10 Scariest Doctor Who Episodes To Watch To Get Into Halloween Spirits

There is a reason why Doctor Who is one of the most popular sci-fi TV shows in the entire United Kingdom, which has definitely spread its influence to the United States as well. As well as showcasing some of the greatest acting talent in the world, the show has a wide range of emotions.

From heartfelt (and often heartbreaking) love stories to thrilling mysteries, Doctor Who has always had a lot to offer its fans. With the youngest audience in mind, the showrunners managed to keep the episodes interesting for adults as well, filling dialog with clever jokes and seasonal arcs with some pretty scary monsters.

If you haven't been scared by Doctor Who at least once, have we been watching the same show? And if you want to re-watch the scariest episodes of Doctor Who to keep the Halloween spirit alive, you can follow this list.

The Waters Of Mars (2009 special)

The only truly terrifying special episode, released so that the audience could spend a little more time with their favorite Doctor before his time came to an end. As we all learned, the Doctor gets much darker when he travels alone, and The Waters Of Mars is a great example of that.

The Doctor is capable of a lot of great things, but the second he starts playing God, things can take a turn for the worse.

Listen (S8E4)

Doctor Who is no stranger to telling stories about people's childhoods, but this may be the first time a companion has affected the Doctor's childhood in return.

The episode plays with viewers' minds in the best possible way, breaking down the wall of questions with a conclusion so powerful that it can easily rival one of the best-rated episodes of the series, like Doomsday.

Night Terrors (S6E9)

If there's one thing that can scare most adults as much as it can scare some kids, it's creepy dolls. Make them taller than the average person and put some terrifying masks over their usually pretty faces and you've got a monster straight out of someone's nightmares. Good thing the Doctor is always there to save the day.

The Time of Angels / Flesh and Stone (S5E4 / S5E5)

Some stories are just too good to be told in an hour, so Doctor Who simply splits them in half. After all, what could be better than two hours of horror?

After the audience had already been introduced to the Weeping Angels, they couldn't have been as terrifying, but thanks to Steven Moffat, their second appearance as a violent form bent on killing humans was almost as scary as the first.

The Empty Child / The Doctor Dances (S1E9 / S1E10)

The World War II setting is about as scary as it gets, but adding a seemingly possessed child into the mix doesn't make it any better.

This two-parter perfectly balances all the hallmarks of a good horror movie without making it cheesy: you have a creepy kid, you have creepy graphics, you have an unexpected plot twist, and you have chilling music in the background. A recipe for the perfect Halloween inspiration.

The Girl In The Fireplace (S2E4)

Inspired by The Time Traveler's Wife, Steven Moffat has created another masterpiece of an episode that mixes the elements of fantasy, period drama, and thriller.

The episode isn't filled with too much graphics or action, as it relies much more on the atmosphere created by the costumes, set design and music, and the suspense that the viewers experience alongside the Doctor. Even if you're not a big fan of the second series, you'll have to have a sweet spot for this episode.

The God Complex (S6E11)

A horror scenario adapted from an episode of Doctor Who is enough to keep us on the edge of our seats, rooting for the characters to get out of danger as quickly as possible, but multiple horror tropes in one episode?

It's safe to say that Toby Whithouse and Steven Moffat did everything they could to make sure that neither children nor adults would ever forget this story.

Midnight (S4E10)

If there is one thing you can be 100% sure of in Doctor Who, it is that the Doctor will never get his well-deserved rest without getting into some sort of trouble.

When the planet that was supposed to be completely empty suddenly turns out to be inhabited by some unnerving, disturbing, violent creatures, the people on the spaceship the Doctor is traveling in turn against him, wanting to eliminate him. It's not the first time the Doctor has had to fight everyone, but it's certainly got a lot of people worried.

Silence In The Library / Forest Of The Dead (S4E8 / S4E9)

Not only are these episodes scary, but they are truly heartbreaking at the very end. There aren't many stories in Doctor Who that don't end happily, but River Song's is definitely one of the more bittersweet ones.

Besides, two episodes dealing with creatures that come out of the shadows to feed on human flesh must have instilled a fear of the dark in people who weren't afraid of it before.

Blink (S3E10)

The first appearance of Weeping Angels and the episode gave many viewers nightmares for years, no matter what age they were.

Before the team of Doctor Who completely overused Angels and made them contradict their own initial lore, they were one of the most powerful monsters in the universe, and a huge part of that success was thanks to their strong introduction.