10 Most Hated Doctor Who Episodes

From uninspired villains to THAT plot twist, modern Doctor Who has plenty of episodes that didn't quite hit the mark.
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[@MinimalistTheatre333]

The Timeless Child could have worked if it had been the Master's backstory.

[@kazzagreen84]

Yes!

[@Guille_Guiverno_V]

couldn't agree more

[@mr.vanillamilkshake3]

Or if the actual plot beats (the Cybermen, newly empowered, invading Gallifrey and converting Time Lords, while the Doctor and a ragged resistance fights a last stand) weren't underwhelmed by the fact that we already went through the exposition dump twice. We didn't need Sacha Dhawan narrating over an orange version of "Ascension"'s flashback moments. We just needed a fast-forwarded version of it while the Master goes: "The Timeless Child is the one who granted regeneration, The Other who moulded our society, who eventually retired from service in a forgotten Division. The Timeless Child... is you." (I think Tecteun should have actually been first revealed in Flux instead, because foreshadowing her would have been superfluous) That way, the actual story wouldn't actually feel so rushed, and we wouldn't have had to suffer through Dhawan's only dip in acting quality. I'm not actually bothered about the actual reveal, since it just means more Big Finish stuff, and we all need more Big Finish. Also, we had already been foreshadowed about it... in Morbin' Time. (do not make me repeat that pun)

[@VinnieBartilucci]

Having it be either of them gives them too much power and importance. It makes far more sense for there to have BEEN a timeless child, fine, but have it be neither of them, just some never to be found other person who's hopefully living out their life (lives) on Barcelona The Planet. The master took the genetic racial memory that presumably ALL Time Lords have about the child, weave it into The Doctor's history with The Division (Chibnall just forgot that the Celestial Intervention Agency was a thing, didn't he?) and turn it into a clever lie. Boom, fixed.

[@jesseszymcik3026]

Now, that might be the REAL story. I’ve maintained that we shouldn’t trust hero’s exposition from the villain. We can’t just assume that the Valeyard was the Doctor, nor that the Doctor was the timeless child. The Master being the Timeless Child would check a lot of boxes, for me.

[@harveypeirson6199]

No 9th Doctor episodes on this list. He’s too untouchable. What a legend.

[@hajsh67]

Some episodes would have been cheesy but he just sells it.

[@BMakabre]

He always was Fantastic!

[@whovian_scarf_dragon]

He helped reintroduce a new generation to Doctor Who and the first nu season was very British (a yank here). I would love to see Eccleston get another go.

[@faultyvideos2215]

It helps that he only had 13 episodes. Doesnt really leave a lot of time for him or the writers to fuck it up.

[@somethingsomething7205]

only bc social media was in its infancy then. Rose, End of the World & all three Slitheen episodes were probably more hated than half of these that made the list.

[@VeracityLH]

I have to defend the 10th Doctor's regeneration. The tantrum was perfectly placed IMO. Nine told Rose in "Aliens in London" that he was 900 years old. Ten tells Wolf in TEOT that he is 906. Presumably we're speaking of Earth years. So at most, Ten is 6 years old in TEOT. For such a long lived race, 6 years must feel like a week. Of course, he's protesting that his time has been cut short and how much more he could have done had he only had more of it. If you were dying so young with so much left unaccomplished, you'd throw a frustrated fit too. Yes, yes, he's an alien, but it's been acknowledged several times that Ten is the most human, most emotional of the doctors. To me, it would have seemed strange if he had not acted that way. And yet...he gave up all that potential to save the life someone he cared about and had respect for. That's very Ten.

[@Jenifer_R_]

Why is The Doctor not allowed to be angry in the face if his own mortality? And I loved Matt Smith.

[@rinamoreau4809]

best take on it ever 👏🏿

[@suicune2001]

I didn't think of it like that. Very good point!

[@spotsnspans5217]

Honestly, putting The End of Time on this list feels like someone giving into their bias looking past all the strengths of the episode, as well as all the beauty behind 10's regeneration into 11, purely because whoever made the list still feels salty about 10 regenerating. It seems as though a lot of Doctor Who fans have a hard time coping with the concept of change and letting go of the past, which is ironic since the show constantly cycles through new characters and actors, that's basically it's thing, but also poetic, since their reaction perfectly mimicked 10's, which only makes his anger about regenerating even more valid as a writing concept.

[@xeffary7390]

@@spotsnspans5217 bro looking "past their bias" would make the episodes even shittier and less interesting, cuz without it the strengths of the episodes are.. - a couple great scenes that driven by two actors and murray gold and that's all i can think of, yet there's so much garbage in there i even cried during it cuz i grew up with 10 but i'd be embarrassed to introduce those eps to anyone else

[@Sunprism]

River Song is one character in which Flanderization actually makes perfect sense. We're seeing her lifespan Backwards, with her starting as a fully grown, brilliant woman, and then seeing how she learns as she goes

[@brainlock72]

Her story is NOT told backwards, it’s a big plate of times wimey spaghetti.

[@mousermind]

*backwards

[@mousermind]

​@@brainlock72 It generally is though. There are few exceptions to her course in time compared to The Doctor's. Also: *timey-wimey spaghetti.

[@Sunprism]

@@mousermind That's exactly how I spelt it, you probable weirdo

[@Melina_Evarblume_Seelie]

​@@brainlock72 Not really, as it's generally told backwards minus a few blips. The best analogy to describe it is that her story is told like a *river* (Ba dum chh) is formed. It's going in a direction quite clearly, but it's not really straight and flows from left to right unpredictably.

[@Mayeur000Donz]

In defence of the kid who designed the Abzorbaloff, his original drawing actually looked pretty eerie. Dead, red, staring eyes. Faces squealing across its body as they slowly fade away. Despite the mission statement being "Design a scary monster" they adapted it to be comedic.

[@identity_undetermined]

it was also the size of a bridge

[@Cheetahgirl_Studios]

Tbh it could’ve worked if they leaned into the idea of the faces disappearing. Imagine being absorbed into the flesh of a bulbous creature, and slowly dying as you’re absorbed into its body. That had some real horror potential, and yet they decided to make him a punchline instead.

[@packgrog]

It was never the kid's fault, and I feel bad for him being attached to such a horrendous episode that COULD have been amazing. The concept is actually incredibly creepy, and as Ellie says, there's some interesting stuff in the episode overall. It's just that the execution of the monster and the incredibly gross blowjob joke at the end absolutely ruin the whole thing.

[@alim.9801]

​@@Cheetahgirl_Studios right, like not just faces comedically stuck there but actually being absorbed in real time as we see them...that could have been amazing and scary had it been done justice

[@joevictor53]

Yeah that was messed up that they tried to blame him in this video

[@ronaldlawhorne209]

Perhaps I'm just an irredeemable dork with no taste,but Matt Smith's 11th Doctor is my favorite incarnation of the character. It was during his tenure that I crossed the line between casual viewer of the occasional episode of Dr. Who and full blown fan with a bit of a fixation.

[@kateworkman921]

Frankly, I can't choose between David Tennant and Matt Smith for favorite. I love Ten's individual episodes and I love the story arcs for Eleven.

[@ronaldlawhorne209]

@Kate Workman I can totally empathize with your disposition there. I was pretty hard pressed to choose between Tennant and Smith as well. One deciding factor was that episode The Almost People. I was really impressed by Smith's comedic timing with himself whilst portraying two 11s constantly bantering and reacting to one another.

[@RD9_Designs]

Matt Smith was my favorite Doctor. I totally agree! When he joined the show, I went from thinking that Dr Who was campy and interesting but sometimes tedious, to being a total fan, absorbed in the show, and couldn't wait to see what came next!

