Classic Who

[BruntFCA]

So I've just started watching NuWho on Netflix and I'm really liking it so far. This is the first Who that I have ever seen and I would like to go back and watch some of the older stuff but I don't really know what is good and whats not so I'm looking for some recommendations. Thanks.

[OmahaStar]

When you say Netflix, which version do you mean? If you have streaming-only, there is a very limited supply of classic titles available, less than 20 of the 130+ released stories are available via streaming.

Of those, The Aztecs is a good introduction to the First Doctor. The Three Doctors is a reunion story, with the first three Doctors working together to solve a problem. It will give you a sampling of their personalities.

The Fourth Doctor is the most-represented on streaming. Try City of Death. It's a classic, and a fun romp. His entire "Key to Time" season is also available, and it introduces fan-favorite companion Romana.

The Fifth Doctor's final story Caves of Androzani is frequently voted the most favorite story by classic Who fans. It also (briefly) introduces the Sixth Doctor. That is actually the only Sixth appearance via streaming.

I don't remember which story the Seventh Doctor has on streaming, just that it's not one of the better ones.

There will be other answers should you have the dvd option.

[Sindatur]

Also, the Classic Doctor Who stories are 1/2 hour episode segments (25 Minutes without commercials), rather than hour eppisode segments (40-50 Minutes without commercials), and a single story can be 4 or 6 or more of these half hour episodes, so, the story doesn't move at lightning pace as many of the 2005 onwards ones do. So, if you find a story moves too slowly for you, don't give up, just let us know you can't handle the slower pace of the story, and someone will be able to recommend faster paced stories for you. I personally love them all, but, I know some folks can be frustrated with the older/longer stories.

[BruntFCA]

The Valeyard wrote:

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When you say Netflix, which version do you mean? If you have streaming-only, there is a very limited supply of classic titles available, less than 20 of the 130+ released stories are available via streaming.

Of those, The Aztecs is a good introduction to the First Doctor. The Three Doctors is a reunion story, with the first three Doctors working together to solve a problem. It will give you a sampling of their personalities.

The Fourth Doctor is the most-represented on streaming. Try City of Death. It's a classic, and a fun romp. His entire "Key to Time" season is also available, and it introduces fan-favorite companion Romana.

The Fifth Doctor's final story Caves of Androzani is frequently voted the most favorite story by classic Who fans. It also (briefly) introduces the Sixth Doctor. That is actually the only Sixth appearance via streaming.

I don't remember which story the Seventh Doctor has on streaming, just that it's not one of the better ones.

There will be other answers should you have the dvd option.

Thanks for the recommendations. I only have streaming but my local library has a lot of Who DVDs so I can see them that way aswell.

[The Borgified Corpse]

The Valeyard wrote:

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I don't remember which story the Seventh Doctor has on streaming, just that it's not one of the better ones.

Isn't "Remembrance of the Daleks" available? I'd say that's the absolute best of McCoy's stories!

As to the pacing issue, I agree classic Who can take some adjusting to get used to. Actually, I'd say the fastest paced story they ever did was "The Five Doctors," largely because the entire story is spent crosscutting between 4-6 different character groups, so there's not as much time to belabor the point the way they usually do.

[Sindatur]

The Borgified Corpse wrote:

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Isn't "Remembrance of the Daleks" available? I'd say that's the absolute best of McCoy's stories!

As to the pacing issue, I agree classic Who can take some adjusting to get used to. Actually, I'd say the fastest paced story they ever did was "The Five Doctors," largely because the entire story is spent crosscutting between 4-6 different character groups, so there's not as much time to belabor the point the way they usually do.

Heh, and I neglected to mention, I watch that las night

[OmahaStar]

The Borgified Corpse wrote:

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Isn't "Remembrance of the Daleks" available? I'd say that's the absolute best of McCoy's stories!

Nope. Home now so I can access Netflix ... It's Curse of Fenric.

[VDCNI]

For me Curse Of Fenric is the best McCoy story.

[Starkers]

VDCNI wrote:

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For me Curse Of Fenric is the best McCoy story.

Ditto.

[The Borgified Corpse]

Yeah, I've never really understood all the love for "The Curse of Fenric." "Remembrance of the Daleks" was the 1st McCoy story I ever saw and it made me an instant 7th Doctor fan. (He was an early favorite of mine for a while until I started watching more Troughton. And then, of course, Matt Smith showed up.) I heard everyone talk about how great "The Curse of Fenric" was but it was years before I finally found a cheap used copy to be able to see it. When I did, I could say I was fairly underwhelmed and some of the stuff with Ace just weirded me out more than anything. Like, when she's trying to distract the soldier by flirting with him, it's more haunting than sexy I think.

