It’s true what they say, you never forget your first Doctor.
I know we have a lot of Doctor Who fans around here (I mean, that “no Doctor Who” rule must be in the most recent Derby for a reason), so gather as ye may.
So who was your first Doctor? Which is your favorite? Where would you recommend a newbie start if they wanted to (asking for a friend on that one)?
Now, I’m a huge Doctor Who nut, I don’t think that’s any great secret. I started with Nine back in the day and was hooked instantly with this “new to me” series. I’ve been a fan ever since, enjoying each of the things a new regeneration has brought to the role.
My cat (“The Intern”) came into the fold with Eleven, and as such enjoys the more “character driven” vs “scary monster” style stories. Perhaps I was a bad cat parent for letting her sit fascinated in front of the tv every once in a while, but such it is.
Lately, I’ve been exploring the older Doctors and have made it a goal to try and get through all the older episodes, too.
could she possibly appreciate the early doctors? That pompous guy(#3? or 4?) with Sarah Jane? or Doctor #2 with his recorder (Moe reincarnated as a Brit)?
Well, my English half suggests that you 'merkins should start with the American made movie.
If you were insisting I make a suggestion, maybe the 5 doctors would be a good place to start, just to learn a little of 5 of the personalities.
my personal introduction to the series came probably somewhere around pertwee/baker.
All I’d suggest is anyone can start watching anywhere, just enjoy it, and don’t expect it to be more than mindless entertainment, it’s not supposed to be taken so seriously.
(And you really should watch K9 and company, it’s infinitely better)
That brings up an interesting thought - are the earlier doctors “as accessible” to new viewers? (I mean on one hand, they must be, as the series has endured so long, but on the other hand, they’re not as ‘flashy’ as the current series…)
First Doctor: I started watching the new series, with Chris Eccleston, a couple years ago. Netflix wasn’t very helpful with linking the Christmas specials in with the fifth and sixth series, however, and once Matt Smith came on, I was baffled as to where David had gone.
Favorite Doctor: My favorite Doctor is obviously Ten — clever, sweet, and gorgeous. He and Donna were fantastic together.
Favorite Writer: I do believe as far as guest, and future, writers go, Moffatt wrote it best — “Blink” and “The Empty Child”/“The Doctor Dances” are two of my all-time favorite stories.
I also started with the latest reboot and really like it. I have tried to go back and see others but I just dont care for them as much. I like the flashier stuff
I think I started with the Key To Time Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor)/first Ramona/K9 series. It was both a ranging story arc and six episodes with different moods and styles. My brother started my nieces and nephews with that as well. I think that’s a nice mid point to the Dr. Who series, not as flashy as the modern, you don’t need as much backstory and not as creaky as some of the earlier ones.
Baker turns out not to be my favorite Dr. but only because I really enjoyed Peter Davison’s Fifth Doctor’s interaction with Tegan. I think that was the start of where they’ve taken Doctor and companion relationships.
My 9yo kid started watching when he was maybe 6 or 7, I really can’t remember, but 10th Dr anyways, watching shows weekly as they aired on BBC America.
well, he’s simply moved on to the other doctors now, reading a few books, and just making season requests here and there (having all the episodes available to watch really helps…)
He didn’t like Hartnell at first, (I guess the thought that TV could be black + white didn’t appeal) but now seems to have no problem getting into any of the seasons at all.
As an English kid watching the older doctors, I always found the contrast between their role as the Doctor, and their other TV roles to be interesting.
I’m thinking of watching City of Death, this weekend.
I’m copying the Wikipedia description because the article has spoilers.
City of Death is the second serial of the 17th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was made by the BBC and first broadcast in four weekly parts between 29 September 1979 and 20 October 1979 on BBC1. It features the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward). Set mainly in Paris in 1979, the plot concerns a scheme by an alien, Scaroth, to steal the Mona Lisa to finance experiments in time travel in the hope of averting the accident that marooned him on Earth four hundred million years previously, which also began the existence of life on the planet as well.
I bet if I made the ‘watch along’ more book club style, such as “let’s watch these episodes during July and then discuss” might work better for everyone. As long as the episodes are somewhere streamable and free, I imagine a lot of people can join in.
Anyone else have some thoughts? Treading into that trying new things territory.
Amazon has most of the older doctors, but we have a subtitle issue, need to find subtitle files for them. Orc uses a couple ipad apps for subtitles, so I’ll have to look.
My first doctor that I really followed was Doctor 9. It took me a couple seasons to get into Doctor 10. We did rent some Baker episodes from the library, but the disks were in such sad shape we gave up trying to watch them.
The Versions love Sarah Jane Chronicles.
I’m in for a Whovian Watching Club, as soon as I get back to where I have internet on a regular basis (so give me a week or two).
