Doctor Who - where to start

[kypsilon]

I started with the 9th doctor myself and loved it all the way up to the new doctor until I was no longer able to catch shows due to scheduling conflicts. Now I want to get see all the old stuff as well. Like anything check it out and if you like it, watch more. Old doctor, new doctor whatever. If you like it, you'll stay, if you don't you won't.

 

[Berithil]

I started at the ninth doctor. I would recommend starting there. My personal favorite, however, was the tenth doctor.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Do not watch New Who. No, not just to start with. Don't EVER watch it. Me personally? I'd start with "Time Warrior" starring the Third Doctor and take it at your own pace from there.

Seconded.

Though, to be fair to New Dr Who, they were made with a very different audience in mind, one that wanted a soap opera with zanniness and lots of CGI you weren't supposed to think about, whereas the original Dr Who was more science fiction.

 

[kyogen]

My personal favorite is the 4th Doctor, but that's pretty old-school. If you aren't prepared to forgive the age and resource limitations of the original series, then start with the first episode of the new series and move forward. Doctor Who constantly builds on what has come before, so it's to your advantage to start as early as you can. Christopher Eccleston did a great job creating a 9th Doctor to bridge the gap from what fans of the older series loved and what current television demands. Even if he's not your favorite, he's worth watching.

 

[Fiad]

The series is a logical progression, not just random jumping around despite what it seems. So it would be best to start at episode 1 of the 2005 reboot.

If you really want to you can try to find the older episodes. But good luck with that. I have had no luck finding them to watch in the few years I have been a Doctor Who fan.

 

[Creepybard]

Heres what you do. Take a picture of every doctor you can find from the show. Put them on a dart board. Close your eyes. Hurl dart at the board. Pray to whatever god you hold dear that you dont kill or mortally wound someone. If you manage to hit one of the doctors, start with him. If you manage to miss and break a window or something, well... Im sorry? But before you fix the window, repeat step four until you hit a doctor. Preferably one on the board, but its not really a big deal at this point.

 

[DaSpoony]

Start with the 9th Doctor Series.

Then watch about half of the 10th Doctor Series.

Then stop.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

So I have some free time coming up and I've decided to get into Doctor Who after people have been going on about it for the last 5 years

5? Try 45

It really depends on your type of liking.

Spoiler: Your crib notes

A really good starting point is probably Rose at the start of the remake. It's not too silly, drops you in at the action, and despite the directors stumblings, is a pretty solid episode.

It is an RTD episode though, and there are a lot of people who dislike them.

Blink is seen as one of the best episodes of the new whole revival - so that's a good place to get your toes wet, so to speak.

If you want to jump bang up to date, The 11th Hour is a good starting point.

For the older Who's, it really depends. There are some astounding episodes mixed in with some truly dire episodes. Any of the new regenerations first episodes:

An Unearthly Child,
The Power of the Daleks is gone, but The War Games is as good.
The Terror of the Autons
Robot
Castrovalva
The Twin Dilemma although Vengeance on Varos is far superior.
Time and the Rani although Rememberance of the Daleks is better.
Doctor Who: The TV Movie although ignore all references to the Master.
And then from there into the new season.

I'd also check out the stunningly good Ten Doctors comic strip: http://comics.shipsinker.com/archive.php?arc=10doctors

Or just pick and choose from Babelcolour's marvellous list

 

[Torrasque]

Doctor Who is designed so you can watch any season without having to watch any other season. Obviously since it is technically continuous, you should start from the first season, but if you decide to watch season 10 then 5 then 2 then 8, you aren't missing much. There are little nuances here and there that are explained in previous seasons, but each season always explains something you have not seen before in the current season.

I have to get around to watching all of Doctor Who one of these days too, lol. Maybe this summer...

 

[XSin]

Thanks for all your help guys, I would just start from Doctor 1 and blitz through EVERYTHING (I really do have that much free time) but the local store doesn't have anything before the 9th.

I think I'll start with 9, maybe skip forward to 10 if it really grates at me but I can really agree with the polarizing comment, had far too many occasions of being caught inside a shouting match between nerd mates over the finer points of the Doctors and then having them all turn on me when I say I've never seen any of it >_<


I've seen scraps of it before walking through the lounge and there was one point that really stuck with me, I always found the Doctor to be whimsical and lighthearted but there was a scene where one of the Doctors (10th?) just got downright scary, he was pissed at someone for something and man. . . can't wait to get to that ep, it had a very cool feel

 

[WolfThomas]

I think even if you don't like 9 (and you'd be a terrible person then /joking) it sets up characters like Rose, Mickey and Jack. Plus has a lot more exposition for new watchers for things like the Daleks and regeneration.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

First off, don't listen to the old people. The new Doctor is great.

Second, if you want an episode to pull you in, watch Blink. Despite being rather Doctor light, it's an amazing piece of television.

After that, you can either go for the classics, or start on Christopher Eccleston. Eccleston can be a bit hard to get into at first as the writing and production value for some of his early episodes sags a bit.

As others have said, I feel Tennant is FAR superior to Eccleston, but you need to watch the first guy first to understand everything.

 

[Trololo Punk]

I started at 10 because i was recommended to start there. I now realize it might have been better since some stuff is carried over from the 9th doctor. But it's easy to catch up even if you don't.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

but there was a scene where one of the Doctors (10th?) just got downright scary, he was pissed at someone for something and man. . . can't wait to get to that ep, it had a very cool feel

Probably Family of Blood or the sequel. A good choice.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Pfft to double posts.

 

[RWJP]

As a fan of both the old and new series (I was introduced to Sylvester McCoy as my first Doctor and have since worked through almost every other episode available), I'd advise you start with Ecclestone, and then work forward to Smith.

There's very little of the "old" story line that isn't explained in the new stuff, and as Ecclestone's series is a completely new series you have no prior story-lines to worry about.

Once you've watched at least Ecclestone and the first Tennant series, then you could start looking back at the older episodes. Pertwee (Number 3) onwards will be easiest, as there are no missing episodes from any of those.

As has already been mentioned, do not expect amazing sets and special effects in the older stuff, they did the best they could in the 60s/70s/80s with the very limited budget they had.

Saying that, there are some very competent stories such as Remembrance of the Daleks, Earthshock, and The Five Doctors.

 

[XSin]

Second, if you want an episode to pull you in, watch Blink. Despite being rather Doctor light, it's an amazing piece of television.

Unsurprisingly enough I've already been told this by a friend, the one about scary angel statues right? Looking forward to it

but there was a scene where one of the Doctors (10th?) just got downright scary, he was pissed at someone for something and man. . . can't wait to get to that ep, it had a very cool feel

Probably Family of Blood or the sequel. A good choice.

Could be, I think he was angry about aliens attacking (which happens a lot?) but there was a big speech about Earth being under his protection, very cool.

 

[Phlakes]

I started with 9 and watched every episode over two weeks to catch up before the last season finale. That's probably the best way to go.

 

[Orange12345]

Well I just sort of jumped into it and after a few episodes understood the basic plot and who the characters were, so that would be my advice just start where ever you want

 

[Irishanime]

I have seen older series on DVDs at Best Buy and F.Y.E. They run around $30 for each. They are out there...