Doctor Who
Doctor Who

Doctor Who (1963)

7.9 (687 votes)
26 Seasons
November 23, 1963
English
Drama Action & Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Synopsis

The adventures of The Doctor, a time-traveling humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. He explores the universe in his TARDIS, a sentient time-traveling spaceship. Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, The Doctor faces a variety of foes while working to save civilizations, help ordinary people, and right many wrongs.

Network

BBC One, BBC Television

Episodes

An Unearthly Child
E1

An Unearthly Child

Nov 23, 1963
23 min
8.0

After discussing a strange pupil, Susan Foreman, teachers Ian and Barbara follow her to a junkyard. They meet her grandfather, the Doctor, and force their way inside a police box with frightening results.

The Cave of Skulls
E2

The Cave of Skulls

Nov 30, 1963
25 min
5.9

The enigmatic Doctor, afraid that schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright will reveal his secrets to the people of 20th century Earth, has taken them and his granddaughter Susan back to the dawn of human history. There, the four travellers are dragged into the savage politics of a tribe of cavemen who have lost the secret of making fire…

The Forest of Fear
E3

The Forest of Fear

Dec 7, 1963
24 min
6.2

Prisoners of the earliest humans, the TARDIS crew are caught in a deadly power play for leadership of the tribe.

The Firemaker
E4

The Firemaker

Dec 14, 1963
24 min
6.5

The TARDIS crew must make fire for the early humans to stay alive. But once they do, they may not be allowed to leave!

The Dead Planet
E5

The Dead Planet

Dec 21, 1963
24 min
7.2

Time Unknown, Planet Unknown. The TARDIS lands in an eerie petrified forest overlooking a magnificent steel city. The Doctor wants to explore the city – but what is waiting there?

The Survivors
E6

The Survivors

Dec 28, 1963
24 min
7.2

The dead planet is not uninhabited after all. The Doctor is about to meet what will become his greatest enemies. And he and his crew are dying of radiation sickness.

The Escape
E7

The Escape

Jan 4, 1964
25 min
7.4

Imprisoned on Skaro by the scheming Daleks, the Doctor and his companions work to escape their clutches.

The Ambush
E8

The Ambush

Jan 11, 1964
24 min
6.9

The time travellers work desperately to both escape the Dalek city and prevent a bloody massacre.

The Expedition
E9

The Expedition

Jan 18, 1964
24 min
6.5

The time travellers have escaped from the Daleks, but left a vital piece of the TARDIS behind. Getting it back will mean pushing the Thals to mount a dangerous operation.

The Ordeal
E10

The Ordeal

Jan 25, 1964
26 min
6.8

Ian, Barbara and the Thals struggle through the caves to reach the Dalek city. Will they get there in time? Is there even a way through the treacherous caves? And what are the Daleks planning?

The Rescue
E11

The Rescue

Feb 1, 1964
22 min
6.9

Time is running out as the Doctor and his companions try to defeat the Daleks before they wipe out all life on Skaro.

The Edge of Destruction
E12

The Edge of Destruction

Feb 8, 1964
25 min
6.6

A mysterious explosion has knocked the TARDIS into void. And in their confusion, the crew are turning on one another.

The Brink of Disaster
E13

The Brink of Disaster

Feb 15, 1964
22 min
6.1

The TARDIS is adrift, the crew turning on each other. Only by working together can they find their way out before they are destroyed.

The Roof of the World
E14

The Roof of the World

Feb 22, 1964
24 min
6.7

The TARDIS experiences a total power failure and is stranded in the Himalayas in the 13th century. The travellers are forced to join the caravan of the famous explorer, Marco Polo, in order to survive -- but Polo, fascinated by their claims that the TARDIS can fly through the air, seizes it on behalf of Kublai Khan in the hope that presenting the Khan with such a fabulous gift will convince him to let Polo return home to Venice. The travellers are forced to accompany Polo on his long trek across Asia to the Khan's court, but their many attempts to reclaim their property are foiled -- not just by Polo, but by the war lord Tegana, who is apparently on a mission of peace but has entirely different plans for dealing with Kublai Khan...

The Singing Sands
E15

The Singing Sands

Feb 29, 1964
27 min
6.3

Tegana sabotages the party's water bags, leaving them in dire need of fresh supplies.

Five Hundred Eyes
E16

Five Hundred Eyes

Mar 7, 1964
23 min
6.3

The Doctor and Susan are able to supply Marco with condensation that has formed inside the TARDIS, saving the group from dying of thirst. When the group are reunited with Tegana, the travellers begin to suspect he is up to something.

The Wall of Lies
E17

The Wall of Lies

Mar 14, 1964
25 min
6.5

The Doctor's group manage to rescue Barbara from the Mongols but once more Marco remains unaware of Tegana's involvement.

Rider from Shang Tu
E18

Rider from Shang Tu

Mar 21, 1964
23 min
6.0

The Doctor and his friends elect to warn Marco of Acomat's attack even though it means losing their chance to gain access to the TARDIS.

Mighty Kublai Khan
E19

Mighty Kublai Khan

Mar 28, 1964
25 min
6.0

The Doctor, Ian and Barbara are forced to surrender to Tegana and Marco, leaving both of them the opportunity to gain possession of the TARDIS.

Assassin at Peking
E20

Assassin at Peking

Apr 4, 1964
25 min
6.4

Tegana finally makes his move to assassinate the Khan, giving the Doctor and his friends an opportunity to thwart his plans and regain the TARDIS.

