All 14 TARDIS Console Rooms Ranked from Worst to Best - Doctor Who

All 14 TARDIS Console Rooms Ranked from Worst to Best - Doctor Who
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Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. With various companions, the Doctor combats foes, works to save civilisations, and helps people in need.
Beginning with William Hartnell, thirteen actors have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation, a plot device in which a Time Lord "transforms" into a new body when the current one is too badly harmed to heal normally.
A series of special episodes of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who will air to celebrate the programme's 60th anniversary. The episodes were written by Russell T Davies, and will be broadcast on BBC One in November 2023, preceding the following fourteenth series. David Tennant will appear as the Fourteenth Doctor before Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the Fifteenth Doctor. Catherine Tate was also confirmed to be returning to the show in the 2023 specials.
The three specials were directed by Rachel Talalay, Tom Kingsley and Chanya Button respectively. Filming moved from Roath Lock Studios to Wolf Studios once Bad Wolf became a co-producer of the series; filming commenced in May 2022, and was complete
David Tennant will appear as the Fourteenth Doctor before Ncuti Gatwa takes over as the Fifteenth Doctor. Catherine Tate was also confirmed to be returning to the show in the 2023 specials. Yasmin Finney joined the cast for the anniversary, to portray a character named Rose. Bernard Cribbins, Jacqueline King and Karl Collins are also set to return as Wilfred Mott, Sylvia Noble and Shaun Temple, respectively.
On 29 July 2021, the BBC announced that Chris Chibnall, who served as executive producer and showrunner of the series for the Thirteenth Doctor, would depart the series after a run of specials in 2022. In the BBC press release, Chibnall is quoted as saying: "I wish our successors - whoever the BBC and BBC Studios choose - as much fun as we've had. They're in for a treat!" The future of the programme was first teased by Piers Wenger on 25 August 2021, when he said an upcoming change for Doctor Who would be "radical".
On 24 September 2021, the BBC announced Russell T Davies would return to Doctor Who as showrunner, after having previously acted as showrunner from 2005-2010 for the Ninth and Tenth Doctors. He will succeed Chibnall for the show's 60th anniversary in 2023 and beyond. Davies will be joined by the Bad Wolf production company, which was founded by former Doctor Who executive producer Julie Gardner and former BBC head of drama Jane Tranter. In October 2021, it was announced that Sony would acquire a majority of Bad Wolf. Bad Wolf also took over creative control of Doctor Who beginning with the specials, allowing the BBC to focus on establishing Doctor Who as a global brand.
The Fourteenth Doctor is the current incarnation of the Doctor, the fictional protagonist of the BBC science fiction television programme, Doctor Who. The Fourteenth Doctor is portrayed by Scottish actor, David Tennant, who previously portrayed the Tenth Doctor.
Within the series narrative, the Doctor is a millennia-old, alien Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, with somewhat unknown origins, who travels in time and space in their TARDIS, frequently with companions. At the end of life, the Doctor regenerates; as a result, the physical appearance and personality of the Doctor changes.
Ncuti Gatwa had previously been announced as Jodie Whittaker's successor as the programme's lead, and many reports stated he would play the Fourteenth Doctor and that Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor would regenerate into an incarnation portrayed by Gatwa. Upon Jodie Whittaker's final appearance as the character, she instead regenerated into a form similar to the Tenth Doctor. This character, portrayed by Tennant, was confirmed to be the Fourteenth Doctor, with later clarification that Ncuti Gatwa would actually portray the Fifteenth Doctor
#doctorwho #14thdoctor #rtd

[@harryhughes6124]

12’s TARDIS is the one for me. It was when I first became a proper fan of the show and for me it is what I constantly think of when I think tardis. For me it’s perfect and yet nostalgic.

[@Wickedlullaby]

Oh it’s absolutely my favorite too. I love every TARDIS interior in their own regards (that’s a lie), but Capaldi’s interior is (in my opinion) the pinnacle of TARDIS interiors.

