Doctor Who: Every Doctor's First Episode Ranked Worst To Best
5. Rose
The first episode of Doctor Who's 2005 revival had a big job to do, and the fact that we're all sitting here in 2024 proves that it surpassed all expectations.
Rose is a Doctor Who episode that fizzes with chaotic energy. From burping wheelie bins to plastic Mickeys, there's a cartoonish aesthetic to Russell T Davies' 2005 relaunch, but it's grounded by Christopher Eccleston's excellent performance.
Where other actors in the role may have leaned into the chaos, Eccleston's matter-of-fact performance makes you believe in some of Rose's more outlandish moments. Which is exactly what you want from your Doctor.
Both a brand-new character and the Doctor that older fans knew and loved, Eccleston truly is phenomenal in Rose. He's a 21st century upgrade of the chilly outsider we first met in a junkyard, and despite being battered and bruised, he retains the charisma of his previous incarnations.