[@TheWhovinerd-1963]

I would not say you have bad taste for liking your favourite Doctor. Finding love in what is largely despised is a wise trait to have. It shows you have heart and character. It also shows that you are not so pedantic that you have to point out the most pathetic of criticisms. I myself am a smith fan and I find that most hate for Matt and Capaldis era comes from Tennant fans who are still pining over the fact he left. Now I know he is coming back for the 60th but this is only temporarily and tbh I’m glad. I think it’s a good idea for RTD to bring in a familiar Doctor in to appease Tennant fans who felt his era was unfinished and gently ease them into Ncuti’s era which I’m more excited for tbh. Tennant is a phenomenal doctor don’t get me wrong and I do love his era but personally for me he is a bit overrated and he doesn’t get “fantastic” or “Brilliant” until series 4 to me, whereas I fell in love with smiths era from beginning till end. It took me a while to warm to Capaldi but is now my second favourite Doctor and Tennant is 3rd. My point is love what you love. Never think you have to change your opinion just because, someone tells you something different. Xx

[@vincentalbanese8582]

I don't remember being told to hate the next Doctor when Tennant left. Frankly, after the 20 minute long swan song he had, it was time to go. And in the Eleventh Hour, Smith and Moffat hit one out of the park.

[@CharlotteSunshine94]

I skip Love & Monsters not for the reasons most people dislike it, but because I find it so sad. Sad for all the killed members of the group, sad for Jackie, and absurdly sad for Ursula and Elton who end up stuck together when she suffers a fate worse than death that is somehow framed as a joke. Just all really sad, with nothing to balance it out. I think Ursula should have died properly and maybe the ending could have been Jackie forgiving Elton after she allows him to explain the whole situation. At least that would be something...

[@ianmiller6040]

Ursula may seriously have suffered the worst fate in all of Doctor Who, and it's played as a funny joke. Thankfully the episode ends there, before Ursula realizes what that means. Edit: And also, Elton's throwaway line that he and Ursula still have something of a "love life"...yeah.

[@TheLethalDiva]

I really like that episode actually. It was just so different from the norm and so well done. As a one off it was great. I would have put Fear Her on this list over Love & Monsters.

[@realphillipcarter]

I don't consider that one canon tbh. Happens with some standalones, they feel more like fan fiction than part of the proper plot

[@shawnurch8755]

@@TheLethalDivaI agree it’s an awesome episode. Gives us an insight into the lives of ordinary people in the whoniverse. While the Absorbaloff isn’t that scary it doesn’t matter because we see the whole episode is through the eyes of these normal people who have their lives torn apart by him. However comical he may be. Awesome episode, jamming out to ELO, how do people hate it

[@whodatninja439]

it couldve been an all time great episode with some tiny tweaks

[@HarleyMM1328]

Not a chance that End of Time should be on this list. 10s goodbye is absolutely brilliant and i like to believe that 10s attitude towards 11 is because this WOULD have been the Doctor's final regeneration. Of course this only fits through watching it today as the war doctor wasnt around until later but it justifies 10s line of I Dont Want To Go. I absolutely love End Of Time!

[@ProfessorHeavy1]

The Timeless Children actually committed a cardinal sin of the Doctor: making them a special being. The Time Lord Victorious (Waters of Mars) was part of Ten's god complex which was quickly quashed, whereas the Doctor being some kind of legend was an earned reputation as someone who managed to succeed even in the most dire circumstances. But he was never supposed to be inherently special. Death In Heaven subverted the idea by giving him extreme power, only for him to reveal he was just "an idiot, with a box and a screwdriver, passing through, helping out".

[@damianjblack]

Although there was the Cartmel Masterplan back in the 80s which would ultimately have revealed that he was the Other, one of the semi-legendary founders of Time Lord society alongside Rassilon and Omega.

[@anniesharp4871]

I disagree that all the children in Dr Who are written as irritating. The boy who plays George in Night Terrors is wonderful. So is the young Amy. So is the daughter in The Family of Blood and Tim Latimer in the same episode. Donna's fake children in The Library episodes also do a good job despite not having many lines -- "when you're not here, it's like we're not here" gives me chills every time! Many of the other children that have featured are certainly annoying, but I wouldn't write them all off so quickly. Love the channel :)

[@andybrookes3519]

“Even when you close your eyes, we just stop” Honestly that line gives me more chills ngl

[@anniesharp4871]

@@andybrookes3519 it's delivered SO well! The slowing down of the voice before she gets to "stop." Amazing 😊

[@jacobmatthews7524]

i cant think of any irritating kids in dr who. i also liked the eleventh doctor's era because of the way he treated children with such respect

[@anniesharp4871]

@@jacobmatthews7524 yes totally agree! It seemed like there were far more children in his era than in 9's or 10's.

[@KoniXyz]

Is Night Terrors the gas mask one?

[@karachter]

people don't like a nightmare in silver? i love it, it's one of my favourite matt smith stories, the cybermen have never felt like a bigger threat, they can upgrade at will, it really did feel like a ticking clock, i do have to say their faces look way too soft, but the cyber planner vs doctor chess match is one of my fav scenes in doctor who, the doctor and the cyber planner really felt like a match for each other, both are extremely smart and the weakness to gold is the only way the doctor could have won

[@tardistrailers]

Also the one entry on this list I don't agree with. Haven't watched the episode in years, but also don't remember it particularly bad. There are way worse episodes.

[@nickm2699]

I actually really like End of Time, to me it works since both RTD and Tennant were leaving and I think it was more of a goodbye to the first incarnation of the reboot.

[@jacobmatthews7524]

i cant understand why people hate the end of time, i find it incredible and one of the best doctor who stories of all time, its such an amazing climax of the time war plot thread

[@Lolyouremad69]

@@jacobmatthews7524they hate it because their favorite doctor is gone that’s it lmao. It’s actually a really good episode and a goodbye

[@thecrispymaster]

I think it's that it felt almost too much like a goodbye, in that it didn't so much pass the torch on so much as it threw it at the floor and was like "well you pick it up, then". Say what you like about the eras themselves, but the Moffat to Chibnall and Chibnall to RTD pass overs felt like they were still celebrating what was to come rather than dwelling on what they were leaving behind.

[@krimson8317]

I was looking at why some people hate it and the main 3 points seem to be; - The master stuff with him changing into everyone on earth was way too silly and stupid - The 10th Doctor threw a tantrum about leaving - The 20 minute swansong to Russel T Davies era And i completely disagree with all three points :)

[@jacobmatthews7524]

@@krimson8317 the fact people were mad over the tantrum thing is ridiculous, the character was going to die and they wont let him have a rage about it

[@waterinmyotter6245]

I always assumed the Doctor’s crude remark at the end of Nightmare in Silver, followed by his own disturbed reaction to what he had just said, was caused by some residual part of Mr. Clever still in his mind.

[@redactedspartan]

That is pretty much the whole point, but a lot of people missed it.

[@phoebejean82]

Thank you!! Some ppl obviously don't understand nuance

[@gunnhildk6299]

Of course.... I never thought about that. Thank you. Now I don´t have to hate that line anymore.

[@shannonsmith924]

Ooh that is a new side of it I’d never thought about before.

[@potetpoet]

I adore Ten, but once he had died I held no ill will towards Eleven. The immediate energy and action made it clear it was a new beginning with a new very fascinating character. The ill will started when Moffat started Moffatting too hard and got real creepy with 11 and especially his companions. ...I still think The End of Time has all the other flaws mentioned and I don't particularly like it for the actual story, but 10 not wanting to die and 11 taking over was totally fine for me. Even interesting, especially now that Tennant is back, like there really might've been a real plot reason for 10 to be that dramatic about regeneration.

