The Fantasy Review’s list of all the season 1 episodes of Doctor Who (2024) ranked from worst to best, including the Christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road.
#9 – Empire of Death
First on this list of all the Doctor Who season 1 episodes ranked from worst to best is the finale… What was supposed to be an epic conclusion to an otherwise well set up story was instead a dull, soulless ending with no satisfying answers to any of the questions.
Sure, we got to see a cool classic Doctor Who villain. Whoop.
Look, if you are going to bring back a classic, that’s can’t be the only thing up your sleeve. You need a good story too! That’s why Missy/The Master returning in Capaldi’s first season was also such a flop – great premise, terrible plot.
This will not be an episode I will be revisiting.
#8 – Space Babies
I think most people would have expected Space Babies to come last on this list. So did I, until I watched Empire of Death.
Unlike the dreadful season finale, this first episode of the season actually did a pretty good job of what it was supposed to do. We needed to be reintroduced to the Doctor and his new companion – enough for new viewers who didn’t watch the christmas special, The Church on Ruby Road – and introduce all the other fun elements of the show so people know what to expect from the season.
I think this is one of those rare occasions where the behind the scenes episode of Doctor Who: Unleashed for this story was actually better than the full episode itself. It was facinating to see how they created the monster and worked with the babies, etc.
But the story itself? Not too memorable, and not worth going back to.
#7 – The Church on Ruby Road
From here on, all the episode left on this list of all the Doctor Who season 1 episodes ranked from worst to best are stories I enjoyed and would probably or definitely watch again.
The Church on Ruby Road was a magical, mystery joyride of a time and I really enjoyed it. Sure, it was a little disjointed, but it was designed for fun rather than any kind of serious entertainment.
Watching Ncuti Gatwa in his first full episode as the 15th Doctor was a joy to behold and it was his energy that I got the most enjoyment from. On a rewatch, the mysteries that begin in this episode, with more breadcumbs through the series to follow, leave a sour taste after the disapointing finale, but all in all it’s a decent episode of Doctor Who.
#6 – The Devil’s Chord
The first episode of this season of Doctor Who that I actually loved! The Devil’s Chord struck the perfect balance between serious and whimsy. Jinx Monsoon was perfect casting as Maestro and the music was just incredible.
And it ended with the most random Musical (note the capital ‘M’ musical) moment that had me thinking my tea had been spiked!
Overall, The Devil’s Chord might be an episode I return to more than most, despite a lower ranking on this list, purely for the entertainment value. I do, however, think these other were structurally better or more impactful.
#5 – The Legend of Ruby Sunday
Despite Empire of Death being a disapointment, The Legend of Ruby Sunday (which was the first Part in the two-part finale) was brilliant! By the end of the episode, the music and the cinematography and the crescendo of all these threads from the season coming together for the big reveal were breathtaking.
It was great to be at UNIT and see the new set again (first time since the 60th Anniversary episodes). Seeing Mel on the screen in a central role was more than any fan could have ever dreamed of only a few years ago. Who wouldn’t like a Sarah Jane Adventures-type show with Mel at the lead?
My only gripe is that this glorious crescendo was followed by an almighty anti-climax that might take me a while to get over.
#4 – Rogue
OH. MY. BRIDGERTON!
New drinking game. Every time Ruby says “Bridgerton”, down a bottle of vodka.
Joking aside (drink responsibly!), if you were going to do a Regency episode of Doctor Who, THIS is how you do it! Rogue is an incredible episode – it’s kind of like a gay Madame De Pompadour episode (see: The Girl in the Fireplace), but replace the clockwork men with aliens who cosplay as people they just killed.
Everything from the inuendo-ridden dialogue to the exquisite line dancing (choreographed by the Bridgerton Choreographer, Jack Murphy) screamed BRIDGERTON and I loved it.
The character of Rogue (the amazing Jonathan Groff) was a nice addition, giving us a new angle to this incarnation of the Doctor during their interractions. Let us hope we meet him again.
#3 – Dot and Bubble
A bit of a controversial episode, I think, but as a massive fan of Black Mirror, Dot and Bubble hit all the right notes for me. Doctor Who should do more experimental Black Mirror-like stories like this one. Especially if the show sticks with including more fantasy elements into the world. The possibilities are just endless!
I’ll be honest, I didn’t notice all the white people. I’m white, and I didn’t notice. I think that was kind of the point Davies wanted to make by the end of the episode. It makes you look at yourself and think about why you didn’t notice.
I don’t cover or talk about politics or any of that complex stuff on this site because I’m not an expert. Simple. But in the context of this episode, and it’s simple message: yeah, there’s a lot to unpack.
The ending with the Doctor face-to-face with who we thought (until she did the thing to the guy she was supposed to fancy) was our “good” protagonist, was raw, brutal, and hard to watch. It’s insane that it was Ncuti’s first scene he ever shot for the season, and he absolutely nailed that performance!
#2 – 73 Yards
There were a lot of Doctor-lite episodes in season 1 of Doctor Who because Ncuti Gatwa had a busy filming schedule with the final season of Sex Education. This has been seen as a negative for some viewers, understandably, and I wish we had seen more of him too, but 73 Yards is one of those special episodes you can only get when you cut the Doctor from Doctor Who.
This is where we see Millie Gibson shine in her role as Ruby Sunday. She is left alone, with a creepy woman following her across the Welsh countryside, and has to manage without the Doctor. And she does! She’s resilient and smart, and not afraid to take big risks; she is everything we love to see in a companion!
And she’s the first actress younger than me to play a companion… so don’t I feel old.
#1 – Boom
This probably won’t be a surprise to anyone. I am so glad Steven Moffatt agreed to do an episode for season 1 of Doctor Who because I have missed him!
Such a simple premise. The Doctor is stuck on a landmine. He only has a certain amount of time to figure out how to escape. Complications ensue. The end.
But it was so good!
The colourscale of the battlefield, the creepy AI robot doctors who kill people who are injured because it’s cheaper to bury them than heal them, and the music… I haven’t enjoyed watching an episode of Doctor Who this much since I watched Midnight for the first time.
If Steven Moffatt doesn’t write another episode for season 2, we riot.
