Choose your favourite classic season(s)!
(Max of 3 if you’re indecisive like myself)
- Season 1
- Season 2
- Season 3
- Season 4
- Season 5
- Season 6
- Season 7
- Season 8
- Season 9
- Season 10
- Season 11
- Season 12
- Season 13
- Season 14
- Season 15
- Season 16
- Season 17
- Season 18
- Season 19
- Season 20
- Season 21
- Season 22
- Season 23
- Season 24
- Season 25
- Season 26
5 Likes
The only seasons I’ve seen in full so far are 1-4 and 22-23, but I think the odds that anything beats Trial for me are pretty slim
10 Likes
Trial of a Timelord is certainly a fun season, maybe something in the 70’s might beat it but who knows!
5 Likes
Limiting myself to three, I chose S13, 14, and 25.
13 & 14 are the absolute best of Tom Baker’s era. Some of the greatest stories, one after another.
And 25 is just incredible, all of those stories are great.
Runner-ups would be S7 & 10. I do love Pertwee too!
6 Likes
I haven’t seen all of classic who yet, but of what I have seen so far I choose seasons 16, 17 and 25. Season 16 was the first classic series I watched entirely in English and it introduces Romana, so ofcourse I love it. Season 17 I haven’t even seen in it’s entirety yet, but it introduces Romana II, so obvious choice, and the episodes I have are just so much more special to me then the ones from season 18 (which I have actually seen all). City of Death is just that good and Shada will always have a special pace in my heart, since I read the novelisation in a particularly dark time of my live, bringing me much joy.
Season 25 the second series I watched and I instantly fell in love with Ace. Season 26 could have easily been up here as well for similar reasons, but Remembrance and Happiness Patrol give Season 25 a slight edge.
9 Likes
I went with seasons 2, 19 and 20, I feel fairly confident in that, but I love this show so much and there’s so many I feel bad about not including!
In order of preference it probably goes
S20
Reason and Ranking
They really hit it out of the park here, didn’t they? A return for Omega that runs circles around The Three Doctors, a worthy successor to what was already the best of the prior season, in comes one of the show’s most interesting companions with an arc with the Black Guardian, ending off on a compotent enough historical, not a favourite but much better than it often gets credit for. While I’m sure some would argue against its inclusion, The Five Doctors belongs here too! The special is all heart, even if you’re not so big on the story I don’t think any fan doesn’t get the warm fuzzies watching it. It makes enduring Terminus worth it.
- Enlightenment
- Snakedance
- The Five Doctors
- Mawdryn Undead
- Arc of Infinity
- The King’s Demons
- Terminus
S2
Reason and Ranking
This season represents an early creative peak for Doctor Who, they’ve realised what a special thing they’ve got on their hands and are going as ambitious as possible. For all the seams that start to show for that ambition, I can’t help but love it. It’s an incredibly hard run to beat, and it has Vicki!
- The Crusade
- The Time Meddler
- The Romans
- The Rescue
- The Space Museum
- The Dalek Invasion of Earth
- The Chase
- Planet of Giants
- The Web Planet
S19
Reason and Ranking
I love Tom Baker’s final two seasons, that’s an important preface because I feel THIS season is the show firing on all creative cylinders in a way it hasn’t since the 1960s. Such a great variety of adventures told with an all-time team, I make no secret of my love for this dysfunctional family. Though it’s brought down by two big stinkers and questionable-at-best representation of other races throughout the season that feels outdated even for its time.
- Kinda
- Earthshock
- Castrovalva
- The Visitation
- Four to doomsday
- Time-Flight
- Black Orchid
6 Likes
I went with 7, 8 and 26.
7 and 26 because they are basically flawless in my eyes.
8 because it is just delightful through and through, the original UNIT family versus my favourite incarnation of the Master. Hearing Roger Delgado say “Miss Grant” just makes me smile every time 
But there isn’t a single “bad” season, there are a couple of clunkers here and there perhaps but overall there is something amazing about every single season of Classic Who and every Doctor in there 
11 Likes
Absolutely well said! There’s some seasons I’m less than keen on but there’s always something I can come away loving.
9 Likes
I have a lot that I really love but if I am honest with myself I am a basic bitch and it’s 7, 13, 25 for me. Ranking is hard but I probably go:
25
- Remembrance of the Daleks - I mean we all knew I was going to say this. Look at my icon! Look at my rewatch count! This story is just so dear to me and it is really good. It’s maybe not my Favourite Episode Ever bc I think that’s an impossible choice, but it’s a contender.
- The Happiness Patrol - this episode is SO so good. It has that iconic kind of silly surface serious centre which makes DW so brilliant
- Silver Nemesis
- The Greatest Show - I think honestly SN/TGSitG are pretty joint to me. SN is daft but I have fun. TGSitG is brilliant and fun also. Man I do just love this series
13
My Sarah Jane <3 I went through a phase of watching this season on loop over and over again so I love all these episodes a lot
- Pyramids of Mars - this episode rocks. That’s all I have to say. I knooooowwww you’re a Time Lord…
- Terror of the Zygons - Pretty sure this was one of my first exposures to Classic Who, but regardless, I don’t understand not liking this episode. It’s fun. It’s good.
- Seeds of Doom - Sarah Jane’s hat in this one is so cute
- The Android Invasion - Another one that I think is unpopular but I don’t understand why bc it’s good
- The Brain of Morbius - Actually, for one of the ‘‘iconic’’ episodes I don’t think about this one that often
- Planet of Evil - I’ve cosplayed Sarah in this one
7
Every episode in this series slaps. Full. Stop.