[@Biodebatable]

I think Hbomberguy put it really well, stating that moffat is a good writer when he's contained, as a showrunner he had no one above him, no creative vision to work within besides his own, season spanning arcs as opposed to tight episodes or 2 part plots. Moffat wrote some of the best episodes in the RTD era (Blink, Forest of the dead etc), but those episodes were broadly self contained smaller plots.

[@davidhalstead402]

I would 100% replace End of Time with the Moon is an Egg. That episode hurt me.

[@ianmiller6040]

"Kill the Moon" (the actual title) is one of the few DW episodes I have never rewatched after the first time. It was truly, truly awful.

[@ailzarx]

Would be good if they removed the first 50 minutes of filler...

[@Scaldaver]

I unironically stopped watching Dr Who at that point. I was busy besides that, but this episode made me realise I didn't care enough to continue lol. Might jumpt back on now RTD's back.

[@flamingbanana5831]

12 has some great episodes heaven sent is my fav dr who ep oat@@Scaldaver

[@alexp3462]

@@Scaldaver Exactly the same happened to me, but the recent specials prompted me to go back and catch up on the ones I'd missed and to my fairly profound surprise, Capaldi's doc may now be my favourite? Kill the Moon is still brain-meltingly awful, though

[@NomenLuni1975]

Where's "Kill The Moon"? I'm very surprised that it didn't make the list as it's my absolute least favourite episode. A dreadful, dreadful story.

[@ShugoAWay]

It's only a top 10 list and unfortunately they can't include everything bad so the had to focus on a lot of the irredeemable stuff chibnal tried to kill the show with and a few of the empty filler episodes

[@jxckmw]

The only redeeming part of that episode is Jenna Coleman's phenomenal bit of acting at the end when she tells the Doctor off imo

[@ShugoAWay]

@jxckmw i mean it had upsides especially if you look into the subtextual nature of it's interaction with other episodes like "i dont always take you where you want to go i take you where you need to go" or theme park on the moon, etc

[@Dream146]

@@ShugoAWay that episode is far worse than a nightmare in silver

[@ShugoAWay]

@@Dream146 i never said it wasn't calm ur tits bro

[@ashes2ashesuk]

Can’t believe Kill the Moon didn’t get a mention

[@juliorimes844]

Must be in the 11th position 💀

[@WhoCulture]

@@juliorimes844 It came close for sure

[@lio1234234]

​@@WhoCulture it should have replaced the end of time!

[@MichaelJohnson-kq7qg]

​@@lio1234234 end of time was awful.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

I ACTUALLY like it and the ENTIRE SERIES is a MASSIVE UNDERRATED gem!

[@Daluna13]

Nightmare in Silver is not as bad as everyone says it is. The Doctor playing chess against Mr. Creative is fun

[@dogswifty7800]

Nightmare in Silver is boring, forgettable and annoying. Much like most of Series 7

[@casartherandom3010]

I have a personal headcanon about the Timeless Child: The Master is lying. He was there too, so the Matrix may have been tricked into showing HIS backstory. What if HE'S the Timeless Child? It would make more sense and make the Doctor more on line for what we expect.

[@Visquint]

i mean unfortunately the meeting with tecteun sort of invalidates this theory

[@WhoCulture]

EDIT: Watch the 'Greatest' version of this list here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIHJmX6pgJqAe5I To mark the 60th anniversary, we'll be celebrating some of the highs and lows from both modern and classic Who. Expect 'Greatest' lists to come! For now, let us know some of your least-favourite episodes, be respectful of other commenters' opinions, and remember... NEVER eat pears. - Channel Manager Dan

[@mattthesilent777RED]

New Earth isn't on here... WHY!?

[@danthemeegs8751]

@@mattthesilent777RED Because we quite like it!

[@mattthesilent777RED]

@@danthemeegs8751 Well it's terrible

[@jessetorres8738]

While I don't hate the idea of The Doctor having lives before Hartnell, I don't like the way the Timeless Child twist was handled. Given how the twist was treated as a game changer for The Doctor but then ignored in Whitaker's final story, it created more story plot holes about The Doctor then it resolved. It also negated the significance of Whittaker being the 1st female Doctor since Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor came before Whittaker. If anything The Timeless Child would have been a more interesting twist with The Master instead of with The Doctor.

[@mattthesilent777RED]

@@jessetorres8738 In the Power of the Doctor, I would have preferred evil Jodie over Sacha Dhawan "borrowing" costume elements of the Doctor

[@jessetorres8738]

While I don't hate the idea of The Doctor having lives before Hartnell, I don't like the way the Timeless Child twist was handled. Given how the twist was treated as a game changer for The Doctor but then ignored in Whitaker's final story, it created more story plot holes about The Doctor then it resolved. It also negated the significance of Whittaker being the 1st female Doctor since Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor came before Whittaker. If anything The Timeless Child would have been a more interesting twist with The Master instead of with The Doctor.

[@chrisbriwn6737]

That was my big issue with a lot of what Chibnall did. He had big ideas, but no clue how to use them. He dropped bombshells like the Timeless Child or the Cybermasters and then ignored them for somebody else to do something with. I might have been able to forgive him for his changes to canon if they actually went anywhere, but they didn't. Instead he gave us the beginning of a story and said 'let the next guy deal with it'.

[@Onyx-Rose150]

I for one loved the timeless child reveal. I am upset they only used it to give the doctor an essitential crisis. I'm also pissed the made 13 somehow more moody then 12, and it really feels like it's because she's a women.

[@thekiss2083]

I agree, the reveal itself didn't bother me, it's the fact that Flux refused to develop it any further and killed off TecTeun after a single scene with no questions answered. Just back to the status quo, kind of a waste of time then

[@Dream146]

it was the worst sort of addition to canon in that it changed everything and nothing, it was just some BS to make the doctor more "mysterious"

[@JamesThomasJeans]

I never felt like the end of the Tennant era was telling us that we should dislike his predecessor. That seems like projection to me. I liked Matt from the moment he stepped on screen, and he ended up being my favorite Doctor of the modern series so far. The only time I felt like the show ever told us we shouldn't like a Doctor was when Peter regenerated into Colin. Colin's very first scene with Peri is so stand-offish and condescending, it's almost like the show is daring you to dislike the guy.

[@Foebane72]

Colin's Doctor's behaviour towards Peri was understandable, he was suffering from Spectrox Toxaemia which affected his regeneration!

[@arandombard1197]

Why would his episode tell us to hate the ninth Doctor?

[@lordpistonia]

I feel so sad for Jodie having Chibnail as writer...

[@MichaelPhillipsatGreyOwlStudio]

Personally, I think "Let's Kill Hitler" is a hysterical and fun romp and I love it, and IMO "Hell Bent" and "Nightmare in Silver" are not nearly bad enough to be included here, even though I recognize their flaws. But I totally agree that the rest of the episodes on this list deserve a spot. That said, I personally would have also seriously considered "New Earth," "Fear Her," "The Lazarus Experiment," "The Last of the Time Lords," "Kill the Moon," and "Knock Knock". Let's just say, they'd fill out the bottom thirteen.

[@dogswifty7800]

The Lazarus Experiment and LotTL are good though. In their places 42 and Night Terrors can go there

[@darksidekermit3215]

I have a very visceral hate for Kill The Moon

[@Yickity_yamz]

I personally really liked the Lazarus Experiment aside from that awful cgi…I tried rewatching Kill the moon & Fear her but they’re just not good….everyone hates Orphan 55 (it’s god awful) but no one talks about how incredibly boring Praxeus was, unwatchable

[@BoxOfFear]

I forgot about Kill the Moon. What a mess.

