TV Series Ratings Analysis

Doctor Who Episode Ratings Heatmap

1963 · 26 Seasons · 694 Episodes · Overall Score: 6.8/10 (694 rated)

Highest Rated Episode

9.7/10

S12E16: Genesis of the Daleks (6) (12 votes)

View Episode →

Best Season

7.88/10

Season 12 holds the highest collective average score across the series.

Season 12 Details →

Most Consistent Season

Season 20

Lowest score variance (σ = 0.42), maintaining an average of 6.1.

Strongest Finale

9.0/10

Season 6 finale: "The War Games (10)"

Episode Recap →

Complete Episode Rating Matrix

Interactive score chart by season and episode number. Darker green indicates higher ratings; amber and red denote lower reception.

8.5+ (Outstanding) 7.5 – 8.4 (Great) 6.0 – 7.4 (Average) < 6.0 (Underwhelming) Few votes

Episode	Season 1	Season 2	Season 3	Season 4	Season 5	Season 6	Season 7	Season 8	Season 9	Season 10	Season 11	Season 12	Season 13	Season 14	Season 15	Season 16	Season 17	Season 18	Season 19	Season 20	Season 21	Season 22	Season 23	Season 24	Season 25	Season 26
Ep 1	8.0	7.0	6.0	7.2	8.8	5.8	8.2	7.4	6.4	8.2	8.2	6.6	7.6	6.2	7.8	6.7	7.7	6.5	7.1	6.0	5.1	7.0	6.7	4.5	9.0	7.5
Ep 2	5.9	6.6	5.8	6.2	8.4	6.1	8.4	7.1	6.2	8.0	7.3	6.4	8.1	6.3	7.6	6.6	7.4	6.2	7.1	6.2	5.3	6.9	6.6	5.3	8.6	8.0
Ep 3	6.1	6.4	5.5	6.4	8.6	5.1	8.1	7.5	6.1	7.9	7.1	6.7	8.0	6.2	7.5	6.6	7.4	6.2	7.1	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.5	5.4	8.4	7.2
Ep 4	6.4	7.4	6.2	6.6	8.5	5.1	7.9	7.1	6.5	7.8	7.1	6.9	7.9	6.2	7.6	6.6	7.5	6.6	7.3	5.8	5.3	6.0	6.4	5.2	8.7	7.3
Ep 5	7.2	7.4	6.4	8.2	7.0	5.6	7.4	7.1	6.4	6.6	7.3	9.1	7.6	7.6	6.9	7.4	8.5	6.0	6.2	6.0	6.6	6.1	6.6	5.4	5.9	6.1
Ep 6	7.1	7.3	6.2	8.2	7.0	7.2	7.2	7.2	6.3	6.5	6.8	8.7	7.7	7.0	7.0	7.7	8.2	6.2	6.2	5.5	5.8	6.2	6.9	6.1	6.2	6.2
Ep 7	7.3	7.0	5.8	7.5	6.6	6.9	7.3	7.0	6.3	6.2	6.7	8.4	7.5	7.3	7.3	7.6	8.2	6.2	6.3	5.5	6.8	7.1	6.6	6.0	6.2	6.0
Ep 8	7.0	6.9	6.2	8.2	6.0	6.5	7.4	7.0	6.8	6.3	6.7	8.7	7.3	7.7	7.1	7.4	8.2	6.2	5.8	5.5	7.1	7.3	6.8	5.9	5.5	7.2
Ep 9	6.5	7.6	6.0	8.2	6.0	6.2	7.4	7.2	7.3	7.0	6.8	6.6	8.8	8.2	6.6	7.8	6.3	6.7	6.9	6.6	7.1	7.1	5.0	5.5	5.3	7.0
Ep 10	6.9	6.6	7.6	7.9	6.0	6.4	7.4	7.3	7.5	6.3	6.8	6.5	8.2	8.4	6.5	7.7	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.5	7.1	5.6	5.0	5.2	5.0	7.1
Ep 11	7.0	6.5	7.0	7.9	6.8	8.6	7.8	6.8	7.4	6.2	7.1	9.1	8.5	8.2	6.8	7.4	6.2	6.4	6.7	6.2	8.3	5.6	4.9	5.1	7.1	6.7
Ep 12	6.4	6.8	7.2	7.7	6.5	8.1	7.2	6.9	6.9	6.2	7.0	9.1	8.3	8.6	6.7	7.4	6.2	6.8	7.0	6.2	8.0	6.4	5.0	6.5	7.1	8.0
Ep 13	6.2	6.6	7.4	7.6	6.2	7.8	7.2	6.1	7.0	6.2	7.3	8.9	6.6	7.1	6.9	6.9	6.8	7.1	6.8	6.2	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.5	7.4	7.4
Ep 14	6.7	6.8	6.6	7.9	6.2	8.0	7.3	6.6	7.1	6.3	7.3	9.1	7.0	7.0	7.0	6.6	6.5	7.0	6.6	6.2	6.8	–	6.3	7.0	7.3	7.2
Ep 15	6.3	7.1	6.8	5.8	6.2	8.0	7.0	6.2	6.2	7.3	5.9	9.1	6.5	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.4	7.0	6.4	6.2	6.7	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 16	6.3	5.3	5.6	6.2	6.0	8.1	6.6	6.2	6.1	7.4	6.0	9.7	6.6	7.0	7.0	6.8	6.6	7.0	6.6	6.8	6.5	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 17	6.5	5.0	6.6	6.2	8.8	8.2	6.8	6.0	6.0	7.2	6.2	6.8	7.9	8.3	6.0	6.1	6.2	6.3	6.2	6.8	8.5	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 18	6.0	4.8	6.6	6.0	7.8	8.4	6.7	6.6	6.0	7.2	6.3	7.0	7.8	8.1	6.0	5.9	6.0	6.6	6.2	6.2	8.6	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 19	6.0	4.8	6.2	4.3	7.4	6.3	8.0	7.0	5.7	7.4	6.5	7.0	8.0	8.1	6.0	5.7	5.8	6.6	8.0	6.5	8.6	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 20	6.4	4.9	6.8	5.0	7.2	6.6	7.9	7.0	6.1	7.5	7.0	7.2	8.1	8.2	6.3	5.7	6.0	6.6	8.1	6.6	8.8	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 21	6.8	4.6	7.6	5.1	7.2	6.0	8.2	7.1	6.1	7.3	7.8	–	8.2	8.3	7.3	6.7	–	7.4	8.0	5.6	4.9	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 22	6.6	6.6	7.0	4.9	8.3	6.4	7.5	7.0	6.3	6.8	7.4	–	8.4	7.7	7.1	6.7	–	7.3	8.3	5.5	5.7	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 23	6.5	5.7	6.6	6.4	8.2	7.3	7.9	7.4	6.3	6.8	7.0	–	7.7	7.9	6.6	6.8	–	7.5	5.9	–	5.2	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 24	5.6	6.4	6.8	6.8	7.0	7.0	7.8	7.6	6.9	6.8	7.1	–	7.9	7.6	6.6	6.6	–	7.5	5.8	–	5.1	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 25	6.4	6.0	7.2	6.5	6.8	7.0	7.7	7.6	6.4	7.0	7.3	–	7.9	8.0	7.1	6.4	–	7.6	5.8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 26	6.5	6.6	6.0	6.2	7.2	7.0	–	–	5.4	7.3	7.9	–	8.0	8.4	6.9	6.7	–	7.5	6.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 27	6.8	6.7	6.0	7.0	7.0	6.7	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	7.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 28	6.6	6.3	6.2	7.6	7.0	6.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8.3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 29	6.3	6.0	5.5	7.2	7.2	5.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 30	6.3	7.0	6.0	7.4	7.0	5.8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 31	6.1	6.4	5.3	5.7	7.2	6.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 32	6.0	6.3	5.2	6.2	7.0	6.2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 33	5.7	6.0	6.0	6.5	7.2	6.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 34	5.9	6.2	6.0	6.5	7.2	6.8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 35	5.7	6.5	6.4	6.5	5.5	8.5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 36	6.1	7.1	6.6	6.5	5.2	8.3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 37	6.5	6.7	5.8	7.7	6.0	8.1	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 38	6.6	7.1	5.8	7.8	5.5	7.6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 39	6.1	7.7	6.0	7.0	5.5	8.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 40	6.3	–	5.8	7.0	6.2	8.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 41	6.3	–	5.8	7.8	–	8.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 42	6.7	–	7.3	7.2	–	8.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 43	–	–	6.8	8.5	–	8.3	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 44	–	–	7.0	–	–	9.0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Ep 45	–	–	7.2	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Season Avg	6.4	6.4	6.4	6.9	6.9	7.1	7.5	7.0	6.5	7.0	7.0	7.9	7.8	7.6	6.9	6.8	6.9	6.8	6.7	6.1	6.7	6.5	6.1	5.7	7.0	7.1

