Last Updated on 16 October 2023

The following list is the Official Definitive List of the best Doctor Who episodes of the modern era.

I found 17 different ranked lists online of “best Doctor Who episodes,” but only five were from all time. See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including links to the 5 lists that were averaged. For more information about the show and about each episode, visit the Tardis Wiki, the main Doctor Who Fandom site. Below is the ranked list of all the Doctor Who episodes.

  1. Blink (#186 – 9 Jun 2007)
  2. Genesis of the Daleks (#078 – 8 Mar 1975)
  3. The Empty Child (#164a – 21 May 2005)
  4. Heaven Sent (#261 – 28 Nov 2015)
  5. The Caves of Androzani (#135 – 8 Mar 1984)
  6. City of Death (#105 – 29 Sep 1979)
  7. The Doctor Dances (#164b – 28 May 2005)
  8. Midnight (#196 – 14 Jun 2008)
  9. The Day of the Doctor (#240 – 23 Nov 2013)
  10. The Eleventh Hour (#203 – 3 Apr 2010)
  11. The Robots of Death (#090 – 29 Jan 1977)
  12. Dalek (#161 – 30 Apr 2005)
  13. The Girl in the Fireplace (#171 – 6 May 2006)
  14. Vincent and the Doctor (#210 – 5 Jun 2010)
  15. The Deadly Assassin (#088 – 30 Oct 1976)
  16. The Doctor’s Wife (#216 – 14 May 2011)
  17. Silence in the Library (#195a – 31 May 2008)
  18. Rose (#157 – 26 Mar 2005)
  19. Listen (#245 – 13 Sep 2014)
  20. Doomsday (#177b – 8 Jul 2006)
  21. Tomb of the Cybermen (#037 – 2 Sep 1967)
  22. The Curse of Fenric (#154 – 25 Oct 1989)
  23. Pyramids of Mars (#082 – 25 Oct 1975)
  24. Rosa (#279 – 21 Oct 2018)
  25. Forest of the Dead (#195b – 7 Jun 2008)
  26. The Impossible Planet (#174a – 3 Jun 2006)
  27. The Satan Pit (#174b – 10 Jun 2006)
  28. The Big Bang (#212b – 26 Jun 2010)
  29. The Christmas Invasion (#167 – 25 Dec 2005)
  30. The Pandorica Opens (#212a – 19 Jun 2010)
  31. Human Nature/The Family of Blood (#185 – 26 May 2007)
  32. Turn Left (#197 – 21 Jun 2008)
  33. The Waters of Mars (#201 – 15 Nov 2009)
  34. The Beast Below (#204 – 10 Apr 2010)
  35. The Daleks (#002 – 21 Dec 1963)
  36. School Reunion (#170 – 29 Apr 2006)
  37. Inferno (#054 – 9 May 1970)
  38. The Seeds of Doom (#085 – 31 Jan 1976)
  39. The End of Time, Part 1 (#202a – 25 Dec 2009)
  40. The End of Time, Part 2 (#202b – 1 Jan 2010)
  41. The Ark in Space (#076 – 25 Jan 1975)
  42. The Runaway Bride (#178 – 25 Dec 2006)
  43. The Dalek Invasion of Earth (#010 – 21 Nov 1964)
  44. The Massacre (#022 – 5 Feb 1966)
  45. The Green Death (#069 – 19 May 1973)
  46. Talons of Weng Chiang (#091 – 26 Feb 1977)
  47. The War Games (#050 – 19 Apr 1969)
  48. The Power of the Daleks (#030 – 5 Nov 1966)
  49. The Stolen Earth (#198a – 28 Jun 2008)
  50. Bad Wolf (#166a – 11 Jun 2005)
  51. Ghost Light (#153 – 4 Oct 1989)
  52. The Parting of the Ways (#166b – 18 Jun 2005)
  53. Earthshock (#121 – 8 Mar 1982)
  54. The Impossible Astronaut (#214a – 23 Apr 2011)
  55. Day of the Moon (#214b – 30 Apr 2011)
  56. The Time Meddler (#017 – 3 Jul 1965)
  57. A Good Man Goes to War (#218 – 4 Jun 2011)
  58. Spearhead from Space (#051 – 3 Jan 1970)
  59. Partners in Crime (#189 – 5 Apr 2008)
  60. The Mind Robber (#045 – 14 Sep 1968)
  61. Remembrance of the Daleks (#148 – 5 Oct 1988)
  62. The Unquiet Dead (#159 – 9 Apr 2005)
  63. Carnival of Monsters (#066 – 27 Jan 1973)
