How good was Doctor Who?
by Bob Brodman, Ph.D.
From 1963-1989, 159 Doctor Who adventures were aired, most of which had running times of at least 90 minutes and are thus comparable to feature-length films in regards to writing and storyline. As Doctor Who fans know, the long running series was internationally acclaimed by sci-fi fans as one of the all-time best sci-fi TV shows and won recognition as Britain’s finest TV drama of the first half century of television. But just how good was Doctor Who? For example, readers of this essay likely rate Doctor Who very high, but is "Genesis of the Daleks" really as good a space opera as "The Empire Strikes Back"? Can "The Daemons" compare objectively to "Alien"? Does "Inferno" present as intriguing a story of alternative time lines as "Back to the Future"? Were the "Three Doctors" as good a combo as Indy and his Dad in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"? Is the political satire of the future wittier in "The Sunmakers" or "Brazil". Finally, were the bug-eyed monsters from "The Ark in Space" as menacing as "The Fly"? What I will do in this essay is compare Doctor Who to sci-fi movies of the era. I will do this by determining the number of quality sci-fi films and TV adventures produced from 1963-1989. I define a "quality" film or televised episodic adventures as those that rate at least three-stars on a four-star scale by a majority of reviewers.
To analyze the movies, I compared the rating of science fiction movies from 1963-1989 that had been published in ten best selling movie and video guides. I use the opinions of experienced movie critics so that I may remain objective. I found that five sci-fi movies rated and average of four -stars out of four (rounding an average of 3.75 up), nine additional movies rated an average of three-
1/2 stars (an average of 3.25-3.74) , and 45 rated an average of three (an average of 2.75-3.24). Among these were four TV made movies/mini series (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Night Gallery, The Day After, and V). This means that according to movie and video critics, a total of 55 quality sci-fi movies were produced for cinematic release from 1963-1989.To rate Doctor Who adventures, I first used ratings by movie/TV critics. I then used rankings by fans found on the internet to to help assign star ratings to adventures not on video (since these have not been reviewed by movie critics). Finally, I factored in my own rating of missing adventures (having read the novelizations and seen all of the available reconstructions), since these were underrepresented by critiques. I found that two Doctor Who adventures rated an average of four-stars (rounding 3.75 up), 17 rated an average of three-
1/2 (3.25-3.74), and 62 rated an average of three (2.75-3.24). While no Doctor Who adventures can match the best sci-fi of the silver screen, such as "2001" or "Star Wars" in terms of visuals and special effects, it turns out that Doctor Who produced 76 quality feature-length adventures ("Inside the Spaceship" and "The Rescue" are not included because they were 50 minutes or less) compared to just 55 by the motion picture industry over the same period of time.To illustrate this further, if I were to use these ratings to select the top feature-length sci-fi movie of the year for each year from 1963-1989, I would find that the best of the year would go to Doctor Who 14 times ("Dalek Invasion of Earth" 1964, "The Crusade" 1965, "Power of the Daleks" 1966, "Evil of the Daleks" 1967, "War Games" 1969, "Inferno" 1970, "Curse of Peladon" 1972, "The Green Death" 1973, "Genesis of the Daleks" 1975, "Seeds of Doom" 1976, "Invasion of Time" 1978, "City of Death" 1979, "Remembrance of the Daleks" 1988, and "Ghost Light" 1989). Doctor who would also win in 1963 ("The Daleks"), 1974 ("Ark in Space") and 1981 ("Warrior’s Gate") if one did not agree to classify "Jason and the Argonauts", "Young Frankenstein" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as science fiction. At least one Doctor Who adventure would finish in the top three every year, except 1985-1987. Doctor Who would have swept the top three places six times (1964-1965, 1970, 1975-1976, and 1989) and the top two places five more times (1966, 1967, 1972, 1978 and 1988). By these measures, Doctor Who dominated the field in producing the best feature-length sci-fi in its era.
I find it interesting that a low budgeted TV series was able to out-produce the motion picture industry in quality sci-fi. However, this phenomenon wasn’t limited to Doctor Who. During the same time period 3+ star quality episodes were produced by other notable sci-fi series. Sixty five were from Star Trek (41 from the original series, 24 from The Next Generation), 21 from the Outerlimits, 14 from the Prisoner, three from the Twilight Zone , and the four previously mentioned TV made movies/miniseries. Though most of these stories were not feature-length, running 50 minutes or less, this brings the total to 182 pieces of quality sci-fi produce by British and American television, more than tripling the number produced for the cinema. Why is this? Perhaps it is the ability that a serial has to develop characters over a long period of time. Or perhaps, with a lower budget, television is more willing to take the risk of using intelligent scripts and storylines, rather than the mass-appealing flash of action scenes, romantic interests, and elaborate visuals.