[@avantgardener7493]

How can you say new earth? The whole Cassandra going into the doctor and roses body is so funny and the episode is very well paced and the storyline actually makes sense. Sure cat nuns is a little dumb but it's definitely better than a lot of other episode villians

[@medafan53]

An important note for love and Monsters, that kid who designed the Absorbaloff? He didn't like the end result, he had envisioned it as a massive monster bigger than a bus, not just Peter kay in a green rubber suit! I think it also doesn't help the episode that it is naturally held up to the other Doctor-Lite episodes: Blink and Turn Left, and compared to a genuinely chilling horror story debuting one of NuWho's most iconic monsters not to come from Classic, and a haunting What If showing just how much worse off the earth would be without the Doctor, it comes off lacking.

[@vibes5805]

The End Of Time is absolutely awesome imo. The only real flaw I know is the running in Part 1. The RTD victory lap you talk about is something that actually brought me so much joy and closure, to see that all of these people that were about to be practically forgotten about were ok, and were going to be ok. It felt like yhe show was taking responsibility for its own characters. On top of that I think he actually did a lot to solve his arrogance problem. "Live too long." He, a 6 year old man who could have genuinely done so much more, sacrificed his life to save a tired old man who didn't want to be saved. Just because he could help. I think that one moment entirely destroyed the arrogance he had at the end of The Waters of Mars. I think it was amazing

[@mariaenn]

YES

[@paulhenderson4884]

The moon being an egg ranks pretty high with me.

[@lupino77]

I'll just say: I don't think that Love & Monsters is so bad, Abizorbaloff's real body visual is bad.

[@Warppig]

It comes so close to being a good story... and then suddenly turns into a train wreck.

[@CharlotteSunshine94]

Yeah I think the idea of an alien that absorbs his victims is actually a really clever idea for a child, it was just poorly executed.

[@lupino77]

@@CharlotteSunshine94 yes, the worst part was exactly the design of Abizorbaloff and the idea of keeping the face of his victims on his body. That was so unnecessary

[@richardgurney1844]

I'll always defend that episode - sure it's one of the weaker ones in The 10th Doctor's run, and not the kind of episode we watch Doctor Who for, but it's pretty good still! For what it is, as a one off episode :) It's a good episode for Jackie, definitely. And the story serves as a clever metaphor for how fandoms arise - and how that can get ruined by "toxic" fans, who 'absorb' the joy away But then the Absorbalof reveals his true form and the episode completely derails unfortunately, imo. And the pavement slab thing was weird...

[@cmucodemonkey]

Agreed. I like the story overall of the group trying to find he doctor, but the execution of the abizorbaloff was awful. Overall not a horrible episode, but not great either.

[@dizzydill4287]

Love and Monsters may not be the best story and the monster is a wrong decision. Still, I found it a nice heartwarming pace change, and It was interesting to see what a doctor who episode looks like from a regular citizen's perspective.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

The monster was invented by a child.

[@dizzydill4287]

Why does that matter

[@TheLethalDiva]

Its one of my favorite bottle episodes, really enjoyed how out there it was.

[@shannonsmith924]

I was always curious about the shadow that killed the guys mom. It wasn’t given explanation and it seemed spooky.

[@scubasteevo7013]

How was the Pting not a rip-off of Stitch? Small, weirdly cute, has antennae, eats basically anything, was a scientific experiment and is virtually indescribable.

[@nifralo2752]

Lots of things in DW are rip offs let's be honest

[@AdamKyles]

I thought it was a ripoff of Nibbler from Futurama.

[@scubasteevo7013]

@@AdamKyles that could also work

[@ahsokaxtan0]

I loved nightmare and silver I kinda agree with Hell Bent but the moment Clara asks how long he was in the confession dial was beautiful

[@kenthomas505]

Hell Bent has its flaws but seeing how Clara reacts to the Doctor saying how he would defintely remember her if he saw her again brings not just tears to her eyes but mine as well. She loved him and the worst thing that could have happened was for him to completely forget her and their friendship, though it would have been worse if she had forgotten him, both for her and for the Doctor. There are parts of that episode I do love.

[@242sighting]

Hell Bent is the perfect microcosm of the Moffat era because it's full of brilliant moments but fails the job of telling a greater story.

[@RayWongAtSantaAnita]

Capaldi sums up the Doctor's relationship and devotion to Clara so powerfully with just one sentence: "I had a duty of care." Heaven Sent is that much better in the context of Hell Bent.

[@rowanbrearley4483]

Respect love and monsters. It’s a unique concept. And as someone who started watching as a 3 year old, the abzorbaloff was the scariest monster for me. I had recurring nightmares of being chased by him. Even at 3 virtually nothing phased me or scared me, but the abzorbaloff did. And I think it’s good when a different kind of monster is introduced who can bring about fear that I think dr who usually lacks. And as for the end of time. The ending alone where he meets all his companions one last time, ending with Rose pulls on my heart strings way too much for me to dislike that episode. It was a perfect send off for David

[@marcokilby7875]

This is the trippiest comment ever to read - it's like I wrote it. Do you know how many people have laughed at me when I've told them I had recurring nightmares about the Abzorbalof chasing me. "You were scared of Peter Kay?" I didn't know who bloody Peter Kay was at the time, I was 4!

[@icantnotthink3282]

I think my issue with Clara i think was that I felt too much of the story relied around her when she was a companion. She gets a Tardis. She gets to technically live in a space between time, so she doesn't HAVE to go to Galifrey and die unless she wants to. She gets to travel time and space with an immortal who was also just kinda forgiven for her actions. And she is forever responsible for saving the doctor in any time, as she exists born and aware, in every part of the Doctor's life, even helping him choose his exact Tardis. Jenna is a good actress. I'm just not a huge fan of the characters' plot.

[@Ireneharnack1138]

Regarding: "In the Forest of the Night", I think the purpose of the episode was to partially focus on what was supposed to be that all the kids on that field trip were all "special needs" and that at that time to now, we are quick to medicate an issue before trying to understand why a person is acting or behaving in a contrary to perceived normalcy. Not encouraging children to stop taking their medication. But, it's easy to takeoff with a subject in a children's show, like the end problem people can't seem to see in the Pixar/Disney Movie "Inside Out" which teaches kids that running away brings families together resolving a child's problems. No one seems to have seen this issue. The other focus was that the trees are here to save us so we shouldn't bo so keen to clean sweep the remaining Forrest's because without them we will all die, that the world needs to work on its conservation now more than ever because in reality those trees we genuinely need aren't going to suddenly grow just to save all our sorry destructive asses!

[@bendream544]

There's also the fact that how comes the Doctor has no knowledge of the planet being helped in this way before? Considering the amount of time that he has spent here in all different eras. This could also be said about Orphan 55, she should already know that is what is going to happen if humanity doesn't stop pollution etc. Its one of my biggest qualms about new who because it more or less makes his past involvement with Earth like it occurred in a different programme...

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

The Timeless Children was nearly inevitable after Fugitive of the Judoon, which was obviously written by someone who had never seen An Unearthly Child.

[@Yetaxa]

yeah i can accept the whole plot of her having a life before the Doctor that she didnt know about But the whole 'oh yeah she was The Doctor and had a police box TARDIS' just completely breaks continuity They could have made a big point that the Timeless Child was never The Doctor that we know

[@stevewelch2707]

Surprised Kill the Moon, Robots of Sherwood Forest and (Although I actually quite like it) Sleep no More weren't there.