  64. The Brain of Morbius (#084 – 3 Jan 1976)
  65. The Dæmons (#059 – 22 May 1971)
  66. Horror of Fang Rock (#092 – 3 Sep 1977)
  67. Cold War (#234 – 13 Apr 2013)
  68. The Invasion (#046 – 2 Nov 1968)
  69. The Web of Fear (#041 – 3 Feb 1968)
  70. The Family of Blood (#185b – 2 Jun 2007)
  71. Fury from the Deep (#042 – 16 Mar 1968)
  72. The Three Doctors (#065 – 30 Dec 1972)
  73. The Angels Take Manhattan (#230 – 29 Sep 2012)
  74. Day of the Daleks (#060 – 1 Jan 1972)
  75. An Unearthly Child (#001 – 23 Nov 1963)
  76. The Tenth Planet (#029 – 8 Oct 1966)
  77. Gridlock (#181 – 14 Apr 2007)
  78. The Fugitive of the Judoon (#291 – 26 Jan 2020)
  79. The Curse of Peladon (#061 – 29 Jan 1972)
  80. Planet of Evil (#081 – 27 Sep 1975)
  81. A Christmas Carol (#213 – 25 Dec 2010)
  82. Journey’s End (#198b – 5 Jul 2008)
  83. Frontier in Space (#067 – 24 Feb 1973)
  84. The Sea Devils (#062 – 26 Feb 1972)
  85. Daleks in Manhattan (#182a – 21 Apr 2007)
  86. Evolution of the Daleks (#182b – 28 Apr 2007)
  87. Doctor Who and the Silurians (#052 – 31 Jan 1970)
  88. Love & Monsters (#175 – 17 Jun 2006)
  89. World Enough and Time (#275a – 24 Jun 2017)
  90. Father’s Day (#163 – 14 May 2005)
  91. The Edge of Destruction (#003 – 8 Feb 1964)
  92. The Caretaker (#247 – 27 Sep 2014)
  93. Last of the Time Lords (#187c – 30 Jun 2007)
  94. The Magician’s Apprentice (#254a – 19 Sep 2015)
  95. The Sound of Drums (#187b – 23 Jun 2007)
  96. Utopia (#187a – 16 Jun 2007)
  97. The Time Warrior (#070 – 15 Dec 1973)
  98. Flatline (#250 – 18 Oct 2014)
  99. The Moonbase (#033 – 11 Feb 1967)
  100. The Crusade (#014 – 27 Mar 1965)
  101. Rise of the Cybermen (#172a – 13 May 2006)
  102. The Age of Steel (#172b – 20 May 2006)
  103. Amy’s Choice (#208 – 15 May 2010)
  104. The Pirate Planet (#099 – 30 Sep 1978)
  105. The Fires of Pompeii (#190 – 12 Apr 2008)
  106. Dark Water/Death in Heaven (#252 – 1 Nov 2014)
  107. The Face of Evil (#089 – 1 Jan 1977)
  108. Robot (#075 – 28 Dec 1974)
  109. The Evil of the Daleks (#036 – 20 May 1967)
  110. It Takes You Away (#285 – 2 Dec 2018)
  111. Terror of the Autons (#055 – 2 Jan 1971)
  112. Army of Ghosts (#177a – 1 Jul 2006)
  113. Mummy on the Orient Express (#249 – 11 Oct 2014)
  114. The Next Doctor (#199 – 25 Dec 2008)
  115. Snakedance (#124 – 18 Jan 1983)
  116. The Lodger (#211 – 12 Jun 2010)
  117. Last Christmas (#253 – 25 Dec 2014)
  118. Hide (#235 – 20 Apr 2013)
  119. Let’s Kill Hitler (#219 – 27 Aug 2011)
  120. Mawdryn Undead (#125 – 1 Feb 1983)
  121. The God Complex (#222 – 17 Sep 2011)
  122. Smith and Jones (#179 – 31 Mar 2007)
  123. Time Heist (#246 – 20 Sep 2014)
  124. The Girl Who Waited (#221 – 10 Sep 2011)
  125. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (#227 – 8 Sep 2012)
  126. Tooth and Claw (#169 – 22 Apr 2006)
  127. Robot of Sherwood (#244 – 6 Sep 2014)
  128. Voyage of the Damned (#188 – 25 Dec 2007)
  129. The End of the World (#158 – 2 Apr 2005)
  130. The Sun Makers (#095 – 26 Nov 1977)
  131. The Long Game (#162 – 7 May 2005)
  132. Planet of the Ood (#191 – 19 Apr 2008)
  133. The Snowmen (#231 – 25 Dec 2012)
  134. Terror of the Zygons (#80 – 30 Aug 1975)
  135. Deep Breath (#242 – 23 Aug 2014)
  136. Warriors’ Gate (#113 – 3 Jan 1981)
  137. The Wedding of River Song (#224 – 1 Oct 2011)
