Stories Television Doctor Who Season 1 Serial: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Edge of Destruction Original Story TV Soundtrack Original Story TV Soundtrack 2 images Overview Episodes Characters How to Watch Reviews 32 Statistics Related Stories Quotes 4 Transcript Overview First aired Saturday, February 8, 1964 Production Code C Written by David Whitaker Directed by Frank Cox, Richard Martin Runtime 50 minutes Story Type Bottle Episode Time Travel Present Tropes (Potential Spoilers!) Dawn of Time, Everybody Lives!, Mind Control Inventory (Potential Spoilers!) Fast Return Switch, First Aid Kit, Food Replicator Location (Potential Spoilers!) TARDIS Synopsis As they slowly recover from the shock of being thrown to the TARDIS floor, the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara all start acting strangely. Unexplained events occur and the travellers start to turn on each other as they contemplate what is happening on the TARDIS. Watch Watched Favourite Favourited Add Review Edit Review Log a repeat Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Owned Save to my list Saved Edit date completed Custom Date Release Date Archive (no date) Save 2 Episodes The Edge of Destruction First aired Saturday, February 8, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Whitaker Directed by Richard Martin UK Viewers 10.4 million Appreciation Index 61 Synopsis A mysterious explosion has knocked the TARDIS into void. And in their confusion, the crew are turning on one another. The Brink of Disaster First aired Saturday, February 15, 1964 Runtime 25 minutes Written by David Whitaker Directed by Frank Cox UK Viewers 9.9 million Appreciation Index 60 Synopsis The TARDIS is adrift, the crew turning on each other. Only by working together can they find their way out before they are destroyed. Show All Episodes Characters First Doctor William Hartnell Susan Carole Ann Ford Ian Chesterton William Russell Barbara Wright Jacqueline Hill Show All Characters (4) How to watch The Edge of Destruction: Watch on iPlayer DVD The Beginning – An Unearthly Child / The Daleks / The Edge of Destruction VHS The Edge of Destruction & Dr Who: The Pilot Episode (VHS) Reviews Add Review Edit Review Sort: Date (Newest First) Date (Oldest First) Likes (High-Low) Likes (Low-High) Rating (High-Low) Rating (Low-High) Word count (High-Low) Word count (Low-High) Username (A-Z) Username (Z-A) Spoilers First Spoilers Last 32 reviews 3 May 2025 · 7 words Review by kawaii2234 1 Susan Foreman: HI! I'M A SHOUTY GIRL! kawaii2234 View profile Like Liked 1 23 April 2025 · 77 words Review by Dragonwitch Throughout the first two stories, the goal of making it back to the safety of the TARDIS was paramount, or nearly so. Now the show asks the question, "What if this place isn't safe, either?" The first episode does so much to establish a creeping feeling of unease, and although it's just a teensy bit down from the opening episode, I still really like the second part, especially the ending. On to the roof of the world... Dragonwitch View profile Like Liked 0 22 April 2025 · 489 words Review by JayPea 1 A beautiful little bottle episode that I don't think could have been made at any other point in the show's history. Firstly, I want to praise the episodes titles, The Edge of Destruction going into The Brink of Disaster feels very Revival Season 9 to me, and in the best way possible. This story is just so strange and I kind of love that, there's a real sense of tension and building dread. These characters the audience would've been coming to get to know and love over the last 2+ months are now trapped together, and the worst is being brought out in them. I've seen others comparing it to Midnight or Class' Detained, and I absolutely agree that this feels very much like a precursor to those, but I love that here, unlike Midnight, The Doctor is almost the antagonist of a lot of the story here. When I say that it's a story you couldn't tell at any other point in the show's history, The Doctor is the main thing I'm talking about, he's brash and rude, and even effectively threatens to kill Ian and Barbara at one point. This story wouldn't work with any other doctor, you just wouldn't believe that he'd do that, but here, where the character's not fully formed yet, where he's still a mystery, you really don't know what he's willing to do. It's also a great story to help showcase the wide variety of stories that can be told with the show. Often-times the new series will start with a trio of episodes, one in the past, one the present, one the future, and here, The