange one because I don’t think the show got things right immediately out of the gate. The first episode of An Unearthly Child is the best of the four parts as it’s truly magical. The mystery of Susan which Ian and Barbara have to uncover and then the reveal and magical discovery of the Tardis creates a wonderful piece of television. However, once you get into the Stone Age with the cavemen conflicts, then the story becomes much more of a mixed bag. The saving grace is the tension and relationship between the central Tardis Team. Easily the worst part of the story is the meat of the main drama. You have laughable and predictable dialogue and one note characters with singularly defined motivations who act as plot functions more than anything else. The performances, as a result, descend into silliness and parody. The conflict is tedious and incredibly repetitive and there is not much of historical value at all. There are interesting themes regarding the value of compassion and kindness, but the storyline is incredibly thin and unable to sustain itself.
9.) Castrovalva (1982) written by Christopher H Bidmead
Castrovalva is a bit of a messy story and it has a lot of flaws but, overall, I do at least find the whole thing quite enjoyable despite its problems and shortcomings. The main thing that plagues Castrovalva is the fact that it isn’t particularly accessible or designed as a jumping on point. Unfortunately, I think with the Doctor spending most of the story recovering from regeneration trauma, Peter Davison gets little chance to demonstrate his Doctor, and the defining characteristics of his take on the character, and it doesn’t do a very good job of introducing him. Yet despite all of that, there is clearly something quite enjoyable about Castrovalva and I think it’s all in the imagination and ideas presented. Having the first two episodes set on the Tardis is terrific fun. Not only do you get a wonderful scope to the Tardis, but the use of the Zero Room and the Event One cliff-hanger is thrilling. There is a really interesting mystery and development of ideas and concepts upon Castrovalva. The idea of recursion and block transfer computation is neatly fitted into a story with some surprising revelations, and I like the reveal of the Portreeve as the Master a lot. The story is a bit messy and confused but I like the ideas explored a lot.
8.) The Christmas Invasion (2005) written by Russell T Davies
The Christmas Invasion is a story that should not work. The idea of a Doctor in his first story spending a majority of it in bed recovering from regeneration sounds like a terrible idea and similar approaches have made for weak introduction stories in the past. What makes the difference in the Christmas Invasion is where it decides to focus its energy. Rose’s despair and hopelessness, not knowing what to do in a crisis, is relatable for the audience similarly being very worried for the Doctor. I think the Sycorax are a brilliant villain. The gothic nature of them combined with an interesting concept with blood control makes them a force to be reckoned with. When David Tennant finally emerges, he truly impresses as the Doctor. He has an energetic and youthful persona but a darkness and ruthlessness to his character that is well laid out and personified immediately. In a matter of minutes, you get a showcase where you understand who his Doctor is. The conflict between him and Harriet Jones at the end deals well with the morally corrupt themes of the Blair era of politics and also puts the Tenth Doctor on a fitting track.
7.) Rose (2005) written by Russell T Davies
The first episode of modern Doctor Who is certainly a very important one that made an impact. It feels like the same show but just updated and modernised, which is exactly what it should have been. Christopher Eccleston feels like the Doctor immediately out of the gate. He feels incredibly confident and very mysterious. There is a prickly danger to him and a sympathy and intrigue to his backstory that reflects the beginning of the original show and restores mystery to the Doctor as a character rather well. I really like the way we see the strange nature of the alien events through Rose’s eyes as a relatable teenager. The way the London setting is domesticated through Rose’s family life and background gives the story personal stakes which you feel the weight of. The absurdity mixed with the relatable aspects works in the favour of the story. I think the Autons and Nestene Consciousness were also a really good choice of a villain to bring back to kick-start the show. They have a simplicity to them and a relatable and tangible terror as shop window dummies, which makes them perfect introductory monsters. A brilliant start to Series 1!!!!
6.) Deep Breath (2014) written by Steven Moffat
Deep Breath takes a very similar direction to Robot when introducing Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. It helpfully keeps things familiar to make the transition to a new era feel smooth and I think those comforting elements work incredibly well in this story. Clara’s reaction to regeneration and the way her human mind struggles to accept it, and has to come to terms with the loss of her Doctor, is the most realistic and human reaction to regeneration we have ever had. Peter Capaldi is fantastic in his performance as the Doctor and I like the unreliable and unpredictable vibe he brings to the character. Having the audience question his trustworthiness and heroics is very brave, but I admire it in this case. I love what the story does with the Half-Face Man as the villain in the way it asks insightful questions about regeneration that hadn’t been tackled before. I enjoy the themes of seeing the Half-Face Man having lost all aspects of who they were before and how that mirrors the Doctor in their process of renewal. It’s incredibly interesting unveiling and discovering the deep layers of the truth of who the Doctor has become and who they want to be.