The Sea of Death
E21

The Sea of Death

Apr 11, 1964
23 min
6.8

The alien world of Marinus. Perfect peace has reigned here for decades due to the mind-controlling influence of a machine known as the Conscience. But now a race known as the Voord have developed an immunity and Arbitan, keeper of the machine, has been forced to scatter the vital control keys around the planet. Now he needs the help of the time travellers to get them back - it will be an extraordinary journey, with perils every step of the way...

The Velvet Web
E22

The Velvet Web

Apr 18, 1964
25 min
6.6

The Doctor and his friends arrive in the apparently idyllic city of Morphoton but Barbara soon begins to realise there is more to their hosts than meets the eye.

The Screaming Jungle
E23

The Screaming Jungle

Apr 25, 1964
24 min
6.4

The search for the second key takes the travellers to a jungle where Ian and Barbara come under threat from rapidly growing plants.

The Snows of Terror
E24

The Snows of Terror

May 2, 1964
25 min
5.9

Searching for the third key, Ian and Barbara meet with the sinister trapper Vasor before following Susan and the others into a cave system guarded by the mysterious Ice Soldiers.

Sentence of Death
E25

Sentence of Death

May 9, 1964
25 min
6.6

The group are reunited with the Doctor in the city of Millennius where Ian faces trial for murder after the fourth key is stolen.

The Keys of Marinus
E26

The Keys of Marinus

May 16, 1964
25 min
6.7

The Doctor and his friends must locate the real murderers and the fourth key before heading off for a final confrontation with the Voord

The Temple of Evil
E27

The Temple of Evil

May 23, 1964
24 min
6.9

The TARDIS arrives on Earth landing in 16th century Aztec society. Barbara goes off exploring - despite the Doctor's orders not to wander off - and is taken away by the high priest Autloc who believes she is the reincarnation of the goddess Yetaxa. They believe it is a sign that the rains - which are late - will now come. The high priest of sacrifice Tlotoxl recruits Ian to lead their army but he finds he has a rival in Ixta. Ian is less than comfortable with his role when he learns that they are to deliver the human sacrifice to the high priest at the rain ceremony. The Doctor emphasizes that they must not interfere with Aztec rituals, something that does not sit well with Barbara.

The Warriors of Death
E28

The Warriors of Death

May 30, 1964
24 min
6.7

Barbara tries to change the course of history - and Ian fights for his life.

The Bride of Sacrifice
E29

The Bride of Sacrifice

Jun 6, 1964
25 min
6.2

While the Doctor tries to find a way back to the TARDIS, Tlotoxl continues to plot Barbara's downfall and sees an opening when Susan questions Aztec custom.

The Day of Darkness
E30

The Day of Darkness

Jun 13, 1964
25 min
6.1

Tlotoxl's machinations result in both Susan and Ian being arrested. With the TARDIS once again trapped inside the tomb, the travellers' only hope for escape lies with Autloc and Cameca.

Strangers in Space
E31

Strangers in Space

Jun 20, 1964
25 min
6.1

The 28th century. The TARDIS materialises on a spaceship orbiting a planet known as the Sense-Sphere, whose natives, the Sensorites, have trapped the ship's human crew in a state of paralysis.

The Unwilling Warriors
E32

The Unwilling Warriors

Jun 27, 1964
25 min
6.0

The Doctor and his companions are on board an Earth ship trapped in orbit around the Sense-Sphere when it is boarded by the Sensorites, who steal the lock mechanism from the TARDIS.

Hidden Danger
E33

Hidden Danger

Jul 11, 1964
25 min
5.7

The Doctor and his companions are escorted to the Sense-Sphere where they attempt to negotiate with the Sensorites for the release of the TARDIS.

A Race Against Death
E34

A Race Against Death

Jul 18, 1964
25 min
6.0

With Ian having fallen victim to the Sensorites' plague, the Doctor is desperate to find a cure. But the City Administrator is still determined to rid his world of aliens.

Kidnap
E35

Kidnap

Jul 25, 1964
26 min
5.8

The City Administrator is determined to destroy the Doctor and his friends and his paranoia prevents the Doctor's cure from being distributed.

A Desperate Venture
E36

A Desperate Venture

Aug 1, 1964
24 min
6.3

While the City Administrator's schemes reach their climax, the Doctor and Ian venture into the tunnels under the city to discover the real cause of the Sensorite plague.

A Land of Fear
E37

A Land of Fear

Aug 8, 1964
24 min
6.7

The TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must take on the disguise of a public official to try and save their lives.

Guests of Madame Guillotine
E38

Guests of Madame Guillotine

Aug 15, 1964
24 min
6.8

Susan, Ian and Barbara are sentenced to be guillotined but an encounter with a dying English prisoner may offer Ian a chance of survival.

A Change of Identity
E39

A Change of Identity

Aug 22, 1964
25 min
6.3

Susan and Barbara are rescued by Jules and Jean, two members of the escape chain, while the Doctor gains access to the prison by posing as a revolution official.

The Tyrant of France
E40

The Tyrant of France

Aug 29, 1964
25 min
6.5

The Doctor is forced into a meeting with Robespierre while Barbara's attempts to find a physician for Susan result in them being betrayed.

A Bargain of Necessity
E41

A Bargain of Necessity

Sep 5, 1964
24 min
6.3

Ian finds himself held prisoner by the treacherous Leon while the Doctor attempts to engineer Susan and Barbara's escape.

Prisoners of Conciergerie
E42

Prisoners of Conciergerie

Sep 12, 1964
25 min
6.7

Ian finally delivers his message to James Stirling but in order to secure Susan's release he and Barbara are forced into a dangerous spying mission.

Cast

Trailer

Details

Original Title

Doctor Who

Status

Ended

Seasons

26

Episodes

694

Production

BBC