Edge of Destruction finishes out that trilogy that the first two eras of the show tend to do. An Unearthly Child shows the past, The Daleks shows the future, and The Edge of Destruction is more of a 'sidestep'. The character acting here is also great here, I especially love the way The Doctor uses a light to explain what happened to Susan, or the moment where he admits to Ian that they only have five minutes, and they both sort of share a moment. The only reason this isn't higher is that, where other stories are somewhat let down by the stylings of the time, I feel this story is really let down by it. I think different camera angles, or more use of darkness could have really improved this story, but of course that wasn't the done thing at the time. So the last thing I want to mention then, it Barbara. The way she stands up for herself against The Doctor, how she's not taking any ■■■■ from him, even when Ian is so ready to forgive and forget, she's not, she needs to hear that apology, and she can't move on in their relationship without it, it's a great point of characterisation which I just adore, and absolutely moves Barbara up my companion ranking JayPea View profile Like Liked 1 9 April 2025 · 45 words Review by Licterentia Original (French) Translation (English) Cette histoire fonctionne vraiment bien, que ce soit dans l'acting ou l'histoire. Même si j'ai quelques réserves sur la raison de pourquoi cette histoire existe, je reste conquise et très positive sur cet épisode. Petite mention spéciale au moment touchant entre le Docteur et Barbara. This story works really well, whether it's in the acting or the plot. Even though I have some reservations about the reason why this story exists, I remain won over and very positive about this episode. Special mention to the touching moment between the Doctor and Barbara. (Translation generated by AI, so mistakes are possible). Licterentia View profile Like Liked 0 30 March 2025 · 112 words Review by rainbownixie Spoilers 2 This review contains spoilers! This one's easy for me just because I love these types of plots. Would've even liked a longer serial for this one! The whole mystery around the situation ending up being such a simple answer feels perfect to me. Something absurd and at the same time so interesting, just what this show is. I'm weak for bottle episodes that force characters to interact and carry the whole thing. The Doctor's dynamic with, well, everyone is marvelous. His personality clash with Ian? The way he ends up being so fond of Barbara? And, in general, all of his love for Susan... Simple two-parter that actually shows a lot of things about them <3 rainbownixie View profile Like Liked 2 Show All Reviews (32) Open in new window Statistics AVG. Rating730 members 3.57 / 5 Trakt.tv AVG. Rating490 votes 3.60 / 5 Member Statistics Watched 1256 Favourited 129 Reviewed 32 Saved 4 Skipped 2 Related Stories The Companion Chronicles S5 • Episode 6 Quinnis Rating: 3.13 Story Skipped Audio Book Reviews(6) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: The Companion Chronicles Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Other adaptations of this story: We define an adaptation as a recreation of a similar story but on a different medium or with different characters. Target Collection Doctor Who: The Edge of Destruction Rating: 3.79 Story Skipped Book Reviews(2) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: Target Collection Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Other variations of this story We define a variation as another way of experiencing the exact same story - like an autiobook, a reconstruction or an omnibus edition. BBC Audio Soundtracks The Edge of Destruction (BBC Audio Soundtrack) Rating: ??? Story Skipped Soundtrack Reviews(1) More Actions View Sets Close Related Sets Set of Stories: BBC Audio Soundtracks Add Review Edit Review Skip Skipped Unowned Owned Save to my list Saved Quotes Add Quote Link to Quote Favourite DOCTOR: As we learn about each other, so we learn about ourselves. — First Doctor, The Edge of Destruction Show All Quotes (4) Open in new window Transcript Needs checking Episode One - The Edge of Destruction [TARDIS] (The TARDIS is in flight after leaving Skaro, when there is bang, it shakes and everyone falls over. It goes dark. We rejoin the action with the lights back on. The Doctor is lying on the floor, Ian slumped in a chair, Susan draped over the console. Barbara is the only one awake.) BARBARA: Mister Chesterton? Ian Chesterton? I thought (Susan wakes. She looks almost drunk) Show Full Transcript Open in new window