14 Most Watched Doctor Who Episodes Of All Time

1. City Of Death

And here it is. The most watched Doctor Who episode of all time... and it's probably not the one you were expecting! It's strange, really, that out of 800 (and counting) episodes, the one that's managed to secure the show's highest ratings was about an alien trying to steal the Mona Lisa... but don't let that shamelessly brief overview put you off. It's actually got a lot going for it, to give credit where credit's due, and it was its fourth and final installment, broadcast on 20th October 1979, that peaked at a whopping 16.1 million viewers as Doctor Who's largest audience to date tuned in for the story's climactic conclusion in which the titular Time Lord thwarted yet another extraterrestrial foe's attempt to destroy all of life on Earth. Pretty standard, stuff, really, so what was so special about this one, you ask? Well, let's be honest, it worked in the BBC's favour that their rival channel, ITV, had been taken off air at this point, but let's pretend that wasn't the only factor that contributed to Doctor Who recording its highest viewing figures ever. What about the fact that the serial pushed the boundaries by being the first Doctor Who story to be filmed outside of the UK? And then there's the fact that it's genuinely funny, too, so most people probably kept watching because they needed a laugh. What did you think of this list? Do you think these episodes deserve to be the amongst the most watched in Doctor Who history? Join the conversation in the comments section below.