All 16 Doctors’ First Adventures in Doctor Who, Ranked

Some of the 16 main incarnations of the Doctor in Doctor Who have made stronger first impressions than others in their first full adventures as the time-traveling Time Lord. As of November 23, 2025, Doctor Who has been on our screens for 62 years, and the show’s longevity is helped by the titular hero’s ability to regenerate their entire body and personality every time they become ill, elderly, or dead. This has allowed 16 actors to portray main incarnations of the Doctor over the years, all of whom perhaps feel the most pressure in their first on-screen adventures.

Fans typically fall in love with whichever actor plays the Doctor at any time, which means whoever is chosen to replace them often has huge shoes to fill. Any new Doctor’s first on-screen story usually sets the benchmark for how their entire era will go, so it’s a shame that some didn’t make the good first impression they surely hoped to. While some haven’t made an immediate impact, others have told us exactly who they are and what they’re about in their first adventure, and many of these stories will go down in history as some of Doctor Who’s most memorable and important episodes.

16) Sixth Doctor — “The Twin Dilemma” (1984)

Beyond being a disappointing first story for Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor, “The Twin Dilemma” is considered one of Doctor Who’s worst episodes ever. The Sixth Doctor was instantly unlikeable, especially during moments where he abuses existing companion Peri Brown (Nicola Bryant), both verbally and physically. While Baker arguably embodied the new Doctor, new personality rule perfectly, the drastic shift from Peter Davison’s fan-favorite Fifth Doctor to this was just too much. “The Twin Dilemma’s” weak script, dull plot, underdeveloped side characters, and poor production values didn’t help either.

15) Seventh Doctor — “Time and the Rani” (1987)

Shrouded in the controversy of Colin Baker’s firing and behind the scenes turmoil, Sylvester McCoy’s first adventure as the Seventh Doctor, “Time and the Rani,” was only marginally better than his predecessor’s maiden story in the TARDIS. A 2014 poll in Doctor Who Magazine #474 saw “Time and the Rani” voted the third-worst Doctor Who episode ever, with its lackluster plot, depth-less script, lack of tension, and disappointing performances putting the nail in the coffin. The inclusion of the Rani (Kate O’Mara) was interesting, but this did little to make McCoy’s debut as the Doctor any more enjoyable.

14) Fourth Doctor — “Robot” (1974)

Despite being the first serial for one of the most beloved and recognized Doctors, Tom Baker’s Fourth Doctor, “Robot” failed to garner a passionate response from audiences. The story’s poor visual effects, disappointing villains, and uninteresting script were certainly not indicative of Baker’s future career as the Time Lord. Even so, Tom Baker’s actual performance as the Fourth Doctor received praise from the get-go, with many feeling as though he took over from Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor brilliantly, delivering a very different Doctor with emotional depth, energy, and a captivating personality.

13) Eighth Doctor — “Doctor Who” (1996)

BBC Worldwide and Universal Pictures’ attempt to revive Doctor Who seven years after its 1989 cancellation introduced Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor. McCoy’s iteration regenerated in San Francisco after being shot by a gang member, and McGann brought charm, sophistication, and romanticism to the role. While McGann’s Doctor was praised, and the Doctor Who TV movie’s production design was impressive, the project suffered under the weight of over-the-top acting, continuity issues — especially with the Doctor revealing he’s actually half-human — and the “Americanization” of the British institution. We want to see more live-action Eighth Doctor stories, though.

12) Fourteenth Doctor — “The Star Beast” (2023)

It was incredible to see David Tennant and Catherine Tate reunite in “The Star Beast” to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary in 2023. Tennant debuted as the Fourteenth Doctor when Russell T. Davies returned as series showrunner. Unfortunately, this gave “The Star Beast” a cheesy 2008 feeling. The production value was brilliant, no doubt, and the chemistry on-screen was electric, but the Meep was a poor villain, the pacing had trouble, the resolution of one of Doctor Who’s most emotional storylines was rushed and lackluster, and the plot was over-stuffed with “newness,” rather than paying homage to the show’s past.

11) Fifth Doctor — “Castrovalva” (1982)

At this point in Doctor Who’s history, the transition from the Fourth Doctor to the Fifth was definitely the most transformative for the show and the character. Tom Baker had become an institution as the Fourth Doctor, so there was a lot of pressure on “Castrovalva” to mark a strong debut for Davison’s Fifth Doctor. “Castrovalva” is incredibly weird, as the Doctor and his companions find themselves in a town folding in on itself. Even so, this actually works. It was inventive, exciting, and visually interesting, and gave Davison the opportunity to fully embrace the wildness of his new character.

10) Thirteenth Doctor — “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” (2018)

Jodie Whittaker’s debut as the Thirteenth Doctor also marked the debut of Chris Chibnall as Doctor Who showrunner, but this started an era of controversy and division for the series. While some of Whittaker’s later adventures were criticized, however, “The Woman Who Fell to Earth” is generally considered a strong introduction to the fresh new face of Doctor Who and the first female incarnation of the Doctor on-screen. The villainous Tim Shaw (Samuel Oatley) left a lot to be desired, but Whittaker brought new energy, her ensemble cast of companions was interesting, and the show’s fresh aesthetic was welcome.

