Doctor Who
Halloween is a exceptional time of year when people lionise the dateless enactment of fright the pants off of themselves . Doctor Whois a show that has always philander with revulsion and scares , from the Daleks to the Weeping Angels , make it one of the perfect substitutes for the traditional slasher repugnance movie marathon on Halloween night .
Both the original serial and its 2005 protraction have get tike of all ages to cover behind the couch on more than one social function , and that trend does n’t seem potential to allow up any time soon . The scariest episodes of the series blend psychological terror with optical scare , imaginative giant , and a tense narrative to deal the experience .
Updated on October 7, 2022 by Meagan Bojarski:
The Centenary Special arrange to air in October 2022 continue the recent custom of Halloween episodes that start with the Flux plot in 2021 . However , there have been excellent horror installment throughout the years that fans can rewatch throughout the Halloween time of year . From horrifying plot of land set by the Doctor ’s greatest enemy to aliens that haunt the audiences ' nightmares , Doctor Whoprovides scares from Classic Who through the modern era that are perfect for getting fans into the Halloween disembodied spirit .
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (2008)
" Silence in the Library " is a terrific tale for those who are frightened of the dark . The Doctor and Donna state in an abandon library only to discover that it is occupied by a species that lives in the shadow . The Vashta Nerada , " piranhas of the air , " threaten to deprive any visitor ’s physical body off their bones and utilize their bodies as a disguise .
This saga is one of the most terrifying stories in the innovative era ofDoctor Who , especially consider the Doctor does n’t destroy the monsters at the end of the twenty-four hour period . The Vashta Nerada be everywhere throughout the universe , and while they have not appear in any other sequence , the idea that they might be lurking in any shadow is enough to make many viewing audience slumber with the lights on .
The Deadly Assassin (1976)
This Classic Who arc infix much of the lore fans know about Gallifrey and its people , as well as being the only storey to feature the Doctor with no companion in the original ravel of the show . The Doctor recall to Gallifreyafter drop Sarah Jane off , only to find out himself unwittingly responsible for the death of the President .
Alongside the little terror of being so strategically framed for execution , the Doctor ends up trapped in a simulation filled with torturous confrontation intend to drink down him . One of these moment was so appall it washighly criticizedfor being too harsh for young looker and has even been cut from some future spreading .
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (2005)
While " The Empty minor " and " The Doctor Dances " end up being a calamity of form , the concept and imagery involved are exhaustively nightmare - inducing . The Doctor and Rose land in the midst of the London Blitz , where the community is terrorized by a child in a accelerator masquerade asking , " Are you my mummy ? "
Anyone who bear on the small fry takes on his symptom , with gas masks fused to their expression and seemingly no consciousness other than the need to repeat the child ’s mantra . Thehorror genre discovered long ago that children can be terrifying , and thisDoctor Whostory uses that trope to its fullest extent .
Terror of the Autons (1971)
Doctor Whowas resurrected with an episode boast the Autons , terrifying mannequin - like creatures , and one of their best stories was " Terror of the Autons , " which also introduced the Master . The Master bring down on Earth and uses the Nestene Consciousness and a plastic factory to sight - green goods on the face of it harmless plastic target that impromptu occur to life and down their proprietor .
With how much plastic is involved in day-by-day life , this story is as scary now as it was when it first came out . The thought of credit card humanoid is concern enough , but making all plastic cloth lethal would be an invasion military force manhood would be hard - pressed to stop .
Listen (2014)
WhileDoctor Whohas put up fans with a lot of lore to dive into , the history of its titulary character is still largely a mystery . This was part of what made " hear " so captivating , because the episode explored the Doctor ’s own childhood fears .
The installment explores the idea of a creature so good at hiding that it has move everyone to on occasion feel like they are being watched . Because this is such a common adept , it lug at the audience ’s fright of the unknown to the point where they may feel the need to check the hidden space in their own way while watch or when they attempt to get to kip .
Genesis Of The Daleks (1975)
The Daleks quickly went from frightening foreign enemy to loveable pop culture icons during the ' LX and ' 70s , and that presented problems for their seniority . Thankfully , original God Almighty Terry Nation drafted up a story that made the creatures chilling again , by going back to the moment of their creation .
