Russell T Davies’ the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time, and without his efforts, the show would’ve never been rebooted after its 1989 cancelation. The incredibly talented Davies is behind some of the most impactful episodes of the show, as well as the creation of many top-notch storylines and excellent companions.
Despite writing so many great pieces in the past and then allowing Steven Moffatt and Chris Chibnall to take the reins, Davies is still drawn to Doctor Who and has recently returned as showrunner. Doctor Who season 15 will start on Christmas Day 2024, the second holiday special for Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. While it’s expected to be another spectacular Doctor Who story, it faces significant pressure to be as good as Davies’ best episodes.
10 Boom Town
Season 1, Episode 11
Season 1’s “Boom Town” is a fantastic standalone episode of Doctor Who, which sets up the overall tone for the finale of Davies’ first installment of the show. There are plenty of great qualities about this episode. For example, the cheesy yet iconic Slitheen, Rose Tyler’s staple 2000-esque costuming, Captain Jack Harkness and Mickey Smith’s interactions, and the first appearance of the pit stop Cardiff water tower.
Many of the Ninth Doctor’s episodes in Doctor Who present him as a dark and troubled man, but “Boom Town” is one of the few that shows him in a more relaxed light. It’s the first story with Team TARDIS returning to the present day since their initial meeting with the Slitheen, which is rather apt, considering that it’s also the last time the Ninth Doctor visits the period in this incarnation. With solid performances from the entire cast, plus Annette Badland as Margaret Blaine, “Boom Town” is a brilliant and enjoyable singular episode.
9 Wild Blue Yonder
60th Anniversary Specials
“Wild Blue Yonder” contains one of the best quotes from the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials—the origin of the “Mavity” joke. The episode is a classic Doctor and Donna adventure, and it’s also their first after years and regenerations apart.
What’s so strong about “Wild Blue Yonder,” however, is that it’s mainly just the legendary duo throughout. The story allows the pair to properly catch up and reflect on the time they missed together, while trying to avoid a mysterious threat they can’t initially locate.
"Mavity" In Doctor Who - It's More Than Just A Running Joke
Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special continues the 60th anniversary's "mavity" joke, but a deeper hidden meaning hides behind the running gag.
“Wild Blue Yonder” is a risky episode for Davies, especially as the specials set up a whole new era of Doctor Who and viewers look to the show for action and adventure. However, the episode is definitely tense and fast-paced, even though it is dialogue-heavy. David Tennant and Catherine Tate’s dramatic talents are beautifully highlighted in “Wild Blue Yonder,” and the two prove that suspense is more important in an episode of Doctor Who than anything else.
8 The Runaway Bride
Christmas 2006
“The Runaway Bride” introduces Doctor Who Christmas special. “The Runaway Bride” also acquaints viewers with the Racnoss, a large spider-like creature with a bloodthirsty desire to convert the Earth for her children.
Sadly, the Racnoss are yet to return to Doctor Who. Despite this, the creepy alien is still an amazing villain. “The Runaway Bride” is a feel-good and comical watch, especially because of Donna. Donna is a breath of fresh air after the Doctor heartbreakingly loses Rose to a parallel world. She is hilarious and offers a new point of view into the Doctor’s world, and from her first moments, Donna proves herself to be one of Davies’ very best characters from any TV show.
7 Bad Wolf & The Parting Of The Ways
Season 1, Episodes 12 & 13
The Doctor Who season 1 two-parter “Bad Wolf” and “The Parting of the Ways” is Davies’ first finale and Christopher Eccleston’s last story as the Ninth Doctor. It’s clear that a lot of thought goes into the episodes, especially as they wrap up the first installment of the show after the 2005 reboot, and the story is brilliantly reflective of the times.
The Doctor, Rose, and Jack’s sudden arrival at the Game Station throws them into reality shows like Big Brother, The Weakest Link, and What Not to Wear, all with a sci-fi twist. These two episodes see the Ninth Doctor at his best. He is dark and broody, constantly battling to find and keep Rose safe, but he also continues to demonstrate why he is the smartest person in the universe.
Christopher Eccleston and Russell T Davies reportedly had a disagreement during the first season of Doctor Who. According to Metro, Eccleston has stated that he would only consider returning to the series if Davies was no longer the showrunner.
