Where do I start?

Discussion in 'Doctor Who' started by sbk1234, Dec 22, 2012.

  1. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I think there was some nostalgia that I just couldn't enjoy as much as some, since I have watched very few classic episodes. But I don't think the episodes on Netflix of classic Who really represent the best that the older series have to offer. In any case, I started with Rose and was an addict ever since.
     
  2. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    Rose?
     
  3. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    Just so it's on the newest page.

    Any viewers who've seen both the classic and the current series have an opinion?
     
  4. Ar-Pharazon

    Ar-Pharazon Admiral Premium Member

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    Having seen Pertwee thru McCoy (and a few #1 & #2) and the TVM, I can't imagine being as into the new series as I am without having seen classic stories.

    Opinions vary of course, but I have the nostalgia angle.
     
  5. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    Rose is the First Episode of The NuSeries (S1ep01)

    Many younger viewers do have a problem with The Black and White episodes and also with the Longer Serials (The First two Doctors have many Serials that are 6 or more episodes long. Episodes are 25 - 30 minutes long. Because it aired 1 episode a week, all year long, there was lots of repetition of running down hallways and get captured and escape, rinse repeat. So, they can also drag for younger viewers. Plus, there was a definite difference in quality of efects between ClassicWho and NuWho).

    I love ClassicWho, and watched in the early 1980s, long before NuWho came along, so, I may also have that "nostalgia" and not be impartial.

    So, my heart says start with Jon Pertwee's first story, and work your way through from there. But, Starting with Rose is an equally valid place, then when you get all caught up on NuWho, you can venture into ClassicWho.

    One option, if you want to Sample ClassicWho, is to try out The Multi-Doctor Stories or maybe one or two of the most popular of each one (You do know The Doctor Changes Actors on average about every 3 years, right [Though Pertwee and Tom Baker stayed longer]. When the Actor changes, The Doctor Regenerates into a new Body [Same character, just new face and personality, but, noticeably the same in subtle ways])
     
  6. Iamnotspock

    Iamnotspock Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    The opening episode of the 2005 revival. I grew up when it was off-air, but I came to Doctor Who long before the revival with re-runs of the "classic" years, and then investigated further with VHS/DVD releases and the ancillary media. I find it hard to imagine would it would be like to come to the older stories from the revival.

    The revival is a continuation of the original run, albeit with a significant in-narrative time jump, and was designed to be appreciated as a new show without any baggage, with any necessary backstory being filled in over time. Once the series was re-established however, the production team succumbed to the temptation to start including nostalgic elements, and as we got closer to the 50th anniversary the gap was closed until it's now virtually become one whole series again (with a 15-year break between two seasons). There are certainly elements that tie into things from many years past; it's not absolutely essential to know the ins-and-outs of the first 26 year run but you'll get a lot more out of the modern run with at least some basic knowledge of it.

    Personally, I'm wont to recommend starting with at least the original first episode, 1963's "An Unearthly Child," which I think is vastly superior to "Rose," relative to the time it was made, and will put certain enduring core elements of the series' mythology into their original context. That said, it depends much on the individual viewer's sensibility. Much of early Who was made against the clock on a shoestring budget, is largely studio-bound, stagey, and much of its effects work is embarrassingly B-movie (and the first 6 years are in black and white), but if you can look past that and see the wildly inventive premise and stories, the wit and the charm of the whole thing then definitely start at the beginning. Its format may take some getting used to as well; 25 minute episodes, multi-part serials, none of which were designed to be watched all together in omnibus form on DVD 30/40/50 years later, so when watched in this way the structure may seem odd.

    It's worth noting that Doctor Who can be subdivided into many different eras in terms of tone and approach, as it would subtly reinvent itself every few years when a new producer and new writers would come in with new ideas. The series was initially designed as an intelligent children's semi-educational programme (which could be appreciated by parents too), and then progressed to a more action-adventure formula, became an Earthbound, James Bond-esque show in the early 70s, then took on a Gothic Horror-style flavour and so on. It largely grew up with its audience, and then descended into being very child-orientated again (to put it kindly). Nowadays it's run by fans (a bit like The Simpsons and Star Trek, it's been around for so long that its writers grew up with it), and you can see the influence of all eras of its history - it's a bit like the lunatics running the asylum!
     