[@nathanjordon6950]

Honestly, they deserved to be there more than The End of Time, Let's Kill Hitler and Hell Bent.

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

Kill the Moon is SOOOOO underrated!

[@nathanjordon6950]

@@TheManInBlueFlames It's alright. It's definitely worse than The End Of Time though.

[@CharlotteSunshine94]

Tf you just say about my boys Robin Hood and Ben Miller

[@scrunkore]

robots of sherwood is great wdym

[@CaptoftheHaggister]

I like how over half the list is 13th episodes. Smh, and you wonder why we all hate Chibel. And why no one I know counts Timeless child as Canon.

[@princeeverlove]

Here! Here! Fake #13 is and was total rubbish😝 Jokey Witless was NOT TRUE WHO. Cheers!🍷

[@willjohnson9667]

​@@princeeverlove I wouldnt go that far. I personally think 13 was a really good Doctor. It was just the scripts that were bad. Jodie's acting and performance were great, but even the best characters will fail if the writing is bad

[@Terahnee]

@@willjohnson9667 THIS. I have no problem with #13 in general. The issue for me is it became way too much more ensemble and almost crime procedural feeling. Hard to explain. Just over all a very odd tone. There were a couple of 13s episodes I liked, can't remember which ones, but it was because they felt more "Doctor Who" than "Detective Who Squad". It's a shame Jodi didn't get a chance with more 'classic new who' stories.

[@stumbling_]

Clara’s death in Face the Raven was so good and bringing her back really just fucked with that.

[@deadpooldan9862]

Not really, it left the door open for Jenna Coleman to return if she wants

[@stumbling_]

@@deadpooldan9862 No, while yes I’d love to see Coleman back.. her exit was one of the best since Donna. She owned up to her mistake while trying to be too much like the doctor… something she was slowly doing while the season progressed. It was a great arc and finish to her character.

[@deadpooldan9862]

@@stumbling_ I get that, but I’m happy with what happened, it made the finale really good

[@KutayYavuz]

I think 10 doesn't want to regenerate makes sense now that he is back as the 14th. He didn't want to go, he thought he could do so much more. Now, David can get a final closure. This wasn't obviously planned back then, but it fits now.

[@edgarjdq]

Not only the timeless children and that season destroyed Gallifrey, they changed the lore and they missed a lot of opportunities of making something amazing like making the fugitive doctor a 2,5th doctor or a parallel dimension doctor.

[@jrobertlysaght]

And I'll never forgive them for Giving us a fantastic character like 'Ruth's Doctor, and going nowhere with her. I would love it if Ruth was rebelling against Rassilon and the Agency or whatever. Imagine her running from that Time Agent woman who was hunting her, hunted by Gallifrey, and then caught and mind wiped and force regenerated into William Hartnell "1st" Doctor. And even mind wiped, something residual in him makes his first instinct to steal a Tardis and run away. At leas that would make SOME sense.

[@NeilNadelman]

​@@jrobertlysaght"Interesting Idea that ultimately goes nowhere" can sadly describe much of the Chibnall era Jodie Whittaker will be remembered as the Doctor who was somehow done even dirtier than Colin Baker.

[@_the_rizzler]

​@@jrobertlysaghtThe issue with her Doctor is that she doesn't fit anywhere in the timeline. The TARDIS wasn't a police box until Hartnell while hers was. But she didn't know what the Sonic Screwdriver was, which was introduced during Troughton. I think she was a decent Doctor herself, but she just doesn't make sense anywhere

[@Solfury]

​@_the_rizzler She could fit between Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee. You never see the moment that one regenerates into the other, and throughout Jon Pertwee's early episodes (and even into Tom Baker's run) there were times the Time Lords called on the Doctor to help them. There's space in the lore for that to happen, so long as you ignore that one bit in the Brain of Morbius that implies the First Doctor was the eighth regeneration)

[@_the_rizzler]

@@Solfury But she didn't know what the sonic screwdriver was. That doesn't make sense in the timeline

[@leeci33]

6:01 I completely agree with you! She’s at the beginning. I loved that they tied up the loose ends of what happened to the girl in the alley we saw regenerate, that she becomes friends with her parents around the same age as the girl who died and we see her transform into River at like 20 something.

[@michaeltortorice9876]

The blank screen with the warning against speaking ill of River - best moment ever. Also, Moffing is now a verb. I'm here for it. I appreciated the disclaimer at the beginning. Even in the worst episode/serial, there's something to love (I liked Love and Monsters, even the first time around). So this is a break for me. I'm watching this in between binging the entire Picard series 3. I've been busy making seriously un-manly noises and I am incredibly dehydrated (my optical sensors appear to be leaking). it's good to have a rest now and then, what with all that's still to come. And who (pun intended) better to spend it with.

[@WhoCulture]

Hope you’re enjoying Picard! Might we recommend TrekCulture’s Ups and Downs reviews if you aren’t already watching them?

[@michaeltortorice9876]

@@WhoCulture Gotta finish ep 9 first. It's been brutal for one who was there Day 1, September 28, 1987, VCR at the ready every week for seven years, holidays included (I missed ONE episode). So far, all the Latinum Ups. Doctor Who kicked into high gear during this period, also. Plenty of room for both, and several more fandoms, besides.

[@_the_rizzler]

​@@michaeltortorice9876As someone who really didn't like the first 2 seasons of Picard, S3 is absolutely worth watching. It's great

[@SpencerCJ]

The End of Time being "an afterthought" is true, in a book on Russels time on the show he talks about his original finale being very small scale but the beebs told him to make it a big finale event

[@TediousMilkshake]

I’m honestly not surprised that there are no classic stories here. Everyone always prefers to talk about the modern episodes. In fact, I can think of five fan-hated Doctor Who stories from the classic era off the top of my head! The Time Monster? Underworld? Timelash? The Mutants? The Space Pirates?

[@retrogiftsuk4812]

I think it would be hard to compare classic and new stories on a list like this. For instance the CGI tiger was criticised in this list (how could you judge that against classic who effects) Also the list was bad "episodes" rather than stories (with many classic stories starting with a slow episode that only revealed the monster at the end. Modern TV just can't do that as people will switch channels) So if slow episodes where little happened is a criteria (as episodes on this list such as "The Tsuranga Conundrum" suggests) then the entire list would be episode 1's of classic who stories.

[@DigitalBath742]

​@@retrogiftsuk4812 I find in classic Who the first episodes are usually the best, it's the rest of the serial that can't match the usually excellent set-ups.

[@dw7704]

The Twin Dilemma

[@TediousMilkshake]

@@dw7704 yes! I don't know how I forgot it 😭

[@triplejazzmusicisall1883]

@@TediousMilkshake Do you think Orphan 55 might now top the list as the worst DW episode ever? Colin Baker probably has his fingers crossed quietly behind his back. I would rather rewatch The Twin Dilemma than most of series 11 and 12 under Chibnall.

[@ladycplum]

Finally, someone else who hates Let's Kill Hitler and The End Of Time! But where the heck are Fear Her, and Sleep No More?

[@nathanjordon6950]

The End of Time part 1 and 2 are two of my favourite episodes of Doctor Who. Where has the hate come from? It's not nearly comparable to Let's Kill Hitler, Fear Her and Sleep No More.

[@ladycplum]

@@nathanjordon6950 Well they're right when saying the story went nowhere any time it went near the Vinvocci and the Naismiths. And I think, for those of us who aren't fond of it, RTD's final bits of writing for David were horrible. After he found out he had to save Wilf he threw a childish temper tantrum. Then after he does save him he goes off to "get my reward". I'm sorry, what? No Doctor has ever treated regeneration in such a puerile way before. (Although I'll agree with you about Fear Her and Sleep No More, which are practically legendary regarding just how horrifically bad they are. I have no idea why they aren't on this list!)

