I've been a Dr Who fan as long as I can remember. In 2016, I embarked on a complete marathon of the series (what I like to call "the Pilgrimage"!), starting from the very first episode, An Unearthly Child, through to the final instalment of the Peter Capaldi era, Twice Upon A Time. On the way, I kept a running ranking of the series. This is that ranking. I've taken no account of the importance or popularity of each serial. I'm only interested in how much they entertained me or fed my imagination and ideas about the series. I'd say the top 80 serials are my "essential Who", the next 50 are fine TV and perfectly enjoyable, especially on a first viewing, then average down to 210, and pretty poor thereafter.
Top 10
The Aztecs
The Time Meddler
The War Games
Inferno
The Ark in Space
Genesis of the Daleks
The Deadly Assassin
The Robots of Death
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
The Horror of Fang Rock
11-20
An Unearthly Child
The Web of Fear
The Mind Robber
Carnival of Monsters
Pyramids of Mars
The Seeds of Doom
The Masque of Mandragora
The Face of Evil
The Ribos Operation
The Caves of Androzani
21-30
The Daleks
Marco Polo
Power of the Daleks
Dr Who and the Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
The Green Death
Terror of the Zygons
Planet of Evil
Image of the Fendahl
Snakedance
31-40
The Reign of Terror
The Romans
The Macra Terror
Evil of the Daleks
The Invasion
Spearhead From Space
The Curse of Peladon
The Hand of Fear
Kinda
Human Nature
41-50
The Rescue
The Enemy of the World
The Time Warrior
Invasion of the Dinosaurs
The Brain of Morbius
The Sunmakers
The Androids of Tara
Enlightenment
Vengeance on Varos
Turn Left
51-60
The Edge of Destruction
The Keys of Marinus
The Crusade
The Massacre
The Gunfighters
The Abominable Snowmen
City of Death
Blink
Amy's Choice
The Impossible Astronaut
61-70
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Ark
The Ice Warriors
Day of the Daleks
The Android Invasion
Nightmare of Eden
Warriors' Gate
The Five Doctors
Revelation of the Daleks
The Pandorica Opens
71-80
The Smugglers
Tomb of the Cybermen
Colony in Space
The Sontaran Experiment
The Stones of Blood
The Power of Kroll
The Unquiet Dead
Father's Day
The Empty Child
Gridlock
81-90
The Sensorites
Terror of the Autons
The Daemons
Planet of the Daleks
Robot
Castrovalva
Terminus
The Two Doctors
Aliens of London
Midnight
91-100
Planet of Giants
The Space Museum
The Savages
The War Machines
The Highlanders
The Faceless Ones
Fury From The Deep
Four To Doomsday
The Monk Trilogy
World Enough And Time
101-110
The Myth Makers
The Krotons
Revenge of the Cybermen
Logopolis
Black Orchid
Earthshock
Silence In The Library
The Waters of Mars
The Eleventh Hour
Into The Dalek
111 – 120
The Celestial Toymaker
The Tenth Planet
The Invisible Enemy
Destiny of the Daleks
Frontios
Attack of the Cybermen
Mark of the Rani
The Trial of a Time Lord: Terror of the Vervoids
Survival
Voyage of the Damned
121-130
The Chase
The Seeds of Death
The Keeper of Traken
Mawdryn Undead
The Curse of Fenric
The Time Of Angels
Vampires Of Venice
The Lodger
Flatline
Under The Lake
131-140
The Web Planet
The Moonbase
The Claws of Axos
The Creature From The Pit
Full Circle
Ghost Light
The End of the World
Rise of the Cybermen
Time Heist
Oxygen
141-150
Mission To The Unknown/The Daleks' Masterplan
The Wheel in Space
Underworld
State of Decay
Dalek
The Long Game
Partners In Crime
The Stolen Earth
Sleep No More
The Clara Trilogy
150-180
Galaxy Four
The Mind of Evil
The Sea Devils
Death to the Daleks
Planet of the Spiders
The Invasion Of Time
The Armageddon Factor
The Visitation
The Awakening
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy
The TV Movie
Boomtown
Bad Wolf
The Girl in the Fireplace
The Impossible Planet
Love and Monsters
Army of Ghosts
Smith and Jones
The Hungry Earth
Vincent And The Doctor
The Rebel Flesh
The Girl Who Waited
The God Complex
The Power Of Three
Journey To The Centre Of The Tardis
The Crimson Horror
The Day Of The Doctor
Deep Breath
The Pilot
The Empress Of Mars
181-210
The Underwater Menace
The Dominators
The Space Pirates
The Three Doctors
The Pirate Planet
The Leisure Hive
Paradise Towers
Delta and the Bannermen
Remembrance of the Daleks
The Happiness Patrol
Battlefield
The Christmas Invasion
Tooth and Claw
School Reunion
The Master Trilogy
Planet of the Ood
The Sontaran Stratagem
The End of Time
Dinosaurs On A Spaceship
A Town Called Mercy
The Angels Take Manhattan
The Bells Of St John
Cold War
Hide
Robot Of Sherwood
Mummy On The Orient Express
Last Christmas
The Zygon Invasion
The Return Of Dr Mysterio
Smile
211-240
The Mutants
Frontier in Space
The Monster of Peladon
The Horns of Nimon
The King's Demons
Resurrection of the Daleks
Silver Nemesis
New Earth
Fear Her
The Runaway Bride
The Shakespeare Code
The Lazarus Experiment
42
The Fires of Pompeii
The Unicorn and the Wasp
The Next Doctor
The Beast Below
A Christmas Carol
The Curse Of The Black Spot
Let's Kill Hitler
Night Terrors
Closing Time
Asylum Of The Daleks
The Snowmen
The Name Of The Doctor
The Time Of The Doctor
Dark Water
The Woman Who Lived
Knock Knock
Twice Upon A Time
241-270
The Time Monster
Meglos
Time Flight
Arc of Infinity
Warriors of the Deep
Planet of Fire
The Twin Dilemma
Timelash
The Trial of a Time Lord: The Mysterious Planet
The Trial of a Time Lord: The Ultimate Foe
Time and the Rani
Dragonfire
Rose
The Idiot's Lantern
Daleks in Manhattan
The Doctor's Daughter
Planet of the Dead
Victory Of The Daleks
The Doctor's Wife
A Good Man Goes To War
The Wedding Of River Song
The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe
Listen
The Caretaker
Kill The Moon
In The Forest Of The Night
The Girl Who Died
The Husbands Of River Song
Thin Ice
The Eaters Of Light
271-274
The Trial of a Time Lord: Mindwarp
The Rings Of Akhaten
Nightmare In Silver
The Magician's Apprentice