I still have a few more McCoy stories left to go but, so far, I'd say he only ever really made 2 great stories: "Remembrance of the Daleks" & "Battlefield." Although "Silver Nemesis" & "Survival" are both decent. And I at least respect the intentions behind some of the more oddly experimental stuff like "Paradise Towers," "The Happiness Patrol," and even some of the more iconic moments from "Ghost Light." (To the extent that "Ghost Light" fails, it's because it's just kinda hard to keep track of the story as it's happening.)

[The Mirrorball Man]

The Borgified Corpse wrote:

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I heard everyone talk about how great "The Curse of Fenric" was but it was years before I finally found a cheap used copy to be able to see it. When I did, I could say I was fairly underwhelmed and some of the stuff with Ace just weirded me out more than anything. Like, when she's trying to distract the soldier by flirting with him, it's more haunting than sexy I think.

A lot of the McCoy love comes from nostalgia, I think. For the fans who are 30+ years old, he was the Doctor when they were kids, and we know how that creates a bond that is not easily broken. Those fans usually see the Doctor as a schemer, a mysterious master manipulator, but although that was indeed Cartmel's intention, when you actually watch the episodes, that's never convincingly portrayed except for a couple of lines here and there.

The seduction scene in "Fenric" is a bit weird, but to be fair, it's one of the rare occasions in the series where Sophie Aldred actually acts, so it is one of her finest moments by default.

[diankra]

Fenric's a good 'un. One of the four solid McCoy stories that most people will like (as opposed to the four 'A lot of people aren't keen, but it's got it's good points', and the four that you wouldn't show to your worst enemy, even as a way of torturing him. Time and the Rani & Silver Nemesis, you know what I mean.)

[zarkon]

I've been doing a who rewatch this year, just into davison right now. So from first to the beginning of the fifth doc, these are the stories I'd say are worth watching(I've left in regenerations whether they're crap or not, but I haven't left in crap companion joining/leaving eps, let me know if you want those in as well).

Bear in mind classic who is somewhat to a lot slower paced then modern who, you may well not get into it. Also, the first regeneration is missing, as the last hartnell(first doctor) ep and the first 10 or so troughtons(second doctor) are missing

Unearthly Child
The Daleks
The Aztecs
Planet of Giants
The Rescue
The Romans
The Time Meddler
The War Machines
Tomb of the Cybermen
The Mind Robber
The Invasion
The Seeds of Death
The War Games
Spearhead from Space
Doctor Who and the Silurians
Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
Terror of the Autons
Day of the Daleks (watch the special edition!)
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster
The Three Doctors
Carnival of Monsters
The Green Death
The Time Warrior
Planet of the Spiders
Robot
Genesis of the Daleks
Pyramids of Mars
The Brain of Morbius
The Seeds of Doom
The Masque of Mandragora
The Hand of Fear
The Deadly Assassin
The Face of Evil
The Robots of Death
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
Horror of Fang Rock
The Ribos Operation
The Stones of Blood
The Androids of Tara
The Armageddon Factor
City of Death
Full Circle
State of Decay
Warriors’ Gate
The Keeper of Traken
Logopolis
Castrovalva
Kinda(Turn on the new CGI effects!)

Bolded episodes I think are really good.

I'd echo the andronzai, rememberance & fenric compliments, though I haven't got that far on my rewatch yet.

[The Borgified Corpse]

That's a decent list, although, you seem to be one of the few here with anything nice to say about "The Mutants." I'm also not crazy about "The Face of Evil."

In the meantime, there are a few pretty good ones that I think you skipped over:

"The Dalek Invasion of Earth." In many ways, the definitive Dalek story.

"The Ark in Space." A perfect, archetypal Tom Baker space station adventure. "Planet of Evil" is also a very solid entry in this category.

"The Pirate Planet" is the only complete story officially credited to the late, great Douglas Adams, and is worthwhile for that alone. I love the Pirate Captain and I wish they'd brought him back for more episodes.

And if you want a sampling of just how weird things could get during the William Hartnell years, I recommend "The Chase," which features badly acted historical reenactments, badly dressed fish people, the Mary Celeste, the Empire State Building, a haunted house, a robot duplicate of the Doctor that looks nothing like him, and (if you get the unedited version) a special appearance by the Beatles! And then there's "The Web Planet" if you're into giant bugs, tie burnings, and Barbara & Vicki's debate over the relative merits of asprin.

I was also going to recommend "Revenge of the Cybermen." But really, the appeal for that one all boils down to a single YouTube clip:

Watch that and you're probably done.

zarkon wrote:

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I've left in regenerations whether they're crap or not, but I haven't left in crap companion joining/leaving eps, let me know if you want those in as well).

In which case, I assume you'll be avoiding "Mawdryn Undead," "Terminus," & "Planet of Fire" like the Terullian Plague.

[Sindatur]

I've always liked The Mutants also, I realize it makes me a Leper out on an island, but, I like it, and don't understand the abuse