Sorry if this has been posted before, but I'm wondering how best to start watching the old Doctor who serials. I ask because I know that a lot of the early episodes are lost, and I'm wondering how much that affects where I should start watching, or if it matters much at all where I start.
At what point in the series should I start?
- Thread starter TalkieToaster
- Start date
It really doesn't matter too much. Personally, I'd recommend three choices: Start with An Unearthly Child and work your way through them all from the start; pick a particular Doctor and work your way through all of his stories; pick a producer or producer - script editor combo (for the 80's stories) and work your way through them that way.
Unfortunately, most of the Troughton era is missing-a shame since Troughton was one of the best actors to play the Doctor. A good chunk of Hartnell is also lost, but there's enough of his era intact to get a good feel for his doctor, who starts off fairly sinister but becomes more gentle as time goes on.
The show has often changed formats. The William Hartnell/Patrick Troughton years are of course black and white, and have the Doctor on more random adventures where not a lot is known about his background. This changes in "The War Games" where we learn about the Doctor's people and some more details on his background. The Pertwee years, for the most part, are set largely on 1970's Earth and have the Doctor team up with a military organization (UNIT, who also appear in the new series and it's spinoffs). Despite this there are a few otherworldy/other timely adventures here and there.
The Fourth Doctor returns to the wondering in time and space thing. The Fourth Doctor starts strong in his first three seasons but things get a little silly after a while. His final season is more serious, but with a few more 'out there' concepts.
The fifth Doctor's stories mostly continue the tone of Tom Baker's last season-more technobabble and sci-fi concepts than adventure. However as time goes on the series becomes a bit more reliant on continuity and violent (Although Tom Baker recieved similar complaints). The nadir of this is Colin Baker's first season(Season 22). The show got silly again with "Trial of a Time Lord" and the first Sylvestor McCoy series, although McCoy's acting and stories improved by season 25 and 26....but too little, too late
The show has often changed formats. The William Hartnell/Patrick Troughton years are of course black and white, and have the Doctor on more random adventures where not a lot is known about his background. This changes in "The War Games" where we learn about the Doctor's people and some more details on his background. The Pertwee years, for the most part, are set largely on 1970's Earth and have the Doctor team up with a military organization (UNIT, who also appear in the new series and it's spinoffs). Despite this there are a few otherworldy/other timely adventures here and there.
The Fourth Doctor returns to the wondering in time and space thing. The Fourth Doctor starts strong in his first three seasons but things get a little silly after a while. His final season is more serious, but with a few more 'out there' concepts.
The fifth Doctor's stories mostly continue the tone of Tom Baker's last season-more technobabble and sci-fi concepts than adventure. However as time goes on the series becomes a bit more reliant on continuity and violent (Although Tom Baker recieved similar complaints). The nadir of this is Colin Baker's first season(Season 22). The show got silly again with "Trial of a Time Lord" and the first Sylvestor McCoy series, although McCoy's acting and stories improved by season 25 and 26....but too little, too late
I pick and choose ones worth watching. The very first classic serial I saw was Genesis of the Daleks. The number of Who fans that started watching from the beginning are in the minority. Plus, although I like the first episode ever (An Unearthly Child), the rest of that serial sucks.
Check out the thread I started a few days back, the "NWhobie" thread. There's some good tips in that, including one guy who made a good list of Classic Who stories to check out.
I'd also suggest going to http://sfdebris.blip.tv and checking out his "Wiped, Erased, Junked" two-part review. Gave me some great background info in a 40 minute review that you wished lasted for a couple hours.
I think Pertwee's era is the first one almost completely intact except for a couple of episodes IIRC, whereas Hartnell and Troughton have whole stories missing.
Colin Baker was I think let down by the writing as was McCoy in his earlier stories - I personally believe McCoy would have been the best doctor had he been the slightly sinister manipulative character from the start.
But I would suggest getting to watch as many of the earlier Doctor's stories as you can, Unearthly Child is a must whatever way you choose to do it.
Colin Baker was I think let down by the writing as was McCoy in his earlier stories - I personally believe McCoy would have been the best doctor had he been the slightly sinister manipulative character from the start.
But I would suggest getting to watch as many of the earlier Doctor's stories as you can, Unearthly Child is a must whatever way you choose to do it.
Pertwee is all available, in some form or other, some episodes only available in Black and White, and I'm not sure if all are released on DVD, but, anything not available on DVD, you can watch on Dailymotion.
I started watching just a few months ago and began with the current Doctor, Matt Smith. Its brilliant and a lot of fun and I'm doubtful the earlier series get much better than that (but that's just speculation of course, I remember disliking the 9th Doctor though).
From my perspective I don't really feel I needed any of the background from the previous series. Most things you will pick up along the way and if you find any particular aspect interesting or you aren't quite sure what it means you can always look it up on wikipedia which has an excellent coverage of all things Doctor WHO.
In the end it's not a very serious show and with regards to continuity and all I wouldn't worry too much about it. This isn't Star Trek after all.
From my perspective I don't really feel I needed any of the background from the previous series. Most things you will pick up along the way and if you find any particular aspect interesting or you aren't quite sure what it means you can always look it up on wikipedia which has an excellent coverage of all things Doctor WHO.
In the end it's not a very serious show and with regards to continuity and all I wouldn't worry too much about it. This isn't Star Trek after all.
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