The REAL Best Episodes to Start Watching Doctor Who

Hi bookish friends! Today’s newsletter covers:

• A giveaway for one of my new favorite reads

• My controversial Doctor Who comfort episode

• A breakdown of the different versions of SCP sensation turned bestselling sci-fi novel There Is No Antimemetics Division

• My review of the brand-new YA contemporary novel In The Country I Love

• Why the Thasmin romance in Doctor Who failed

• How the latest season of Doctor Who messed up the return of the Rani

• My thoughts on what makes Doctor-companion romances work in Doctor Who

But first, I have a bone to pick with the BBC Doctor Who Instagram account.

The BBC announced last month that seasons 1-13 of modern Doctor Who, covering the Ninth through Thirteenth Doctors, will be available to stream in the U.S. on AMC Plus starting on June 11. This is great news for Whovians and the Who-Curious living stateside, who have been unable to stream these seasons anywhere without additional purchases for about a year now.

(That said, I do hope that we might someday be able to get all fifteen seasons on the same streaming platform — the two most recent seasons of the show, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor, are on Disney Plus.)

To celebrate the AMC Plus announcement, the @bbcdoctorwho Instagram account made some suggestions for which episodes newcomers to Doctor Who should start with for each Doctor. And some of their picks were … controversial, to say the least.

So I decided to make my own guide for the best episodes for Doctor Who newbies! Some of my picks match with the BBC recommendations, but many of them diverge.

Where to Start Watching the Ninth Doctor

The BBC’s Recommendations: Rose (Series 1, Episode 1), Dalek (Series 1, Episode 6), and The Empty Child (Series 1, Episode 9).

I don’t have a huge bone to pick with these recommendations. However, while “Dalek” makes sense as an introduction to the show’s most iconic villain, I don’t think it makes sense as an introduction to the Doctor. Nine suffers a crisis of conscience in that episode that makes him go against his usual compassionate nature. It’s a brilliant episode, but I think it hits the hardest when you’ve also seen the preceding five.

Here are my three picks for the best Ninth Doctor episodes for newcomers:

• Series 1, Episode 1: Rose. If you’re serious about giving Doctor Who a shot, this is the best place to start. It assumes that most viewers haven’t watched the classic iteration of the show, so all the important concepts are explained over again, and Rose Tyler’s point of view provides a relatable grounding to ease you into the Doctor’s world.

• Series 1, Episode 8: Father’s Day. This is an emotional standalone episode with a quintessentially Doctor Who timey-wimey paradox. I cry every time!

• Series 1, Episode 9: The Empty Child. I have to agree with the BBC on this one. This super creepy two-part historical episode dials up the tension and suspense to the max, and also introduces fan-favorite guest character Captain Jack Harkness.

Where to Start Watching the Tenth Doctor

The BBC’s Recommendations: The Christmas Invasion (Christmas special 2005), The Girl in the Fireplace (Series 2, Episode 4), and Blink (Series 3, Episode 10).

None of these are awful picks. However, “The Christmas Invasion” is largely concerned with Rose getting used to the Tenth Doctor after his regeneration, which won’t make as much sense for people who haven’t seen her adventures with Nine.

In general, I think people who are desperate to skip to Ten’s incarnation should just suck it up and watch Nine’s season first. It’s only 13 relatively short episodes, it will give you context for Ten’s character, and they’re pretty damn great stories in their own right. But what if you don’t want to do that?

“Blink,” while being an incredible standalone episode, is so unlike the normal formula of a Doctor Who episode that I don’t think it’s a great barometer of whether you’ll like the show (same problem with “Midnight” from series 4, which often gets recommended as a good Tenth Doctor standalone). So for people who want to give Doctor Who a try on its usual terms, here’s what I would suggest:

• Series 2, Episode 4: The Girl in the Fireplace. This one gets recommended a lot as a beginner Doctor Who episode. It’s a great standalone story, and the addition of Mickey to the TARDIS team means that more stuff than usual gets explained.

