Good cliffhangers make you wait a week a week for the resolution, which doesn't disappoint.



Bad cliffhangers don't really pull you in, or have unsatisfying resolutions.

Ugly cliffhangers make you say "What...!" in disbelief, or simply make you feel bad.



Good:

An Unearthly Child 1.



As the TARDIS sits on a windy plain, a twisted shadow appears in the foreground...



Revenge of the Cybermen 3.



Keller is crushed and the Doctor knocked out by the rocks. Harry climbs down to his body and begins to undo the bomb harness...



Vengeance on Varos 1 (2 for ABC audiences).



The heat intensifies. The Doctor reaches out but falls.

Sill giggles in pleasure while the Governor says "...and...cut!"



Bad:



The War Games 2.



And beyond the mist a Roman legion bears down upon them...



The Claws of Axos 2.



The Doctor, Jo and Tyler are attacked by a man in a bag. Then blobby aliens come and make then stand in the middle of the room.



Horror of Fang Rock 2.



A voice screams like Harry Belefonte warming up. Meanwhile, in the crew's room, Adelaide joins in screaming too.



Ugly:



Death to the Daleks 3.



"Stop!" The Doctor holds his hand up in front of Bellal.

Floor!



The Android Invasion 2.



"The real Sarah wasn't wearing her scarf--"Bang!

Fake Sarah's face come off.



Time Flight 2.



"I don't understand."

"No, my dear Doctor, you never do!"

Why, it was the Master all along...("And I could've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you rotten kids!")

I have a lot to say about this but not enough time to type it all-

BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER!!!!!

Good to see you picked out Vengance of Varos cliffhanger as a good one Just another example of the mastery of the best Doctor Colin Baker



I think all the bad cliffhangers are summed up well by Colin Baker in the Colin Baker Years.... the one's that end with ... NO PERI NO!!!! Which is quite universal... NO SARAH NO!!! NO ROMANA NO!!! YES DIE ADRIC DIE!!! opps hehehe



Something about the new Series that disappoints a little is that there is not the weekly cliff hanger... (well most of the time anyway) the story is resolved in one episode.... hmmm well I guess we have to bring Doctor Who kicking and screaming into the 21st century... they are doing a good job.



anyway,,,, hope my waffle made sense hehehe

Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die Die etc Die Mel



The Worst Cliffhanger: The Doctor climbing over the fence to trip in Dragonfire

Yes, yes, quite incomprehensible that one. Andrew Cartmel blames the problems of Dragonfire on the lighting..."Quite oftne when people say they don't like the writing they mean they don't like the lighting." from memory. There's enough wrong with that particular cliffhanger to blame both.

The Good:



"Genesis of the Daleks" - Parts 4 and 5 (Davros interrogating The Doctor and The Doctor being strangled by a baby Dalek)



"The Deadly Assassin" - Part 3 (Mary whitehouse made this immortal!)



"The Caves of Andrzani" - Part 3 (Davison being heroic and coming of age in his final story - bugger what you think about him, Sneb!)



"Earthshock" - Part 3 ("My army awaits, Doctor" - The Cybermen were back!!!!!!!!)



"An Unearthly Child" - Part 1 (Refer to Martin's comment)



"The Daleks" - Part 1 (This started the whole bandwagon - and back in 1963 that would have been menacing both horrifically and sexually - Barbara backing away from a long menacing erection, errr Dalek plunger!)



"Logopolis" - Part 3 (Tragedy at it's best in the series as the Doctor realises that the Master has him 'in check' - "One last hope")



"The Sea Devils" - Part Three (After a well choreographed sword fight we see The Master's dagger in mid air aimed for The Doctor's back)



"The Robots of Death" - Part One (That bit really freaked me out when I was a kid!)



"The Face of Evil" - Part 3 (The Doctor's many faces chanting "Who am I" - schizophrenia at it's best!!!!)



"Kinda" - Part 3 (Who said Dr Who wasn't influenced by LSD?)



The Bad:



"Four to Doomsday" - All Parts (especially part one - how much sillier can you get???!!!)



All of Colin Baker's era (now sneb will be hunting me down!!)



The Ugly:



The entire Mc coy era - all episodes.