So now back to my first question: Just how good was Doctor Who? For an objective measure, the answer is that the BBC produced more quality feature-film length adventures of Doctor Who from 1963-1989 than the motion picture industry or any other American or British televised sci-fi during the same period. During many of these years, the best Doctor Who adventures were superior than any of the cinematic sci-fi releases of the year. So indeed, "Genesis of the Daleks" rates just ahead of "The Empire Strikes Back", "The Daemons" is comparably even with "Alien", "Inferno" is tied with "Back to the Future", the "Three Doctors" are the equal to Indy and his Dad, the future political world of "The Sunmakers" is on par with "Brazil", and the bug-eyed monsters from "The Ark in Space" are as menacing as "The Fly". But Doctor Who fans knew this all along.
Caption for the figure: Ranking and ratings of quality feature-length Science Fiction comparing cinematic releases with Doctor Who from 1963-1989. Ratings are on a standard 4-star scale. Doctor Who episodes are printed in bold.
Rank |
4-star SCI FI 1963-1989 |
year |
rate |
Rank |
3-star SCI FI 1963-1989 |
year |
rate |
|||
1 |
Raiders of the Lost Ark |
1981 |
3.96 |
65 |
Pyramids of Mars |
1975 |
3.06 |
|||
2 |
2001: A Space Odessey |
1968 |
3.94 |
66 |
Fahrenheit 451 |
1966 |
3.06 |
|||
3 |
E.T. |
1982 |
3.89 |
67 |
Two Doctors |
1985 |
3.05 |
|||
4 |
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind |
1977 |
3.88 |
68 |
Five Doctors |
1983 |
3.05 |
|||
5 |
Young Frankenstein |
1974 |
3.83 |
69 |
Image of Fendahl |
1977 |
3.05 |
|||
6 |
Star Wars |
1977 |
3.79 |
70 |
Terror of the Autons |
1971 |
3.04 |
|||
7 |
Evil of the Daleks |
1967 |
3.75 |
71 |
Fantastic Voyage |
1966 |
3.04 |
|||
8 |
Genesis of the Daleks |
1975 |
3.75 |
72 |
Five Million Mile to Earth |
1968 |
3.03 |
|||
73 |
Survival |
1989 |
3.02 |
|||||||
3.5-star SCI FI 1963-1989 |
74 |
Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan |
1982 |
3.02 |
||||||
9 |
Empire Strikes Back |
1980 |
3.68 |
75 |
Slaughterhouse-Five |
1972 |
3.02 |
|||
10 |
Clockwork Orange |
1971 |
3.67 |
76 |
Logopolis |
1980 |
3.01 |
|||
11 |
Seeds of Doom |
1976 |
3.63 |
77 |
1984 |
1984 |
3.00 |
|||
12 |
City of Death |
1979 |
3.62 |
78 |
Westworld |
1973 |
3.00 |
|||
13 |
The Web of Fear |
1968 |
3.58 |
79 |
Andromeda Strain |
1971 |
3.00 |
|||
14 |
Tomb of the Cybermen |
1967 |
3.47 |
80 |
Green Death |
1973 |
3.00 |
|||
15 |
Aliens |
1986 |
3.45 |
81 |
Masque of Mandragora |
1976 |
2.99 |
|||
16 |
Planet of the Apes |
1967 |
3.43 |
82 |
Silurians |
1970 |
2.99 |
|||
17 |
Fury From the Deep |
1968 |
3.40 |
83 |
Mad Max |
1980 |
2.98 |
|||
18 |
Road Warrior |
1982 |
3.40 |
84 |
Brother from Another Planet |
1984 |
2.97 |
|||
19 |
Daemons |
1971 |
3.39 |
85 |
Greatest Show in the Galaxy |
1988 |
2.96 |
|||
20 |
Alien |
1979 |
3.38 |
86 |
Stones of Blood |
1978 |
2.95 |
|||
21 |
Terminator |
1984 |
3.37 |
87 |
Abominable Snowman |
1967 |
2.95 |
|||
22 |
Horror of Fang Rock |
1977 |
3.36 |
88 |
Navigator |
1988 |
2.94 |
|||
23 |
Dalek Invasion of Earth |
1964 |
3.35 |
89 |
Robot |
1974 |
2.93 |
|||
24 |
Crusade |
1965 |
3.34 |
90 |
State of Decay |
1980 |
2.93 |
|||
25 |
Castrovalva |
1982 |
3.33 |
91 |