• Series 3, Episode 1: Smith and Jones. This episode introduces companion Martha Jones, so the viewer can learn about the Doctor’s world along with Martha, and it’s just a good bit of fun in general.

• Series 4, Episode 8: Silence in the Library. This two-part story doesn’t rely on any previous lore, and it’s widely considered one of the show’s best and creepiest episodes. Just make sure to watch with the lights on!

Where to Start Watching the Eleventh Doctor

The BBC’s Recommendations: The Eleventh Hour (Series 5, Episode 1), Vincent and the Doctor (Series 5, Episode 10), and A Christmas Carol (2010 Christmas special).

This was the only slide where I couldn’t quibble with the recommendations no matter how much I tried. “The Eleventh Hour” is Eleven’s fantastic introductory episode that requires no context and has converted many a viewer into a diehard Whovian. “Vincent and the Doctor” is a wonderfully emotional standalone whose ending makes me cry every time, and “A Christmas Carol” perfectly captures the fun, magic, and whimsy of this era.

Where to Start Watching the Twelfth Doctor

The BBC’s Recommendations: Deep Breath (Series 8, Episode 1), Mummy on the Orient Express (Series 8, Episode 8), and Heaven Sent (Series 9, Episode 11).

This was the one that caused a LOT of controversy. “Heaven Sent” is widely considered to be Twelve’s best episode, and one of the show’s best episodes ever. However, you need the context of the rest of the season to understand it properly, so it makes very little sense as an introduction.

“Deep Breath” is Twelve’s first episode, but I’m not sure it’s an ideal introductory episode for a new fan, given that so much of the episode’s emotional resonance hinges on the shifting relationship with the Doctor’s previously-established companion Clara Oswald. “Mummy on the Orient Express” isn’t a bad choice for a beginner, but just to be ornery, I’m going to pick something else:

• Series 8, Episode 5: Time Heist. You don’t need any context to enjoy this standalone adventure, which features some killer twists and a great guest performance from Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey. And I mean, it’s a time-traveling bank heist in space — what more could you want?

• Series 10, Episode 1: The Pilot. This episode works great as a jumping-on point because it features the debut of Twelve’s companion Bill Potts, so a lot of important concepts get re-explained. I also think Twelve’s kind (if gruff) professor persona is much easier to digest for a newbie than how much of a jerk he could be in his first season.

• Series 10, Episode 5: Oxygen. This fan-favorite standalone episode features a brilliant sci-fi concept with a lashing of anti-capitalism thrown in.

Where to Start Watching the Thirteenth Doctor

The BBC’s Recommendations: The Woman Who Fell to Earth (Series 11, Episode 1), Rosa (Series 11, Episode 3), and Spyfall (Series 12, Episode 1).

Thirteen’s first season, Series 11, was intended as a bit of a soft reboot, similar to Eleven’s first season. It contains no returning villains — unlike Series 12, which involves quite a few lore deep dives and reveals. That’s why, despite the fun James Bond parody stuff, I’m not sure “Spyfall” is the best choice for new viewers.

Instead, my picks are all from Series 11:

• Series 11, Episode 1: The Woman Who Fell to Earth. Thirteen’s introductory episode requires no prior knowledge of the show, and Jodie Whittaker instantly nails the character in her first outing as the Doctor.

• Series 11, Episode 3: Rosa. I agree with the BBC here too — Rosa is a solid standalone that shows off why the historicals in Thirteen’s era are so well regarded.

• Series 11, Episode 6: Demons of the Punjab. This is a great standalone story with a lot of emotional resonance and a banger of a soundtrack!

Bonus: Where to Start Watching the Fifteenth Doctor

(The Fourteenth Doctor only has three episodes, so I didn’t think it was worth including him.)