  138. Survival (#155 – 22 Nov 1989)
  139. New Earth (#168 – 15 Apr 2006)
  140. Into the Dalek (#243 – 30 Aug 2014)
  141. The Masque of Mandragora (#086 – 4 Sep 1976)
  142. The Daleks’ Master Plan (#021 – 13 Nov 1965)
  143. Frontios (#132 – 26 Jan 1984)
  144. The Ribos Operation (#098 – 2 Sep 1978)
  145. The Sontaran Experiment (#077 – 22 Feb 1975)
  146. The Ice Warriors (#039 – 11 Nov 1967)
  147. Nightmare in Silver (#238 – 11 May 2013)
  148. Resurrection of the Daleks (#133 – 8 Feb 1984)
  149. Vengeance on Varos (#138 – 19 Jan 1985)
  150. Aliens of London (#160a – 16 Apr 2005)
  151. World War Three (#160b – 23 Apr 2005)
  152. The Aztecs (#006 – 23 May 1964)
  153. The Idiot’s Lantern (#173 – 27 May 2006)
  154. Revelation of the Daleks (#142 – 23 Mar 1985)
  155. The Claws of Axos (#057 – 13 Mar 1971)
  156. The Leisure Hive (#109 – 30 Aug 1980)
  157. The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood (#209 – 22 May 2010)
  158. The Doctor’s Daughter (#193 – 10 May 2008)
  159. The Shakespeare Code (#180 – 7 Apr 2007)
  160. Revenge of the Cybermen (#079 – 19 Apr 1975)
  161. Closing Time (#223 – 24 Sep 2011)
  162. The Bells of Saint John (#232 – 30 Mar 2013)
  163. The Keeper of Traken (#114 – 31 Jan 1981)
  164. The Five Doctors (#129 – 25 Nov 1983)
  165. The Time of the Doctor (#241 – 25 Dec 2013)
  166. Boom Town (#165 – 4 Jun 2005)
  167. 42 (#184 – 19 May 2007)
  168. The Happiness Patrol (#149 – 2 Nov 1988)
  169. Logopolis (#115 – 28 Feb 1981)
  170. The Ark (#023 – 5 Mar 1966)
  171. Enlightenment (#127 – 1 Mar 1983)
  172. Castrovalva (#116 – 4 Jan 1982)
  173. The Poison Sky (#192b – 3 May 2008)
  174. The Sontaran Stratagemy (#192a – 26 Apr 2008)
  175. Full Circle (#111 – 25 Oct 1980)
  176. The Lazarus Experiment (#183 – 5 May 2007)
  177. The Invasion of Time (#097 – 4 Feb 1978)
  178. The Seeds of Death (#048 – 25 Jan 1969)
  179. Planet of the Spiders (#074 – 4 May 1974)
  180. Planet of the Daleks (#068 – 7 Apr 1973)
  181. The Chase (#016 – 22 May 1965)
  182. Victory of the Daleks (#205 – 17 Apr 2010)
  183. A Town Called Mercy (#228 – 15 Sep 2012)
  184. The Unicorn and the Wasp (#194 – 17 May 2008)
  185. Asylum of the Daleks (#226 – 1 Sep 2012)
  186. The Rings of Akhaten (#233 – 6 Apr 2013)
  187. The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (#225 – 25 Dec 2011)
  188. The Abominable Snowmen (#038 – 30 Sep 1967)
  189. Planet of the Dead (#200 – 11 Apr 2009)
  190. The Vampires of Venice (#207 – 8 May 2010)
  191. The Creature from the Pit (#106 – 27 Oct 1979)
  192. The Name of the Doctor (#239 – 18 May 2013)
  193. Flesh and Stone (#206b – 1 May 2010)
  194. The Time of Angels (#206a – 24 Apr 2010)
  195. The Crimson Horror (#237 – 4 May 2013)
  196. The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (#151 – 14 Dec 1988)
  197. The Space Museum (#015 – 24 Apr 1965)
  198. The Invisible Enemy (#093 – 1 Oct 1977)
  199. Night Terrors (#220 – 3 Sep 2011)
  200. The Power of Three (#229 – 22 Sep 2012)
  201. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (#236 – 27 Apr 2013)
  202. The Almost People (#217b – 28 May 2011)
  203. The Rebel Flesh (#217a – 21 May 2011)
  204. The Visitation (#119 – 15 Feb 1982)
  205. The Mutants (#063 – 8 Apr 1973)
