Doctor Who: Spare Parts

While the list itself will be limited to episodes only, there is so much more to Doctor Who than just that. There’s comic books, novels and tons of fan fictions. However, the most noteworthy of the lot are the audio dramas from Big Finish. In these stories, we see classic Doctors in brand new adventures which allow the listeners imagination as well as the descriptive language to create the imagery. This particular audio drama is considered by many to be the absolute best.

The Fifth Doctor and his companion Nyssa arrive on a planet similar to Earth but with several differences, the most notable being the advancement in artificial organ technology. The Doctor soon learns the truth, this planet is Mondas, the homeworld of the Cybermen, one of the Doctors oldest and most dangerous enemies. The planet is in the midst of a series of events that will eventually transform its people into one of the Doctor’s most famous foes, and the Doctor and Nyssa may yet have a part to play in these events.

This story is deeply disturbing. The atmosphere is dreary and dark and the performances are all excellent. The more the story focuses on the human characters, the more horrified we become, knowing their ultimate fate. The ultimate moment of horror comes when we see a child partially transformed into a Cyberman. The sound she makes rivals the Robin laugh from Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker in terms of Nightmare fuel. If you’re a fan of Doctor Who who happens to like your stories to have more of a horror slant, this one is definitely for you.

Next time, we finally kick off the countdown properly with the final appearance of the man who originated the role of the Doctor's greatest opponent.