In four days time, the world will be introduced to Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. I cannot wait, and I eagerly anticipate this new era. Following an era that- Series 10 and the beauty that it is aside- I couldn’t enjoy as much as I usually do, to have a fresh new start with a new Doctor, new companions and a new showrunner is simply glorious. The Woman Who Fell to Earth is the first episode for the Thirteenth Doctor, and it’s important to have a good first impression. Whilst I have faith that Chris Chibnall will give us a great first episode (although I am far more excited for the more intriguing sounding Episode 2), there has unfortunately been precedent in the past for less than stellar first stories. Let’s look back at the past twelve times we were introduced to a Doctor and see how they hold up in celebration of this upcoming era-
- The First Doctor- An Unearthly Child
There are only two Doctors who never had an on-screen regeneration story, and William Hartnell’s cantankerous but lovable original incarnation is, obviously, one of them. I don’t think I need to explain what this story is- it’s the first Doctor Who story. The first episode of the show is mysterious and atmospheric, with a simple plot about a strange schoolgirl leading into the greatest adventure in the galaxy. The remaining three episodes are focused on a plot about a tribe of cavemen battling over fire- whilst these episodes aren’t as good as the first, they offer a nice comparison to the bickering team of disparate individuals that stumble across them. The First Doctor is intentionally portrayed as a deeply harsh and rough person- at one point he tries to kill a caveman- but it’s his new human companions that show him what it means to be a hero. A simple but brilliant story to kickstart the best show ever made.
- The Second Doctor- The Power of the Daleks
It’s 1966. William Hartnell has collapsed after battling the Cybermen and has morphed into a new man. With no explanations and this new “Doctor” acting unusual, were the audience even aware of the fact they were watching the same show? Of course they were, and the breakout villains of the show were here to remind them. Whilst this story is unfortunately one of the casualties of the missing episodes, an excellent animated reconstruction was released in 2016 to give this classic tale a new breath of life. The story is excellent, with Patrick Troughton proving from the offset why he was destined for Doctor Who history and the complex script by the underrated David Whitaker giving the Daleks probably their most fascinating interpretation- as schemers and manipulators. This was, and will probably remain, the riskiest Doctor Who story ever and it payed off big time.
- The Third Doctor- Spearhead From Space
Colour! No TARDIS! The Doctor is played by a comedian! What is this? My favourite Classic Doctor gets an iconic first story that sees Doctor Who hit the 70s in a big way. Banished to Earth with no knowledge of the TARDIS, the Doctor is now a cranky and short tempered dandy who allies himself with UNIT to fight off a plastic invasion. Jon Pertwee instantly acquaints himself to the role and the show feels completely new and reinvigorated from the black and white era- it’s the predecessor to The Eleventh Hour and The Woman Who Fell to Earth in that everything is new. The Brigadier and the hugely underrated Liz Shaw effectively carry the story but it’s still the Doctor’s story and he defeats the Nestene Consciousness, ready to begin new adventures. With one of the greatest and most infamous scenes in Doctor Who history, Spearhead From Space is classic Doctor Who in every way by the master of Who, Robert Holmes.
- The Fourth Doctor- Robot
Believe it or not, there was a time when casting a relatively unknown former monk to replace the immensely popular and long lasting Jon Pertwee was met with scepticism. Fortunately Tom Baker, to this day the most beloved incarnation, carried this simple but fun debut story and kick-started an era that lasted four producers and seven seasons, unparalleled to this day. Whilst the new Doctor messes around with costumes and hijinks, Sarah Jane gets involved in a conspiracy that involves… well, a giant robot. Tom Baker is instantly the Doctor and with the help of a solid script by Terrence Dicks the Fourth Doctor gets a fine first outing. Watching this story with the context of how much Tom Baker would define the character can get disorientating, but as the start to the longest and most prestigious era of the show this light weight adventure sets the stage wonderfully. Oh, and Harry Sullivan is awesome.
- The Fifth Doctor- Castrovalva
With a young, blonde Doctor, three companions, a brighter tone and a sense of renewal it could be argued that Chibnall’s era, like the rest of pop culture, is going back to the 80’s, although hopefully with fewer flaws. Whilst the Peter Davison era is my overall least favourite of Classic Who, I’ve always enjoyed his first story, even if it’s immensely flawed. After seven years of Tom Baker it must have been a difficult task capturing the character, but this story does an adequate job. The first half is mostly pointless meandering, with the Doctor helpless and the companions stuck yelling at each other and walking around with no real plot. The second half is where the story picks up, as The Master sets a trap for the Doctor that he almost falls for. The imagination at play with the titular location is great, and I wish more time was spent there. As first impressions go, the weakest so far, but trust me, it’s better than…
- The Sixth Doctor- The Twin Dilemma
Oh. Dear. I am a defender of Colin Baker’s short and tumultuous TV era. It had more energy than the Davison years and some truly innovative and brave storytelling with Vengeance on Varos, Revelation of the Daleks and Trial of a Time Lord. This story though… just no. In a story often cited as the worst Doctor Who story (close, but it’s not Kill the Moon), Six strangles his companion, a giant maggot tries blowing up some moons and the titular twins make Adric tolerable. Why wasn’t the energetic, awesome and fun Attack of the Cybermen the first story? The Twin Dilemma is one of the nadirs of Classic Who and it cast a long shadow over this era that it unfortunately still has. The story is cheap and nonsensical but it’s the complete misunderstanding of the Doctor’s character that kills it. Thank Big Finish for giving Colin Baker the era he deserves. How did we get from Caves of Androzani to this?