  206. The Romans (#012 – 16 Jan 1965)
  207. State of Decay (#112 – 22 Nov 1980)
  208. Warriors of the Deep (#130 – 5 Jan 1984)
  209. Death to the Daleks (#072 – 23 Feb 1974)
  210. The Reign of Terror (#008 – 8 Aug 1964)
  211. The Two Doctors (#140 – 16 Feb 1985)
  212. Battlefield (#152 – 6 Sep 1989)
  213. Image of the Fendahl (#094 – 29 Oct 1977)
  214. The Android Invasion (#083 – 22 Nov 1975)
  215. The Hand of Fear (#087 – 2 Oct 1976)
  216. The Mind of Evil (#056 – 30 Jan 1971)
  217. Kinda (#118 – 1 Feb 1982)
  218. The Mark of the Rani (#139 – 2 Feb 1985)
  219. The Keys of Marinus (#005 – 11 Apr 1964)
  220. The Mysterious Planet (#143a – 6 Sep 1986)
  221. The Rescue (#011 – 2 Jan 1965)
  222. Nightmare of Eden (#107 – 24 Nov 1979)
  223. The Underwater Menace (#032 – 14 Jan 1967)
  224. Invasion of the Dinosaurs (#071 – 12 Jan 1974)
  225. The War Machines (#027 – 25 Jun 1966)
  226. Meglos (#110 – 27 Sep 1980)
  227. Marco Polo (#004 – 22 Feb 1964)
  228. The Celestial Toymaker (#024 – 2 Apr 1966)
  229. The Curse of the Black Spot (#215 – 7 May 2011)
  230. The Highlanders (#031 – 17 Dec 1966)
  231. Arc of Infinity (#123 – 3 Jan 1983)
  232. The Macra Terror (#034 – 11 Mar 1967)
  233. The Armageddon Factor (#103 – 20 Jan 1979)
  234. Galaxy 4 (#018 – 11 Sep 1965)
  235. Black Orchid (#120 – 1 Mar 1982)
  236. Attack of the Cybermen (#137 – 5 Jan 1985)
  237. Four to Doomsday (#117 – 18 Jan 1982)
  238. The Enemy of the World (#040 – 23 Dec 1967)
  239. The King’s Demons (#128 – 15 Mar 1983)
  240. The Ambassadors of Death (#053 – 21 Mar 1970)
  241. The Stones of Blood (#100 – 28 Oct 1978)
  242. The Androids of Tara (#101 – 25 Nov 1978)
  243. Kill the Moon (#248 – 4 Oct 2014)
  244. The Awakening (#131 – 19 Jan 1984)
  245. Silver Nemesis (#150 – 23 Nov 1988)
  246. The Twin Dilemma (#136 – 22 Mar 1984)
  247. Dragonfire (#147 – 23 Nov 1987)
  248. Terror of the Vervoids (#143c – 1 Nov 1986)
  249. Destiny of the Daleks (#104 – 1 Sep 1979)
  250. The Myth Makers (#020 – 16 Oct 1965)
  251. Planet of Fire (#134 – 23 Feb 1984)
  252. Mindwarp (#143b – 4 Oct 1986)
  253. Terminus (#126 – 15 Feb 1983)
  254. The Wheel in Space (#043 – 27 Apr 1968)
  255. The Savages (#026 – 28 May 1966)
  256. The Web Planet (#013 – 13 Feb 1965)
  257. Colony in Space (#058 – 10 Apr 1971)
  258. Planet of Giants (#009 – 31 Oct 1964)
  259. The Power of Kroll (#102 – 23 Dec 1978)
  260. Underworld (#096 – 7 Jan 1978)
  261. The Krotons (#047 – 28 Dec 1968)
  262. The Time Monster (#64 – 20 May 1972)
  263. Paradise Towers (#145 – 5 Oct 1987)
  264. In The Forest of the Night (#251 – 25 Oct 2014)
  265. The Smugglers (#028 – 10 Sep 1966)
  266. The Dominators (#044 – 10 Aug 1968)
  267. The Monster of Peladon (#073 – 23 Mar 1974)
  268. The Faceless Ones (#035 – 8 Apr 1967)
  269. Time-Flight (#122 – 22 Mar 1982)
  270. Delta and the Bannermen (#146 – 2 Nov 1987)
  271. The Gunfighters (#025 – 30 Apr 1966)
  272. The Horns of Nimon (#108 – 22 Dec 1979)
  273. The Space Pirates (#049 – 8 Mar 1969)
  274. The Sensorites (#007 – 20 Jun 1964)
  275. Time and the Rani (#144 – 7 Sep 1987)
  276. Fear Her (#176 – 24 Jun 2006)
  277. The Ultimate Foe (#143d – 29 Nov 1986)
  278. Timelash (#141 – 9 Mar 1985)

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