Doctor Who: 10 Scariest Episodes That Sent Us All Behind The Sofa

6. The Caves Of Androzani

Peter Davison's Doctor is generally seen as a lighter one; less alien than his predecessor, much more humble than his successor. But as Davison's time on the show veered towards an end, it became obvious that the Fifth Doctor was heading down an undeniably dusky route. 'The Caves of Androzani', one of the most revered sci-fi stories of all time, is perhaps the darkest regeneration story ever. Sharaz Jek acts as the main antagonist, almost as a Darth Vader figure; he's insane and extremely sinister, keeping a mask on for much of the story before revealing a burned face. He strokes Peri's hair while she's powerless to escape his creepy clutches, and it's at the end of this episode that the Doctor undergoes perhaps his most painful and traumatic regeneration. It's a story that pulls no punches when it comes to the intimidating, and it makes for one of the grimmest atmospheres in any Who story. It's perhaps a direction that Steven Moffat wanted to take Eleven, in 'The Name of the Doctor', and it's certainly a serial that's stood the test of time.