Every Doctor Who Title Sequence Ranked Worst To Best (2025)

Jon Pertwee's final season saw the first major changes for the Doctor Who title sequence. Still in the hands of Bernard Lodge, the new sequence introduced perhaps the most recognisable element of the Doctor Who titles, something still used today – the time vortex. Gone were the wavy blobs of the howlround effect in favour of a tunnel-like visual that really elevates the feeling of travelling through a portal to another world. Although a little cheesy by today's standards, the image of the Third Doctor panning out to a full body shot as it travels down the tunnel also adds to the sense that this is a man who travels through these space portals. 

The theme music remained unchanged but audiences were treated to one of the greatest logos the show has ever seen. In comparison to the more simple designs of the previous years, the iconic diamond logo gave a real sense that the show was upgrading as its popularity grew. The shape and tint of blue gives a sense that this could somehow be part of the TARDIS and feels the most connected to the show itself.

Speaking of the TARDIS, when Tom Baker arrived in 1974, the title sequence saw some tweaks made. While the general concept remained very similar, the TARDIS was incorporated into the sequence for the first time. It almost appears to be traveling up the time vortex towards the audience, before cutting to a much more flattering image of the Fourth Doctor than what would appear in his next title sequence. 

While some of the elements introduced here were dropped for a while, it's clear that these particular titles were highly influential on the modern era of Doctor Who and still hold up well today.