Season 1 Plot

The season introduces William Hartnell as the First Doctor, an alien who travels through time and space in his TARDIS, which appears to be a British police box on the outside. Carole Ann Ford is also introduced as the Doctor's granddaughter Susan Foreman, who acts as his companion alongside her schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright, portrayed by William Russell and Jacqueline Hill, respectively. Throughout the season, the Doctor and his companions travel throughout history and into the future. Historical stories were intended to educate viewers about significant events in history, such as the Aztec civilisation and the French Revolution; futuristic episodes took a more subtle approach to educating viewers, such as the theme of pacifism with the Daleks.

Doctor Who Season 1 aired on November 23rd, 1963.

Watch 'Doctor Who' Season 1 Online

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Season 1 Episodes

78

1. An Unearthly Child

November 23rd, 196323 min

After discussing a strange pupil, Susan Foreman, teachers Ian and Barbara follow her to a junkyard. They meet her grandfather, the Doctor, and force their way inside a police box with frightening results.

56

2. The Cave of Skulls

November 30th, 196325 min

The enigmatic Doctor, afraid that schoolteachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright will reveal his secrets to the people of 20th century Earth, has taken them and his granddaughter Susan back to the dawn of human history. There, the four travellers are dragged into the savage politics of a tribe of cavemen who have lost the secret of making fire…

58

3. The Forest of Fear

December 7th, 196324 min

Prisoners of the earliest humans, the TARDIS crew are caught in a deadly power play for leadership of the tribe.

63

4. The Firemaker

December 14th, 196324 min

The TARDIS crew must make fire for the early humans to stay alive. But once they do, they may not be allowed to leave!

72

5. The Dead Planet

December 21st, 196324 min

Time Unknown, Planet Unknown. The TARDIS lands in an eerie petrified forest overlooking a magnificent steel city. The Doctor wants to explore the city – but what is waiting there?

70

6. The Survivors

December 28th, 196324 min

The dead planet is not uninhabited after all. The Doctor is about to meet what will become his greatest enemies. And he and his crew are dying of radiation sickness.

72

7. The Escape

January 4th, 196425 min

Imprisoned on Skaro by the scheming Daleks, the Doctor and his companions work to escape their clutches.

69

8. The Ambush

January 11th, 196424 min

The time travellers work desperately to both escape the Dalek city and prevent a bloody massacre.

65

9. The Expedition

January 18th, 196424 min

The time travellers have escaped from the Daleks, but left a vital piece of the TARDIS behind. Getting it back will mean pushing the Thals to mount a dangerous operation.

70

10. The Ordeal

January 25th, 196426 min

Ian, Barbara and the Thals struggle through the caves to reach the Dalek city. Will they get there in time? Is there even a way through the treacherous caves? And what are the Daleks planning?

69

11. The Rescue

February 1st, 196422 min

Time is running out as the Doctor and his companions try to defeat the Daleks before they wipe out all life on Skaro.

66

12. The Edge of Destruction

February 8th, 196425 min

A mysterious explosion has knocked the TARDIS into void. And in their confusion, the crew are turning on one another.

62

13. The Brink of Disaster

February 15th, 196422 min

The TARDIS is adrift, the crew turning on each other. Only by working together can they find their way out before they are destroyed.

67

14. The Roof of the World

February 22nd, 196424 min

The TARDIS experiences a total power failure and is stranded in the Himalayas in the 13th century. The travellers are forced to join the caravan of the famous explorer, Marco Polo, in order to survive -- but Polo, fascinated by their claims that the TARDIS can fly through the air, seizes it on behalf of Kublai Khan in the hope that presenting the Khan with such a fabulous gift will convince him to let Polo return home to Venice. The travellers are forced to accompany Polo on his long trek across Asia to the Khan's court, but their many attempts to reclaim their property are foiled -- not just by Polo, but by the war lord Tegana, who is apparently on a mission of peace but has entirely different plans for dealing with Kublai Khan...

60

15. The Singing Sands

February 29th, 196427 min

Tegana sabotages the party's water bags, leaving them in dire need of fresh supplies.

64

16. Five Hundred Eyes

March 7th, 196423 min

The Doctor and Susan are able to supply Marco with condensation that has formed inside the TARDIS, saving the group from dying of thirst. When the group are reunited with Tegana, the travellers begin to suspect he is up to something.

64

17. The Wall of Lies

March 14th, 196425 min

The Doctor's group manage to rescue Barbara from the Mongols but once more Marco remains unaware of Tegana's involvement.

60

18. Rider from Shang Tu

March 21st, 196423 min

The Doctor and his friends elect to warn Marco of Acomat's attack even though it means losing their chance to gain access to the TARDIS.

58

19. Mighty Kublai Khan

March 28th, 196425 min

The Doctor, Ian and Barbara are forced to surrender to Tegana and Marco, leaving both of them the opportunity to gain possession of the TARDIS.

60

20. Assassin at Peking

April 4th, 196425 min

Tegana finally makes his move to assassinate the Khan, giving the Doctor and his friends an opportunity to thwart his plans and regain the TARDIS.

68

21. The Sea of Death

April 11th, 196423 min

The alien world of Marinus. Perfect peace has reigned here for decades due to the mind-controlling influence of a machine known as the Conscience. But now a race known as the Voord have developed an immunity and Arbitan, keeper of the machine, has been forced to scatter the vital control keys around the planet. Now he needs the help of the time travellers to get them back - it will be an extraordinary journey, with perils every step of the way...

64

22. The Velvet Web

April 18th, 196425 min

The Doctor and his friends arrive in the apparently idyllic city of Morphoton but Barbara soon begins to realise there is more to their hosts than meets the eye.

