Doctor Who: EVERY Series Opener Ranked Worst To Best

15. Space Babies

As the second story for Ruby Sunday and the third for the Fifteenth Doctor, Season 1’s opener was always going to feel a bit weird. It only really exists as a bit of filler, to plug the gap between the stories either side. In hindsight, making The Church on Ruby Road the actual episode one would've been a far stronger bet.

Even so... it still needed to be a much better episode than this.

The opening scenes are needlessly laden with forced exposition. The butterfly effect sequence is basically pointless. The Bogeyman twist is painfully obvious. And the phrase “Space babies!” is said far too many times.

More than anything else, it doesn’t set the tone for the following seven episodes. Yes, Doctor Who is a different thing each week – but was it really the best idea to open with distracting talking babies and a farting spaceship? In what was supposed to be the big Disney launch of this new era?

No, no it wasn't.

There is some nice stuff in there. Fifteen’s heart-to-heart with Poppy is a defining moment for his Doctor, and the flashback to Ruby’s mother is eerie and evocative (even if it never actually goes anywhere). But it’s not quite enough to save Space Babies from last place.