[@benjaminwilson2945]

@@WickedlullabyI love 12s, but also 11s first Tardis interior too. The only reason I can’t place it as high as Capaldi’s is because certain sections of it look slightly cheap if you look closely, but if you were to fix the small issues I would place 11s equal to 12s

[@Puck-Cooper]

This TARDIS is overrated.

[@harryhughes6124]

@@Puck-Cooper care to explain

[@soundgal_sine_qua_non]

To quote Alex Kingston, 9/10's console room feels like you're inside a pumpkin 😂 I love 11's first console room and 12's console room. Those two feel like home to me.

[@kadette]

To me. 9/10s is the coolest sci fi set I’ve ever seen. It seems like it has so much history and speaks to an otherworldly machine.

[@sw-gs]

Very organic that one is.

[@Wickedlullaby]

Its rustic/tattered nature really reflects the Doctor’s post-war persona. I also love how simple it is; not too busy with just the right amount of detail.

[@dafoex]

I like it a lot. I'm not entirely sure I like the coral pillars, but everything else feels so good. I want to fly in that one more than any other.

[@Doctor_What63]

It’s 12’s all the way for me. Perfect blend between sci-fi spaceship and a home! The lighting by Series 9 was stunning, following the addition of the round things. Love the levels with the furniture, bookshelves and chalkboards. And they’re well used throughout Capaldi’s Era

[@kyrauniversal]

Eight and Ninths' Tardis interiors seem like a before and after photo of someone who loves a place far from home, who's went to a war back at that home, and lost it to the point that he has to make home within the house he has. Think about it. The trees of bronze gold. The highlight of silver. The shift from blue and purple to green and orange red. As if he's become internally disgusted with himself, but his own TARDIS wants to help keep those positive memories he has alive. From something out of this world (in our timelords case) to basically the den of an injured wolf. The TARDIS is his protector and it saw the same power in Rose, which is why it chose her.

[@toonistiny]

Honestly, it was a crime they didn't use the 8th Doctor's TARDIS more. It was simply beautiful.

[@johnlawrence7097]

The "Toyota" Tardis is my favorite so far its fairly easy to pilot as well

[@CarlViola]

I still remember the RTD1 tardis being in the radio times as a fold out which I was immediately in awe of. And it’s introduction was great too.

[@SeanS102]

I'm the opposite of you on the Eccleston/Tennant set, I like it way more when it's brightly lit, and despise it when it's dimly lit, it's much too dark and the blue-ish green light from the console gives me this sickly feeling.

[@cuddywifter8386]

I'm 50 now, and I've been watching who since the mid 1970s. Despite our age difference, I agree with your ranking 💯 %. Thanx Tharries 😊

[@parrot998]

13's TARDIS would be nice with a few changed... The central column should be smaller, and it should only have three columns instead of 6, and it should be a bit better lit. Though admittedly there is a problem with it having infinity mirrors in the blue roundels. Also, I know I am in the minority here, but I really like the bowl roundels... There is something distinctly 70's about them like the original design felt distinctly 60's and I kinda appreciate that.

[@jitmancanth6698]

Thirteenth's console room always looked like an explosion in a boiled sweet factory to me... But, custard cream dispenser...

[@dafoex]

I was really hoping the custard cream thing was actually the butter pat dispenser from the Hartnell era. It was still the era of space food being tubes and cubes, so of course the cubes could be programmed to taste like anything you want

[@gooseofthecosmos2805]

I absolutely love the 8th doctors TARDIS (technically 7s but still)

[@llewtree3013]

Oh it’s absolutely the best, it looks like an immortal has been living in it and the cosmic ceiling is just so cool

[@bobdallas4860]

11/12 for me, particularly the 12th Doctor's variation from Series 9 and 10. It is oozing with character. I really like the current one but it feels like it is lacking character for now, just how the 11/12th started in 7B, but I hope they add more stuff to it, currently it sits just outside top 3, at 4, with the runner-up for me being the TV Movie one, and Smith's first one at 3rd. I also loved that 12th was really atmospheric, especially with that steam coming from below in some scenes, most noticeably at the end of Hell Bent and during 12th regeneration scene. And I really liked the ceiling and how it moved when the TARDIS was in flight.

