Doctor Who series rankings 2024

Before I rank the new episodes of series 14 (or Season 1) into the new era (or is it a new era?) let's have a recap of where my rankings have been after the release of each series since I started this blog. 

Series 8

1. Series 4
2. Series 8
3. Series 7
4. Series 2
5. Series 1
6. Series 3
7. Series 5
8. Series 6

Series 9

1. Series 4 = 7.94
2. Series 2 = 7.45
3. Series 1 = 7.40
4. Series 9 = 7.13
5. Series 8 = 7.00
6. Series 7 = 6.94
7. Series 3 = 6.90
8. Series 5 = 6.90
9. Series 6 = 6.58

Series 10

1. Series 4 = 7.87 (down 0.07)
2. Series 2 = 7.55 (up 0.10)
3. Series 1 = 7.50 (up 0.10)
4. Series 3 = 7.20 (up 0.30)
5. Series 10 = 7.18 (NEW) 
6. Series 5 = 7.10 (up 0.20) 
7. Series 9 = 7.00 (down 0.13)
8. Series 7 = 6.76 (down 0.18)
9. Series 6 = 6.75 (up 0.18)
10. Series 8 = 6.73 (down 0.27)

Series 11

1. Series 4 = 7.87 (-)
2. Series 2 = 7.64 (up 0.09)
3. Series 1 = 7.40 (down 0.10)
4. Series 3 = 7.20 (-)
5. Series 10 = 7.00 (down 0.18)
6. Series 5 = 7.00 (down 0.10)
7. Series 8 = 6.81 (up 0.08)
8. Series 9 = 6.80 (down 0.20)
9. Series 7 = 6.76 (-)
10. Series 6 = 6.75 (-)
11. Series 11 = 6.27 (NEW)

Series 12

1. Series 4 = 7.87 (-)
2. Series 2 = 7.64 (-)
3. Series 1 = 7.40 (-)
4. Series 3 = 7.20 (-)
5. Series 5 = 7.10 (up 0.10)
6. Series 10 = 7.00 (-)
7. Series 8 = 6.82 (up 0.01)
8. Series 9 = 6.80 (-)
9. Series 7 = 6.65 (down 0.11)
10. Series 6 = 6.58 (down 0.17)
11. Series 12 = 6.25 (NEW)
12. Series 11 = 5.73 (down 0.56)

Series 13

1. Series 4 = 7.93 (+0.06)

2. Series 2 = 7.64 (-)

3. Series 1 = 7.50 (+0.1)

4. Series 3 = 7.20 (-)

5. Series 5 = 7.10 (-)

6. Series 10 = 6.92 (-0.08)

7. Series 9 = 6.90 (+0.1)

8. Series 8 = 6.82 (-)

9. Series 6 = 6.67 (+0.09)

10. Series 7 = 6.65 (-)

11. Series 13 = 6.25 (NEW)

12. Series 12 = 5.67 (-0.58)

13. Series 11 = 5.64 (-0.09)

So as you can see, RTD1 dominated the entirety of the top part of my rankings when series 13 concluded. Moffat's entire six series follow before then Chibnall's three. 

NEW RANKING POST SERIES 14:

Series 4 = 8.13 (+0.2)

Series 2 = 7.64 (-)

Series 1 = 7.50 (-)

Series 3 = 7.40 (+0.2)

Series 14 = 7.27 (NEW)

Series 5 = 7.10 (-)

Series 9 = 7.00 (+0.1)

Series 10 = 6.92 (-)

Series 8 = 6.82 (-)

Series 6 = 6.67 (-)

Series 7 = 6.59 (-0.06)

Series 13 = 5.75 (-0.5)

Series 12 = 5.67 (-)

Series 11 = 5.45 (-0.19)

Before we discuss Series 14 I want to address the changes from other series. Firstly, no other series have moved positions, though averages have changed. Going up is Series 4, 3 and 9. For the first two, this is because I have reviewed how many 10s I have given. Previously this was one 10, which I had given to Series 7's Day of the Doctor. I have now upped my tens so Series 4 has three (Midnight, Turn Left and Waters of Mars) and Series 3 has one (Blink). Series 9 has also gone up. This is because after my Christmas rewatch of the Husbands of River Song, I thought that that episode deserved an increase. Series 4 now enters the above '8' range in average, the only series to be in that category. 

Going the other way, is Series 7, 13 and 11. Series 7 goes down slightly due to me lowering my score for Dinosaurs on a Spaceship from a 7 to 6. Series 11, my least favourite series has also declined as I have lowed Rosa's score from a 7 to a 6 and the Battle of Ranksoor Av Kalos to a 4 from a 5. The largest decrease however comes with Series 13. This is expected and often happens when I review the next series. Series 13 suffered from recent episode syndrome where I am more positive to what has just aired. This is why it it has decreased substantionally. This is because I have lowered the Power of the Doctor from an 8 to a 7 and the Legend of the Sea Devils from a 5 to a 4. This downgrade is not as substantional as the final Capaldi series but in line, if not actually less than the other Whitaker series. Series 13 does however remain my favourite Chibnall series, though far below the weakest Moffat series. Series 7 has fallen dramatically since my first ranking after series 8 where it came third. Of those same 8 series, it is now last. Perhaps the 50th nostalgia kept it in an initial high place.

