Is it a real Doctor Who episode or serial title? (Or is it made up?) TV quiz

Screen OD staff

The long-standing British television series Doctor Who has been captivating audiences for sixty years. Premiering for the first time in 1963, the show has presented us with more than a dozen incarnations of the Doctor, an extraterrestrial Time Lord who explores the universe in the TARDIS, a time-travelling spaceship. The series has given us countless memorable moments, from epic battles against Daleks and Cybermen to touching character developments, and intriguing encounters in the most unexpected places in time and space.

One unique aspect of Doctor Who is its intriguingly named serials and episodes. Some titles hint at the dangers that await the Doctor and their companions, while others reflect the quirkiness and whimsicality inherent in the series. There’s a certain charm to the episode and serial titles of Doctor Who, so much so that they might sound completely fictional to the untrained ear.

So, Whovians and trivia enthusiasts, how well do you know your Doctor Who history? Are you up to the task of differentiating between a genuine Doctor Who serial or episode title and a fabricated one? Test your knowledge with this quiz. We’ve gathered a collection of twenty titles—some real, some made up. Can you tell which is which?

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or a recent recruit to the TARDIS crew, this quiz offers a fun and challenging diversion. Don’t worry if you’re not sure—the answers are provided at the end, along with the year of the serial or episode and the incarnation of the Doctor (and the actor’s name) who starred in it. So, as we wait for the 60th anniversary specials and season 14 with Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson let’s step into the TARDIS—it’s time for a trivia trip through time and space!

Is it a real Doctor Who episode or serial title?

Questions

Can you tell which of the following titles are real? Bonus points for the year and the Doctor in the real ones…

  1. Is “The Tomb of the Cybermen” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  2. Is “The Fire of the Phoenix” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  3. Is “The Seeds of Doom” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  4. Is “The Nightmare Begins” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  5. Is “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  6. Is “The Caves of Androzani” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  7. Is “Voyage of the Damned” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  8. Is “Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  9. Is “The Sontaran Stratagem” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  10. Is “The Fires of Pompeii” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  11. Is “Dawn of the Daleks” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  12. Is “Vincent and the Doctor” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  13. Is “The End of the Universe” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  14. Is “Time-Flight” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  15. Is “The Day of the Doctor” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  16. Is “The Terror of the Zygons” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  17. Is “The Trial of a Time Lord” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  18. Is “The Sound of Drums” a real Doctor Who episode title?
  19. Is “The Ice Warriors” a real Doctor Who serial title?
  20. Is “Rise of the Cybermen” a real Doctor Who episode title?

Answers

  1. Yes, “The Tomb of the Cybermen” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1967, featuring the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton).
  2. No, “The Fire of the Phoenix” is not a real Doctor Who episode title.
  3. Yes, “The Seeds of Doom” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1976, featuring the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker).
  4. Yes, “The Nightmare Begins” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 1965, featuring the First Doctor (William Hartnell).
  5. Yes, “The Dalek Invasion of Earth” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1964, featuring the First Doctor (William Hartnell).
  6. Yes, “The Caves of Androzani” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1984, featuring the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison).
  7. Yes, “Voyage of the Damned” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2007, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).
  8. Yes, “Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2013, featuring the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith).
  9. Yes, “The Sontaran Stratagem” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2008, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).
  10. Yes, “The Fires of Pompeii” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2008, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).
  11. No, “Dawn of the Daleks” is not a real Doctor Who serial title.
  12. Yes, “Vincent and the Doctor” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2010, featuring the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith).
  13. No, “The End of the Universe” is not a real Doctor Who episode title.
  14. Yes, “Time-Flight” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1982, featuring the Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison).
  15. Yes, “The Day of the Doctor” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2013, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), and the War Doctor (John Hurt).
  16. Yes, “The Terror of the Zygons” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1975, featuring the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker).
  17. Yes, “The Trial of a Time Lord” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1986, featuring the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker).
  18. Yes, “The Sound of Drums” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2007, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).
  19. Yes, “The Ice Warriors” is a real Doctor Who serial title from 1967, featuring the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton).
  20. Yes, “Rise of the Cybermen” is a real Doctor Who episode title from 2006, featuring the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant).

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