[@FilmflickerCinema]

My favourite Tardis’s are BY FAR 11’s first whimsical Tardis and the 8th Doctor’s Victorian Tardis. Just love them both they’re perfect. As someone who has a vendetta against white walls many of the classic eras are lost on me. I presume in the 60s it was very alien feeling but to me it just looks like a mall apple store. BTW, Re-watching the wheel chair accessible scene in The Giggle knowing it was you who inspired it made me tear up in a way that someone who is not affected by that dissablitly normally wouldn’t. I enjoyed the video, but I must admit, I’ve never been a fan of the KZbinr classic of “just toss video game footage on the screen” It just distracts from what your taling about. I like seeing your face and a few photos that aid your discussion but maybe thats just me.

[@rosebomb]

to me nothing has yet matched the sheer beauty of 11s first interior

[@llewtree3013]

8 and 12 are my absolute favourites followed by war and 11’s 1st tardis

[@archief1783]

I always liked the war doctor’s one too, I think the white works really well with the coral. It feels way more tardisy with the white round things too

[@TheBigGlober68]

I still think 11's(first one) Tardis interior is the best. It suits him so well and it lets him run around and stuff.

[@Wickedlullaby]

The glass floor really suits it well (so long as you wear your trousers, lol).

[@alexanderhorter1287]

I love how chaotic it looks. It's not symmetrical.

[@joelmole3157]

It had to be Capaldi’s for me. That was the perfect blend of something that’s clearly a spaceship but it’s also homely. McGann’s TARDIS comes at a close second though.

[@annajosullivan]

I love the Eccleston/Tennant one.

[@The-Hazbin-Devil04]

My 1. Favorite interior is 11th Doctor's First Interior (With Amy) but unlike some people i had no issue with Jodie's interior i would rank it higher than what you had it at

[@HillarySJohknaym]

McGann TV movie TARDIS, steampunk, homely, great roof

[@JSP_1147]

I'm probably one of the only few who have 13s in their top 5. I was a fan of the crystal aesthetic etc.

[@idle_speculation]

If it had more open space and maybe more lighting it’d look much better. A cool idea could’ve been to have the giant salt-lamp crystals or wall mirrors as mood lights that change color all the time, just to add some visually interesting elements.

[@dafoex]

I really wanted to like it, there was so much about it that was my jam, but it was just so... somehow both crowded and empty.

[@myvividmemories]

11s and 14s are easily the best. Really brings the whole sci-fi theme to its peak.

[@CulturePhilter]

I need to give the new TARDIS a bit more time to decided it’s exact ranking but I can be confident it’ll be in my top 3.

[@JoeEnglandShow]

I'm with you. Whittaker's TARDIS was the nadir, all dark and cramped and cluttered. It epitomized the New Who trend of console rooms being messy hodgepodge storage closets. I know Smith's orange setup has its fans, but I couldn't tell what anything was most of the time. Everything and everyone just got lost in the jumble. I liked Capaldi's somewhat better, but like the old Doctors said, it was all still just a bit... busy. Couldn't quite be satisfied with all the props and mood lighting. And it's ironic, since my former favorite back in the day was McGann's! Which arguably began the trend. But that set had a unifying aesthetic, and plenty of room to move in, so it was still head and shoulders over the subsequent junk drawer motif. But the current room flipped all of that on its head. It's bright, open, and simple. For the first time in ages it doesn't seem like the actors have to fight the scenery to be seen! It's a stage again, allowing us to revel in it while putting the focus on the characters. What's more, it pays homage to the classic interiors. Like you said, this feels like what the modern console room always should have been, the new gold standard going forward, the evolution of the classic set fully realized. I hope they keep it for a long, long time.