Now let's have a look at series 14. I was intrigued with RTD's return to see how well he would do. I was hoping his series could beat some of his previous work. Alas, this is not the case. Interestingly however my showrunners remain separated by showrunners, and the series falls in behind RTD's other series but ahead of Moffat's strongest, Series 5. Had I not updated Series 3, Series 14 would have beaten it, but alas it has not. 7.27 is a decent score and falls in the 7-8 range, which is good. I suspect it will fall victim of recent episode syndrome and when I update the rankings next year after series 15, it may not fare so well. I always include the specials with their accompanying series, and have done here. However, if you remove the Tennant specials, the series gets a '7' which would actually make it lower than Moffat's series 5 and joint with series 9. 

I hope Series 15 overall is an improvement and we see it beating some of RTD's older series.

Doctor Who Series 14/Season 1 Episode Rankings

 Ranking Series 14/Season 1 episodes with the 60th Anniversary specials.

12. Space Babies: 5/10 - Space babies was a very poor opener to the series. For an episode that was meant to hook in new viewers for the series - and especially as it is the biggest attempt to do so since 2005 - it was lacking a lot in plot. I also found the constant reinforcing of the phrase "space babies" by the Doctor annoying.

11. Empire of Death: 5/10 - this episode was frustrating for different reasons. I thought as soon as they killed off the entire supporting cast that RTD was going to result to a uno reverse card again. The stakes were so high it became so low. I felt that putting a lead on Sutekh, a that previously referred to the Doctor as a grovelling insect was insulting to the villain. I am not bothered with Ruby's mum being ordinary, but lots of things don't add up for that to be the case. Why is there snow? Why could the ambulance from Boom find her? Why couldn't we see her face in the time window. Why didn't Sutekh just know? A frustrating conclusion.

10. The Church on Ruby Road: 6/10 - This was nowhere near as solid as other episodes that have introduced a new Doctor or companion. Ruby's reactions is what was most disappointing to me. She seemed way too confident too quickly and seemed really unbothered by the capture of her foster sister. The goblins were an interesting choice, but that is fine for an episode that focuses on introductions. Those introductions however, were poorly handled.

9. Rogue: 6/10 - I thought the villains were an interesting concept, but I felt the romance of the episode was the issue. The Doctor has in the past fallen in love quickly, that is not my issue. My issue is that the Doctor left Ruby alone with these monsters whilst he was busy flirting. Then, when Ruby is about to die, the Doctor and Rogue kiss. I know it made sense for the plot, but Ruby wasn't bothered at all. 

8. Star Beast: 7/10 - David Tennant and Catherine Tate came back together, for a really fun episode. The Meep was great, and the performances superb. However, I do hate to say it - I do think it was the weakest episode to feature this duo. I found the Doctor to be too unbothered by Donna and her memory throughout, he even looked at Sylvia as if she was wrong to be bothered. The whole "letting it go" thing was also a cop out. I don't mind the answer being that the metacrises simply halved when Rose was born, but them just letting it go- very lacklustre. 

7. The Devil's Chord: 7/10 - Mysterio was a fun villain and the story was an interesting idea, that was executed well mostly. There were a few cringe moments, such as the music battle and the resolution again was weak. I enjoyed the twist at the end though.

6. Boom: 8/10 - The stakes seemed much higher in this one and some classicly good Moffat dialogue and a very good plot idea. I did not like the ending however, and I did not appreciate the Doctor's attack on faith.

5. The Giggle: 8/10 - This one is a hard one because I love the first two thirds. I think that the stuff in the Toymaker's shop is really creepy and well done. I enjoy the Toymaker and the Doctor's confrontation and I love the "spice up your life" routine. Like for many however, it is the split regeneration that I do not like. It undermines the concept of regeneration and undermines Ncuti Gatwa because David Tennant is off somewhere all the time. We have since also found out that the therapy didn't do the Doctor much good - he is still bothered about stuff come series 14/season 1. I don't mind the fact the Toymaker was defeated by a game of catch - the Toymaker is a being where something that simple could defeat him because he is made up of these rules.

4. The Legend of Ruby Sunday: 9/10 - I loved this episode when it first came out. Fantastic cliffhanger. It has somewhat been ruined by its second half. I feel the two threads of Ruby's mother and Susan Twist are not clearly linked enough and feel slightly disjointed in hindsight. However the mystery and the build up was great. It is shame the second half let it down.

3. 73 Yards: 9/10: Really liked this one. Good mix of political story and horror with a really creepy and interesting idea. I do not mind the fact we do not really know who the woman is, sometimes a mystery is good, and this is one of those cases. The two halves could have been better as two fleshed out stories, but that is a nit pick.

2. Dot and Bubble: 9/10: I really would not have expected this episode to score so highly but I really enjoyed it. Good idea, and Cindy was brilliantly portrayed. The murder of Ricky September was fantastically done and the Doctor's reaction to racism and the music that accompanied it gave me chills. A very good episode.

1. Wild Blue Yonder: 9/10: This episode was so weird - yet creepy and fantastic. What an idea that really allowed David Tennant and Catherine Tate to remind us of how brilliant their acting is. And just to top it all off, Wilfred Mott. Brilliant.