Doctor Who season 12 episodes ranked
Season 12 was the penultimate Doctor Who season for Jodie Whittaker and originally ran on TV in the UK between 1 January 2020 and 1st March 2020, meaning it was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down TV productions in 2020 and slowed down releases for the next year or so. We have also included in season 12 the New Year’s Day 2021 special Revolution of the Daleks as it fits into the same filming run.
The season was the second to be overseen by showrunner Chris Chibnall and was broadcast on Sunday evenings in the UK, apart from the opening special episode that was broadcast on New Year’s Day in the tradition of Doctor Who festive specials.
The series stars co-stars Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole and Mandip Gill as companions Graham O’Brien, Ryan Sinclair and Yasmin “Yaz” Khan.
The season consists of ten episodes, but which of them is the best? That’s what we’re here to find out.
There’s a bit of time to wait until we see David Tennant in the 60th-anniversary specials in November 2023 from Russell T Davies, and we see the first episode of Doctor Who season 14 starring Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson around the festive season, so we have some time to look back at previous seasons…
Users of the IMDB rank every show that is on TV and the BBC science fiction show is no exception, so we have looked at the data and ranked the episodes from Doctor Who season 12 to see which shows were most appreciated by the audience.
What do you think, are the shows in the right order? Or do you demand a recount?
10. Orphan 55
Ranked 4.4
Everyone needs a break and some rest and relaxation – even a Time Lord and her companions and that’s why Graham decides they need a holiday. However, when they are all accidentally teleported to the Tranquillity Spa luxury resort, it turns out that there are dark forces at work that must be battled by the Doctor and her pals.
9. Praxeus
Ranked 5.2
The Doctor and her companions Graham, Ryan and Yaz split up in this episode as they need to investigate multiple goings-on across the planet that may need their attention. What they will discover is more of a problem than they had first bargained for and they will need their wits about them to navigate a path through this one.
8. The Timeless Children
Ranked 5.2
This season finale sees the rise of the Cybermen once again marching on humanity and hell-bent on bringing everything crashing down. With the Doctor trapped and alone, her companions must find a way to help. This episode is filled with exposed lies, truths told and some big battles that will change everything for the Doctor for a long time to come.
7. Can you Hear Me?
Ranked 5.7
Nightmares are always one of the scary subject matters to think about because they can’t be controlled – or so it seems. This episode sees the terror follow the Doctor from ancient Syria to modern-day Sheffield and across the universe. But who is behind all this, and how can they possibly be stopped?
6. Revolution of the Daleks
Ranked 6.0
This New Year’s Day special is filled with excitement and adventure as the return of Robertson sees the Daleks given the chance to clone themselves. What happens next is the Doctor manages to escape from the alien prison where she has been held in order in order to help battle her oldest foe in an episode filled with jeopardy.
5. Ascension of the Cybermen
Ranked 6.5
Set a long way in the far, far future the Cybermen are once again trying to eliminate all humankind (when aren’t they). As usual, the only chance that humanity is going to have is if the Doctor and her companions can come up with a plan to stop them. This will involve once. again a battle that will take them all through space and time and won’t be easy.
4. Nicola Tesla’s Night of Terror
Ranked 6.5
A historical episode set in early 20th Century New York City this episode is focussed on the great inventor Nicola Tesla as he attempts to outwit his great inventing rival Thomas Edison. However, this is Doctor Who, not Top Gear, and so it’s clear that there are going to be much bigger threats and darker forces at work that will see the inventors and the Doctor unite.
3. Spyfall: Part Two
Ranked 6.6
After the initial set-up in the first part of this doubleheader, the terrifying plan to destroy all of humanity is about to come to fruition and there is little time left. Will the Doctor and her companions be able to escape the many military traps and tricks that have been set for them to resolve this issue without anyone else getting hurt?
2. Spyfall: Part one
Ranked 6.7
Across the world intelligence agencies that protect humans from the very worst things that could happen are coming under attack. There are aliens behind this and there is only one Time Lord that MI6 is going to turn to, and that’s the Doctor. But what is her plan and has this gotten too far out of control already for her to stop things from becoming critical? We’ll have to wait for part two to find out…
1. Fugitive of the Judoon
Ranked 7.5
Number one by a considerable distance, this episode was voted as the best by fans easily in the ranking. The Judoon have arrived in Gloucester in England and are on the hunt for someone in the present day. But who is this fugitive that they prize so highly and why ate they so desperate to get their hands on them? And how does this all tie together with the Doctor? Well, you’ll have to watch the top-ranked episode to find out.
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