Doctor Who: where to start?

[Mister K]

Good evening, escapists.

I've heard many good things about this series. I've heard that ist has good story, characters, humour and other things. But I also know, that first seasons were filmed somewhen in the 1950-s and were lost. So I am also kind of lost.

Help me out guys. Where sould I start to fully understand the lore?

And to make this topic a bit more long-living, tell me and other readers about your favorite moments in this series.

 

[Berithil]

My advice: start with the 2005 reboot (revival? Continuation?). The one with Christopher Eccleston. It does a fairly good job of explaining the show to newcomers. That's probably the best jumping off point. Then, if you like it, start hunting for the older episodes. Give it a couple episodes, though, because the first couple aren't that great. Some of the older episodes are indeed missing footage, but you don't have to go that far back. I started with the 2005 version, then went back and watched episodes from each of the past Doctors, at least the ones I could find online.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'd say start with Tom Baker. Very different from the current stuff, but a lot of great stuff, especially near the very beginning.

The first seasons (in the 60s, not 50s) weren't lost, just individual stories and episodes. The first 3 stories, which is several hours of show, is still there. Even the lost stuff is around as audio with still images. Back then they hadn't really clicked into place as to what the show was about then, and even when they did, it took 50 years to develop into the new stuff.

As an aside, I'm one of those that's not really keen on the revival stuff.

 

[Ninjamedic]

Help me out guys. Where sould I start to fully understand the lore?

Well there are now 5 good places to start.

-First Doctor (William Hartnell): An Unearthly Child : Start with the very first and go from there, however you should know that the pacing is very slow, and episodes from the first and second doctors tenures are still missing.

-Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee): Spearhead From Space : First story in Colour, you can start here without having to see the first or second doctors. The first few seasons are mainly set on contemporary Earth mind, but there is also The Three Doctors which lets you see the First and Second as well.

-Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker): Robot : Baker's era, need I say more? Said to be the best of the Classic Era.

-Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) : Rose : Start of the New Series, if you intend on watching the Tennant(Tenth Doctor) episodes at least, I strongly advise starting here.

-Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith): The Eleventh Hour: Latest Doctor, you only need to see two (three as of now) seasons to catch up. You don't need to see any of the Eccleston/Tennant episodes prior either. (Although I recommend seeing Blink and Silence in the Library/Forest of The dead at least)

 

[FinalDream]

I'd start with the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and work forward, occasionally dabbling in the older series when you want to. Though really I only stick to the first five doctors because I can't stand the sixth and seventh and the eight only appears in a decidedly mediocre TV movie.

I tend to pick and mix between old doctors and it keeps it fresh, though you tend to pick up favourites and watch more of them!

 

[Weaver]

I'd say start with Tom Baker. Very different from the current stuff, but a lot of great stuff, especially near the very beginning.

The first seasons (in the 60s, not 50s) weren't lost, just individual stories and episodes. The first 3 stories, which is several hours of show, is still there. Even the lost stuff is around as audio with still images. Back then they hadn't really clicked into place as to what the show was about then, and even when they did, it took 50 years to develop into the new stuff.

As an aside, I'm one of those that's not really keen on the revival stuff.

I second this. Tom Baker is my favourite doctor!

 

[Zythrone]

Episode one ("Rose") of the 2005 series, if you end up liking the show you can go watch the classic series.

 

[BrotherRool]

Start with the 2005 series. The early stuff is good, but it's a bit different and takes a lot of adjusting to old standards of television. The 2005 New Who stuff with Christopher Eccleston was designed to reintroduce all the important aspects and to be watched by newcomers

 

[oktalist]

All the TV Doctors have done good episodes and bad episodes, so I wouldn't write off any of them as beyond bothering with, but the Tom Baker era was the most consistently good of the colour episodes, and accounts for over 70 hours of screen time. But if it's coverage of the lore that you're after then you'd want to pick and choose episodes from every Doctor. You've taken on a formidable task; it's got probably the broadest lore of any sci-fi TV series. To begin, it wouldn't be a bad idea to simply watch all the episodes that feature the Doctor regenerating (those would be the ones at the beginning and end of each Doctor's tenure, of course). After that, dip into some wikis, click on any themes that have interested you so far and watch any episodes you see that you like the look of. Note that all the classic series episodes were arranged as mini-serials of usually between three and six episodes each, while the new series episodes are mostly self-contained.