- Inferno - Really I need say nothing else. Iconic and excellent and revered for good reason
- Spearhead from Space - easily one of the best Doctor intro episodes ever
- The Ambassadors of Death
- and the Silurians - It’s been way too long since I wanted this one or Ambassadors and I think that needs to change stat
Honourable mentions to seasons 8, 15, 23, and 26 too.
10 Likes
I’ve only just started season 17 and I’ve only seen a smattering from seasons 1-6, as as of right now, I picked 10, 11, and 15.
Season 7 is a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s absolutely possible I just wasn’t used to the format yet and would like it more upon rewatch. The early seasons with Jo had the Doctor be rude to her, which I really don’t enjoy, but by season 10 they got along much better and it was a joy to watch, along with some really solid stories.
Season 11 is Sarah Jane’s first, and I honestly like her better with Three than Four. In general, I don’t like Four much. While there are some fantastic serials later on, I do think this season has the best stretch of them.
I think season 15 is somewhat of a controversial choice, but I love Leela and it has some really solid stories. I still think about The Sun Makers regularly.
8 Likes
Too many good ones to choose. Love the 60s, any of the Season could be my favorite, it’s just that one special Era for me. Season 7 is superb, 4 great Stories that are never really replicated in the Show’s History again, easily the Peak of the Pertwee Years. I do have a real soft spot for Season 11 and 17, I think both live from the chemistry of their two leads. Love, love Season 13. And of course I do really love the last two Seasons with McCoy. If I had to it probably would be Season 4, 13 and 7. (I am so sorry McCoy and Aldred, I am really am, Season 26 is probably a close 4).
I love the 60s so much so obviously I would go with one of them and what better way then to chose the one with both Hartnell and Throughton? While I only really love one of the Hartnell Story in this Season, I absolutely adore Throughton so early on. Ben, Polly, Jamie and 2 might not be the best Tardis Team but they do have a nice chemistry that works really well for me in certain Stories.
Season 7 is just filled with superb Stories, all of them easily Peak High points in Pertwee’s Era. I am also loving long Stories so it was joy to find out that we get three 7 Parters before the Format has been retired. And Liz is just excellent. Shame we didn’t get more of Liz, even through I love Jo, obviously.
And Season 13 is honestly just really fun, probably the most obvious choice, but it’s splendid. I think Sarah and 4 have a great chemistry here and you get a lot of classics, the weak points are in any other season pretty solid, dare I say “just good”.
Again honorable Mentions to Season 25, 26, 2, 3, 5 and 17
7 Likes
Obviously everyone’s fingers slipped and they meant to vote for Season 24…
In all seriousness, I’m glad to see Season 7 at the top because it’s possible the most consistent Classic season.
8 Likes
As unpopular as it may be I’ll always go to bat for it. The contrast between how camp it is and how much of a bloodlust it has is really something, Paradise Towers feels almost ahead of its time as it’d be right at home in either of the following seasons, Delta and the Bannermen is a bonkers joyride amd Dragonfire brings the season to a strong close with a strong villain and setting, the return of Glitz and introduction of Ace! I love those three stories sincerely and for all its sins you can do much worse than Time and the Rani. The Doctor recognising the real Mel in that first story and saying goodbye to her in Dragonfire are two lovely moments that bookend the season, and what an ice hot one it is!
10 Likes
It’s been over a week since I set this poll and the results are in!
The rankings of the season as voted by you lovely people goes as follows:
- Season 7 - 15 Votes
- Season 25 - 11 Votes
- Season 26 - 10 Votes
- Seasons 13 & 19 - 5 Votes
- Seasons 14 & 16 - 4 Votes
- Seasons 8, 23 & 24 - 3 Votes
- Seasons 2, 10 & 12 - 2 Votes
- Seasons 1, 3, 6, 11, 15, 17, 20, 21 & 22 - 1 Vote
- Seasons 4, 5, 9 & 18 - 0 Votes
Breakdown by Doctor
- 1st Doctor - 4 Votes
- 2nd Doctor - 1 Vote
- 3rd Doctor - 21 Votes
- 4th Doctor - 17 Votes
- 5th Doctor - 7 Votes
- 6th Doctor - 4 Votes
(5 if you want to count S21 for him too)
- 7th Doctor - 24 Votes
Meaning the 7th Doctors era gained the most votes overall with 24!
9 Likes
This was far too difficult, so in the end, I went with one season from each of my three favorite Classic Doctors (T. Baker, Pertwee, Troughton) - in release order, Seasons 4, 10, and 13 win for me. For S4, that run from Tenth Planet through Evil is incredible; for S10, I think it’s the best 3/Jo season; and for S13…come on, it’s Season freaking 13, haha.
Honestly, though, I could’ve chosen at least a dozen other seasons for many of the reasons others have already mentioned, so I shall close by dropping a list of honorable mentions featuring my favorite season from the remaining four Classic Doctors who received more than a TV movie:
Hartnell - Season 2
Davison - Season 19
C. Baker - Season 22
McCoy - Season 26
7 Likes
Genuinely stunned that I’m the first person to vote for Season 5, it’s amazing! It just drops banger after banger from start to finish (until Wheel in Space but I enjoy the ridiculousness of that myself)
3 Likes
I do love Season 5, but honestly the Competition is tough, especially with all the other 60s Seasons, I’d argue. But you are correct, S5 is filled with Banger after Banger (and is probably much more consistent compared to S6, which well.. gets carried by its three biggest High Points (and the Krotons))!
2 Likes
That’s a great choice, too! Season 5 is my second favorite Troughton season.
1 Like
I apparently did not vote here when the topic was created. Season 4 is my highest-rated classic season. I also voted for S05 and S07, but it is hard to choose.
3 Likes
