Doctor Who: Every Doctor's First Episode Ranked Worst To Best
2. An Unearthly Child
Okay, yes, An Unearthly Child introduces us to a lead character who is a kidnapper and potential murderer. That's not the Doctor Who we would come to know and love.
However, Doctor Who's first 25 minutes should be taught in schools. The way that it builds up the mystery of Susan Foreman and her enigmatic grandfather is masterful.
The atmospheric foggy streets and the creepy old junkyard add to the sense of foreboding around what lies behind the gates of I.M. Foreman. And then, finally, the Doctor arrives, emerging out of the fog, coughing and spluttering, and deeply suspicious of these trespassing teachers.
This isn't quite the Doctor that we'll grow to love, but the way that he tries to teach a disbelieving Ian and Barbara about the TARDIS is great. This won't be the last time that he has to try and explain insanely complicated scientific theories to pudding-brained Earthlings.
An Unearthly Child more than lives up to the name Doctor Who, and though the rest of the story devolves into dull caveman and aimless wandering, that first episode still holds up today as a solid 25 minutes of drama.