The 13th Doctor madeDoctor Whohistory, being the first on-screen woman incarnation of the character. The 13th Doctor was bright, cheerful, and perpetually inquisitive. In her own words, she was the ‘blossomiest blossom.’ While the 13th Doctor’s era was one that was met by many negative comments, a declining viewership, and a global pandemic, it nevertheless provided some fantasticDoctor Whoepisodes that fans will be able to enjoy for years to come.
The 13th Doctor had three seasons, with an extended fam of four companions, three of which lasted nearly the entire length of the tenure. Some of the 13th Doctor’s best episodes are one-off stories, while most are part of a larger story — specifically, the 6-part Flux miniseries or arc-heavy episodes of Series 12.
10Demons of the Punjab
This adventure in the past explores Yaz’s family in the context of the partition of India. Focusing on real people and how the partition affected a family, “Demons of the Punjab” also featured a benevolent race known as the Thijarians, one ofDoctor Who’s best alien races that aren’t villains.
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“Demons of the Punjab” expanded upon Yaz’s family history and provided some visually stunning moments in the context of a divisive event in history. Not only is this one of the best episodes in Series 11, but in the 13th Doctor’s entire run.
9Kerblam!
“Kerblam!” is a traditional Doctor Who episode, one that could have featured any of the Doctors and probably still been the same story. Yet, the Thirteenth Doctor made it truly memorable.
Featuring Amazon-in-space, “Kerlam!” has creepy robots, a mystery, and a good blend of drama and comedy. In a series that felt so unfamiliar, Kerblam! was a typical New Who episode, and one of the 13th Doctor’s best.
8Resolution
“Resolution” sees the return of the Daleks, the first returning villain for the 13th Doctor to face after a series of completely new villains. It is also among the scariest moments that the tin-can aliens have had in New Who.
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Viewers loved seeing the Daleks back in fine form, with just one junkyard Dalek covered, and many scenes devoted to showing it ripping apart the British army and anyone else standing in its way. The episode also covers Ryan’s rift with his absent father who shows back up, before dealing with the Dalek threat in a clever and typically Whovian way.
7Spyfall Part 1
While “Spyfall Part 2” might have been a mess, the first part of the two-part story is a fantastic opener to the 13th Doctor’s second series. It perfectly introduces the new Doctor and her companions.
Featuring mysteries that take the Doctor and co across various countries in the world, the episode ends with a brilliant cliffhanger as the Master returns in a new body. “Spyfall Part 1” is a confident, breakneck-paced opener that got Series 12 off to a brilliant start.
6Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terrors
“Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terrors” felt reminiscent of a 10th Doctor episode. A traditional celebrity historical New Who episode, it features spider-esque villains that are cousins of the Racnoss, adeadly Doctor Who villain that only appeared once. It also features some brilliant moments between Tesla and the 13th Doctor.
Much like past celebrity historicals such as “The Shakespeare Code” and “Vincent and the Doctor,” “Night of Terrors” does well to inform the audience on some of Tesla’s struggles in his life. But it’s also a triumphant piece that suitably celebrates the life of a household name. “Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terrors” is one of thebest Doctor Who episodes about a celebrity historical figure.
5The Power of the Doctor
The final episode of the 13th Doctor, The Power of the Doctor is a 90-minute extravaganza that also serves as the show’s Centenary Special for the BBC.
This episode is great for fans of both Classic and New Who, featuring the return of both Tegan Jovanka and Ace, companions of the Fifth and Seventh Doctors respectively. The episode has plenty of surprises and a triple threat of the Master, the Cybermen, and the Daleks.
4War of the Sontarans
“War of the Sontarans” is the second episode of Flux. The episode features a return of the Sontarans, using the Classic series model.
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With the Sontarans using the Flux event to disrupt the timelines and invade in Earth’s past, it’s a great callback to themost underrated Doctor Who Classic serial, “The Invasion of Time.” There’s some brilliant Sontaran moments in this episode, and it stands alone while also being a great part of the wider Flux story.
3The Haunting of Villa Diodati
“The Haunting of Villa Diodati” is a fantastic celebrity historical featuring Mary Shelley, author ofFrankenstein. The eighth episode of Series 12, this episode stunned everyone with its off-the-wall structure.
The episode begins as a typical haunted house ghost story, before flipping on its head and becoming a Cyberman cat-and-mouse story. Ashad is fantastic as the lone Cyberman, giving the race a much-needed edge.
2Fugitive of the Judoon
“Fugitive of the Judoon” is the midway point of Series 12, and absolutely changed the rules of the show (for better or for worse). It led into the Timeless Child arc, which has proven incredibly divisive among fans of the franchise.
This episode saw a return of the Judoon in present-day Gloucester, and also the first appearance of a secret ‘Fugitive’ Doctor. Viewers loved the twists and turns throughout the episode and expansion upon the series arc.
1Village of the Angels
While there are many of brilliant 13th Dcotor episodes, “Village of the Angels” is in many fans' opinion the best. It is aNew Who episode that delves into sci-fi horror, by featuring one of the show’s scariest villains in modern times.
A creepy 50 minutes of effective Weeping Angel use, the Doctor and company have to figure out what the angels want while keeping themselves safe. By the end of the episode, the twist on what they want — or rather, who they want — becomes clear.