Of course having a borderline autistic recall of all aspects of the lore is not necessary to enjoy the series, and just starting from some random point and watching subsequent episodes in order is just as valid an approach. In fact, this is probably more true for Doctor Who than it is for any other series, as there are barely ever any callbacks to events from earlier episodes; there's no Federation, no Empire or Rebel Alliance or anything like that, and it intentionally avoids trying to explain the technology: it doesn't use warp drive or subspace or The Force, it's just a time machine, deal with it. On the other hand, if you want lore, there is plenty to find.

 

[Knight Captain Kerr]

The first Christopher Eccleston episode "Rose" is the best place to start. The first Matt Smith episode "The Eleventh Hour" isn't bad either.

 

[Something Amyss]

-Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith): The Eleventh Hour: Latest Doctor, you only need to see two (three as of now) seasons to catch up. You don't need to see any of the Eccleston/Tennant episodes prior either. (Although I recommend seeing Blink and Silence in the Library/Forest of The dead at least)

People should watch Blink regardless, as it's fantastic.

 

[BabySinclair]

Depends on the amount of time you're willing to spend. Starting with Classic Who is 15 days worth of backlog. New Who is much much less intensive.

 

[Josh123914]

-Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith): The Eleventh Hour: Latest Doctor, you only need to see two (three as of now) seasons to catch up. You don't need to see any of the Eccleston/Tennant episodes prior either. (Although I recommend seeing Blink and Silence in the Library/Forest of The dead at least)

People should watch Blink regardless, as it's fantastic.

I have to say that Blink may be one of the worst Doctor Who episodes to start off with, on the grounds that (good as it may be) there is not a proper Doctor Who episode, the Doctor himself plays pretty much a cameo role in the whole thing.

 

[Ninjamedic]

I have to say that Blink may be one of the worst Doctor Who episodes to start off with, on the grounds that (good as it may be) there is not a proper Doctor Who episode, the Doctor himself plays pretty much a cameo role in the whole thing.

You'd think that, but considering the opening episodes for Series 1,3 and 4 of the new series, it still works great as a first episode to watch. It provides an intrigue into The Doctor by using him as a side character (Which he sort-of was in the first ever stories), actually has time travel worked into the story in a logical manner, introduces one of the best monsters of the new series and most importantly, shows the heights the series can reach.

It's definitely an episode to sell the show to someone with.

 

[BleedingPride]

revival? Continuation?

Yeah the term revival is accurate, and you're right too, that's where I started and I'm doing just fine. You sort of pick up other details along the way.

 

[DanielBrown]

I begun with the 2005 version(currently in the middle of season two, I think) and it worked really well. Was slightly confusing at first since I didn't know anything at all about the series but, as said in this thread, they explain it well.

The Netflix Doctor Who episodes start at 2005, by the way, so if you're using that service you can jump right in!

 

[Blaze the Dragon]

My recommendation is to start out by going to trenzalore and breaking into the TARDIS, then jump into the scar of time and have your body split into millions of versions of yourself so that you can watch all the episodes at once, including the lost ones! Not sure what to do after that though... I'm sure you'll figure something out.

 

[OneCatch]

I'd start with the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston) and work forward, occasionally dabbling in the older series when you want to. Though really I only stick to the first five doctors because I can't stand the sixth and seventh and the eight only appears in a decidedly mediocre TV movie.

I tend to pick and mix between old doctors and it keeps it fresh, though you tend to pick up favourites and watch more of them!

I'd probably say this. The older series are great, but the 2005 reboot is probably the most accessible place to start.
If you really want to, watch Eccleston's tenure then go back to the earlier ones before starting on Tennant.

And yes, Blink is one of the finest bits of psychological horror full stop, let alone in Doctor Who.

 

[SuperSamio64]

I'd start somewhere around the Second or Third Doctors. It may take some getting used to, and it's a bit less accessible than modern Who, but it'll make all the references and returning enemies more special when you get round the watching the New Series.

 

[BloodSquirrel]

Good evening, escapists.

I've heard many good things about this series. I've heard that ist has good story, characters, humour and other things. But I also know, that first seasons were filmed somewhen in the 1950-s and were lost. So I am also kind of lost.

Help me out guys. Where sould I start to fully understand the lore?

And to make this topic a bit more long-living, tell me and other readers about your favorite moments in this series.

Let me give you a warning:

To "fully understand the lore" isn't a thing you should expect out of Doctor Who. Tight plotting, continuity, or mythology aren't Doctor Who's strengths. This isn't a show that tries to lay out consistent rules about time travel, science, or technology.

There's vanishingly little you really need to know to be "caught up" on Doctor Who's lore from a practical perspective. You could easily start with the Matt Smith episodes and feel 99% like you've been there from the beginning, although I'd suggest the 2005 reboot just because there's a lot of good stuff you'd be skipping otherwise.