WatchTrove
US My List

Episode guide

Doctor Who: Season 1

Poster for Doctor Who Season 1

42 episodes · premiered Nov 23, 1963

The season introduces William Hartnell as the First Doctor, an alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside. Carole Ann Ford is also introduced as the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman, who acts as his companion alongside her schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, portrayed by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Throughout the season, the Doctor and his companions travel throughout history and into the future. Historical stories were intended to educate viewers about significant events in history, such as the Aztec civilisation and the French Revolution; futuristic episodes took a more subtle approach to educating viewers, such as the theme of pacifism with the Daleks.

Doctor Who: cast and where to watch

  1. Episode 1: An Unearthly Child Nov 23, 1963 · 23m · TMDB 7.9 After discussing a strange pupil, Susan Foreman, teachers Ian and Barbara follow her to a junkyard. They meet her grandfather, the Doctor, and force their way inside a police box with…
  2. Episode 2: The Cave of Skulls Nov 30, 1963 · 25m · TMDB 5.8 The enigmatic Doctor, wary that Ian and Barbara will reveal his secrets to the people of 20th-century Earth, takes them and his granddaughter Susan back to the dawn of human history…
  3. Episode 3: The Forest of Fear Dec 7, 1963 · 24m Prisoners of the earliest humans, the TARDIS crew are caught in a deadly power play for leadership of the tribe.
  4. Episode 4: The Firemaker Dec 14, 1963 · 24m The TARDIS crew must make fire for the early humans to stay alive. But once they do, they may not be allowed to leave!
  5. Episode 5: The Dead Planet Dec 21, 1963 · 25m Time Unknown, Planet Unknown. The TARDIS lands in an eerie petrified forest overlooking a magnificent steel city. The Doctor wants to explore the city – but what's waiting there?
  6. Episode 6: The Survivors Dec 28, 1963 · 25m The dead planet is not uninhabited after all. The Doctor is about to meet what will become his greatest enemies... And he and his crew are dying of radiation sickness.
  7. Episode 7: The Escape Jan 4, 1964 · 26m Imprisoned on Skaro by the scheming Daleks, the Doctor and his companions work to escape their clutches.
  8. Episode 8: The Ambush Jan 11, 1964 · 25m The time travellers work desperately to both escape the Dalek city and prevent a bloody massacre.
  9. Episode 9: The Expedition Jan 18, 1964 · 25m The time travellers have escaped from the Daleks, but left a vital piece of the TARDIS behind. Getting it back will mean pushing the Thals to mount a dangerous operation.
  10. Episode 10: The Ordeal Jan 25, 1964 · 27m Ian, Barbara and the Thals struggle through the caves to reach the Dalek city. Will they get there in time? Is there even a way through the treacherous caves? And what are the Daleks…
  11. Episode 11: The Rescue Feb 1, 1964 · 23m Time is running out as the Doctor and his companions try to defeat the Daleks before they wipe out all life on Skaro.
  12. Episode 12: The Edge of Destruction Feb 8, 1964 · 25m A mysterious explosion has knocked the TARDIS into void. And in their confusion, the crew are turning on one another.
  13. Episode 13: The Brink of Disaster Feb 15, 1964 · 23m The TARDIS is adrift, the crew turning on each other. Only by working together can they find their way out before they are destroyed.
  14. Episode 14: The Roof of the World Feb 22, 1964 · 24m The TARDIS experiences a total power failure and is stranded in the Himalayas in the 13th century. The travellers are forced to join the caravan of the famous explorer, Marco Polo, in…
  15. Episode 15: The Singing Sands Feb 29, 1964 · 27m Tegana sabotages the party's water bags, leaving them in dire need of fresh supplies.
  16. Episode 16: Five Hundred Eyes Mar 7, 1964 · 23m The Doctor and Susan are able to supply Marco with condensation that has formed inside the TARDIS, saving the group from dying of thirst. When the group are reunited with Tegana, the…
  17. Episode 17: The Wall of Lies Mar 14, 1964 · 25m The Doctor's group manage to rescue Barbara from the Mongols but once more Marco remains unaware of Tegana's involvement.
  18. Episode 18: Rider from Shang Tu Mar 21, 1964 · 23m The Doctor and his friends elect to warn Marco of Acomat's attack even though it means losing their chance to gain access to the TARDIS.
  19. Episode 19: Mighty Kublai Khan Mar 28, 1964 · 25m The Doctor, Ian and Barbara are forced to surrender to Tegana and Marco, leaving both of them the opportunity to gain possession of the TARDIS.
