The BEST episodes of Doctor Who season 8

Every episode of Doctor Who season 8, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Doctor Who season 8!

The Doctor, a mysterious traveller in space and time, travels in his ship, the TARDIS. The TARDIS can take him and his companions anywhere in time and space. Inevitably he finds evil at work wherever he goes...

Last Updated: 10/31/2024Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended
Terror of the Autons (4)
star
7.56
268 votes

#1 - Terror of the Autons (4)

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/23/1971

The Doctor catches up with his old enemy, the Master. Can anyone stop the Nestene Consciousness?

Directors: Barry Letts
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The Mind of Evil (6)
star
7.52
246 votes

#2 - The Mind of Evil (6)

Season 8 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/6/1971

The Keller Machine breaks free of the Doctor's restraining device and the Doctor has no choice but to turn the parasite against the Master.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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The Claws of Axos (2)
star
7.43
222 votes

#3 - The Claws of Axos (2)

Season 8 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/20/1971

The Master is in league with the Axons who intend to consume Earth. The Doctor subjects Axonite to tests and discovers the terrible truth.

Directors: Michael Ferguson
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The Daemons (4)
star
7.42
156 votes

#4 - The Daemons (4)

Season 8 - Episode 24 - Aired 6/12/1971

The Doctor is captured by the villagers who are under the Master's control. Jo goes to the church to prevent the Master from summoning Azal for the final time, but is too late.

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Terror of the Autons (2)
star
7.42
308 votes

#5 - Terror of the Autons (2)

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/9/1971

The Doctor investigates Rossini's International Circus. The Master, meanwhile, has assumed control at the plastics factory and is manufacturing new lines of living plastics.

Directors: Barry Letts
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The Mind of Evil (5)
star
7.41
250 votes

#6 - The Mind of Evil (5)

Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/27/1971

The Master forms an uneasy alliance with the Doctor so that between them they can subdue the Keller Machine which is now out of control.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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Terror of the Autons (1)
star
7.40
293 votes

#7 - Terror of the Autons (1)

Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/2/1971

Earth, the near future. The Master – another renegade Time Lord and the Doctor's sworn enemy – arrives and allies himself with the Nestene Consciousness in an attempt to conquer the planet.

Directors: Barry Letts
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The Mind of Evil (4)
star
7.37
237 votes

#8 - The Mind of Evil (4)

Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/20/1971

The mind parasite within the Keller Machine becomes too powerful for the Master to control. It learns how to move of its own accord and goes on the hunt for new minds.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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The Mind of Evil (2)
star
7.34
218 votes

#9 - The Mind of Evil (2)

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/6/1971

A full-scale riot takes place at the Prison and Jo is taken hostage. Meanwhile, at the World Peace conference, the Chinese delegate's aide prepares to kill the American delegate.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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Terror of the Autons (3)
star
7.32
296 votes

#10 - Terror of the Autons (3)

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/16/1971

Earth, the near future. The Master - another renegade Time Lord and the Doctor's sworn enemy - arrives and allies himself with the Nestene Consciousness in an attempt to conquer the planet. But how can plastic flowers be an invasion weapon...?

Directors: Barry Letts
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The Mind of Evil (1)
star
7.31
247 votes

#11 - The Mind of Evil (1)

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/30/1971

At Stangmoor Prison, the Doctor and Jo watch a demonstration of the Keller Machine which can extract evil impulses from criminals. But the experiment goes wrong and a man dies.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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The Daemons (5)
star
7.26
163 votes

#12 - The Daemons (5)

Season 8 - Episode 25 - Aired 6/19/1971

UNIT have penetrated the heat barrier and launch an attack on the gargoyle, Bok. In the cavern, the Daemon Azal confronts the Doctor and the Master to decide the fate of mankind.

The Claws of Axos (1)
star
7.22
280 votes

#13 - The Claws of Axos (1)

Season 8 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/13/1971

Axos lands on Earth. The Axons ask only to be allowed to repair their damaged ship and offer the gift of the miraculous Axonite in return. But the Axons aren't all that they seem.

Directors: Michael Ferguson
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The Mind of Evil (3)
star
7.21
243 votes

#14 - The Mind of Evil (3)

Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/13/1971

The Master is behind the Keller Machine and uses it to recruit the rioting inmates at Stangmoor Prison. He plans to capture a missile and fire it at the World Peace Conference.

Directors: Timothy Combe
Writer: Don Houghton
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The Daemons (3)
star
7.17
166 votes

#15 - The Daemons (3)

Season 8 - Episode 23 - Aired 6/5/1971

The Doctor attempts to help the Brigadier penetrate the heat barrier, but is attacked by the Master's servant in a helicopter. The Master prepares to summon the Daemon Azal.

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The Daemons (2)
star
7.15
169 votes

#16 - The Daemons (2)

Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/29/1971

Devil's End is sealed off from the outside world by a heat barrier. The Doctor and Jo return to the barrow where they are confronted by the gargoyle, Bok.

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The Claws of Axos (3)
star
7.14
172 votes

#17 - The Claws of Axos (3)

Season 8 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/27/1971

The Axons reveal their true nature and attempt to obtain the secret of time travel. Meanwhile, the Master, forced to work for UNIT, concocts a plan to strike back at Axos.

Directors: Michael Ferguson
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The Daemons (1)
star
7.10
171 votes

#18 - The Daemons (1)

Season 8 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/22/1971

The Doctor tries to prevent Professor Horner from breaking into an ancient barrow near the village of Devil's End. Posing as the village vicar, the Master summons dark forces.

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The Claws of Axos (4)
star
7.03
164 votes

#19 - The Claws of Axos (4)

Season 8 - Episode 14 - Aired 4/3/1971

With Axos poised to destroy the world, the Doctor appears to switch sides and allies himself with the Master. Together they plan to escape Earth, leaving it to Axos...

Directors: Michael Ferguson
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Colony in Space (4)
star
6.88
220 votes

#20 - Colony in Space (4)

Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/1/1971

The Master arrives, posing as an adjudicator from Earth who has come to settle the dispute between the colonists and the miners. However, he has an agenda of his own.

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Colony in Space (6)
star
6.79
193 votes

#21 - Colony in Space (6)

Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/15/1971

In the underground city, the Doctor and the Master confront the guardian of the Doomsday Weapon. The miners make their last move to force the colonists to leave the planet.

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Colony in Space (1)
star
6.75
223 votes

#22 - Colony in Space (1)

Season 8 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/10/1971

The TARDIS takes the Doctor and Jo to a barren world in the far future where human colonists are scratching a living. But at night, the colonists are menaced by a monster.

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Colony in Space (3)
star
6.73
222 votes

#23 - Colony in Space (3)

Season 8 - Episode 17 - Aired 4/24/1971

When Jo attempts to break into the IMC ship to find incriminating information, she is captured and held hostage. If the Doctor doesn't co-operate, Captain Dent will have Jo killed.

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Colony in Space (2)
star
6.72
221 votes

#24 - Colony in Space (2)

Season 8 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/17/1971

The Interplanetary Mining Corporation, represented by Captain Dent, arrives on the planet claiming that the colonists have no right to be there.

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Colony in Space (5)
star
6.69
218 votes

#25 - Colony in Space (5)

Season 8 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/8/1971

With Jo held prisoner in his TARDIS, the Master forces the Doctor to take him to the underground city of the primitives. Any sign of treachery from the Doctor and Jo will die.

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