10 Modern Doctor Who Episodes Everyone Has Already Forgotten About

Since Doctor Who‘s revival in 2005, there have been plenty of amazing episodes, but more than a few have been forgotten. With Doctor Who season 14 due to air in Spring 2024, there are sure to be many great new adventures in the TARDIS. Since its reboot, Doctor Who has introduced five new Doctors to the Whoniverse, with Ncuti Gatwa playing the next incarnation.

With 13 seasons under its belt since 2005, it’s not surprising that some Doctor Who episodes have become unappreciated over time. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re bad episodes. With so many amazing stories having been told over the years, it makes sense that a few are forgotten.

10 “The Long Game”

Doctor Who season 1, episode 7

Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor only appears in 13 episodes, and “The Long Game” is easily one of his best, though it’s also often forgotten. Coming midway into season 1, it’s something of a filler episode. Despite this, it’s an essential story for the season’s arc and sets up the establishment of Satellite 5, which the Doctor and Rose (Billie Piper) return to in the two-part season finale. While this episode tends to be overlooked, it’s a brilliant stand-alone adventure and a great watch for those with limited Doctor Who knowledge. “The Long Game” also guest-stars Simon Pegg as the Editor, in one of his most underrated performances on television.

9 “New Earth”

Doctor Who season 2, episode 1

This was the first regular season episode for the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), who had been introduced in the 2005 holiday special, “The Christmas Invasion.” While Tennant received a brilliant reception for that debut, “New Earth” is often overlooked. This is surprising, considering it sees the return of the villain Cassandra (Zoë Wanamaker) and the Face of Boe, and it’s the first time that viewers truly see the kind of Doctor that the new incarnation will be. “New Earth” is a great adventure and proves that the Doctor and Rose’s relationship isn’t impacted too much by the Time Lord’s regeneration.

8 “42”

Doctor Who season 3, episode 7

A fantastically fast-paced episode, “42” is still often forgotten about despite being intense and filled with danger. This may be because there are quite a few supporting characters who have minor roles, which makes it difficult to follow at times. However, “42” is a brilliant episode for Martha Jones (Freema Aygeman) and sees her at her strongest. While it isn’t one of Doctor Who‘s best episodes overall, it’s a staple in Martha and the Doctor’s relationship. Her actions in “42” lead to the Time Lord inviting her to be a permanent member of Team TARDIS, and without it, season 3 would be very different.

7 “The Sontaran Stratagem” & “The Poison Sky”

Doctor Who season 4, episodes 4 & 5

“The Sontaran Stratagem” and “The Poison Sky” make up one of Doctor Who season 4’s many two-part stories, and it’s a jam-packed adventure that is sadly often forgotten about. These episodes see Martha reunited with the Doctor and introduced to Donna (Catherine Tate) for a great Earth-based storyline. It makes sense that these episodes are overlooked, especially as the two other two-parters in season 4 are so strong, but it is great to see the Doctor’s friends interact with one another in such a domestic way.

6 “Planet Of The Dead”

Doctor Who 2009 special

Between seasons 4 and 5, and to mark the end of David Tennant’s tenure as the Doctor, Doctor Who aired five specials between Christmas 2008 and the start of 2010. The second of these specials, “Planet of the Dead,” introduces one-time companion Lady Christina de Souza (Michelle Ryan) and UNIT scientific advisor Malcolm Taylor (Lee Evans). This episode may be frequently forgotten because of its lack of recurring characters and minimal impact on the larger story arc for these specials.

5 “Night Terrors”

Doctor Who season 6, episode 9

Doctor Who season 6 sees one of the show’s biggest story arcs in the show’s history: the reveal of the identity of River Song (Alex Kingston). Therefore, it’s no surprise that “Night Terrors” became an overlooked episode, as it’s one of few in that season that doesn’t focus on the overarching narrative. While its creepy and intense plot makes the episode a great watch, the stand-alone story doesn’t meet the same standards as the rest of the season. However, it does have a brilliant guest star performance from Daniel Mays, and the episode also has some very sweet father-son moments.

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4 “The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe”

Doctor Who 2011 Christmas special

It’s quite ambitious for Doctor Who to try and outdo itself year after year with a holiday special. Unfortunately, not all of them hit the mark. “The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe” is at least interesting plot-wise, as the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) has active companions in Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill), but they only appear in the final moments. Instead, the main companion role is filled by the widow Madge Arwell (Claire Skinner), a character never seen nor mentioned again. This special doesn’t add anything to Doctor Who‘s ongoing lore, but as an individual episode, it’s a great and wholesome family story.

3 “Hide”

Doctor Who season 7, episode 9

Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) is one of the Doctor’s longest-running companions in the modern era, but one of her earlier episodes, “Hide,” unfortunately flies under the radar. Clara only features in 11 episodes opposite the Eleventh Doctor, before his regeneration into the Twelfth (Peter Capaldi), so it’s a shame that “Hide” is often missed. While, at a glance, it seems to be a filler episode, it also establishes some important details going into the season 7 story arc. This episode sees a lot of back-and-forth in a pocket universe, which makes it hard to follow at times, but it has some beautiful cinematography, especially in the forest scenes.

2 “The Return Of Doctor Mysterio”

Doctor Who 2016 Christmas special

“The Return of Doctor Mysterio” stands out among Doctor Who Christmas specials because it doesn’t feel particularly festive, but the concept would have worked brilliantly for a stand-alone, mid-season episode. The storyline focuses heavily on a “superhero,” which leads to many Superman references, and it is also the only occasion in which Nardole (Matt Lucas) is the sole companion, as well as being his first story as a permanent addition to the show. While Peter Capaldi’s performance, as usual, is very strong in “The Return of Doctor Mysterio,” it proves that a lack of a developed, well-established companion can greatly affect the success of an episode.

1 “Empress Of Mars”

Doctor Who season 10, episode 9

While “Empress of Mars” sees the return of the Ice Warriors, their second appearance since the show’s 2005 reboot, it’s an episode that often gets forgotten. It doesn’t offer an interesting format, as it’s not often that Doctor Who visits an alien planet in the past. It’s possible that “Empress of Mars” is lost to time because, despite her being with the Doctor on Mars, Bill (Pearl Mackie) isn’t really used much. Like most Doctor Who episodes, it still has plenty of drama and humor, but in general, its storyline has very minimal impact on the show altogether.