65

23. The Screaming Jungle

April 25th, 196424 min

The search for the second key takes the travellers to a jungle where Ian and Barbara come under threat from rapidly growing plants.

58

24. The Snows of Terror

May 2nd, 196425 min

Searching for the third key, Ian and Barbara meet with the sinister trapper Vasor before following Susan and the others into a cave system guarded by the mysterious Ice Soldiers.

63

25. Sentence of Death

May 9th, 196425 min

The group are reunited with the Doctor in the city of Millennius where Ian faces trial for murder after the fourth key is stolen.

67

26. The Keys of Marinus

May 16th, 196425 min

The Doctor and his friends must locate the real murderers and the fourth key before heading off for a final confrontation with the Voord

69

27. The Temple of Evil

May 23rd, 196424 min

The TARDIS arrives on Earth landing in 16th century Aztec society. Barbara goes off exploring - despite the Doctor's orders not to wander off - and is taken away by the high priest Autloc who believes she is the reincarnation of the goddess Yetaxa. They believe it is a sign that the rains - which are late - will now come. The high priest of sacrifice Tlotoxl recruits Ian to lead their army but he finds he has a rival in Ixta. Ian is less than comfortable with his role when he learns that they are to deliver the human sacrifice to the high priest at the rain ceremony. The Doctor emphasizes that they must not interfere with Aztec rituals, something that does not sit well with Barbara.

66

28. The Warriors of Death

May 30th, 196424 min

Barbara tries to change the course of history - and Ian fights for his life.

60

29. The Bride of Sacrifice

June 6th, 196425 min

While the Doctor tries to find a way back to the TARDIS, Tlotoxl continues to plot Barbara's downfall and sees an opening when Susan questions Aztec custom.

60

30. The Day of Darkness

June 13th, 196425 min

Tlotoxl's machinations result in both Susan and Ian being arrested. With the TARDIS once again trapped inside the tomb, the travellers' only hope for escape lies with Autloc and Cameca.

60

31. Strangers in Space

June 20th, 196425 min

The 28th century. The TARDIS materialises on a spaceship orbiting a planet known as the Sense-Sphere, whose natives, the Sensorites, have trapped the ship's human crew in a state of paralysis.

58

32. The Unwilling Warriors

June 27th, 196425 min

The Doctor and his companions are on board an Earth ship trapped in orbit around the Sense-Sphere when it is boarded by the Sensorites, who steal the lock mechanism from the TARDIS.

56

33. Hidden Danger

July 11th, 196425 min

The Doctor and his companions are escorted to the Sense-Sphere where they attempt to negotiate with the Sensorites for the release of the TARDIS.

58

34. A Race Against Death

July 18th, 196425 min

With Ian having fallen victim to the Sensorites' plague, the Doctor is desperate to find a cure. But the City Administrator is still determined to rid his world of aliens.

58

35. Kidnap

July 25th, 196426 min

The City Administrator is determined to destroy the Doctor and his friends and his paranoia prevents the Doctor's cure from being distributed.

64

36. A Desperate Venture

August 1st, 196424 min

While the City Administrator's schemes reach their climax, the Doctor and Ian venture into the tunnels under the city to discover the real cause of the Sensorite plague.

65

37. A Land of Fear

August 8th, 196424 min

The TARDIS lands during the French Revolution, where Ian, Barbara, and Susan become caught up in the politics of the day. When they are arrested and set to be executed, the Doctor must take on the disguise of a public official to try and save their lives.

66

38. Guests of Madame Guillotine

August 15th, 196424 min

Susan, Ian and Barbara are sentenced to be guillotined but an encounter with a dying English prisoner may offer Ian a chance of survival.

64

39. A Change of Identity

August 22nd, 196425 min

Susan and Barbara are rescued by Jules and Jean, two members of the escape chain, while the Doctor gains access to the prison by posing as a revolution official.

64

40. The Tyrant of France

August 29th, 196425 min

The Doctor is forced into a meeting with Robespierre while Barbara's attempts to find a physician for Susan result in them being betrayed.

64

41. A Bargain of Necessity

September 5th, 196424 min

Ian finds himself held prisoner by the treacherous Leon while the Doctor attempts to engineer Susan and Barbara's escape.

66

42. Prisoners of Conciergerie

September 12th, 196425 min

Ian finally delivers his message to James Stirling but in order to secure Susan's release he and Barbara are forced into a dangerous spying mission.

All Seasons

Season 26

Season 26

Sep 6, 1989
Season 25

Season 25

Oct 5, 1988
Season 24

Season 24

Sep 7, 1987
Season 22

Season 22

Jan 5, 1985
Season 21

Season 21

Jan 5, 1984
Season 20

Season 20

Jan 3, 1983
Season 19

Season 19

Jan 4, 1982
Season 18

Season 18

Aug 30, 1980
Season 17

Season 17

Sep 1, 1979
The Key to Time

The Key to Time

Sep 2, 1978
Season 15

Season 15

Sep 3, 1977
Season 14

Season 14

Sep 4, 1976
Season 13

Season 13

Aug 30, 1975
Season 12

Season 12

Dec 28, 1974
Season 11

Season 11

Dec 15, 1973
Season 10

Season 10

Dec 30, 1972
Season 9

Season 9

Jan 1, 1972
Season 8

Season 8

Jan 2, 1971
Season 7

Season 7

Jan 3, 1970
Season 6

Season 6

Aug 10, 1968
Season 5

Season 5

Sep 2, 1967
Season 4

Season 4

Sep 10, 1966
Season 3

Season 3

Sep 11, 1965
Season 2

Season 2

Oct 31, 1964
Season 1

Season 1

Nov 23, 1963
Specials

Specials

Aug 26, 1991