5.) The Power of the Daleks (1966) written by David Whitaker and Dennis Spooner
The first post-regeneration story and all the cogs regarding the concept hadn’t quite been figured out, but it’s still a terrific story, nevertheless. The idea of the Doctor being renewed and being able to change his face was a genius idea that managed to refresh the show and I like how the change is handled. I enjoy the mysterious and untrustworthy nature of Patrick Troughton’s performance in that first episode. There is this uncertainty about if he really is the Doctor or an imposter and that drama is well played through the reactions of both Ben and Polly. However, what really sells Patrick Troughton as the same Doctor William Hartnell played is his reaction to the Daleks. Patrick Troughton’s reaction of pure fear and determination to warn the colony of the consequences of trusting them expertly shows the history between the Doctor and the Daleks and their past conflict during the Hartnell era. It was well judged to have the Second Doctor prove himself against his greatest enemy. Yet the Power of the Daleks is a wonderful story in its own right as one of the very best Dalek stories and manages to have a very thought provoking and insightful message based on the dangers of the tolerance of fascism.
4.) The Church on Ruby Road (2023) written by Russell T Davies
The Church on Ruby Road is an astounding success and I think what makes it such a good introduction for Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor is the way it shreds and rids itself of the post regeneration format. Ncuti Gatwa is made to look much stronger as the Doctor by coming in confident and assured and delivering an incredibly worked out version of the Doctor where you are excited to see more of him. Ncuti Gatwa is incredible both with his emotion and adventurous spirit and automatically makes the part his own and different from any other Doctor. It was also a smart move to view the whole thing through the eyes of Ruby Sunday as the companion. There is an interesting story with Ruby exploring her own identity issues and trying to figure out where she fits in with her search for her birth mother. Her place in her family with both Carla and Cherry is very enlightening. This creates a foundation for the bond between the Doctor and Ruby with rewarding Christmas storytelling. The story sets the pure fantasy and magical tone in place, as the Goblins feel like a powerful statement of intent. They are both entertainingly mischievous but also disturbing at the same time. The Goblin song is incredibly silly and hilarious, and the story integrates music into the show in a very fitting manner with a great madness.
3.) Robot (1974/75) written by Terrance Dicks
Robot is the perfect kind of introductory story for Doctor Who at this moment in time. There is a retained and similar feel and style to the previous Third Doctor run. This really works as a way to contrast Tom Baker and show how different he is, and it’s a fitting demonstration of the Fourth Doctor as a character who is fully formed out of the gate. Tom Baker is iconic immediately with his bizarre and comic oddity but a worthy contrast to Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. He is a dangerous and lone figure whose brain is always at work. It means his character's defining qualities can be shown through how he works differently in a familiar formula which is the perfect introduction for him. Sarah Jane very much leads the story in a storyline of marvellous agency, but emotional depth, that does a lot for Elisabeth Sladen. It’s a very clever distraction to have a familiar character lead things, and I love her relationship and empathy with the K1 Robot. There is a wonderful moral story of depth tackling the life and emotional being that exists within this robot and if it is our right to decide its fate. You have a James Bond and King Kong plot merged together in a very satisfying story and a nice amalgamation of different genres.
2.) The Eleventh Hour (2010) written by Steven Moffat
Not since Spearhead from Space had you seen such confidence and fresh vision in a new version of Doctor Who. The storyline of Amy having been waiting for the Doctor, and having known him since she was a child, automatically sets up a history and relationship that exists in the narrative rather than having to develop one. This allows a concise storytelling that makes you invested in the characters. It's an incredibly clever idea and concept that interestingly integrates and develops time travel into the nature of the show and the character of the Doctor, and I really like the early scenes between the Doctor and young Amelia Pond. It sets up a unique and fascinating relationship between the Doctor and Amy with a troubled past and depth of history. I think what makes the Eleventh Hour is the way it puts the Doctor right into the thick of it. The Doctor is given 20 minutes to save the world, which presents stakes where the Doctor is forced into action allowing Matt Smith to shine. You have a very solid and worked out version of the Eleventh Doctor as a character which works in the favour of the story.
1.) Spearhead from Space (1970) written by Robert Holmes
There is a reason I think Spearhead from Space stands above all Doctor introduction storylines because it set the standard of what an introduction for the Doctor must be. Robert Holmes introduces the idea of regeneration crisis and aftermath and I really like the way it’s handled. It makes sense that the Doctor would have to spend some time adjusting to a new body and I love the silliness of the Doctor stealing the clothes of the advisor at the hospital as well as his car. The Third Doctor forms as he slowly finds all the parts which define his personality and it’s nice to see that come together over time. Jon Pertwee also impresses as the Doctor with a real confidence and self-assurance to him. What I like about Spearhead from Space, as an introduction, is the redirected focus upon humanity and relatable and grounded elements. The Brigadier and UNIT bring in fittingly familiar aspects. Exploring UNIT and military and government forces keeping alien threats at bay and suppressed from the knowledge of the public creates a believable but appealing world of top-secret operations, which is rather exciting as it exists beneath the life we already live. The Autons are a simple threat but full of terror and, wonderfully, take something very grounded from our human lives and turn it into a menace. A new format creates a new spark and chance for Doctor Who that hasn’t been beaten.
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