The Fifteenth Doctor was not included in the BBC’s Instagram list because, as I mentioned before, his episodes are all on Disney Plus. But for completion’s sake, here are the episodes of his that I would recommend for new viewers:

• 2023 Christmas special: The Church on Ruby Road. This is Fifteen’s first episode, intended as an introduction to his incarnation and new companion Ruby Sunday, and the pair’s energy is instantly infectious.

• Series 14, Episode 2: 73 Yards. While I am loath to recommend a Doctor-light episode that doesn’t feature much of Gatwa’s brilliant performance, there’s a reason “73 Yards” is widely considered one of the best episodes of late. It doesn’t require any continuity to understand, and the tense, twisted plot is sure to please fans of Black Mirror.

• Series 15, Episode 2: Lux. While this episode contains some references that longtime fans of the show will catch, the plot easily makes sense with no prior context, and the animation effects are nothing short of masterful.

Note that Gatwa’s seasons are listed on some platforms as Seasons 1 and 2.

Which Doctor Who episodes would you recommend for newcomers to the show? Share in the comments!

Ends Tomorrow Night: Win a Signed Copy of A Stage Set for Villains!

A Stage Set for Villains is one of my new favorite reads — a dark upper YA fantasy inspired by Greek mythology about a girl named Riven who must infiltrate a deadly Playhouse filled with terrifying magic to break her curse. It’s full of romance, danger, and amazing plot twists, and I have an extra signed copy to give away!

Email subscribers get FIVE extra entries to this giveaway, and you can enter until 11:59pm Eastern time tomorrow (Sunday, June 7)! See my Instagram post for more details on how to throw your hat in the ring:

My Controversial Doctor Who Comfort Episode: New Earth

The Doctor Who episode “New Earth,” which sees the Tenth Doctor and Rose visiting a futuristic hospital, has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of all Tenth Doctor episodes across multiple Doctor Who Magazine fan polls. However, I love this story and have considered it my comfort episode for several years at this point!

To expand upon my appreciation for this episode, I created a mini video essay that is available to watch on YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok:

Explaining the Different Versions of There Is No Antimemetics Division

The bestselling sci-fi book There Is No Antimemetics Division began as part of the SCP (Secure, Contain, Protect) collaborative speculative fiction project, and it was self-published in novel form in 2021 before it was picked up by a traditional publisher last year. I was intrigued to find out what changed between the two, so I read both!

In this mini video essay, which can be watched on Youtube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok, I give a spoiler-free breakdown of the differences between the self-published and traditionally published versions:

Book Review: In the Country I Love by Alaa Al-Barkawi

Last month, I got an ebook advance copy of Alaa Al-Barkawi’s debut novel, In the Country I Love, which released on May 26. It’s a stunning YA contemporary about a secret friendship between two Iraqi American boys whose families had a massive falling out, and the events that bring them back together after a horrific crime.

I absolutely adored this book — it has complex characters, heart-wrenching emotions, and the pacing of a thriller! For more thoughts, see my post about the book on Instagram and my review on Storygraph.

Why the Thasmin Romance in Doctor Who Failed

My most recent long-form video essay covers the romance between the Thirteenth Doctor and her companion Yasmin Khan (aka Thasmin), and how I think the show could have improved the development of that relationship.

Using footage from that video, I edited a short that focuses on how Thirteen’s final episode made several choices about Thasmin that really annoyed me. The short is available to watch on YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok:

How the Latest Season of Doctor Who Messed Up the Return of the Rani

Last year, I created an hour-long video essay reviewing Doctor Who’s latest season. One of my criticisms was the anticlimactic return of the classic villain the Rani, who last appeared in the 1980s. I edited that section of the video into a short, which is now available to watch on YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok:

What Makes a Doctor-Companion Romance Work?

As part of my Thasmin video essay, I also gave my thoughts on Doctor-companion romances as a whole. Spoiler alert: I either love them or hate them depending on the execution. Watch the short version of my take on Doctor Who romances on YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and TikTok:

Thank you so much for reading! Until next time, my friends.

Love,

Ellie