The Top 5 William Hartnell stories

5. The Tenth Planet- Season 4

I've noticed a trend recently of public opinion souring on this story, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps because it's basically our first base under siege, something which is done better later on in the show, but I love it. Everything about the Cybermen is brilliantly realised from the concept of Mondas to the horrific body horror implied by their look and the conversion process. They aren't just clompy robots here, they are real frightening abominations. The sing song voices are sublimely creepy and the nature of their costumes is really effective at looking like a cobbled together cyborg. And of course, at the end, we see the show take the radical step of killing off its main character and star. Dark, bleak and well executed.

4. The Time Meddler- Season 2

Clever, funny and full of surprises, The Time Meddler is the shows first historical to include Sci fi elements, dropping its twists and mystery early but then teasing for explanation. There's great supporting characters, a well realised setting, brilliant writing and direction (the latter by the outstanding Douglas Camfield) and a fantastic villain. The Monk is wonderfully played by the comic actor Peter Butterworth as a figure alternatively funny and sinister, and there is something so brilliant in his conception. I love the idea of a Time Lord messing with history just for the lols. It's so much more interesting and plausible than The Master just doing evil stuff because he's evil. He's such a brilliant foil for Hartnell. This is also a story that really let's Steven come into his own as a companion.

3. An Unearthly Child- Season 1

Where it all began. The first episode of the show is astounding television even today. Dark, mysterious, intriguing. Brilliantly scripted, subtly performed and directed with imagination and flair by Waris Hussein, it's it's strange and uncanny episode that doesn't make it clear for a second what kind of programme you are watching. Two teachers are concerned about one of their strange pupils. They follow her home to a scrap yard where they encounter a sinister old man in Edwardian garb, who promptly kidnaps them. Disappointingly followed by the caveman dullness, this is just amazing, deftly establishing our cast and proposing mysteries that the show is still grappling with today.

2. The Romans- Season 2

A rare example of the show doing comedy, The Romans is a treat from beginning to end, coming off as a witty and hilarious parody of Robert Graves and Hollywood epics. The chemistry between the cast is perfect here, Hartnell is given full freedom to show his skill as a comic actor, and the production is lavish and visually striking whole retaining a relaxed farcical atmosphere, with a script that never hits a bad note. Sublime.

1. The Aztecs- Season 1

A perfect fusion and balance of weighty themes and high drama with lightness and comedy, The Aztecs is almost the perfect distillation of everything that Who at its best is. So many good things about this it's hard to know where to start, from the dignity and depth that Aztec culture and characters are presented with, to the ethical issues at the heart of time travel to the beautifully done comedy subplots. Barely a line or scene is wasted and it has a lightness of touch throughout that makes the ending all the more affecting. Simply brilliant.