Davies also proves that his strengths lie in overall season arcs by excellently bringing back two crucial factors of the season: the Daleks and Satellite 5 from “The Long Game.” The descent of Satellite 5 from a hard-hitting journalistic organization to a cheap and cringey TV network shows how easily timelines can be altered, which is an important narrative in Doctor Who.
6 The Stolen Earth & Journey's End
Season 4, Episodes 12 & 13
Davies’ exceptional writing abilities are apparent in the season 4 finale episodes “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey’s End.” The two-parter is a perfect example of a TV show providing a fan service while still ensuring that the story at hand is still the main focus. Audiences are reminded of The Doctor’s many incarnations in Doctor Who when he reunites with some of his closest confidants from the past and present, including Martha Jones and Sarah Jane Smith. Davies also ups his game by bringing Davros back to try and destroy the universe.
One common criticism of Davies’ earlier seasons is that he uses the Daleks as the main villain too frequently. However, season 4’s finale raises the stakes, with Doctor Who’s biggest antagonists and their creator enacting a plan that is more dangerous than ever before.
Doctor Who: What Happened To Doctor Donna?
Doctor Who's Donna Noble transforms into Doctor Donna in season 4, but how she does it and exactly what happened afterward are worth exploring.
Doctor Who season 4 builds tension for the eventual return of Rose Tyler, but her appearance isn’t the best part of these episodes. In reality, it’s the creation of Doctor Who’s Metacrisis Doctor, which opens up all manner of possibilities for the future, although it does result in the Doctor losing Donna.
5 The Waters Of Mars
2008-2010 Specials
Doctor Who’s scariest episode from Tennant’s era is easily “The Waters of Mars,” a one-off special set after season 4. This episode is one of the few stories that Davies co-wrote, and the writer is ed by Phil Ford for it. “The Waters of Mars” is a crucial episode for the Tenth Doctor’s development and hugely contributes to the Time Lord Victorious character arc. His rapid decline after parting with Donna is deeply profound and makes the Doctor flawed and more emotional than normal, and he feels all the losses since the Time War all at once.
The Flood creatures in “The Waters of Mars” are also a great demonstration of why Doctor Who’s special effects and makeup are so good. Their uneasiness is even more disturbing as they are the former crew of Bowie Base One, a group of important people in human history. The Doctor’s struggles with Adelaide Brooke, a fabulous temporary companion who disagrees with him changing timelines, are also an amazing way for Davies and Ford to get across just how vulnerable he is. Davies is a wonderful writer alone, but “The Waters of Mars” proves that he’s just as strong with others.
4 Army Of Ghosts & Doomsday
Season 2, Episodes 12 & 13
Tennant’s first Doctor Who finale, the two-parter “Army of Ghosts” and “Doomsday,” is a heartbreaking installment of the show. Rose Tyler’s departure from the show is hard on audiences and the Time Lord, especially as it happens because of one of the biggest battles Earth has ever faced. Davies once again reprises certain storylines and villains from the season with the return of the Cybermen, as well as appearances from Mickey and Pete Tyler from the parallel universe. However, the levels of danger skyrocket when the Daleks are thrown in, too.
The interactions between the Daleks and Cybermen are ridiculously sassy, and they’re so hilarious at times that it occasionally offsets the seriousness of the situations. Rose’s exit is one of the most emotional moments in the show, especially as in the opening of “Army of Ghosts,” she tells the Doctor she plans to stay with him forever.
Russell T Davies also wrote the It's a Sin (2021) and created and produced Nolly (2023).
The Tenth Doctor and Rose’s goodbye on Bad Wolf Bay is soul-destroying, and Murray Gold’s legendary soundtrack tugs at the heartstrings, but it shows that Davies knows how to wrap up a character’s story in a memorable way.
3 73 Yards
Season 14, Episode 4
There are still plenty of unanswered questions about Doctor Who’s “73 Yards,” but this isn’t a bad thing. Davies is known for creating multi-season mysteries, and even though Ruby Sunday has not met her mother, viewers know that there is so much more to learn about the Fifteenth Doctor’s first companion. In the span of one episode, an entire lifetime goes by for Ruby after the Doctor vanishes.
Her separation from the Time Lord throws Ruby back into a normal life. However, “73 Yards” is different compared to previous episodes that play around with this same concept. Ruby tries to seek the Doctor out, but she ultimately has to give up and move on.
