Chris Chibnall was the Doctor Who showrunner from 2017 to 2022, but his contributions to the show began many years before this. Here’s our quick guide to every Chris Chibnall episode so far…
42 (2007)
’42’ was a one-of-a-kind episode and a first for Doctor Who as it all took place in real time. The Tenth Doctor and his companion Martha had just 42 minutes to save a spaceship from being devoured by a deadly sun…
The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood (2010)
After 26 years, the Doctor finally had a rematch with the cave-dwelling Silurians, albeit a different tribe from the one he first encountered in 1970. Watch this in a double bill with ‘Legend of the Sea Devils’…
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (2012)
If there was ever a title that did exactly what it said on the tin, it was this one. ‘Dinosaurs on a Spaceship’ was one of two contributions to Doctor Who Series Seven from Chris Chibnall, and guest starred Mark Williams as Rory’s dad, and David Bradley as the villain, who of course would return to the Whoniverse in 2013 and 2017 to portray William Hartnell and the First Doctor.
The Power of Three (2012)
This was another star-studded episode from Chris Chibnall, featuring Professor Brian Cox and Steven Berkoff no less, as the Doctor investigated the slow invasion of small cubes…
The Woman Who Fell to Earth (2018)
This 2018 adventure kicked off Chris Chibnall’s tenure as showrunner, and introduced Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. It was a sinister and atmospheric piece set against the murky backdrop of late night Sheffield, and curiously saw the Doctor separated from her TARDIS which, surprisingly, she had still not located it by the episode’s conclusion. Viewers would have to wait an extra week before getting a glimpse of the new TARDIS interior.
The Ghost Monument (2018)
See if you can guess which famous object from the Whoniverse the title alludes to! This episode followed on directly from ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth’ and featured some stunning location work in South Africa, as well as guest star Art Malik. It also saw the debut of the brand new Doctor Who title sequence, which had been omitted from Jodie Whittaker’s first episode, and a new TARDIS set.
Rosa (2018)
Co-written with Malorie Blackman, this was a powerful and thought-provoking episode from Chris Chibnall which centred on the famous incident in which the activist Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat for a white person at a time of racial segregation in North America. It was also the first episode in Doctor Who‘s history in which the closing credits where accompanied by a song rather than the traditional theme tune, in this case ‘Rise Up’ by Andra Day.
Arachnids in the UK (2018)
You may have to be of a certain age to get the reference in the title! Chris Chibnall’s ‘Arachnids in the UK’ saw the TARDIS team return to Sheffield, and battle a deadly army of giant spiders, plus the parody of a well-known businessman.
The Tsuranga Conundrum (2018)
‘The Tsuranga Conundrum’ featured one of Doctor Who‘s smallest, deadliest and cutest villains known as the Pting, and also featured a curious scene in which a man gave birth to a baby called Avocado.
The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos (2018)
Whilst the title may not roll off the tongue, this epic adventure from 2018 concluded Chris Chibnall’s first season as showrunner and saw the return of a somewhat toothy baddie from earlier in the run. Interestingly, the transmitted episode was actually the first draft script, as Chris Chibnall didn’t have time to give it a second pass.
Resolution (2019)
This was Doctor Who‘s first ever New Year’s Day special and saw the return of the Doctor’s old enemy the Daleks, plus the debut of the Thirteenth Doctor’s scarf. Like ‘The Woman Who Fell to Earth,’ it was notable for omitting the opening titles, for reasons that have never been explained.
Spyfall parts one and two (2020)
After a year-long wait, Doctor Who finally returned with another New Year’s Day episode in the form of ‘Spyfall.’ This complex spy homage from Chris Chibnall featured comedian-turned-actor Lenny Henry as the villain and saw the surprise debut of Sacha Dhawan as the Master, in what may be one of the greatest cliffhangers of the Jodie Whittaker era. Oh…
Fugitive of the Judoon (2020)
‘Fugitive of the Judoon’ paved the way for a complete rewriting of Doctor Who canon, starting with the introduction of Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor, who made her debut in this episode. Chris Chibnall co-wrote ‘Fugitive of the Judoon’ with Vinay Patel and reintroduced the character of Captain Jack Harkness, who hadn’t been seen in Doctor Who for some 10 years.