- The Seventh Doctor- Time and the Rani
Fortunately for Sylvester McCoy fans like myself, his era has gone through a renaissance and has been appreciated for what it is. His first season though is mostly indefensible. Unlike Twin Dilemma this story can be seen as simple fun and whilst I agree with that notion, that still doesn’t mean it’s good. The Seventh Doctor has a truly horrendous first outing, spending most of the story incapacitated or annoying whilst Mel does nothing but scream and be irritating the whole time. The story actually has an interesting plot and the Rani is always fun to watch (although contrary to popular opinion I’m not exactly demanding a come-back) but the whole production is cheesy and over the top, and not in a Pirate Planet way. And killing off the Sixth Doctor simply by implying he fell off his exercise bike? Low blow. At least Sylvester McCoy got to prove his worth on television as we were rewarded with two great seasons afterwards.
- The Eighth Doctor- The TV Movie
Paul McGann’s Doctor is the show’s biggest missed opportunity that Big Finish has seized upon, turning him into a beloved incarnation to the extent that Steven Moffat brought him back 17 years after his sole TV outing. The American produced TV Movie receives a lot of hate but I enjoy it, surprisingly. It’s anchored by a strong central performance by an actor who clearly loves this role (if you think Paul McGann is good in this, check out Chimes of Midnight on audio) and a sense of fun, but the end of the Seventh Doctor is rushed and disappointing and Eric Roberts’ Master is memorable for all the wrong reasons. The plot is nonsensical and the whole film is completely over the top but as a template for the modern series, I found myself enjoying it immensely. Had the show continued like this, I wonder what would have come of it? If you haven’t seen this yet, check out this flawed but interesting dip into a very different Who.
- The Ninth Doctor- Rose
We have never seen Christopher Eccleston’s post regeneration story (get on it Big Finish), but this is the earliest story of Nine we have and, more importantly, the episode that jump started the revival we all know and love. The Ninth Doctor hits the ground running and we are given a very different Doctor from what we know. Instead of the eccentric and daffy character from the classic era, we are given a darker and colder Doctor who can feel the turn of the Earth at his feet. I can’t begin to say how effective this episode still is, as it sets up everything about this show in 45 wonderful minutes. It’s a bit cheesy and the effects are dated but the impact this single episode had on 21st century television cannot be understated- it’s still a fantastic and brilliant introductory story. The short but sweet Ninth Doctor era was so important to this show and I’ll always be grateful for it.
- The Tenth Doctor- The Christmas Invasion
Like with Robot, it’s hard to imagine David Tennant’s iconic and beloved Tenth Doctor ever being a risky venture, but after only one series the new audience were expected to embrace a new lead. In this wonderfully paced and tightly plotted story that harkens back to the best of the Jon Pertwee era, Rose and Harriet Jones are given the spotlight as an impending invasion looms over Earth and the Doctor can do nothing. What Russel T Davies does brilliantly here is build anticipation- we are waiting and waiting for the Doctor to arrive and in one scene David Tennant solidifies his place in Doctor Who history as he confronts and defeats the Sycorax leader in a glorious victory. As my first Doctor, I never needed convincing that David Tennant was the Doctor, but whilst his first series is admittedly patchy in places this story never disappoints and is one of the few truly excellent Christmas specials.
- The Eleventh Doctor- The Eleventh Hour
Now this is where I come in. Despite being my favourite Doctor now, in 2010 I was unsure as to whether Matt Smith could be the Doctor. This was the first time I had experienced a change in Doctor and whilst I had already accepted that there were Doctors before David Tennant it was certainly an experience seeing an all-new, all-different Doctor. The Eleventh Hour is my personal favourite post regeneration story, as it was my first changeover and the story that introduced me to my all time favourite Doctor and actor. The story is an epic, brilliantly serving as a jumping on point with a thrilling plot and a Doctor who for the first time since Tom Baker is instantly in action and whilst it was unclear who could replace the adored Tenth Doctor, who had seen the show through arguably the most popular and iconic era, Matt Smith proved it. What a way to start the greatest series of Doctor Who. If The Woman Who Fell to Earth is even a tenth as good, we are in for a treat.
- The Twelfth Doctor- Deep Breath
This was difficult for me. Following my favourite Doctor was always going to be hard, and I’ll admit to being slightly bias against the Twelfth Doctor from the get go, but I nonetheless could not contain my excitement for Series 8. Turns out I had every right to be apprehensive about the direction the show would take for his first two years, but to give credit were credit is due I think this is a fine debut story. Whilst it is slightly bloated with unneeded humour and filler, the episode has an intriguing plot and a fascinating approach to a first episode, using Clara (in one of her few non-irritating stories in my opinion) as the audience surrogate to question this darker and more morally complex incarnation. Peter Capaldi is great, especially in the second half where he strips back the post-regeneration antics and confronts the Half-Faced Man in a brilliantly done scene. This is honestly a story I’ve appreciated more and more, and I find it a bit sad just how much lost potential was established in this story.
So, overall there is good company for The Woman Who Fell to Earth. I wouldn’t put any of these stories in my personal favourites but most have merit and are very good introductions for their respective incarnations. If I was to rank them, I would list them as-
The Eleventh Hour
Spearhead From Space
The Power of the Daleks
An Unearthly Child
Rose
Deep Breath
The Christmas Invasion
Robot
Castrovalva
The TV Movie
Time and the Rani
The Twin Dilemma
Where will this Sunday’s episode fall? Hopefully near the top. Expectations are high and I can’t wait. Bring on the Thirteenth Doctor.
Ben Williams' World 