  7. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    I'm going to give the first episode (1968) a shot. I'll check in after that but I'm contemplating whether I should watch the first 2005 after 1968's first or long hauling Classic Who for the next few months.
     
  8. Iamnotspock

    Iamnotspock Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    1963. ;) I'd give classic a try, bearing in mind that it's 26 years of TV, so maybe if the first few don't grab you, skip to the next phase of the show's history. At least perhaps one story from each Doctor and clips of the key/milestone moments?

    The thing about watching just the first one and then jumping to '05 is that, more than most series, Who's mythology evolved significantly over time, so that the first episode alone doesn't give you enough grounding.
     
  9. Professor Zoom

    Professor Zoom Admiral Admiral

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    Seen both. Watched 3rd Doctor to the 7th, TVM, and the new show.

    I watched the classic serious in my early teens. Loved it.

    But I don't think you need to watch the old series at all to get into the new one. I think the new series does a fantastic job of introducing you to the world. it was designed to be an introduction to an audience that had NEVER watched it.

    Will watching the old series add to your enjoyment of the new series? Perhaps. You might catch an easter egg here and there, and some old baddies that return might have a greater impact.
     
  10. Pindar

    Pindar Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    I have been quite hard on Rose in the past but found myself re-watching it last night and enjoying more than any previous viewing.

    I still think that The Eleventh Hour is a better introductory epsiode than Rose though.
     
  11. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    I saw the first season. I was slightly discouraged to watch it, assuming each season had (some)teen episodes, but realized it wasn't that many. The Aztecs is the first episode, right? I didn't expect it to start in the middle (unless that was the pilot) but it's something I can watch. I like that classic style of television. I think I'm going to watch all of the classics before moving on to the 2005 series.

    I hear people mentioning "Rose", "Pertwee", and "McCoy". Are they people who played DW or episodes (I'm a noob).
     
  12. Pindar

    Pindar Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Rose is both the name of the 9th doctors first episode and the name of his companion.

    Jon Pertwee played the 3rd Doctor and Sylvestor McCoy played the 7th doctor.
     
  13. Blamo

    Blamo Commodore Commodore

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  14. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    It's strange Netflix starts six stories in.
     
  15. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    Also, First Series (Season in American terms) is actually 42 episodes, which makes up 8 Stories (All of them now available, except for the 4th Story/Serial, which is made up of 7 Episodes, and is currently lost. There are still alot of episodes lost from the Black and White era)
     
  16. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    Any reason behind this?
     
  17. Sindatur

    Sindatur The Gray Owl Wizard Admiral

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    Nobody could've imagined back then anyone would want to watch reruns and that there would be a market for Home Media, so lots of episodes got wiped (The films took up lots of space and was expensive), however, many have been discovered, from copies distributed around the world that never came back for wiping). There are two episodes still mising from the 7th Story, also, but, they have been animated, so, it's only the 4th story of the first Series which still remains missing.

    Second Series, is all found, aside from two episodes missing of the 6th Story. Though, all the missing episodes, do have Reconstructions available (Telesnaps, with the Audio track, and some have text narration to let you know some stuff you can't see via the frozen picture)
     
  18. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    I'll stick with what Netflix is offering and after completion of the classics, I'll go back to see what was missed before jumping into the current series.
     
  19. bbjeg

    bbjeg Admiral Admiral

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    The Mind Trap was pretty good. The start was trippy and it was a great adventure. I liked seeing the familiar story book characters (I knew that was rapunzel's hair the second he caught the rope). I did roll my eyes on how easy Karkus was defeated but the sword fight later made up for it. D'Artagnan and Lancelot were good calls by the doctor.
     
  20. diankra

    diankra Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The Mind Robber is the actual name, though The Mind Trap is actually a better title, thinking about it!
    The behind-the-scenes stuff is that episode one was added on to the existing four-part script after there were problems with the previous serial - hence the low-cost production (no guest actors, no new sets, even the robot costumes were borrowed from another BBC SF series). But it's still brilliantly creepy!