[@loganmorrison3731]

Could it be that fear her just wasn’t made for your demographic? They did make that episode for kids

[@ladycplum]

@@loganmorrison3731 From reviews I've read over the years even kids were dead bored out of their minds.

[@niox1920]

@@ladycplum David Tennant had a long run in the show but in terms of lifespan he only lived for 6 years while all other incarnations lived in the range of hundreds. As well as having a large range of emotions and being regarded as the most human incarnation of the doctor it's really not as "horrible" or unreasonable for him to act that way

[@ashleyzinyk399]

I liked Love and Monsters, if only because it introduced me to the band ELO. But the episode has a lot more going for it, too.

[@tgabz]

i actually love Hell Bent, i think it's a perfect conclusion to a companion as important as Clara...

[@YoghurtKiss]

I mean... "Let's Kill Hitler" is for me, one of the best River Song episodes. It's not Flanderization if the first time we see her, she has just left the Singing Towers, after 26 years of "Domestic bliss"

[@ceciliaslepmet4840]

Oh no no no way. The end of time is one of my absolute favorite episode ever. The Doctor just broke my heart in this episode, the fact he's so afraid of dying make him so relatable and human. And David was mesmerizing in there. + having Wilfred as a companion was one the best idea ever.

[@jrobertlysaght]

I get that the finale for 10 set up resistance to liking 11. However we were already resistant because of the bait and switch of them dangling David Morrissey as the 'Next Doctor' for 6 months before that Christmas special. He seemed like a cross between 10 and maybe 8, and was an exciting choice. Matt rolling in channeling the Second Doctor felt weird and like a mistake at first (he ofcourse was amazing, but that doesn't speak to preconceived notions). As for Love and Monsters, it is a product of it's time. A time when we all knew a kid won a contest, and so we all treated it like a picture your kid draws at school in the first grade. We smiled, and put it up on our fridge, uncriticized. Thank god we are so much more cruel and petty now, and can call it like it is.

[@SleepingGroke]

"Love and Monsters" also suffers from the fact that it comes after "The Imbossible Planet" and "Satan Pit" episodes, which were absolutely great.

[@Bargle5]

Another thing from the 'Trees of London' episode was the 'young girl that comes back to life' thing that never gets explained or resolved. My pick for the worst of new Who was 'The Moon is a giant space bird egg' episode. Ugh.

[@lozD83]

While I enjoy the channel in general, one thing I've noticed during my time watching content here is that a lot of the topics seem to repeat the same entries to death and often reuse the same words and references. I can't be the only one who notices these things, surely?

[@ChrisMentzer]

Nightmare in Silver was written as a 2 parter by Gaiman but due to time constraints he was forced to condense it into a single episode. As for Arachnids in the U.K. the story might have worked better if the referenced Metebelis III from Pertwee's Planet of the Spiders.

[@robertvonvolland4737]

Nightmare in Silver is a good story, aside from the two irritating kids.

[@notTHATJohnSmith]

And Mr. Clever would've gotten away with it, too--- if it wasn't for those irritating kids. 😏 (And, of course, the Doctor.)

[@reneesneed5778]

Probably one of my favorite River Song moments it's the one in the episode The pandorica opens part 2 where she's fighting the Dalek and it says she's an ally of the doctor so she will show Mercy and then she says I'm riversong check your database again and then she kills it after it asks for mercy best moment ever Mariah.

[@reneesneed5778]

Sorry I meant am I right I have autocorrect

[@WhoCulture]

@@reneesneed5778 It’s probably one of her top 5 greatest moments! That and “I’m an archaeologist from the future… I dug you up”.

[@1rhpsfan]

There should be 2 lists.

[@ms.antithesis]

ngl i think i do broadly agree with these choices. not as a list of worst episodes but as a list of episodes that have a bad name in the fandom, although half of these aren't even that bad. Only choice I think is controversial is the end of time, because I do think a lot of people love that story, even if I personally think it's terrible, I'd put it on a list of most controversial episodes.. but most hated? idk.

[@merman1974]

Hate is a strong word... I don't think we need to "hate" these episodes, just recognise the problems. There were always going to be variations in quality over the years for such a long-running series. I will still enjoy them.

[@reddriver4989]

...yep, not a fanatic, prefer the term follower...

[@andu1854]

Funny, I liked Matt Smith more than David Tennett as the doctor

[@davenclawthehobbit2842]

Same, not that Tennett was bad, but the whining about not wanting to regenerate always kinda struck me like a child not wanting to grow up. Even has a wild bender along the way at the pre End of Time. At the end of his 10th/11th life, you'd think he would know by now that change is inevitable. At least 12 not wanting to regenerate made sense, old man having lost so much.

[@TheLethalDiva]

Matt Smith was brilliant, I'm so glad him and David Tennant got a team-up together.

[@strawberryblondemilk7249]

You looking for a fight or something 😂😂😂 joke like what ya like

[@JimboLP]

In "In the Forest of the Night", I agree with the Doctor. We should listen to what the child is trying to say long before we "shove pills down their throats"... Children sometimes have a hard time expressing themselves but with some help, they learn quite fast. I don't say "Don't give a child their medication at all cost", but sometimes parents do it for their own convenience and not for the child's benefit. And that disgusts me. I don't think you got the right message here... :)

[@RaggedyDoctor11]

I’M IN THE THUMBNAIL, MUM I MADE IT!

[@alexanderweir2382]

I'm so proud of you Matt 🥲

[@doctorgilham2030]

Love u smith

[@madbradfreeman]

if this is really you (youtube, after all) I'd like to say: I'm a year older than the show. Since I was big enough to change channels, I've watched every episode I could. After Tennant's cringey sendoff, I expected the worst. Then I watched 11th Hour, and I had a new favorite Doctor. Thanks!

[@Kokujou5]

actually the end of time was one of my favorite episodes, exactly because the things you mentioned as contra. just that they ruined it afterwards again. and what i mean is the relation between the doctor and the master. in the predecessor the doctor and the master were shown to share a deep bond that's beyond love and hate. and it felt like the doctors biggest wish was to gain him as a friend. but the master was suddenly not a random villain. he was actually sick. when he looked into the time vortex he got this weird thing implanted in his head causing him to go completely nuts on something like a bloody rampage it wasn't only a climax for the doctor, but also for the master. it was a beautiful scene, where all the hatered, all the mental illness that has been forced on him accumulated to his rage unleashing on rassilon, doing the one thing he never could've imagined. saving the life of the doctor who is his arch enemy. this moment felt like the possibility of the doctor and the master becoming friends becoming real. and in the next seasons i continued to get up my hopes so much, even as there was a slight let-down when missy then appeared, being all destroyed by that horribly whittacker-accident. when i watch doctor who i feel with the persons inside. and i feel with the doctor. and this is why i don't want him to suffer. i want him to get a friend. a true friend. one that doesn't betray him with his twin. that doesn't dump him because she got something better. that doesn't throw him away just because he couldn't respond to her feelings and, what's more impo^rtant, that can live as long as he does. through all his incarnations. the master would be the perfect companion. those two could be incredibly strong and beautiful. and what's important: happy! and i think the doctor deserves a bit of happyness. not a short moment where he's revising his previous life and reminds the faces from those who left him.

