I've Never Watched Doctor Who...

I can't call myself as a fan but I like some Doctor Who for myself.

My favorite is Christmas special with Kylie Minogue and Russell Tovey. It was the first time I saw Tovey and my radar went off the scale.

Also liked that episode with those creepy angel things... those are one of the most unnerving characters I've seen in a work.

Knowing you, you would probably love Doctor Who. Just your type of geeknes, cheesy sci-fi and well thought adventures. One of the best UK products.

 

One of my favourite episodes, Let's Kill Hitler, has a historical character you may be familiar with :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajRRbnerug8&feature=player_detailpage

That said, he isn't in the episode for much more than that scene and the story is more part of an arc which you need to be familiar with to get what's going on. So maybe one to build up to. Also opinion tends to be split amongst fans about it as it's very centered around the character River Song in her beginnings when she was more immature, still sassy and badass mind, but also reckless and a little annoying. She does however deliver one of my favourite lines of all time in this:

(when confronted by a group of Nazi soldiers)
German Officer: “What are you doing here?”
River Song: “Well, I was on my way to this gay Gypsy bar mitzvah for the disabled when I suddenly thought 'Gosh, the Third Reich's a bit rubbish. I think I'll kill the Fuehrer.' Who's with me?”




When I was a child we had loads of videos of the classic Doctor Who which was lucky as I grew up in the gap after it was canceled and before they brought it back. So whilst most fans have a favourite Doctor they grew up with, I saw bits and pieces from the different actors. I was fond of the Tom Baker era but not significantly more so than others.

The Five Doctors is a good one from the classic era, as it features more than one Doctor so you get a sample of each. Genesis of the Daleks is another good one. My memory is sketchy in regards to classic episodes and their titles so I'll focus more on the new version.


I have noticed that newcomers (adults especially) often have difficulty getting into the classic series and much prefer the new era since it was brought back. I can understand why, the new version has a much bigger budget, modern special effects and MUCH better costumes (some of the old monsters were so shoddy looking it was actually endearing!) Also when I watch back the old episodes through an adults eyes I'm struck by how hammy some of the dialogue is compared to now, yet nowadays there is still the overall message with better writing. So much as the classics have a special place in my heart I think it has been overall improved (don't lynch me die hard classic Who fans!)

Russell T Davies was the writer that started off the new era when it was brought back, with Christopher Eccleston as the 9th Doctor and then David Tennant as the 10th. His episodes were more stand-alone adventures that brought back various updated incarnations of monsters and villains. Steven Moffat took over as head writer after he left and his episodes are generally more arc-driven, with a lot of twists and plot points that get referenced back to. So if you enjoy looking out for clues and playing detective trying to figure stuff out and have the time to watch episodes in order from the start of series 5 onwards might enjoyable for you.


In terms of The Doctor himself as a character:

He is a humanoid alien from a race known as the timelords. You will probably be aware he travels around space and time in his Tardis (well not technically his, he stole it. But he's had it since DW began). Timelords have the ability to regenerate, changing their appearance, physical age, race, and more recently even their gender, which is the explanation for how he can be played by a different actor when the previous one leaves. He ran away from his home planet of Gallifrey and has always preferred the company of humans. He has usually human female companions that travel with him.

His character has changed a lot since the show started in the 60s. Originally he was grumpy and condescending with a glimmer of kindness. Then gradually he became more amiable and charismatic but always with some cockiness, essentially the Doctor who always saves the day and doesn't resort to killing.

The new era is where some real differences emerge. Christopher Eccleston's Doctor is the last survivor of the Time War between the Timelords and the Daleks. It is established that in an effort to save the whole universe, The Doctor was forced to commit genocide of both the Daleks and his own people. The events of the Time War and his actions were addressed further in the 50th anniversary special but I won't go into the complicated ins and outs of that now. Basically CE's Doctor is effected by the war, he's still The Doctor but is damaged under the surface, occasionally having outbursts of anger especially on the subject of Daleks.

David Tennant's Doctor was the hero Doctor. He is very likable and delivers some brilliant lines. He shows a lot of heart. Although towards the end of Russell T Davies' era I feel it did get to a point where he became almost Christ-like in his hero status. From series 5 where Steven Moffat took over as head writer you have Matt Smith who in my view was probably the best of the new Doctors. His first episode The Eleventh Hour shows the Doctor in all his zany manic brilliance. This episode also plays on something very endearing about the show; seeing The Doctor through a child's eyes. The little girl Amelia he meets here is so affected by the mad man in a box crashing into her garden, talking impossible nonsense and eating fish fingers and custard in her house that it changes her whole life in a wonderful but also dangerous way. She becomes one of his traveling companions when grown-up, and she's a wonderfully take-no-shit Scottish girl (plus points for strong and fearless female characters from series 5 as well).

