New to Who

[Guy Gardener]

Classic Who is a completely different format.

1 story = 4 to 6 thirty minute instalments, with some aberrant happenings like the War Games that had 10 instalments.

1 story = 2 to 3 hours where 80 percent of the time people are just standing around or running away from a monster made out of mostly cardboard.

Missing episodes.

In 1970something The BBC Burned all the Doctor who in it's long term storage to make room for shit they thought was more important. There's over a hundred episodes missing form the first and second Doctors stories.

1970 is also when they switched from black and white to colour, which to most people is not even an inch as transformative as when they switched from film to videotape.

Best of luck.

Oh, if you like Mozzie...

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riwhHqb5gi0[/yt]

 

[Mr Soak]

The Chase: Doctor vs Daleks round three, featuring the answer to an historical mystery, an hysterical 'Scooby Doo' segment, the first (and only) time the Daleks met their mechanical match, and a celebrity cameo at the start you won't believe...

Unless you watch the North American DVD.
I don't know what Netflix has got.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

That video!

I know about the missing episodes and I doubt I'll end up watching every episode that's on Netflix, I just want to watch a few to say that I've seen some of it.

 

[Guy Gardener]

You need ammunition to fight the snobs looking down their noses at you?

Pick a companion...

Good looking 20 something boy in a kilt always speaking like a Scott.

A gobby Australian airhostess.

A tin dog.

A savage dressed in a leather bikini always trying to gut someone with her knife.

A timelady, the Doctors equal, who seems to think she's going to comicon to win a cosplay competition every week.

An annoying little prick.

An annoying prick working for evil to kill the Doctor like a ginger Judas.

A (girl) street kid from the 80s with a ghetto blaster and massive chip on her shoulder.

The Doctor's grandaughter.

...

(There are 5 more Town Car Willie episodes over on Youtube.)

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

It's not about needing ammunition. I do want to watch a bit of the classic stuff. Besides, guns are bad. Very very bad.

God I miss Mozzie already!

 

[Guy Gardener]

You know that SyFy Snobs don't really exist.

Or if they do exist, their opinion is meaningless and they have no real power.

"EEEw! You watch Buffy the TV Series, like a commoner? We only watch Buffy the Movie over and over again, because we are more mentally healthier than you are."

Have you seen Willie Garson's 3 episodes of Stargate?

They are, um, memorable.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Now that's hilarious! Buffy the Movie better than the TV show!?

I've never watched Stargate so no.

 

[Ithekro]

The Second Doctor is the most like the Eleventh Doctor (but then it could be said that most of the Doctors are at least somewhat like the Second Doctor, more so than the First Doctor). He is somewhat the silly one that is a genius (mostly) that tries to fool his enemies and new allies into thinking he is mostly harmless. He also runs around with a young Scotsman for most of his run. A somewhat dim but lovable Scotsman.

The Second Doctor was the first to use the Sonic Screwdriver, though he didn't use it all that often, and mostly just as a screwdriver.

 

[NightJim]

Ooooo I wondered if you'd do something like this. I'm currently at the tail end of my own version of this. Although some how I've ended up watching 90% of Pertwee. I'll back up the suggestion of the 2nd Doctor, as he's one of my favourites. I'll also add that a lot of the following actors all take queues from Troughton. Hartnell is the first, but Troughton is who made a lot of the Doctor the character we see today.

Hartnell suggestions:

An Unearthly Child/The Daleks/The Edge of Destruction
The Aztecs
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Rescue
The Time Meddler

Also, I'd like to veto Nightowl's suggestion of the The Chase, as not recommending it just isn't enough. It's an absolute turd. The 'Scooby Doo' sequence is awful and a total waste of 20 mins, admittedly the pay off is nice, but the same could have been achieved with 5 mins there. The actual chase itself is almost completely pointless, and nothing that happens at the final destination is effected in any way by them jumping around time and space that happened beforehand. And the Mechanoids are utter rubbish.

With Pertwee and Baker, are you sticking to Sarah Jane episodes? I haven't actually got round to them yet. I'm saving them for post Season 9.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Not too sure if I'll stick to only the Sarah Jane ones but hers are the ones I'm most interested in. Oh and yes I'll probably throw in some Patrick Troughton episodes too. A bit of the first 4

 

[mythme]

Ooooo I wondered if you'd do something like this. I'm currently at the tail end of my own version of this. Although some how I've ended up watching 90% of Pertwee. I'll back up the suggestion of the 2nd Doctor, as he's one of my favourites. I'll also add that a lot of the following actors all take queues from Troughton. Hartnell is the first, but Troughton is who made a lot of the Doctor the character we see today.