[@grey-owlentertainment1423]

If The Timeless Child has been an original character, now that would have been something that could have also worked. Just picturing it now: After finding out that an innocent child from a completely different universe was taken and experimented on by ancient Time Lords, The Doctor would be horrified upon discovering this cruel untold peace of Time Lord history. Upon defeating the Master, she would then make it her mission to find this innocent child and protect them - or at the very least, make sure they were alright. That whole scenario could lead to so many interesting directions for Who. For the Doctor, for the storylines / arcs overall. Heck, maybe Series 13 could have leaned into this as well, with it being revealed that the Flux was created by the 'beings' from the Timeless Child's universe, who were seeking retribution for the child's absence. Having only just now discovered what universe they went too. Who were they, why did they want the child back? That too opens so many more doors for far more interesting storylines, instead of the one we got. :(

[@mustard7306]

I have to admit that it's true that Eleven was screwed over by the End of Time, but I don't think it's just because of the writing and because Ten didn't want to go, it's because he was replacing the Tenth Doctor. It'd have been borderline impossible to make people not get upset about losing their favorite Doctor who they'd seen in the role for so long. Fortunately, people did get over it.

[@eksortso]

Since Matt Smith was the first Doctor I ever saw from beginning to end in real time, I gave him all the leeway in the world. This effort was partially helped by the sequence in The Eleventh Hour where he begged Amy, in context as a stand-in for the audience, to give him 20 minutes to prove himself. 11 is still my favorite.

[@michaelpirks843]

I will be controversial but I loved Love & Monsters. Ok it’s a bit daft and it’s not the most credible episode in the shows history but we’ve got to remember, it was the FIRST EVER Doctor-lite episode and that threw viewers off (including me). Also it came after a dark 2-parter with the Satan Pit and was about to hit the finale, so there needed to be a bit of lightness. Also, it was also good to see the doctors world from the eyes of others whether it’s Jackie or Elton’s childhood encounter with the doctor.

[@xscale]

It Takes You Away. Thirteen gaslights a blind girl, has Ryan rough her up, then leaves her with her psychotically abusive father who had been attempting to convince her he'd been eaten by monsters, that she was surrounded by savage bears, and that her only alternatives were to be killed by the monsters, eaten by the bears, or starve to death. Also the episode where the Doctor literally eats shit. And condemns the Solitract to eternal solitary confinement. And ... oh yeah, the bloody frog. Although it's clear throughout her run that Thirteen has no idea what The Promise was, this is the episode where she gives up, gives in, and is cruel and cowardly all at the same time. While the other episodes on your list are almost all stinkers - can't agree about End Of Time or Hell Bent - ITYA should be number zero. It's not possible to make a worse episode of the show.. Even worse than Kill The Moon. Even worse than Dimensions In Time.

[@tehfiredog]

Honestly, I don't think many people take issue with William Hartnell not being the first Doctor... the show set that possibility up when 11 got a whole new set of regenerations. The primary issue with the Timeless Child is the idea that the Doctor is some Special Being from another dimension that is the only person who had these powers for reasons unknown and then had those powers siphoned off to grant the entire race of Time Lords the ability.

[@tardistrailers]

This exactly. Hartnell not being the first Doctor was already hinted at way back in "The brain of Morbius" in 1976. The character of the Doctor shouls always be that they're special through what they do, not by what they were born as.

[@ethanwebb5334]

@@tardistrailers For sure. It's like the last couple James Bond movies, where the protagonist is retconned from "becoming someone special through their actions" to just "born with Main Character Syndrome"

[@jeffr23817]

I actually LIKE Nightmare In Silver! Cause I could never stand the Cybus variant of the Cybermen! I've HATED them with a passion since they were first shown in the series! So to have them redesigned in this episode was like a breath of fresh air to me.... Now, if we can have a different variant of the gold and bronze Daleks and have them stick in the series, I'll be one fricken HAPPY Doctor Who fan! I CANNOT stand that look for them! I'd take the new paradigm Daleks or even the earth designed Daleks from Jodie's era over those horrible gold and bronze ones ANY day!!!

[@henrikhanssen6321]

Let’s Kill Hitler!, apart from having the best title ever, is hands down, one of the funniest episodes ever. Also, the Doctor changes into tux, tails and top hat - while he is dying! Respect!

[@SuperYouFox]

It's a good thing we're all different. I tend to give Arachnids in the UK a passing grade, mainly for the scene at the very end inside the TARDIS. The End of Time I do think is the best story of the Tennant Specials Year. And, while I do agree with all the points listed about Nightmare in Silver, it is my guilty pleasure episode for Part 2 of Series 7.

[@ob1knob71]

I love hellbent, nightmare in silver and ESPECIALLY lets kill hitler, “I was on my way to a gay gypsie barmistvah for the disabled when I thought the third reich is a bit rubbish”. Hilarious episodes

[@nathanjordon6950]

Yeah Hellbent and Let's Kill Hitler weren't so bad but I absolutely hate nightmare in silver for so many reasons. I did like the setting of the episode and I love Warwick Davis but apart from that, it was an incoherent mess.

[@TheDoctorOfThrills]

The issue with Wrong Order characters is that often wider audiences will have a hard time following the arc. Library River is he at her most developed, with undeniable skills, morality, and wisdom. Germany River is practically still a child indoctrinated to be an assassin, no duh shes going to seem flanderized. People had this problem with Pink Diamond too, since her story was seen step by step in reverse. We watched her make mistake after mistake without realizing that the previous action was an attempt to make up for the next.

[@jesseszymcik3026]

Thank you for your explanation of The Tsuranga Conundrum belonging on this list. I know it’s all in fun and out of love. I TOTALLY agree that the Pting is the only memorable part. But with just a little reflection, my love of the Pting wins out and i still love the episode.

[@MollyMcLaughlin]

As someone who dislikes River, I can agree with Ellie about the backstory. Let’s Kill Hitler is basically her introduction, so of course she’s different than in Silence in the Library. Timeless Children touched on the Brain of Morbius, where we see other incarnations of the Doctor. It basically just followed that canon. Hartnell is still of the first of THIS version of the Doctor, post mind-wipe. And that’s the most important.

[@DarkXaven]

Not only that, there's also the still existing setup of the Cartmel Masterplan in the Seventh Doctor era, hinting that there was much more to the Doctor's past then what we knew. All the evidence was there of past Doctors. Everyone just simply ignored it.

[@_the_rizzler]

The idea that the Brain Of Morbius was showing different versions of the Doctor has been retconned

[@MegaManDBZX]

Honestly, if there’s one thing I want from the upcoming specials it’s Tennant’s final line as the thirteenth and a half Doctor being “I’m ready to go.”

[@boneless8473]

the worst part of the timeless child is the absolute reversion of a pretty significant theme with the doctor. they arent supposed to be some special chosen one, they are an idiot with a box and a screwdriver who goes around and fixes things. the master should have been the timeless child, it would have given alot of context to why they just cant seem to be a genuinely good person. even when we see missy being probably the least unhinged incarnation shes still noticeably on the crazy side

[@bluevalor491]

You know, it says a lot about the episode when I was shocked when you said “hell bent” thinking it was Heaven Sent because I forgot that one even existed 😂

[@DanBen07]

Nightmare in Silver is one of my favourite episodes. Let's Kill Hitler is ok I don't hate it. River song is also one of my favourite characters and Alex Kingston is one of my favourite actresses. Into the forest could be better some of the children are annoying. What I don't like about End of Time It's how long it is. With love and monsters if you pause on the image of the newspaper Saxon lead the pole with 64% that's the first reference to the Masters Saxon.

