Broadcast between 7pm and 7.45pm, and co-starring Freema Agyeman as Martha Jones, the Doctor's new assistant, the show had an average audience of 8.2m viewers and an average 39.5% share of viewers, peaking at an audience of 8.9m.
The episode featured a London hospital transported to the moon by an alien force in search of a murderer.
The programme tore through the Saturday night schedules, beating 'Primeval', the science fiction rival from ITV1, which pulled in 6.1m viewers for the concluding episode of its first run.
'Doctor Who' was followed up by the first episode of talent show, 'Joseph: Any Dream Will Do', broadcast between 7.45pm and 8.45pm, which drew in an average audience of 6.7m and an average audience share of 30.8%, peaking at 7.3m viewers, according to unofficial overnights.
The two programmes had strong competition from ITV1, which broadcast children's film 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'.
Peter Fincham, BBC One controller, said: "Saturday was a great night for family viewing on BBC One. 'Doctor Who' is back with a vengeance, with a great new companion in Martha Jones. And 'Joseph: Any Dream Will Do' reunites Andrew Lloyd Webber and Graham Norton for 12 weeks of top quality entertainment."
Separately, according to reports, the BBC is expected to almost treble the price it pays for its BBC One hit Australian soap 'Neighbours'.
The corporation is set to pay £13m a year to air the programme, which had been subject to a bidding war, with Five looking to acquire the rights to the show.
Five was planning to schedule the show after its own Australian soap 'Home and Away' to boost its place in the afternoon schedules..jpg)
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