Ratings Analysis & Trajectory

Across 26 seasons and 694 episodes, Doctor Who has earned an overall series rating of 6.8 out of 10. The series demonstrates an upward quality trajectory, with later seasons sustaining higher viewer acclaim than its debut.

The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 12, Episode 16 ("Genesis of the Daleks (6)"), rated at an extraordinary 9.7/10 with 12 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 4, Episode 19 ("The Underwater Menace (1)"), landing at 4.3/10.

The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 21 between Episode 20 ("The Caves of Androzani (4)", 8.8) and Episode 21 ("The Twin Dilemma (1)", 4.9), a swing of 3.9 points.

Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Doctor Who

Rank	Episode	Title	Score	Votes	Air Date
#1	Season 12, Ep 16	Genesis of the Daleks (6)	9.7	12	Apr 12, 1975
#2	Season 12, Ep 12	Genesis of the Daleks (2)	9.1	11	Mar 15, 1975
#3	Season 12, Ep 14	Genesis of the Daleks (4)	9.1	11	Mar 29, 1975
#4	Season 12, Ep 15	Genesis of the Daleks (5)	9.1	11	Apr 5, 1975
#5	Season 12, Ep 11	Genesis of the Daleks (1)	9.1	9	Mar 8, 1975
#6	Season 12, Ep 5	The Ark in Space (1)	9.1	7	Jan 25, 1975
#7	Season 6, Ep 44	The War Games (10)	9.0	7	Jun 21, 1969
#8	Season 25, Ep 1	Remembrance of the Daleks (1)	9.0	7	Oct 5, 1988
#9	Season 12, Ep 13	Genesis of the Daleks (3)	8.9	11	Mar 22, 1975
#10	Season 21, Ep 20	The Caves of Androzani (4)	8.8	13	Mar 16, 1984