8. Trial Of A Time Lord 23
I toyed with the idea of originally making two separate recommendations for Trial of Time Lord as the massive season long fourteen-parter is subdivided in four parts. Had I done so, I would given priority to the second and fourth serials within this longer story, known as Mindwarp, or parts five through eight, and The Ultimate Foe, or parts thirteen and fourteen. Mindwarp is most valuable for being the end of companion Peri, who serves in some ways as a display of the Time Lords' cold, dispassionate, and therefore sometimes cruel ways. The ending to this epic battle begins in part thirteen with some unexpected help from the Master perhaps a spark of their future camaraderie and uneasy alliance when against a common enemy like we see in End of Time who brings companions Melanie Bush and Sabalom Glitz to help the Doctor's doomed defence. The identity of the Valeyard is quickly revealed as are the less than pure motives behind the Trial itself. However, the extra-long serial is undeniably greater than the sum of its parts, be they seen as one, two, four, or fourteen. Not only because the trial and the character of the Valeyard still come up in discussion of Doctor Who onto the present, but also because the trial serves as one of the rare opportunities the Doctor confronts just how in-between he has become. While the modern era of Doctor Who has become about just how human the Doctor is or is not, this serial is Classic Who's last attempt at establishing just how timelord he is.
7. The Daleks 1.5-1.11
The original Daleks are a good enough reason to watch this one. Their voices are incredibly amusing and watching the Doctor and his company work out what they are is particularly delightful. I think the general amicable attitude that has cropped up among them makes this serial particularly pleasant even in the sections with less action. It is one of the lengthiest serials, so if you wanted to watch just a single part of the lot I recommend part three The Escape. However, I've only narrowly put it above part four, The Ambush. This part sees companion Ian stuck in a Dalek suit, and preparing to make a heroic go-on-without-me sacrifice. What really makes this serial a list maker is it that contains so many elements which ultimately make Doctor Who what it has become: strange planets, and war, and humanoids, and companion bravery, and negotiation by the Doctor, and just a touch of comedy. A truly classic serial and an enjoyable start for the Doctor's greatest enemy.