If you are searching for Doctor Who episodes for history lovers, you might be a Whovian!
Just in case you don’t know, a “Whovian” is a fan of Doctor Who, the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey British sci-fi show. As the Doctor travels through time and space, they often come into contact with famous historical figures or historical events on Earth.
Here are a few examples of Doctor Who episodes that you can tie into your study of history!
Season 4: Episode 2: The Fires of Pompeii (79 AD/CE, Pompeii)
The Doctor and his companion, Donna, travel back in time to Pompeii. The Doctor wrestles with the ethics of saving anyone from the volcanic blast.
Season 7: Episode 3: A Town Called Mercy (unknown year, Old West)
The Doctor, Amy, and Rory travel back to an Old West town in an episode that pays homage to Western films. The Doctor is faced with a moral dilemma.
Season 8: Episode 3: Robot of Sherwood (1190, Robin Hood)
The Doctor and his companion, Clara, travel back in time to Sherwood Forest. The Doctor duels Robin Hood and fights robot knights commanded by the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Season 9: Episode 5: The Girl Who Died (Vikings)
The Doctor and Clara travel to a Viking village and the Doctor pretends to be Odin. It doesn’t work because a figure of Odin appears in the sky.
Season 11: Episode 3: Rosa (Parks, 1955)
The Doctor and her companions, Graham, Ryan, and Yasmin, arrive in Alabama in 1955. Ryan and Yasmin face racism while trying to stop a time-traveler from interfering with Rosa Parks.
Season 11: Episode 8: The Witchfinders (1612, Lancashire)
The Doctor and her companions arrive in the middle of a witch-hunt and the Doctor pretends to be the Witchfinder General.
Even more Whovian history episodes:
Season 1: Episode 3: The Unquiet Dead (Charles Dickens, 1869)
Season 1: Episodes 9 and 10: The Empty Child and the Doctor Dances (1941/World War II; 2 part episode)
Season 2: Episode 2: Tooth and Claw (1879, Queen Victoria)
Season 2: Episode 4: The Girl in the Fireplace (18th century France)
Season 3: Episode 2: The Shakespeare Code (1599 England)
Season 3: Episode 4 and 5: Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks (1930, New York City)
Season 3: Episode 8 and Episode 9: Human Nature and Family of Blood (1913 England)
Season 4: Episode 7: The Unicorn and the Wasp (1926, Agatha Christie)
Christmas Special: The Next Doctor (1851, Victorian London)
Season 5: Episode 3: Victory of the Daleks (Winston Churchill/World War II)
Season 5: Episode 6: The Vampires of Venice (1580, Venice)
Season 5: Episode 10: Vincent and the Doctor (1890, Vincent Van Gogh)
Season 6: Episode 8: Let’s Kill Hitler (Berlin, 1938)
Christmas Special: The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe (1938, England/World War II)
Season 7: Episode 5: The Angels Take Manhattan (Manhattan 1938)
Christmas Special: The Snowmen (1892, London)
Season 7: Episode 11 The Crimson Horror (1893 Yorkshire)
50th Anniversary Special: Day of the Doctor (1562 England)
Season 8: Episode 1: Deep Breath (Victorian London)
Season 10: Episode 3: Thin Ice (1814 Frost Fair, England)
Season 10: Episode 10: Eaters of Light (2nd century Scotland, Roman Legion and Picts)
Season 11: Episode 6: Demons of the Punjab (1947 Partition of India and Pakistan)
Season 12: Episode 4: Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror (1903)
Season 12: Episode 8 : The Haunting of Villa Diodati (1816, Mary Shelley)
Looking for more Doctor Who history? Check out this list from Mental Floss
What are your favorite episodes? Who’s your favorite Doctor and why? Tell us below!