Time After Time |
1979 |
2.92 |
|||
26 |
Blade Runner |
1982 |
3.32 |
92 |
Silent Running |
1972 |
2.92 |
|||
27 |
Ghost Light |
1989 |
3.32 |
93 |
Three Doctors |
1973 |
2.91 |
|||
28 |
Invasion of Time |
1978 |
3.30 |
94 |
Indiana Jones & Last Crusade |
1989 |
2.91 |
|||
29 |
Marco Polo |
1964 |
3.28 |
95 |
Tremors |
1989 |
2.91 |
|||
30 |
Ribos Operation |
1978 |
3.28 |
96 |
Terror of the Zygons |
1975 |
2.90 |
|||
31 |
Return of the Jedi |
1983 |
3.27 |
97 |
Revelation of the Daleks |
1985 |
2.90 |
|||
32 |
Dalek's Master Plan |
1965 |
3.27 |
98 |
Daleks |
1963 |
2.90 |
|||
33 |
Talons of Weng-Chiang |
1977 |
3.27 |
99 |
Starman |
1984 |
2.89 |
|||
34 |
Power of the Daleks |
1966 |
3.26 |
100 |
Macra Terror |
1967 |
2.88 |
|||
35 |
Caves of Androzani |
1984 |
3.25 |
101 |
Stepford Wives |
1975 |
2.88 |
|||
102 |
Charly |
1968 |
2.88 |
|||||||
3-star SCI FI 1963-1989 |
103 |
An Unearthly Child |
1963 |
2.87 |
||||||
36 |
Remembrance of the Daleks |
1988 |
3.23 |
104 |
Golden Voyage of Sinbad |
1974 |
2.87 |
|||
37 |
RoboCop |
1987 |
3.22 |
105 |
Escape From the Planet of Apes |
1971 |
2.87 |
|||
38 |
Sunmakers |
1977 |
3.22 |
106 |
Colossus: The Forbin Project |
1970 |
2.87 |
|||
39 |
Brazil |
1985 |
3.21 |
107 |
Dreamscape |
1984 |
2.86 |
|||
40 |
Mind Robber |
1968 |
3.21 |
108 |
Tenth Planet |
1966 |
2.85 |
|||
41 |
Curse of Peladon |
1972 |
3.20 |
109 |
Altered States |
1980 |
2.85 |
|||
42 |
Frontios |
1984 |
3.20 |
110 |
First Men on the Moon |
1964 |
2.85 |
|||
43 |
Resurrection of the Daleks |
1984 |
3.18 |
111 |
Romans |
1965 |
2.84 |
|||
44 |
Deadly Assasin |
1976 |
3.18 |
112 |
The Massacre |
1966 |
2.84 |
|||
45 |
The Invasion |
1968 |
3.18 |
113 |
Gremlins |
1984 |
2.84 |
|||
46 |
Warrior's Gate |
1981 |
3.17 |
114 |
Cold Night's Death |
1973 |
2.83 |
|||
47 |
Inferno |
1970 |
3.17 |
115 |
X:Man with X-Ray Eyes |
1963 |
2.83 |
|||
48 |
Jason & the Argonauts |
1963 |
3.17 |
116 |
Snakedance |
1983 |
2.83 |
|||
49 |
Back to the Future |
1985 |
3.17 |
117 |
Androids of Tara |
1978 |
2.82 |
|||
50 |
Invasion of the Body Snatchers |
1978 |
3.16 |
118 |
Robots of Death |
1977 |
2.82 |
|||
51 |
Spearhead From Space |
1970 |
3.13 |
119 |
Time Warrior |
1974 |
2.81 |
|||
52 |
Sea Devils |
1972 |
3.13 |
120 |
Dragonslayer |
1981 |
2.81 |
|||
53 |
War Games |
1969 |
3.12 |
121 |
Hand of Fear |
1976 |
2.80 |
|||
54 |
Star Trek IV: Voyage Home |
1986 |
3.12 |
122 |
Mawdryn Undead |
1983 |
2.79 |
|||
55 |
Ice Warriors |
1967 |
3.12 |
123 |
Moonbase |
1967 |
2.79 |
|||
56 |
The Brain of Morbius |
1976 |
3.11 |
124 |
Face of Evil |
1977 |
2.79 |
|||
56 |
Curse of Fenric |
1989 |
3.10 |
125 |
Time Meddler |
1965 |
2.78 |
|||
57 |
Celestial Toymaker |
1966 |
3.10 |
126 |
Android |
1982 |
2.78 |
|||
58 |
Curse of Fenric |
1989 |
3.10 |
127 |
Abyss |
1989 |
2.77 |
|||
59 |
The Fly |
1986 |
3.09 |
128 |
Frontier in Space |
1973 |
2.76 |
|||
60 |
Ark in Space |
1975 |
3.09 |
130 |
Mark of the Rani |
1985 |
2.76 |
|||
61 |
Quest For Fire |
1982 |
3.09 |
131 |
War Machines |
1966 |
2.76 |
|||
62 |
Earthshock |
1982 |
3.09 |
132 |
Robinson Crusoe on Mars |
1964 |
2.75 |
|||
63 |
Man Who fell to Earth |
1976 |
3.07 |
|||||||
64 |
Cocoon |
1985 |
3.06 |
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