Every Doctor Who Debut Story Ranked From Worst To Best

When the show returned from the dead in 2005, Russell T Davies wisely avoided the temptation of bringing back the Daleks for the series opener. Instead, drawing heavily upon Jon Pertwee’s first story, the Doctor was pitted against the Nestene Conscience and its plastic foot soldiers – the Autons.

The comeback of the show, with all its bells and whistles, has to be the greatest regeneration of all and any attempt to show the transformation from McGann to Eccleston would have been overshadowed even by the fresh opening credits.

It means that the Doctor can have his ‘I am the Doctor’ moment right from the get-go, with his first line ‘run!’ The hero reborn takes Rose’s hand and a whole new generation of viewers along with it, as we run with him on that ‘trip of a lifetime’.

Davies is keen to keep the parents and the old school fans on board by showing a deference and respect to the show’s history, but this is Doctor Who for a new audience and is no more a show that will appeal exclusively to its dedicated followers and children.

The character of Clive represented the rather unfair stereotype of Doctor Who fans that was prevalent at the time, but the mainstream audience, many of whom were watching out of mild curiosity or vague nostalgia, are encouraged to feel that this show is for them too through the realistic character of Rose, who appeals in her ordinariness and literally replaces Clive.