Not only is " Genesis of the Daleks " one of the single - bestDoctor Whostoriesever , but it ’s profoundly fearful . The canny use of inflammation and camera angles gives the Daleks an intense presence , especially when they are first touch off . The account itself is dark , deeply complex , and meander together with philosophical and moral questions that resonate to this very sidereal day .
The Seeds Of Doom (1976)
This classic 1976Whostory finds the Fourth Doctor in Antarctica investigating a mysterious seedcase that houses a deadly alien plant species known as the Krynoids . This invasive weed is capable of esurient beast life — human beings include — and begins doing so decently away .
The serial is notorious for its violent imagery in comparison to pastWhostories - a fact capitalized on by Mary Whitehouse , an straight-from-the-shoulder advocate for censorship ( and a prickle in the side of the BBC ) widely pick apart for her genu - jerk , out - of - setting reaction to what she considered exceptionable material .
Asylum Of The Daleks (2012)
" Asylum of the Daleks " is a different kind of Dalek taradiddle altogether . It features a kidnap Doctor deposited onto a prison satellite populated exclusively with Daleks who are too life-threatening to be see .
The news report has its humourous moments , but the bulk of it is tense , nerve - wracking horror as the Doctor , Amy , and Rory descend into the bowels of the Dalek mental home . These highlydangerous and unpredictable Daleksare just one problem ; the other being the renovate corpses of a human crew infected with a Dalek pathogen .
The Unquiet Dead (2005)
The 2005 reboot ofDoctor Whostarted out largely as a sci - fi dangerous undertaking serial , but it was n’t long before the show started diving into horror territory . " The Unquiet Dead " was a ghost story full of spiritual human self-control , séances , and repair zombie cadaver designed to give watcher the willies .
This episode revealed the ghostly antagonists to be the Gelth , a anatomy of life devastated by the Time War between the Time Lords and the Daleks which make their bodies to convert into a gaseous , apparition - like form . It helped give the Ninth Doctor a bit of backstory leading up to the time of year 1 finale .
Pyramids Of Mars (1975)
One of the Doctor ’s most fearful and unrelenting enemy is doubtlessly the alien Sutekh , an Osiran masquerading as an ancient Egyptian God who wish to bring the " gift of death " to humankind , and had more than enough power to make it happen .
Sutekh was capable of destroy entire star system at the tiptop of his exponent , and not even the Time Lords would have been able to hold back him . This is shown to be the case when Sutekh ’s will is more than enough to dominate the Doctor ’s mind and turn it to his own controller .
Snakedance (1983)
A recurring foe of the Fifth Doctor was the horrific Mara , an entity breed of complete and utter violence , hate , and malice . It spreads via psychic fundamental interaction with victims , one of whom was the Doctor ’s associate , Tegan . It made its first appearance in the instalment " Kinda , " before being vanquished .
Later in " Snakedance , " it resurface to ensnare Tegan ’s judgement so it could exact a plan to advance back its bodily existence . The story is notable for its frightening imagery , psychological panic , and the last bit show a giant rubber snake , which has gratefully been replaced by a CGI version for the DVD release .
The Dæmons (1971)
The Third Doctor era of Classic Who pushed a full - on Halloween - worthy fib with the creepy-crawly serial " The Dæmons . " It ’s a mixture of science , sci - fi , and gothic horror ripped decently from the pages of a Hammer horror flick hand . It ’s also one of the only episodes to feature The Master involved in the practice of black magic and other nefarious rites .
The main antagonist in the chronicle was Azal , a being who could have represented the material Satan , if not for the fact that his species the Dæmons were an alien race with matter - energy conversion technology akin to black magic trick . They stand for one of the few classicDoctor Whovillains who should make a comebackin the future .
The Vampires Of Venice (2010)
Vampire stories are the grit of good Halloween scares , and this installment bring them to the head in a unequalled way . The news report focuses on the Eleventh Doctor , Amy , and Rory visiting Venice right smart back in 1580 , where they come across a girls ' schooling whose scholar come out to be full - fledged vampires .
It ’s later learned that the animate being are actually an aquatic alien race in disguise , but that does picayune to staunch the little terror . There are a lot of laughs throw in with the scares , making this a much more playfulness and exciting horror romp than some of the spookierWhostories out there .
Revelation Of The Daleks (1985)
The classic Daleks were at their absolute worst in this Sixth Doctor story that also brought back Davros as " the Great Healer , " a piece creditworthy for help to stop galactic famine , while simultaneously multiply a deadlier form of Daleks in the bowels of a mortuary fellowship .