Davies’ villain for the episode, who is actually a future Ruby, is a fantastic idea.
The Doctor’s influence on her is still very prominent, but unlike other companions, Ruby doesn’t live her life simply to reunite with him. Davies’ villain for the episode, who is actually a future Ruby, is a fantastic idea. Ruby saves the day, but she does it for her, not the Doctor. “73 Yards” is eerie and suspenseful, and while it’s hard to predict what is going to happen next, that’s why the episode works so well.
2 Turn Left
Season 4, Episode 11
“Turn Left” is another amazing Doctor-lite episode in Doctor Who, and one that also delves into an alternative timeline for one story. After an alien soothsayer manipulates Donna, her entire past changes and sends her off on a path in which she never meets the Doctor in “The Runaway Bride.” Because of this, not only does Donna’s life change, but the entire universe does, too. “Turn Left” continues to push the narrative that Donna Noble is the most important woman in the universe by showing how her influence on the Time Lord triggered certain events in seasons 3 and 4.
Without Donna, the Doctor dies under the Thames in Christmas 2006, and it also causes the deaths of Martha, Sarah Jane, and Torchwood Three. This is a fascinating idea from Davies, and it’s also a shocking but excellent way for the writer to bring back Rose Tyler. “Turn Left” also does wonders for Rose’s character development, and it allows her to show viewers that she’s been productive since being forcibly separated from the Doctor. “Turn Left” highlights the importance of the Doctor’s companions and that, without them, the Time Lord isn’t half the hero he usually is.
1 The End Of Time (Parts 1 & 2)
2008-2010 Specials
The Tenth Doctor’s last story is the two-parter “The End of Time,” the last episodes of the post-season 4 specials. Tennant’s final bow is a fantastic adventure that reunites him with John Simm’s Saxon Master, one of the most unhinged and erratic incarnations of the famous Doctor Who villain. “The End of Time” kicks off the fallout of the events of “The Waters of Mars” and the Doctor’s realization that he needs to move on from all the chaos and heartbreak of his tenth regeneration.
Wilfred Mott's return is fabulous, and his role as the Doctor’s last companion is fitting. Of course, the most astonishing moment of these episodes is the dramatic appearance of the Time Lords. The arrival of the of the Doctor and the Master’s species is a shock, especially as they had died during the Time War.
“The End of Time” kicks off the fallout of the events of “The Waters of Mars” and the Doctor’s realization that he needs to move on from all the chaos and heartbreak
These episodes are also Russell T Davies’ last from his original era, and the writer continuously proves during them that he is the perfect Doctor Who showrunner by wrapping up multiple storylines, such as the fate of Donna after “Journey’s End” and the Master’s drums, and he even gives the Tenth Doctor a beautiful farewell tour to his most beloved companions.
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Doctor Who
- Release Date
- 1963 - 1989-00-00
- Network
- BBC One, BBC Television
- Directors
- Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Peter Moffatt, Richard Martin, Chris Clough, Lennie Mayne, Pennant Roberts, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Graeme Harper, Gerald Blake, Hugh David, Mervyn Pinfield, Rodney Bennett, Waris Hussein, John Gorrie
Cast
Barry JacksonGordon Lowery-
Brian BadcoeAdam
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingBUYDoctor Who: Doctor Who is a British sci-fi television series debuting in 1963, following The Doctor, a time-traveling alien Time Lord. The Doctor explores the universe in the TARDIS, accompanied by companions, confronting various adversaries and striving to save civilizations while addressing injustices.
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Doctor Who
5/10- Release Date
- December 25, 2023
- Network
- BBC
- Directors
- Douglas Camfield, David Maloney, Christopher Barry, Michael E. Briant, Barry Letts, Michael Ferguson, Richard Martin, Peter Moffatt, Pennant Roberts, Lennie Mayne, Chris Clough, Ron Jones, Paddy Russell, Paul Bernard, Michael Hayes, Timothy Combe, Morris Barry, Gerald Blake, Graeme Harper, Waris Hussein, Rodney Bennett, Mervyn Pinfield, Hugh David, John Gorrie
Cast
The Doctor
Millie GibsonRuby Sunday
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingThe latest Doctor Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, ed by new companion Ruby Sunday.
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