9) War Doctor — “The Day of the Doctor” (2013)

Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary special could have easily taken the top spot on this list as the first full on-screen adventure for the War Doctor (John Hurt). This incarnation had been kept hidden from us until 2013, but was the version of the Doctor who fought during the catastrophic Time War, and eventually used the Moment to destroy Gallifrey. “The Day of the Doctor” caught up with the War Doctor at the end of his story, so, while we loved this special, we would have preferred to see the War Doctor’s efforts before this story — his true first adventures.

8) Second Doctor — “The Power of the Daleks” (1966)

History was made when William Hartnell’s First Doctor transformed into Patrick Troughton’s Second Doctor at the end of 1966’s “The Tenth Planet.” It was “The Power of the Daleks” that truly introduced us to the Second Doctor, however, and this set the standard for new actors taking over as the time-traveler. The story was paced perfectly and told its outlandish story of the Doctor, Ben Jackson (Michael Craze), and Polly (Anneke Wills) facing Daleks in a human colony on Vulcan, with maturity and style. It had its problems, and is dated by today’s standards, but marked a smooth transition.

7) Fifteenth Doctor — “The Church on Ruby Road” (2023)

There was a huge amount of excitement for Ncuti Gatwa’s debut as the Fifteenth Doctor, but his iteration was shrouded in controversy from the very start. The bi-generation in “The Giggle” that kept both the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors in existence was a divisive choice, which meant that subsequent stories suffered, too. “The Church on Ruby Road” marked Millie Gibson’s first appearance as Ruby Sunday, who was an interesting addition with a compelling backstory and great chemistry with Gatwa. Unfortunately, the goblins were a lackluster villain, and the musical elements were ill-fitting. We wanted more from Gatwa’s first full story.

6) Tenth Doctor — “The Christmas Invasion” (2005)

After a brief appearance in “The Parting of the Ways,” 2005’s Christmas special, “The Christmas Invasion,” marked David Tennant’s first story as the Tenth Doctor. This episode incapacitated the Doctor, showing the detrimental effects of regeneration really for the first time in Doctor Who’s history, which was an interesting addition to Time Lord lore. Unfortunately, this meant that Tennant didn’t do much in “The Christmas Invasion,” which was a strange choice for his first adventure. When he did wake up, he was brilliant, and his battle against the Sycorax leader (Sean Gilder) is iconic, but we wanted more.

5) First Doctor — “An Unearthly Child” (1963)

Doctor Who would not be what it is today without “An Unearthly Child,” the show’s very first serial released back in 1963. “An Unearthly Child” introduced Hartnell’s First Doctor, debuted his team of companions: his granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford), and her teachers Ian Chesterton (William Russell) and Barbara Cartwright (Jacqueline Hill), and established the entire concept of the series. Some episodes of the serial had some problems, sure, but “An Unearthly Child” kicked off Doctor Who wonderfully, and will be remembered as one of the most iconic serials in TV history.

4) Twelfth Doctor — “Deep Breath” (2014)

Few changes between Doctors have been as drastic as the shift from Matt Smith’s youthful and energetic Eleventh Doctor to Peter Capaldi’s dark and brooding Twelfth Doctor. “Deep Breath” did an incredible job of spotlighting this change while giving Capaldi plenty of opportunities to develop his new character and introducing a gritty new style for this era of Doctor Who. “Deep Breath” was a slow burn, but it gave us plenty of time to get to know this new Doctor, and explore his new relationship with continuing companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman), whose performance was also off the charts.

3) Third Doctor — “Spearhead from Space” (1970)

Widely considered to be one of the best Doctor Who serials in the show’s history, “Spearhead from Space” marked a strong debut for the Third Doctor in 1970. Pitting the Doctor against the terrifying Autons in the modern era, “Spearhead from Space” marked a huge transition for the series, not just with the change from Troughton to Pertwee, but also as the Doctor found himself exiled to Earth. High production values gave “Spearhead from Space” a cinematic feeling, and the episode was the first in the series to be released in color, which gave Doctor Who new realism and life.

2) Ninth Doctor — “Rose” (2005)

16 years after it was cancelled during McCoy’s run, Doctor Who was revived in 2005, and acclaimed actor Christopher Eccleston was introduced as the Ninth Doctor in “Rose,” named for the Doctor’s new companion, Rose Tyler (Billie Piper). The chemistry between Eccleston and Piper was fantastic — pun intended — and, funnily enough, this episode also marked the return of the bone-chilling Autons. “Rose” was an incredible episode to bring Doctor Who back with, establishing a new style, energy, vibrancy, modern themes, and truly dramatic performances. Not perfect, but among Doctor Who’s most memorable and legendary episodes.

1) Eleventh Doctor — “The Eleventh Hour” (2010)

Sure, “Deep Breath,” Spearhead from Space,” and “Rose” are all great, but “The Eleventh Hour” is considered by many to be the best first story for a Doctor ever. The 2010 kick-starter to Steven Moffat’s career as showrunner and Matt Smith’s career as the Eleventh Doctor became an instant classic. Full of fun, tension, interesting twists involving new companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), and a thrilling narrative, “The Eleventh Hour” effectively transitioned Doctor Who from Tennant’s Tenth Doctor — who many consider to be the best — and Smith’s Doctor’s new persona. Big shoes to fill, but he pulls it off expertly.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

What Went Wrong With Doctor Who on Disney+ & Why It’s Ended After Just 2 Seasons