[@Wesmin2]

I will always have a bias towards 11's first interior, being my first interior, it was truly magical

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

I can't get behind any of the consoles where the time rotor doesn't extend to the ceiling. It makes the console look more like a prop and the Tardis console room as a whole feel more like a set.

[@adamdickinson2894]

13s console room just looks like fresher's bedroom with a bunch of Himalayan salt lamps

[@eastlynburkholder3559]

I like the 2ndary console room used by Tom Baked.

[@sw-gs]

Yes Tom baked good beans...

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

Tom had a third console room

[@jamesa.5830]

It isn’t my all-time favorite, but the thing I disagree with the most on this list is the ranking of Tom Baker’s other console room. I feel that was actually at least the co-best console room of all of Classic Who (perhaps tied with the Hartnell one). My three favorites are the first Smith, the Capaldi, and the McGann. The 14/15 could easily move into the top 3 but I need to see a lot more of how it is used and evolves to rank it properly.

[@mavatron2307]

My personal favourite has to be matt’s smith first console room

[@adamdickinson2894]

Putting the Ecclestone-Tennant interior so low deserves a dislike. That will always be THE Tardis interior for me, it's so memorable, just the overall look, the seat spinning around, the treelike columns going up that he could throw his jacket over, the weird colour combinations that somehow just works. And obviously also the nostalgia fact of it being the best era too. It's just the best

[@GUNUFofficial]

If you could add noncanon doctors where would the shalka and peter cushing doctors tardis rank?

[@akshaytrayner1960]

Great review

[@nlrproductions8106]

I kinda thought the 13th Doctor’s console room would’ve been something more like the 14th/ 15th console room with the classic retro with white standard room but when I saw 13th’s I literally said we’re taking a bad step back to 10/9’s

[@R_SENAL]

Replace your #5 with #3 and my top 4 matches yours. My master bedroom is painted like the 80s TARDIS w/circles in high gloss yellowish, and the space between in matte greyish, the doors painted with slightly different circles just like the interior doors, and the room's corners painted like the columns. My master bath is painted to look like the Capaldi/Smith green hex pattern. You should do a list of best Non-Doctor TARDISes. My favorite might be that one you're playing the game in w/River fighting the Silence, but I also like the Keeper of Traken Master TARDIS.

[@Jack-hr9xw]

9 and 10s tardis my favourite and the new one

[@BenHargreaves-xq2ug]

Aside from the original control room, the 12th Doctor’s is the best.

[@The-Hazbin-Devil04]

My List 1. 11th First Interior 2. 12th Interior 3. 9/10th Interior 4. 13th Interior 5. War Interior 6. 8th Interior 7. Ruth Interior 8. Classic Interiors 9. 4th Secondary Interior

[@dafoex]

Why does everyone hate the secondary console? It could have been better, granted, but I don't think it's faults detract from it's strengths.

[@The-Hazbin-Devil04]

@@dafoex I don't hate it, I just prefer the other interiors.

[@MatthewVlossak]

My favorite console room is 11’s first TARDIS. It was magical, but I loved how spacious it was! It’s the only console room that we saw The Doctor working on the bottom of it. Also, this TARDIS was more home friendly and felt like a clubhouse compared to other TARDIS console rooms. 12’s TARDIS is also glorious, but just a bit too small and congested for my liking compared to 11’s. I do love the lighting in 12’s esp. the orange. And I love 12’s console the most.

[@Quantum1769]

My two favourites are the 11th Doctor’s second interior and 14/15’s interior.