Hartnell suggestions:

An Unearthly Child/The Daleks/The Edge of Destruction
The Aztecs
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Rescue
The Time Meddler

Also, I'd like to veto Nightowl's suggestion of the The Chase, as not recommending it just isn't enough. It's an absolute turd. The 'Scooby Doo' sequence is awful and a total waste of 20 mins, admittedly the pay off is nice, but the same could have been achieved with 5 mins there. The actual chase itself is almost completely pointless, and nothing that happens at the final destination is effected in any way by them jumping around time and space that happened beforehand. And the Mechanoids are utter rubbish.

I agree with this list (In fact, I was taken aback how much I enjoyed "The Aztecs") but I would nix "Edge of Destruction". I think its OK, but unless you want a character study, it really doesn't offer much other than it was the first step in "softening" Hartnell's Doctor.

Also when you say "An Unearthly Child", please note that you should watch only the FIRST episode. I consider it a stand alone and it should be. The caveman stuff that follows (which I call, rightly, "100,000" BC) will sour a newcomer to the First Doctor and classic Who immediately.

In their place I would add "The Tenth Planet" or "The Romans" which is a favorite of mine. Hartnell does comedy AND has a fight scene! In all his stories, this is the one I could tell he was really having a good time with.

 

[kirk55555]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but if you're watching some of the 3rd Doctor, Terror of the Autons is a must if its available. You get to see the introduction of the first version of The Master, who is very different from the one in Series 8 but in a good way, and its overall an entertaining story.

Plus, if you watch some of 1,2 and 3 and decide you at least like The Doctors themselves, The Three Doctors is a good serial. The main story is sometimes a mixed bag for people (although I like it), but the 2nd and 3rd Doctors have a hilarious relationship with each other which makes it worthwhile all by itself.

 

[Redfern]

...I would nix "Edge of Destruction". I think its OK, but unless you want a character study, it really doesn't offer much other than it was the first step in "softening" Hartnell's Doctor.

Whereas I feel one should watch it for that very reason. In the first two adventures ("UnEarthly Child" through the dalek serial), the Doctor is a very self interested, shoot, selfish character. It would not be a stretch to call him "Dr. Smith" (of "Lost in Space") instead. But the events of "Edge of Destruction" and "Brink of Disaster" forces the Doctor to have a revelation and finally realize the humans he kidnapped (to maintain his secret) have merit and worth. It is during those final minutes of the second epsode (the 13th since the premiere) that the Doctor starts to become the person fans grew to love. Those first 13 episodes of the series forms a story arc of "maturity" for the Doctor. It's also the story that first presented the notion the TARDIS is something more than a mechanical contrivance, that it might be considered "alive", an idea Neil Gaimen carried to it's ultimate conclusion in "The Doctor's Wife". (Though this idea was kinda' dropped for a couple of decades, afterwards.)

Obviously, we all have our opinions what should be considered "essential" stories.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[Guy Gardener]

It's like how we treat you is from Se7en.

That guy forced to keep eating until his stomach exploded.

Or is this more like from The Meaning of Life?

Where that guy kept eating of his own accord until his stomach exploded?

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aczPDGC3f8U[/yt]

 

[Volpone]

"NO MORE JANUS THORNS!"
"The brontosaurus is large and placid...and stupid."

Keep calm. And when I say run, run.

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

Plus, if you watch some of 1,2 and 3 and decide you at least like The Doctors themselves, The Three Doctors is a good serial. The main story is sometimes a mixed bag for people (although I like it), but the 2nd and 3rd Doctors have a hilarious relationship with each other which makes it worthwhile all by itself.

Oh, "The Three Doctors" is amazing! I love all the stuff with Omega. His story is kinda heartbreaking and his over the top performance is oddly appropriate given the character's circumstances. It's my favorite Pertwee story. Also, most of the Brigadier's best moments are in this story.

 

[Volpone]

3 Doctors really makes me sad that I've never had a chance to see episodes with the Brigadier and the 2nd Doctor, to better appreciate how the dynamic changed when the 3rd came along.

 

[Sparkle Fabulosa]

Well that was another emotional roller coaster! But really, I should have known better. Caffrey you sly little devil

Starting on the classic stuff tomorrow. I expect to see lots of the round things!

Update: It's slim pickings for classic stuff. Suggestions?

Here's what episodes are listed.

The Three Doctors
The Ark In Space
Pyramids Of Mars
The City Of Death
Season 10 ep 1-4
Season 13 ep 1-4

 

[mythme]

what are you watching Who on again?

 

[Nightowl1701]

Don't forget that suggestion I PM'd you, JG!