If one doesn't do at least some knocking down and exploding of preconceived expectations and interpretations, then those in-the-know can never be set on equal footing with the know-nothings, which more or less defeats one of the primary purposes of the exercise. I'd say the trick is to knock it down first, and then find some way of putting the pieces back together in a cohesive manner. For me, DSC has been doing pretty well on that score. But YMMV.
What actually drew me into DW seriously—after having only dabbled (though quite enthusiastially) in Tom Baker/Peter Davison as a young child, when they would be sporadically shown here on PBS—was in fact "The Name Of The Doctor" and the 50th anniversary special that followed. The introduction of the War Doctor was a serious knockdown for the longtimers. But it meant that they and I were together experiencing a totally unfamiliar Doctor (and yet somehow still familiar, as always) and unexpected left turn (no pun intended) in the saga. For some it was the final end, or so they huffed. For me, it was a new beginning.
While I'm now looking forward to Whittaker and Chibnall's new take with bated breath, I doubt I ever would have taken the plunge into watching through the entire filmed history (and I do mean all of it, recons of missing episodes, spinoffs and all) if it hadn't been for Moffat's abidingly equal willingness to both reach so deeply into the show's past and irreverently "muck about" with it simultaneously! It was (mostly) great fun, and I came away with a real sense of having "the whole picture" but also one of knowing that any of it could be totally upended with the next revelation. (Sort of like an extension of the cliffhangers in the early years, where they'd build up your expectations for what was about to happen, and then unceremoniously sidestep it entirely with in the following installment!) A sense of knowing that the story doesn't end, especially not if it loops back on and tangles itself up in knots, and the picture is never complete, even if it seems perfectly fine and beautiful as it is, like Bob Ross (thanks again PBS!) you can always slap something else on top of it that totally rearranges it! As he might say, don't be afraid. It won't ruin the picture. (Unless your name is George Lucas...in which case sell it to Disney and leave the Mouse to deal with the mess.)
Myself, I have no complaints about the SW films right now, because I both quite liked the reverent Rogue One (except the CGI Tarkin & especially Leia, NOT good, creepy AF) and absolutely loved the wonderfully deconstructive Last Jedi (though it was bit long and meandering in places, I think it may have needed it and woudn't actually have been better for being trimmed down). I can't help being slightly apprehensive about Abrams coming back to direct IX, but I'll roll with it and try to go in with no foreknowledge or expectations (as I did with TLJ). Jurassic World I didn't really care for, tbh (still haven't seen Fallen Kingdom) but actually Wu being made into an antagonist was one of my favorite parts! Only ever seen a couple episodes of the original X-Files (I remember one where they were trapped on a ship where they couldn't drink the water?) and the first movie, but perhaps someday I'll take that plunge as well. Alas, not enough hours in the day at present! (Barely enough for this!)
Anyway, different strokes for different folks. I'd like to think I've grown past equating "I don't like it" with "it's bad." (I'm not quite sure about the inverse, though; I kind of figure if something manages to get you to like it, even a little, then no matter what its flaws may be, it's at least a partly successful endeavor on that front.) But there's always more growing to do! "The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it." Or shall it?
-MMoM
I think the war Doctor wasn’t a knockdown at all. Moffat slot him into a fairly natural gap, and I don’t remember any backlash on it at all. It helped it was John Hurt for some I expect. Moffat is really good at that, and Who in general got really good at it in the novels. The Krotons got rehabbed (in an episode where people are after the doctors future corpse....)
