Doctor Who fans name Rosa as the best episode from Jodie Whittaker’s first series
The emotional civil rights story has been voted fans' favourite episode from series 11 – check out the full results here
Doctor Who fans have been voting in their thousands for their favourite episode of Jodie Whittaker’s first series, and now the most popular story has been revealed.
Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall’s episode Rosa, which saw the Doctor and her team travel to 1950s America to witness Rosa Parks’ iconic bus protest, has been named the best episode of series 11.
Starring Vinette Robinson as Rosa and Josh Bowman as the villainous Krasko, the episode was praised at the time for its emotional heart and strong performances, as well as frank discussions about racism between the regular cast.
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Over 9,000 fans ended up voting overall in the RadioTimes.com poll.
31 per cent of them named Rosa as their favourite episode from the series, followed by Pete McTighe’s Kerblam! and Vinay Patel’s Demons of the Punjab (which picked up 15 per cent and 11 per cent of the vote respectively).
Many fans and critics considered Rosa a huge success soon after it was broadcast, but the level of enthusiasm for the episode is still striking to see a full two months after it originally aired.
By contrast, it’s interesting to note that Arachnids in the UK, which was praised on social media at the time of broadcast, seems to have slipped off many fans’ radar in the weeks since, landing at second-to last in the RadioTimes.com poll.
Check out the full results of fans' favourite Doctor Who series 11 episodes below.
1. Rosa
Doctor Who series 11’s first historical adventure was a powerful look at the US Civil Rights movement with some seriously moving performances. Plus, we found out the Doctor might be Banksy. We’d hardly be surprised.
2. Kerblam!
Infiltrating an intergalactic delivery service, the Doctor and pals discover a rotten conspiracy that threatens thousands of lives – as well as a few fun Doctor Who Easter Eggs for fans to enjoy.
3. Demons of the Punjab
Another emotional historical episode saw Yaz (Mandip Gill) discover some old family secrets when the gang travelled back to the time of Indian Partition. As with any wedding, there were some tears.
4. It Takes You Away
A cabin-in-the-woods thriller turns into a truly strange and existential sci-fi in the series’ penultimate episode. And yes, the talking frog is an image that will stick with us for a very long time.
5. The Woman Who Fell to Earth
Jodie Whittaker’s Who debut saw her take on a toothy foe in Sheffield, build a new sonic screwdriver and gather a new team of companions (Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole). Not bad for a night’s work.
6. The Witchfinders
The Doctor’s gender finally comes into play as she’s accused of witchcraft in a fear-gripped Lancashire town. Things only get worse (or better, if you’re a viewer) when Alan Cumming’s flamboyant King James I arrives on the scene.
7. The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos
The Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan’s adventures come to a head in this finale episode, which sees them face off again with their old foe Tzim-Sha and his unwitting accomplices the Ux.
8. The Ghost Monument
After being stranded on an alien planet the Doctor and her friends get to grits with their first off-world adventure, complete with deadly alien foes and an impossible challenge. It was all worth it for that big Tardis reveal, we’re sure.
9. Arachnids in the UK
The Tardis team came back to Earth (specifically Sheffield) to find the city under attack from mutant spiders, thanks to the machinations of an American businessman. Worth the price of admission for Chris Noth’s scenery-chewing performance alone.
10. The Tsuranga Conundrum
Chris Chibnall took us on the new series’ first outer-space adventure (well, sort of), trapping the Doctor on a spaceship with a deadly (and extremely cute) monster and a ticking clock.
Now, we just have to wait and see how the 2019 New Year’s Day special rates up against all these stories. No pressure….
Doctor Who: Resolution airs on BBC1 on Tuesday 1st January at 7.00pm