[@SimonWitt]

This just seems to indicate why a lot of people turned off watching Who, the writing just went on a steady downhill slide from midway through Smith's run until it just dropped off a cliff. People like to claim it's for other reasons that viewers tuned off, but the main reason is that the quality of writing stunk out the whole show

[@rachelbirchall4630]

Love & monsters was okay for me due to the episode about what happens to people when they've met the doctor. To me I was hoping for a OMG moment at the end like Elton was a time lord or a child of a ex companion. Agree with all of these episodes too

[@TheManInBlueFlames]

I also like Elton Pope.

[@SuperLuigiSixty4]

God, those kids in Nightmare in Silver were the worst. Best part was the girl shouting "Put me down! I hate you!" to a Cyberman.

[@almyvannucci392]

I'm surprised that Kill the Moon is not on this list.

[@malcolmcummings4871]

River was also probably having a bit regeneration madness in let’s kill hitler. Regenerating has always been a crap shoot. Ten basically went comatose, eleven ate and subsequently destroyed an entire kitchen, twelve got weird temporary amnesia then came on to a t-Rex. River being horny is not that abnormal

[@katieminns9778]

Poor 13. She was really screwed by script writing. Chibnall has a lot to answer for

[@west24thstreet8]

Thank you for defending river. Don't back down pls. There not right for the right reasons 👍

[@daveautzen9089]

I was one of those who didn’t like Matt Smith when he was named as the new Doctor, but I got hooked on him pretty quick. Yea, I still missed Tennant but not as much. I’m not surprised that 4 of these were Jodie episodes, though it’s not her fault. And yea, Hell Bent is crap on burnt toast. I understand wanting to undo a loved one’s death, but there are rules. But The Doctor tosses the rule book out on a regular basis. Unless of course someone else wants to change something, then he pontificates about fixed points in time and other Time Lord stuff.

[@jynxvxa8342]

this could literally just be 10 episodes of jodie whitakers run

[@mo2cubing]

I really liked Love and Monsters, partially because it is the only Doctor Who episode that gave me a nightmare. (Keep in mind that I was about 7 1/2 years old at the time.) The concept of the Abzorbaloff is intriguing because not only does he absorb everyone he touches, but it's also an irreversible process. The chase between the Abzorbaloff and the main character is more suspenseful when you consider this fact. It's like playing tag but if you lose, you die. In any case, the dream mainly consisted of the Abzorbaloff saying "It's irreversible!" then this chase happening, then (contrary to the episode's plot) the Abzorbaloff absorbing the main character, then, once this all had happened, him turning to me and saying, "You're next!" before jumping in my face, to which I woke up at 6, maybe 7 AM. Then we had the season finale and lost Rose with the wonderful orchestration of "Doomsday"! Truly wonderful lineup of episodes in my opinion.

[@stratuvarious8547]

My favorite thing in Arachnids in the UK is the scenes with Yaz's family. Wish we'd gotten a lot more of that over 13's tenure.

[@StarDragonJP]

Yeah, one of the few episodes I liked of 13 was the one with Yaz's grandmother.

[@thekiss2083]

Yaz was the best part of the Chibnall era for sure

[@margarethall1625]

I actually liked a lot of the episodes on this list and actually hate many episodes that most of the fandom claim as being the best. I don't know what that says about me but I mostly watch because I enjoy the escape from reality.

[@JaviusSama]

If The Timeless Child is not number 1, I'll call bullshit. I would add "Fugitive of the Judoon", not because it's a bad episode, but because Jo Martin shows us what we could have gotten as the Doctor instead of the plank of wood that was Whittaker.

[@supremeoverlorde2109]

I can understand the argument that The End of Time kind of villainized Matt Smith a bit too much before he even appeared. As a viewer who appreciates both the RTD and Moffat eras though, it's hard for me personally to look at it as a writing failure. Simply because I think David Tennant's resistance to change, and inability to fully overcome that, worked so well for his character. Ten was really tragic, and he was on the verge of losing his freaking mind from all the guilt and regret weighing on him. His isolation and loneliness due to the loss of Gallifrey made him more human, and I think that was reflected a lot in how he reacted to things --- including his own regeneration. IMO Matt Smith's Doctor was, in contrast, actually kind of repressed in a lot of ways, and he tended to run fast from his feelings rather than internalizing them. I think it's also worth noting that by the time Eleven regenerated, he had already lived a VERY long and full life in that form --- while Ten only lasted a few years. Suffice to say I find The End of Time to be quite beautiful and emotional, even if I do think it drags at some points and is maybe a bit self-indulgent toward the very end. My least favorites episodes in the Modern series are actually probably A Christmas Carol, The Wedding of River Song, and The Idiot's Lantern.

[@lennywilliams5709]

Whoculture can you please do a Top 10 7th Doctor Moments?

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Hell Bent was great and the people that didn't like it didn't understand Moffat's approach to writing series 9. The Doctor was the villain, and Hell Bent showed us a version of reality where he goes off the deep end to get what he wants.

[@falloutgirl3752]

Exactly...

[@johnpark4650]

But did it had to be about Clara though? All the buildup of going back to his lost home, all the suspense regarding the Doctor's past and an mysterious being, just for a latest companion whose popularity and importance wasn't exactly on par with Sarah Jane or Rose. I think most people understood very well of Moffat's approach, but that didn't make his method more appealing.

[@jameskeeling5278]

"In the Forest of the Night" was DEFINITELY a filler episode. Flatline was such an amazing episode beforehand, being a mix of funny and heart-racing. In the Forest of the Night just wasn't it, and was likely just an excuse to show Missy's power or somethin

[@jeksewnoleeray1020]

Love and monsters is one of my favourite episodes, I had no idea it was disliked. It's hilarious and iconic

[@kenthomas505]

Yeah, that was a surprise! On the most hated list are 3 stories with Clara and 3 with the 13th Doctor! 😂😂😂 Now, I would attest that the reason for the Clara episodes being on this list don't really have to do with Clara at all, even though she's a divise Companion to say the least, but the poor quality of the episodes themselves and she just happens to be in them. The fact that there are 3 episodes with 13 is a little harder to explain away since she was even more divise with certain fans. Again, the blame here can be laid more at Chibnall's feet Than Jodi Whitaker, but it just gives fodder to the trolls who didn't like Jodi in the first place to hate on her even more. Oh well, we'll have to see in 10 years time if there will be any newer future episodes of Who that can knock any of these episodes off this list, though I doubt that The Timeless Children will ever drop out of the top spot simply due to how it tried to mess with the lore and origins of the Doctor itself.

[@StarDragonJP]

Yeah, I think she could have been a great Doctor but she got saddled with some terrible writing.

[@BoxOfFear]

There could have easily been three more episodes with the 13th Doctor on this list. That was just a bad time.

[@thegeekyskunkgamer]

Honestly... I think I'm one of the few who can unironically say that I actually enjoyed the Timeless Child due to its connection to The Brain of Morbius. William Hartnell not being the first incarnation of the Doctor is hardly a new idea...

[@Sykboogie]

I'm glad I'm not the only fan in the world who actually likes the Timeless Child storyline. I like that there's a whole era of the Doctor that we now only have had a glimpse of.

[@thegeekyskunkgamer]

@@Sykboogie I wanna meet more Pre-Hartnell Doctors in the future

[@posindustries]

Yeah, I had no problem with the retcon reveal, I just wish the episode itself had been better and that said reveal had actually been intrinsic to the plot aside from an explanation as to why the Master's character development odometer got rolled back to 0.

[@starlalilymoon]

I enjoyed it as well! Glad I'm not alone in this ^_^

[@walterengler5709]

You should have simply listed most of the episodes with Jodi. Hard to beat those any day.

[@mattdarby7105]

Another thing about Orphan 55 is that the show did it already with Ravolox in Trial of a Time Lord