[@akshaytrayner1960]

Great ranking

[@soullessmin]

very similarly I love the original design, 80s and TV movie too!! the new is also very impressive indeed, definitely looking forward to seeing more of it, especially with the different colour lighting

[@boomerdoug4242]

Totally agree with your rankings. I look forward to the latest TARDIS adapting to Ncuti's era with additional furniture and artifacts from each adventure.. giving it a more lived in look. Love the versatility of the lighting. For example; the video introducing the new Sonic has excellent mood lighting. Also I can't wait to see where all those doorways lead

[@idle_speculation]

The one thing it really needs is an upper floor like the Capaldi TARDIS that he can walk around on and use for furniture, also so not all of the ramps lead to nowhere. I could imagine a scene of Ncuti’s Doctor pacing around an upper deck with the lights dimmed while trying to solve a problem.

[@boomerdoug4242]

​@@idle_speculation agreed. I'm hoping it will evolve as the series moves forward and become more lived in. I've already noticed in the Series trailer some different TARDIS mood lighting. It probably won't happen but I would love to see other rooms.... sleeping quarters a lounge. With Ncuti's ever changing costumes... A proper wardrobe

[@idle_speculation]

@@boomerdoug4242 the mood lighting is definitely this console’s greatest strength

[@simonfernandes6809]

Drinking game: take a shot everytime 'console' or 'consoles' is mentioned in this video. You win if you can reach the end of the video and say console three times without slurring.

[@nickpereira971]

The only thing I don't like about 13s is the distinct lack of round things

[@LCBK]

I wonder where the memory tardis would be at on a list

[@archief1783]

The only problem with 8’s (in my opinion) is that it feels like the room of a mansion, and doesn’t feel like a vessel/ship. I also think that it seems too big for a console room, bur that’s just my opinion

[@marcusmcculloch3410]

The time rota 😂. Its just the Central Colomb mate. The time rota is an instrument on the concle

[@AdamJasper18]

The 12th Docotrs console is by far my favourite but I don't agree with it being ranked in the same slot as Smith's second console room. Yes they are the same set, but they are so wildly different that I feel they should be ranked seperately. For me the blue version of this set is one of my least favourtite console rooms. It just goes to show how important lighting is.

[@sg-zd8eb]

I don’t care what anyone says, the Tardis interior from ‘83-‘88 was the best. It’s even been used for the dvds.

[@bradleywillard2361]

Best to Worst: 1. 60’s 2. ‘Planet of Evil’ and ‘Pyramids of Mars’ 3. 80’s (‘The Five Doctors’ - ‘Battlefield’) 4. Fugitive Doctor 5. Fourteenth/Fifteenth Doctors 6. 2012-17 7. ‘The Three Doctors’ - ‘Death to the Daleks’ 8. The TV Movie 9. Secondary console room 10. Late 70’s/Early 80’s 11. ‘Colony in Space’ - ‘The Curse of Peladon’ 12. ‘The Time Monster’ Washing Up Bowls 13. War Doctor 14. Ninth/Tenth Doctors 15. 2010-12 16. Thirteenth Doctor

[@Jakethehitman73]

I still say 8th's was the best. The new one is amazing and more suited to modern Who, but 8's remains my favorite and the best classic Who TARDIS interior.

[@Puck-Cooper]

My List 1. 11th First Interior 2. 9/10th Interior 3. 8th Interior 4. 13th interior 5. 4th Secondary Interior 6. War Interior 7. 12th interior 8. Classic Interiors 9. Ruth Interior 10. RTD2 interior

[@dafoex]

I really wanted to like 13's interior, I like the orange colour, I like the hints of copper, there was a thing I remember hearing where the screens are projected onto sheets of water vapour, and I even like the crystal feel, I just think it was really odd in that it felt both too cramped and too barren. I'm not a fan of the current 14.5 version. The ramps are good but they look too whimsical, and it looks too clinical and "nu sci-fi". The cleaner their aesthetic the dirtier their secret, and that just doesn't fit Doctor Who in my mind. I can forgive a lot of the classic stuff because they had small budgets and to be honest they looked a lot less clinical back then than they do now with that aesthetic being the in-thing (see the Commodore PET or CBM, The Sinclair Z80, and plenty of other home micros that had white and angular styling).