Matt Smith also shows a darker side to the Doctor. He comes across like everyone's hero and best friend all rolled into one, but is also prone to terrible bouts of survivor guilt, frequent lying, pushing the boundaries of his own moral code and acting selfishly.

In the most recent series (8) we get Peter Capaldi. He's the first properly dark Doctor. He's very harsh and this series overall had more of a sinister feel to it at times. I personally feel that Capaldi plays the role very well and like him, unfortunately the writing this series has started to stagnate and doesn't quite have the spark of enthusiasm it did before, probably because Moffat must be nearing the end of his time as head writer and it's beginning to show.


I could go on and tell you all about the various monsters and villains, but these are things you can probably look up. There's a lot of information compiled by keen online Whovians lol.

List of modern era episodes to look out for:

Dalek -Series 1

The Girl in the Fireplace -Series 2

Blink -Series 3 (this one has the awesome Weeping Angels, murderous statues that are stone when you see them but move superfast when you're not looking – don't blink!)

Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (two parter) -Series 4

The End of Time -Special

The Eleventh Hour -Series 5

Night Terrors -Series 6
The God Complex -Series 6

Asylum of the Daleks -Series 7



Btw Kaiser, this is another thing we can add to our 'list of things to marathon watch' together when that pesky Atlantic Ocean gets off its backside and moves out of our way lol.

 

Of the new series, my favourites are generally the least Doctor Who-like. I particularly recommend The Girl in the Fireplace, Blink and Midnight. These can be watched without any real knowledge of the background.

Turn Left is another favourite, but for that you do need to have seen the first few series up to that. The Empty Child is another good'un, from early on in the new series.

 

Girl in the Fireplace and Blink are awesome to start with the series. The 11th hour is a great one too.

 

It's okay! I've never watched Doctor Who as well. I know a lot of people (including my cousins in Florida) who watch it. From what I've gathered thus far, it's probably not my cup of tea (no pun intended, since it's a British program :lol, therefore I haven't bothered watching it.

 

Definitely Blink
Also Human Nature + Family of Blood, a great two parter that demonstrates that Doctor Who can do serious drama, as well as action and comedy.

 

I've never seen Dr who either so it's all good

 

Watch it from the beginning of the 2005 series. The first episode is "Rose" it's...not so good, imo. It gets better though. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

 

this

 

Yea, on second thought, if you really want to get into the series, start at the first episode of the new series.

 

When I watched that episode it was like WTF is this? How can all these people be obsessed with *this*. I kept watching and then all made sense. One of my favorites tv shows of all time.

 

I would start with Rose (Episode 1 of the Revived Series) because the Old Series can seem a little dated and the quality of the episodes is wildly different.

My favourite episodes are:
Dalek (Series 1)
The Girl in the Fireplace (Series 2)
Human Nature and The Family of Blood (Series 3)
Blink (Series 3)
Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead (Series 4)
Midnight (Series 4)
The Waters of Mars
The Eleventh Hour (Series 5)
The Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone (Series 5)
The Impossible Astronaught and Day of the Moon (Series 6)
Asylum of the Daleks (Series 7)
The Angels Take Manhattan (Series 7)
The Day of the Doctor
The Time of the Doctor
Listen (Series 7)
Mummy On the Orient Express (Series 7)
Flatline (Series 7)
Dark Water (Series 7)

 

What do you think of "Love and Monsters"? I know it's a pretty much the most disliked episode but I didn't mind when I saw it but then again it's been a while.

 

Hi i love doctor who. This one isnt a great one to start with but i love angels of manhattan. Most of the episodes kind of go in chronological order(or at least the companions choronoligical).Enjoy watching.

 

This list has some amazing doctor who episode, but if I may add The God Complex( series 6) it's my absolute favorite episode. It's a little creepy but over all amazing

 

If you start from the beginning, (ninth doctor) give yourself two or three episodes to get into it. My sister isn't into scifi at all, but after watching the first two episodes even she was hooked.

 

I don't blame you for never watching it, I found it dreadful, I've never gotten into it at all, it's not my type of show .

 

Andrew. It's Doctor Who. Not Dr who.

As for episodes, you might want to watch Matt Smith as the doctor. Everyone who is new to Doctor Who seems to fall in love with him. So it's a good season to start with.
Never. I repeat, never watch a random episode. You'll get very lost.