It ’s notable for case issue that borders on the macabre , from beheaded humans used as Dalek trial subjects to the themes of grave robbing , and ( perhaps most controversially ) human cannibalism . It play out like a repugnance film from start to finish and is one of the darkest in classicWho .
Tomb Of The Cybermen (1967)
The very first Cybermen show onDoctor Whoweren’t specially sinister , and in many slipway , they were downright wacky . That all changed when the creatures were upgraded for their next appearing , opposite the Second Doctor . " Tomb of the Cybermen " stay to be one of the most chillingWhostories in the franchise , and for good reason .
These Cybermen were far more ominous , believable and creepy-crawly than their first - gen predecessors . At the time , the very sight of Cybermen tearing through their alcove was enough to scare young and honest-to-god alike . The scares are n’t quite as effective nowadays , but it ’s still a sport Halloween watch with the lights off .
The Waters Of Mars (2009)
One of the last episodes featuring the 10th Doctor , this story focus heavily onhis impending " end of the world " during the recurrence of Gallifrey . The story orb around one of world ’s first Martian colonies , whose staff has been infect by an intelligent water - found virus .
The write up is deeply unsettling and dripping with dark from start to polish . Whether it ’s the terrifying look-alike of the scream zombie - like infected or the scandalous winding in the last human action , few stories are this bleak and ominous . It ’s scary , acute , and chilling , which is gross for Halloween viewing .
The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit (2006)
The Doctor has bunk into many fearsome and dreadful beings before , but this excellent two - partDoctorWhostory was the first topit him against Satan . The entire assumption of the show is unbelievably creepy and worrying – so much so that it ’s a surprise it made the cut give the show ’s family - friendly focus .
The Beast do as the main antagonist for the tarradiddle - a creature formed before the beginning of the known universe who did battle with the Disciples of the Light and was afterward remand on an " impossible planet " adjacent to a mordant hollow . Its awareness would serve as fodder for every Devil figure in the universe , across multiple alien cultures . The frightening utilisation of satanic mental imagery , satanic possession , andExorcist - style telekinesis make it a Halloween achiever .
The Curse Of Fenric (1989)
One of the most Halloween - worthyWhoepisodes is undoubtedly this classic 1989 tale that amount just prior to the end of the serial . It launch the Seventh Doctor and his fellow traveller Ace battling an ancient malign entity known as Fenric , who had been inadvertently countersink free by a scientist who used a supercomputer to translate ancient runes underneath a church crypt .
The episode discover the Doctor and Ace go up against not only Fenric , but his terrific Haemovores , a mixture of vampire and ghoul that course on the blood of man and could only be take out with a stake to the nub . psychical barriers such as sheer force of will and the concept of religious religion were capable of stay fresh them at bay - another creepy element to an already terrifyingDoctor Whostory .
Blink (2007)
FewDoctor Whoepisodes give devotee the shivering more than " Blink , " the first story to boast the terrific Weeping Angels as a major villain . The episode is one part whodunit , one part time - hop adventure , and one part horror movie with a secure accent on the unseen versus the see .
The conception of the Weeping Angels as a predatory species " time - shut up " to prevent them from existing whenever they are looked upon by another being is cunning . It draw the director to swear on clever consumption of shadows and lighting to right for the accomplished want of effort on the part of the Angels . This is oneDoctor Whostory suitable for insouciant fans and diehards alike .
Midnight (2008)
" Blink " might be universally regarded as the scariestDoctor Whoepisode , but " Midnight " has it beat by a slight edge . It ’s one of the most terrifying and unsettlingDoctor Whostories ever written , and its effectivity at scaring people is derived alone from how simplistic and straightforward the open topic is .
thing go bad when the Doctor take a joyride on a string to jaw a notable foreign site , and an strange malefic entity take over the nous of one of the passenger . The entity forces its emcee to ingeminate anything someone else says , finally becoming adept enough to mime their speech at the very same time . It ’s one of the most chilling and dire moment ever seen onDoctor Who , and the rest of the story is a ancestry into utter awe and paranoia as the Doctor fight for his very somebody against an unstoppable force .
NEXT:10 Greatest Fears Of The Doctor , Ranked
