Doctor Who: Every Doctor's First Episode Ranked Worst To Best

From the minute that Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor crashes through the roof of that train, she hits the ground running. Chris Chibnall's script for The Woman Who Fell to Earth wastes no time in letting the first female Doctor take charge of the situation.

As a debut story for both a new Doctor and a new showrunner, The Woman Who Fell to Earth establishes a more grounded and realistic urban setting than some of Russell T Davies' best work. The images of Sheffield at night as an alien trophy hunter rampages through the streets felt like a very modern take on Doctor Who.

And not only was The Woman Who Fell to Earth a great debut for Jodie Whittaker, it felt like a reinvention of the show that marked a clear departure from the Moffat era.

That doesn't quite carry over into the rest of the Chibnall and Whittaker era, but what does is Whittaker's infectiously enthusiastic portrayal of the Doctor. She does it all in this episode: she faces down weird cable monsters, investigates a space mushroom, builds a new sonic, and even finds time for a nap.

Take that, Fifth Doctor!