Praxeus (2020)
The Chris Chibnall era had a penchant for tackling topical issues and ‘Praxeus’ continued this trend. Co-authored with Pete McTighe, this episode examined the environmental effects of excess plastic and its disposal in the world’s oceans.
Can You Hear Me? (2020)
This was another co-written episode in Doctor Who Series 12, this time penned by Chris Chibnall and Charlene James. The story attempted to lift the curtain on the companions’ private lives and took a closer look at mental health. It also included a rare mention of the Celestial Toymaker, who would return to the series in 2023’s ‘The Giggle.‘
Ascension of the Cybermen / The Timeless Children (2020)
The Cybermen returned with a shiny redesign, and the Master dropped a bombshell revelation which split the Whoniverse in half. Love it or hate it, ‘The Timeless Children’ garnered true infamy among fans.
Revolution of the Daleks (2021)
In the next of Chris Chibnall’s New Year’s Day specials, the Daleks were given a bold redesign just in time to be defeated by the Thirteenth Doctor, who had been recently busted out of prison by Captain Jack Harkness in his first full episode since 2008.
The Halloween Apocalypse (2021)
‘The Halloween Apocalypse’ kicked off Chris Chibnall’s final season as showrunner – a linked series falling under the umbrella of the Flux storyline. It saw the introduction of stand-up comedian John Bishop as the new companion Dan Lewis.
War of the Sontarans (2021)
This was the first full Sontaran adventure since 2008. Following on from ‘The Halloween Apocalypse,’ this curious tale was set during the Crimean War and guest starred Sara Powell as the nurse Mary Seacole.
Once, Upon Time (2021)
It’s hard to sum up this third instalment of the Flux storyline in a single sentence. Suffice it to say, it is chock-full of twists and turns and some fascinating new details about the Doctor’s backstory. Look out for a guest appearance from Jo Martin as the Fugitive Doctor.
Village of the Angels (2021)
The return of the Weeping Angels! Four this fourth episode of the Flux story, Chris Chibnall called on the services of Maxine Alderton, with whom he penned the script. This atmospheric and intriguing episode requires close concentration, so whatever you do, don’t blink. It also featured one of the most striking cliffhangers of the Chris Chibnall era.
Survivors of the Flux (2021)
The fifth Flux episode was, in many ways, a direct sequel to ‘The Timeless Children’ – or a companion episode, at any rate. In the adventure, Chris Chibnall expanded on the controversial revelations from the 2020 episode, reintroducing the character Tecteun and a rather curious fob watch…
The Vanquishers (2021)
This was the Flux finale and wrapped up Chris Chibnall’s third season as showrunner. It did, however, leave a few questions unanswered, and fans would have to wait until 2023’s ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ to fully grasp the state the universe had been left in.
Eve of the Daleks (2022)
This episode paid homage to the similarly-titled ‘The Evil of the Daleks‘ from 1967, as well as the famous 1993 movie Groundhog Day, which was rather appropriately name-checked by Dan. This was a classic time-loop story which saw the Doctor and her companions trapped in a storage facility on New Year’s Eve – along with the Doctor’s deadliest enemies…
Legend of the Sea Devils (2022)
As you might have guessed from the title, the Doctor’s old enemy the Sea Devils returned in this 2022 special, written by Chris Chibnall and Ella Road. They hadn’t featured in Doctor Who since 1984’s ‘Warriors of the Deep,’ save for a brief clip in ‘The Eleventh Hour,’ and the production team were incredibly faithful to the monsters’ original design.
The Power of the Doctor (2022)
This was Chris Chibnall’s final episode as showrunner, and it marked the BBC’s centenary celebrations as well, of course, as the end of the Jodie Whittaker era. It featured a stunning guest cast including Sophie Aldred, Janet Fielding, Bonnie Langford, William Russell, Katy Manning, David Bradley, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Sacha Dhawan and, of course, Lovarzi’s question mark tank top. Phew! This was a movie-length adventure, clocking in at an impressive 90 minutes.
So there we are – a complete rundown of every Chris Chibnall Doctor Who episode to date. Which one is your favourite? And what do you enjoy most about his writing? Let us know in the comments below.
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