  20. Episode 20: Assassin at Peking Apr 4, 1964 · 25m Tegana finally makes his move to assassinate the Khan, giving the Doctor and his friends an opportunity to thwart his plans and regain the TARDIS.
  21. Episode 21: The Sea of Death Apr 11, 1964 · 24m The alien world of Marinus. Perfect peace has reigned here for decades due to the mind-controlling influence of a machine known as the Conscience. But now a race known as the Voord have…
  22. Episode 22: The Velvet Web Apr 18, 1964 · 26m The Doctor and his friends arrive in the apparently idyllic city of Morphoton but Barbara soon begins to realise there is more to their hosts than meets the eye.
  23. Episode 23: The Screaming Jungle Apr 25, 1964 · 24m The search for the second key takes the travellers to a jungle where Ian and Barbara come under threat from rapidly growing plants.
  24. Episode 24: The Snows of Terror May 2, 1964 · 25m Searching for the third key, Ian and Barbara meet with the sinister trapper Vasor before following Susan and the others into a cave system guarded by the mysterious Ice Soldiers.
  25. Episode 25: Sentence of Death May 9, 1964 · 26m The group are reunited with the Doctor in the city of Millennius where Ian faces trial for murder after the fourth key is stolen.
  26. Episode 26: The Keys of Marinus May 16, 1964 · 26m The Doctor and his friends must locate the real murderers and the fourth key before heading off for a final confrontation with the Voord
  27. Episode 27: The Temple of Evil May 23, 1964 · 24m The TARDIS arrives on Earth landing in 16th century Aztec society. Barbara goes off exploring - despite the Doctor's orders not to wander off - and is taken away by the high priest Autloc…
  28. Episode 28: The Warriors of Death May 30, 1964 · 25m Barbara tries to change the course of history - and Ian fights for his life.
  29. Episode 29: The Bride of Sacrifice Jun 6, 1964 · 26m While the Doctor tries to find a way back to the TARDIS, Tlotoxl continues to plot Barbara's downfall and sees an opening when Susan questions Aztec custom.
  30. Episode 30: The Day of Darkness Jun 13, 1964 · 26m Tlotoxl's machinations result in both Susan and Ian being arrested. With the TARDIS once again trapped inside the tomb, the travellers' only hope for escape lies with Autloc and Cameca.
  31. Episode 31: Strangers in Space Jun 20, 1964 · 25m The 28th century. The TARDIS materialises on a spaceship orbiting a planet known as the Sense-Sphere, whose natives, the Sensorites, have trapped the ship's human crew in a state of…
  32. Episode 32: The Unwilling Warriors Jun 27, 1964 · 25m The Doctor and his companions are on board an Earth ship trapped in orbit around the Sense-Sphere when it is boarded by the Sensorites, who steal the lock mechanism from the TARDIS.
  33. Episode 33: Hidden Danger Jul 11, 1964 · 25m The Doctor and his companions are escorted to the Sense-Sphere where they attempt to negotiate with the Sensorites for the release of the TARDIS.
  34. Episode 34: A Race Against Death Jul 18, 1964 · 25m With Ian having fallen victim to the Sensorites' plague, the Doctor is desperate to find a cure. But the City Administrator is still determined to rid his world of aliens.
  35. Episode 35: Kidnap Jul 25, 1964 · 26m The City Administrator is determined to destroy the Doctor and his friends and his paranoia prevents the Doctor's cure from being distributed.
  36. Episode 36: A Desperate Venture Aug 1, 1964 · 25m While the City Administrator's schemes reach their climax, the Doctor and Ian venture into the tunnels under the city to discover the real cause of the Sensorite plague.
  37. Episode 37: A Land of Fear Aug 8, 1964 · 25m The TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must…
  38. Episode 38: Guests of Madame Guillotine Aug 15, 1964 · 25m Susan, Ian and Barbara are sentenced to be guillotined but an encounter with a dying English prisoner may offer Ian a chance of survival.
  39. Episode 39: A Change of Identity Aug 22, 1964 · 26m Susan and Barbara are rescued by Jules and Jean, two members of the escape chain, while the Doctor gains access to the prison by posing as a revolution official.
  40. Episode 40: The Tyrant of France Aug 29, 1964 · 25m The Doctor is forced into a meeting with Robespierre while Barbara's attempts to find a physician for Susan result in them being betrayed.
  41. Episode 41: A Bargain of Necessity Sep 5, 1964 · 24m Ian finds himself held prisoner by the treacherous Leon while the Doctor attempts to engineer Susan and Barbara's escape.
  42. Episode 42: Prisoners of Conciergerie Sep 12, 1964 · 26m Ian finally delivers his message to James Stirling but in order to secure Susan's release he and Barbara are forced into a dangerous spying mission.