5 Episodes That Made Me Want To Travel With The Doctor

Guest contributor Liam Duke lists his choices.

Doctor Who will always be my favourite show, and part of my love for it comes from my wish of seeing the TARDIS appear in front of me, leading me to run inside and have adventures in time and space. Life with the Doctor clearly wouldn’t be all fun and games, but since I started watching the show in 2005 there have been many episodes which made me want to be able to travel in the TARDIS with that magnificent Time Lord. Allow me to talk through just five of these episodes.

1. The End of the World (Series One, 2005)

The second ever episode of the revived series has its moments but still isn’t one of my favourites. However, it was the first time I’d seen what life with the Doctor could truly bring. You could go so far into the future that you could witness something you never imagined you ever would; the end of the world. Travelling with the Doctor has made the impossible possible! Not only that, this episode showed so many different alien species and I would have been amazed to have seen just how many life forms are out there in space ready to meet. Just seeing how tiny we are in the universe based on this episode would make me hungry to see just what all of time and space has to offer.

2. Father’s Day (Series One, 2005)

The eighth episode of Series One, in my opinion, is pretty good. It packs an emotional punch and has a very clever concept. Travelling with the Doctor allows you to go back in time and meet people you thought you never could. That in itself is magical. Even though there is the threat of the Reapers and lots of heart-breaking conflict, it would still be a wonder to reunite with a loved one or an idol you never expected to meet. This episode also showed me that the Doctor really does care for his companions and you could form a real bond with him. For him to take you where you want to go and be privileged by doing so is fantastic! Rose said it herself in ‘The Parting of the Ways’:

“That’s how good the Doctor is!”

3. The Doctor Dances (Series One, 2005)

Another quote that sums up this episode and why it makes me want to travel with the Doctor:

“Everybody lives!”

No matter what danger and death you encounter when travelling in the TARDIS, this episode showed me that everything wouldn’t always be bad; sometimes, everyone lives. Sometimes everything works out and you can enjoy a happy ending. Rare moments when no blood is spilled would make you appreciate travelling with the Doctor even more. It can be a joy.

4. School Reunion (Series Two, 2006)

I chose to include this as an example because a main worry you may have when joining the Doctor would be wondering what happened to those who travelled with him before. I would be scared that they all died a horrible death or left the Doctor’s side in some tragic way. However, being introduced to Sarah Jane in this episode showed me that sometimes companions do turn out very well and running away with the Doctor actually made them an even better person. Sarah Jane even told Rose that it was all worth getting your heart broken for. This showed me past companions don’t always regret leaving with the Doctor and made me wish I could travel with him even more.

5. The Rings of Akhaten (Series Seven, 2013)

The thing that wowed me in this episode was the incredible sights that travelling with the Doctor could reveal. The titular Rings would be a truly amazing thing to witness in person, and I honestly wished I was in Clara’s shoes at that moment. Not only did this episode show me that you could see some amazing sights, but also that not all aliens were evil. When the residents allowed Clara to have her ring back it showed me another good thing, making me want to hop into the blue box even more.

So, those are just five episodes that increased my love of the thought of travelling through time and space with the Doctor in the TARDIS. What episodes made you see just how good travelling with the Doctor could be and why? Let me know in the comments. Thank you so much for reading!