[@Gingerprince521]

I've just been ranking my consoles so I'll post it here but won't go into explanations, unlessed asked, as the psot would be massive. This is also just for the console itself not the whole room. 10th - Secondary console room console. 9th - 9th -10th Dr console 8th - 13th Dr console 7th - 11th Dr console 6th - 8th Dr console 5th - 4th - 5th Dr console 4th - 1st Dr - 3rd Dr console 3rd - late 80's console 2nd - 14th - 15th Dr console (might take 1st place once I've seen more of it) 1st - 11th -12th Dr console

[@sofajockeyUK]

Tom's secondary (worst here) was my favourite...

[@brandoncattermole9403]

10th doctors tardis and 11

[@martyncole537]

I always preferred the 5 Doctors Console Room

[@charlenetowneruk]

@tharries the gold tooth? Was it a gold tooth in toy makers mouth because the master had taken on the cyberium and cybermen early ones allergic to gold, could it be missy picking up tooth hidden within unit? 😮

[@djdee6386]

So far I’ve heard the following for the hand. Missy, The Rani, the master’s wife, Kate I feel like it might be a new character however, but I like your theory for why it’s golden!

[@davidbwoo]

What's the game?

[@zachmegna7003]

I think the eighth doctors console room is the best

[@sonnylittlejohn9712]

My list would be fairly similar to yours. The new one is my new favorite. I want to see an episode that's partially in the tardis that works primarily on character development that shows us what is behind a couple of those doors. Maybe one with lounge, living quarters and food machine like we first saw in 1964. Then one with some sort of unusual thing that's just for the one episode. The doors would kind of call to me to go look and see what is in them.

[@MrJ.Smith1234]

I've always had mixed feelings on 9/10s tardis because I love it for its organic look which l think makes more sense compared to it having a spaceship like setting but I've always found it really bland in terms of colour but that does fit the doctor at that time.

[@grantmason740]

The current iteration is frankly quite soulless. It looks like something you might find in any number of sci-fi movies, there's nothing really unique.

[@christinewhoyt]

True, but it has possibility. Like it already has a jukebox added.

[@aqueen04]

I have enormous nostalgic feelings for the 9/10th era TARDIS, but I'm also hugely fond of 11's first TARDIS. I affectionately call it the 'Steampunk Pirate's Cave Toy Chest' TARDIS. I also adore 12's TARDIS as well - love the bookshelves and the chalkboards. I agree that they fit 12's personality really well.

[@Rianna_Tolan]

Ill never understand the hate for 13s

[@The-Hazbin-Devil04]

I liked her Interior, my personal favorite is Matt's First Interior, but I liked Jodie's Tardis

[@idle_speculation]

It’s too cramped and dark. I like the aesthetic (hence why it’s been my desktop theme for years), but the actual scenes shot in it are very lacking in my opinion.

[@Vegemite98]

The first and second doctors are the only best console rooms.

[@lant7123]

I prefer small and simple. I don't like ANY of the NuWho era Console Rooms. There's no need for multiple levels, stairs, and all of the steelpunkish is horrible for me. The colors seem too dark for almost all of the Nu era. Just give me a plain white small room like the Classic era.

[@sg-zd8eb]

I agree. The best classic who era ones were the style from mid70s to late 80s. The big console and the chunky pillars was just the right balance of too much and not enough.

[@TrekTrav]

I find Ncutis TARDIS very bland, I hope they add more charactoe

[@deutschermichel5807]

Secondary Tom Baker console 14th place? Never rank again bro please

[@vanimapermai]

My list best to worst 14-15 9-10 8 12 11 All classic consoles 13

[@vanimapermai]

@@_MyNameIsAJ_ best to worst not worst to best

[@alexthemtaandr211weatherfa2]

Here is my ranking for classic console rooms my worst one is the second doctor one, the third Tom console, and the second console room, then the main one, 5, 6.7, first of,pertwee version two, eight.