Best Post-Regeneration Story

[Emperor-Tiberius]

OK, after the Best Regeneration Story thread had done so well, why not an accompanying thread about the first story of each respective Doctor?

I decidedly exclude the First Doctor, of course, because he's, well, the original, and the Ninth Doctor, because although Rose is his first story, there's never been definitive proof as to whether or not this was shortly after his regeneration - its ambiguous about it, at best, and I'd rather not take a stance by adding it (for all we know, he regenerated from John Hurt's Doctor and roamed the cosmos for a while before he descended to Earth in 2005). If you all think it must be added, then I could ask the moderator to alter the thread accordingly.

I also included, hesitantly, the TV Movie again, because it is, after all, his only story - not because I love it so much, LOL.

Anyway, what do you think? Which, to you, is the best introductory story of a past Doctor?

BONUS QUESTION: How does the respective story/serial stand compared to the First Doctor's Unearthly Child?

 

[MickJo1701]

Personally for me its between Spearhead from Space and The Eleventh Hour. Both are post regeneration stories that are reinventions of the show. The exile on Earth is my favourite era and its a great story to start off Pertwee's Doctor. Equally The Eleventh Hour was the first attempt to reinvigorate Doctor Who since its return with a multitude of changes to the cast and a new senior production team with a different take on the program (i.e. the lonely god vs. the madman with a box).

Its fair to say they both stories hit the nail on the head but I have to give it to Spearhead.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Tempted to vote Power Of The Daleks, but since it's the only one I've never *seen*, The Eleventh Hour gets it.

If it'd been a multiple-option poll I'd have gone for both as a tie.

 

[Green Lantern]

I can't believe I'm voting for Matt Smith, but Eleventh Hour is one of the only ones which didn't suck. Also one of the only Smith stories I actually like. :P I don't know why you put Power of the Daleks on there though, as it's all missing.

*Spearhead was okay. One of the better ones. Still a bit long winded mind you.
*Robot was also one of the better ones. Still not that good though
*Casserole or whatever was just awful. Especially disappointing after two such good episodes.
*Twin Dilemma is not as bad as people say. Better than Davison's first. Still pretty bad though.
*Haven't seen Rani, but Pip & Jane Baker's writing it, it has the Rani in it, and everyone else hates it so it's just got to be bad.
*The Enemy Within is my favourite, but as a post regeneration story......it's more of a pilot for a new show than introducing a new doctor. Plus not a proper send of for the previous doctor.
*Christmas Invasion was also shit. For one main reason. THE DOCTOR WASN'T EEN IN IT!!!! He appeared for like the last ten or so minutes and the first five. That's it. A shame, such good villains, but yet everything else was so bad. An episodes with a new doctor and he is barley in it. Pathetic. Great way to introduce a new doctor and help people get over the loss of such a good previous doctor. No wonder it took me so long to even like Tennant, let alone rate him over Eccleston.
*Eleventh Hour is the only post regeneration story I can say is very good, and also one of my top ten Smith stories, then again that's because most others are shit (and the entire series went down hill from there on.) Good acting, great way to introduce a new doctor, and I like the lack of the sonic. Now it's way too overused.

 

[Starkers]

The Eleventh Hour all the way...

 

[Chris3123]

I have to say "The Eleventh Hour", with "Spearhead from Space" coming in second.

 

[EnterpriseGeek]

I voted for The Eleventh Hour. While I have seen some of the others, I like The Eleventh Hour best. I can't help but laugh when he tries the different foods.

 

[VDCNI]

Two out and out classics there with Power & Spearhead - I voted for Power as even on audio I enjoy it more than Spearhead.

A few fun but nothing special - Robot is worth it just to see Baker in a Pertwee story and how even in his first story his charisma shines through, Castrovalva has many typical Bidmead faults but I have a soft spot for it as it was only the second story I ever saw & Christmas Invasion was a great first Christmas episode - RTD expertly handled the regeneration by focusing on Rose and making you really want the Doctor to show up - the Doctor coming out of the Tardis is one of modern Who's best moments.

Then the pretty poor but entertaining in their own way - Twin Dilemma, Rani & the Movie.

Then finally the disaster of the bunch Eleventh Hour which only has a great performance from Matt Smith to keep it going - shame the material is so weak.

 

[Mitty]

Already mentioned above, but "Eleventh Hour" followed very, very closely by "Spearhead from Space". Robot wasn't to bad. I haven't seen Power of the Daleks so can't comment on that. Castrovalva was frankly very annoying, and I was mad at him for unravelling Tom Baker's scarf. DT's first ep... mediocre at best, until he woke up. TV Movie I realliy need to get hold of and watch again, but I seem to recall it was also annoying.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I'm embarrassed to say that I've only seen those from the TV movie on. But I've said it anyway. Of those, The Eleventh Hour is far and away the best - the TV movie is okay, Christmas Invasion was a disappointing opener for Tennant, who doesn't get to do anything until near the end. TEH got Smith's Doctor off to a flying start, however.

 

[Turbo]

I love Spearhead from Space, but it's really hard to argue with The Eleventh Hour. Both stories had a massive cast and behind-the-scenes crew change, and still came through quite well. But The Eleventh Hour, for whatever reason, just clicks better than Spearhead. Spearhead's middle two episodes drag considerably, even for an early Pertwee story.

 

[DalekJim]

Power of the Daleks, with Spearhead from Space coming second.

 

[Stevil2001]

I love Castrovalva.

As to the results of this poll... yes, well, that's democracy for you.

 

[Green Lantern]

I really didn't like Castrovalva. It's especially a let down after two such good previous serials. Keeper of Traken and Logopolis are pure awesome.

 

[ClayinCA]

I love Castrovalva.

Me too! It was my first-ever "new Doctor" story, and Davison is fantastic in it.

As to the results of this poll... yes, well, that's democracy for you.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

I really didn't like Castrovalva. It's especially a let down after two such good previous serials. Keeper of Traken and Logopolis are pure awesome.

I wouldn't call Logopolis that, but Keeper of Traken is pretty good.

ALthough, to be fair, Bidmead wrote this after several of other season 19 stories were written, and thus it feels like its not quite-there as a story.

 

[DWF]

Robot, it was my first ever Doctor Who story and it made me a fan for life, plus it introduced Tom Baker's wacky version of the Doctor.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Should The Day of the Doctor have been included in this? Cause its really after he became the War Doctor narratively from Night of the Doctor and such... although it acts like a regeneration story and everything. What do you think?

 

[Tom]

DoTD does not work because Hurt's Doctor was kicking around for a long time, given that he looked younger in night of the Doctor in the reflection and Moffat said he had been fighting the Time War a long time.

 

[Captain Dago]

I don't know why you put Power of the Daleks on there though, as it's all missing.

Well, sonny, some of us actually WATCHED "Power of the Daleks" when it aired...

And, I have to say, it's still my favorite post-regen story. I remember that I spent most of the first episode saying (in a foreshadowing of another, much later Doctor), "What? WHAT? WHAT?!?" I was initially convinced that the BBC had ruined my favorite show but it didn't take me long to warm to Patrick Troughton and, indeed, he's still my Doctor.

"The Eleventh Hour" and "Castrovalva" are darn good, too.